School on Friday was good. In the morning, at about 6.10 I arrived at the school because I finally caught the María Victoria in the morning. It was fantastically misty out, covering the mountainside, it was impossible to see across to the Earth Lodge, let alone the valley below.
I helped out in the kindergarten; the teacher had returned for the first time in that week since she has been feeling poorly. The school day was quite relaxed as far as scheduling goes or lesson plans. They came in and ate their breakfast (provided by the school daily) then the teacher, Señora Dora, did some singing and reciting with them and then read to them the first part of 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.' After a brief English class with Emma, in which they were read a book about a monster promoting body parts and colors, Dora suggested that I lead a game of Bingo with the children. After passing out the cards and jumbling up all of the animal and household object cards, I explained the rules, objective, and all of the kids rolled up little balls of tissue paper to mark off the squares. That seemed like the most fun they had all day. We played for a little bit, long enough for them to start understanding the rules, when it was break time. After explaining that we would continue after the break, so do not pick up the cards, they all scrambled out as fast as possible once the doorway was clear.
During break, two vendors come to the school and the children can purchase fruit, popsicles, and candy. Games of tag, basketball, and soccer break out immediately, with whatever balls are handy. Girls and boys play together, although it is more impressive that the girls play basketball since they are all wearing the wrap-around skirts that are essentially floor-length and quite restrictive.
After break, we continued on with our game of Bingo for what seemed like a century, especially for the little guys, but with some sneaky work on my and Emma's (who was hanging around with us) part, two kids won. Then it was the end of the school day. They only have a half day, until noon, every day. I hung around for a little bit and helped organize all of the Bingo cards since they all had duplicates, which were a pain during the game.
I went back to the Earth Lodge after school. There I read, napped just a little bit, and played a fun bean-bag toss game with Emma and Jonathon. Truly a game of luck; I had my glorious and my horrendous moments.
I caught the 5.50 bus back down to Antigua and ate dinner by myself that night.
Saturday morning, I did not sleep in quite as much as I would have liked, but I think my body was getting accustomed to the early start. I had a nice big breakfast of cereals (there are different options and I always have more than one).
Saturday was a great day for two reasons: I got my laundry done, and I got a haircut. Laundry was a bit of a pain, though. Angelica told me of a place nearby, but after searching for it for a little while, I asked around and found out it was closed. That is why I could not find it. There was a really nice guy on a bicycle who I asked about a different 'lavandería.' He told me where there was likely to be one, and peddled alongside me and my little suitcase-full of dirty clothes. When we found one, he just said 'you're welcome' and off he went. Very friendly. I dropped of all the clothes and the suitcase with the lady at the laundromat, and I was told to return in 3.5 hours. So, I headed off for a haircut.
Carmen had recommended a place to me that was near to where I had purchased my cellphone, so I went there and topped up my credit on the phone, but I could not find the place. After calling Carmen and confirming the location, I asked around and was told it had gone out of business recently. So, Carmen had a second suggestion, and off I went.
The shop was quite small, three chairs, and very old-fashioned. The barber was watching a soccer game when I entered (Italy vs. Germany), but he got right to work without me saying a thing. He cut it really quite well, and to cut the hair off my neck as well as my sideburns he used the old one-blade razor. First time I had ever used one of those in my life. Yes, I am young, I am very well aware of that fact.
After the haircut, feeling light and free, I decided to make a very important stop: the bakery. I picked up a loaf of the orange-chocolate bread for the weekend before heading off to get something to eat. I had been told that I would not get dinner on Saturdays (nor meals on Sundays), so I ate at the Cafe Barista that is right next to the park. I had a yummy panini sandwich with fries and a really good banana-strawberry smoothie.
On the way back, I stopped off and got my laundry (after a half-hour wait), which I folded back up into the suitcase and took home. Back home, the cook María told me that there was in fact dinner for me if I in fact wanted to eat. I did in fact want to eat, so I did.
This morning I slept in quite satisfactorily. I had a very low-key morning, and Carmen came by in the afternoon with my other suitcase of stuff that I had not taken to San Marcos. Now I have all of my possessions together in a happy family. I have to say, warning this is pretty awesome, that I played a game of solitaire (just one game) and won! I have no way to explain my luck other than that I must have one-time solitaire luck in each country when I first go there. How cool.
I went out this evening for dinner to an Italian restaurant. I had a hearty spaghetti bolognese with garlic bread. It was very good, and I was very hungry, so I literally cleaned out the bowl with the bread at the end. Yum. Oh, and I also bought a loaf of carrot-bread for snacks during the week. I have been getting hungry during the school week since my pack-lunch is pretty small, so I figure the bread can supplement.
Alright. Clean clothes, cut hair, bread shelf stocked, I am all set for my last week here in Guatemala. My flight home is exactly a week from today at just before midday. I will be arrive home in Austin at about 7.00p.
Off to bed relatively early for the 04.45 alarm tomorrow morning.
Chao.
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