Breakfast was fresh fruit and omelets After breakfast, I had to go ask Olga if I can put some water in my water bottle from her (drinkable) water tank dispenser in the kitchen – in full Spanish! I felt a little proud. I think I cried. OK not really.
I think it was 2 mornings ago, when I mistook “café” as tea when Olga offered some to me… so… trying not to embarrass myself (or waste the coffee), I forced it down… yuk.
I spent some time after my Spanish class with Sandra and before lunch to create a cheat sheet to take to the Childcare – other volunteers are noticing my frustration with my Spanish abilities.
Lunch was, again, super yummy. Something made with eggplant was amazing.
While I was serving myself my lunch, one of Olga’s helpers asked me how to say rice (and eggplant) in Japanese. I told her “kome” for rice, but Chelsea (who I didn’t know was standing behind me) “corrected” me by saying “isn’t it gohan?” – which is true, but just another (probably better) way of saying it. Then I learned her brothers learned Japanese and she learned a bit from them – and said another phrase in Japanese (that I don’t remember). Again, very intelligent girl.
I learned from Dennis that Olga sublets apartments. She rents out a bunch from the area, and rents them out to students and volunteers that come into town. The area seems to have a lot of homestays, apartments, hotels, etc. A soccer player on my Tuesday evening soccer team from Guatemala did tell me that Antigua is a tourist town.
At the childcare, we colored, played Pictionary, and played catch. During Pictionary, I was able to use my cheat sheet and tell the kids “You only have 1 minute to draw!” – Noga was impressed – ha. I need to try more…
They have a room with a bunch of instruments. The older kids learn and love to play them – not sure who teaches them – but they are amazingly good. One way they make money for the place is to put on performances – as well as sell calendars, jewelry, food, picture frames, etc. I plan on buying a few calendars and possibly jewelry from them.
As they were playing music, Lesvi grabbed my hand and we started dancing around – it was hilarious. Today was the day I feel like I warmed up to the people a lot.
During snack time, Lesvi offered me what they were having. It was a Guisquil – tastes pretty similar to a potato – tastes much better with salt or chili sauce (I used their chili sauce). The outside is very pointy – and as you peel it, it’s very easy to prick yourself. You can eat the seed inside (which is not as tasty as the rest). Then Lesvi told and showed me that you can take the remaining “shell” of the seed and still eat/chew on it (probably to get all the edible material off of it) – and spit out the shell. As they all stared at me (as if being dared) to eat it, I quickly looked and pointed behind them and said “What’s that!” (que es!) and as soon as most of the people turned around, I put it in my mouth to chew on it. When they all turned back around and realized what happened, they all started laughing out loud. Lesvi, Fabiola, and Dorothy couldn’t stop laughing for a long while. Being immature helps to fit in, I guess. Lesvi started saying that I’m like Jackie Chan (or “Yackie” Chan) – and they all thought that was funny.
I think the kids started to really warm up to me today. The boys kept on saying Dorothy and Noga were both my girlfriends, and they both tried (maybe a little too much? Ha!) to tell them we are just friends (amigos).
Near the end of the day, some of the boys were upset that they didn’t get to play on the computers – I suppose we ran out of time, or maybe Lesvi forgot that she had promised them. I kinda felt bad for them – but I’m sure I can make it up to them Friday – since tomorrow is “Futbol” day between 2:30-4pm.
Fridays is supposedly the day they all cook together – the volunteers pick what food to make. So Lesvi asked me if I can cook something Japanese. I said sure, although the bigger problem might be not finding a place nearby that sells Japanese ingredients.
Another yummy dinner time. The conversation at the table started to move into unusual topics: Relationships, Marriage, and Divorce.
Dennis has been married for 45 years and pretty much “hates” it because “everything (he) does is not done correctly” but they “don’t want to sell the house.”
Chelsea, who didn’t want kids, married young at 22, immediately after college, with an (obviously good-looking) Italian. Later, the husband changed his mind and wanted kids – and told her he thought she’d eventually just change her mind. They got divorced after about 5 years. She was telling Sara that it’s better to not get married after her experience.
At one point, they all turned to me and said “what’s your type, Taka?” and I stalled and got the conversation moving onto other topics – not sure that’s really important information right now.
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