Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Runnin´ around


Last Friday we went to Iximché and romped around the Mayan ruins with the kids. Iximché was the very first Guatemalan city (i.e. before the Spaniards arrived). It was a day full of ¨race you to the next temple!¨and ¨Be respectful of the ancient relics.¨ So many mixed messages! All the more fun that way, I´m sure.
The last temple we saw actually is still used by indigenous folk. We actually saw several people burning incense, placing candles on the alter, and performing other traditional ceremonial services. I still haven´t figured out what it all means, but I have someone to ask, and I´ll be checking soon. I´ve got my sources...

The volunteers spent the weekend in Copan, Honduras. We met so many wonderful people. I made friends with a family of jewelry vendors (Dad and 2 sons). The older son taught me how to make the bracelets and necklaces, and then he handed me the tools and said a Spanish equivalent of ¨Go for it!¨ He had already put the seeds on (he uses seeds and shells and nuts and things instead of beads; I love it!) so I just worked on the sinew part. Then he fired it and we put the finishing touches on it so that he can sell it to the next unsuspecting tourist. Suckers....Like me! Perfecto.

Oh, one more thing, I´m learning to barter! Getting better, but still probably looking silly to the locals. As long as they get a kick out of it, I´m happy. This 9-year-old-ish kid in Antigua is the best salesman I´ve ever met. Well, the best I´ve ever met outside my family anyway. Yes, he even rivals Trenton and Randy, believe it or not (so watch your backs, you two). I did manage to talk him down quite a bit, but by the end of it I was so impressed with him that I gave him the price we´d decided on and then tipped him 5 more than he´d said, saying ¨Porque tú me caes bien.¨Yeah, I pulled the line: ¨Because I like ya.¨But I really did. Awesome kid. And he certainly appreciated the tip. I am such an easy target for the salesfolk. Don´t bother me none, ´cause it makes for good friend-makin´!

A new volunteer just arrived. Since we had two leave us last week, it´s nice to have one more. So now we have the volunteers: Marissa, Renée, Mike (new), and myself; the owners: Guillermo and Mandy; the 3 more experienced older ladies who are like the mothers here; and the 15 angelitos. One big happy family!

Hasta luego!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Tourist making trinkets to sell to tourists... MADNESS!!!

As far as bartering goes, I can send ya all kinds of stuff I'm giving to D.I. and you can go nuts! :)

I'm very grateful to hear how happy you are and succesful your work is. Good foundations are the keys to everything.

Everything goes well back in the states.

Eric and I are dabbling into stock trading (thats right... your brother buys and sells stock... You all knew it would come to this!) Blake's probably going to leave 1225, Eric is in Tenessee for 10 days, I'm settled into my new apartment in La Mesa, Ingrid and Rich and the kids are happy, your cousin Matt (Jimmy's son) is living at Mom's house for a bit (cool dude), Bev is stonger with each new day (she had diarhea for a week and dropped down to a weight of 18 pounds and we carried her around in a dog kennel... well, Bev is stronger... that part is true) referring to her becoming a woman.

Russ and Deb went to go get medicade for the kids and its a process that is a bit more complicated for single parents vs. married couples so Russ says: "well, lets just go get married then..." and they drove over to court house and got married. I don't want to you to fret about this kinda stuff but I just want to give you some bullet points so you know whats up and it all doesn't hit you like a ton of bricks when you get back. :)

Speaking of which: Do not do anything different with regards to preparation for coming home. You barely got there and you shouldn't even have that thought in your cabeza. Don't change your pattern up until the very minute you step on the plane; it will make leaving seem more like: "see ya later..."

Quando tu regreses aqui, tu deberias me ensenar espanol porque se me olvido mucho.

tchau!

R3

Carol Joy said...

Thankfully Randy is keeping posted...or is he...I love you and everyone I know wants to keep up with you and your antics and helpfulness and learning and teaching and so forth. Candi wants to know if there are items the girls can box for us to mail to you to help your little ones. Will you please let her know...or me....
Keep up the great work and enjoy the ups and the downs!