Sunday, June 30

Life continues to be interesting here in Guatemala, and I still find it hard to take time to reflect. Also, there has been a bug going around the school, and now I have it – sore throat, headache, achy muscles- not fun in addition to the intestinal problems I have been dealing with for over a week. Luckily, there is a three-day holiday in the town, and no classes, so I am getting some much-needed rest.

The school is still packed, so my teaching schedule has been light. Next weekend I will start teaching the beginners; it’s not an idea schedule given that I leave for La U before 7:00 and get back after 2:00, but they have no time during the week. We are also trying to get two more classes up and running during the week, but again it’s hard when everyone is so busy. I talked with Selvin today to broach the possibility of teaching in the fall when the teachers less busy. He said he thought that would be a good idea.

Saturday I talked with Javier, one of the teachers, about how to get the classes organized. He suggested getting a committee together to talk about how to create an English program. I think that would be a great idea, and I would enjoy working with the teachers in that way.
I have been increasingly uncomfortable with my living situation. Even though I love my family, the level of dirtiness and dampness is getting to me and, I think, contributing to my being sick. I found another place yesterday which I think will work out. I’ll have a room with a private bath and use of the rest of the house for $120/month, so I’ll be able to cook for myself. It’s just a five-minute walk to the school.

When I went to Antigua Thursday, I met with Patrick, the man I met on the plane. He and his assistant, Luke, took me out to lunch, and then he showed me his projects. There is a primary school for 170 children, a school for teenagers who never got beyond second grade or so, and a new project to help malnourished infants. I was told that some children as old as four weigh less than thirty pounds and cannot even sit up. Each of the schools has a medical and dental clinic onsite, and there is a food distribution center so that the children and their families can have good nutrition outside of school.

Luke and another assistant, Charlie, talked with Cristina and me about the recovery of victims of human trafficking. They told us about a man in Antigua who buys children from poor families to be shoeshine boys in the square and prostitutes (girls as young as 8). They explained that for some of the families, selling one child seems like a better option than watching several starve.
Patrick talked with me again about the possibility of working with his projects. I am not interested in doing that full time, but I did talk with Luke about organizing a teacher training.
Life is good here. At this point, it is hard to imagine living in the States again. Who knows?