Yo necesito comprar JaBON, no jaPON.

Allow me to explain the title. The other day I attempted to explain to Lola, my host mother, that I needed to buy soap to hand wash my clothes. Before expressing her surprise that I wanted to wash my own clothes rather than pay for a service, she began laughing hysertically at me. JaPon is an isla country of shortish Asian peoples, JaBon is soap. This sort of confusion is kind of a regular occurance for me. The other day in class I mixed up the words miente- meaning he, she, or it lies, with mierde- shit.

I had hoped to post pictures today, but the computer im working on cant deal with my camera. You will have to wait for the only 2 pictures I have of myself here thus far- one from a hike in los montanas con un maestro y los otras estudentes, and one of myself last weekend, on the worlds most sketch ferris wheel. Thats right, I rode a ferris wheel in a town square, high above the yearly mayan festival of Santiago. Santiago is the next town over on the lake, and the principle town of the Tzutujil Maya people. For the record, my family and our teachers speak Tzutujil when they want to make fun of us. The festival was neat- tons of shopping set up for tourists near the lake, and up the hill, traditional dancers and processionals out of the Catholic church in the town square. The church contained an interesting monument to Father Stanley Rother. Rother was a priest in the 70s in Santiago who fell in love with the Maya people. So much so, that during the guerria, o la violencia, the long and bloody civil war, Rother stood up for his people and was consequently black listed by the government. He returned to his native Oklahoma, but decided to go back to Santiago where he was murdered by the policia. His beloved people cut out his corazon and burried it in the church. Interesting, no?

In other news, my lessons continue to go well. I feel like im learning a ton, even if my speaking skills are catching up much more slowly. I continue to be amazed at the conplexity of conversations I end up having (or more accurately, stories that my mom and teacher tell that I contribute a little to). This morning Demis and I dicsussed the evils of prostitution and evangelism, at home yesterday it was c-sections and industrialized chicken, and a few days ago it was cocaine use and gangs. My words arent exact, but its kind of fun to try and describe what I mean, and to teach new english words and slang to my teacher. Its been confirmed for me that I absolutely love studying Spanish. Even if it can be very frustrating, the alegria of understanding my friends and having my day operate in a different language is great.

Im also meeting some really interesting expats. You may know that its kind of my dream to keep traveling when I have my PHd and to study expat identity and nationalism. There are some WEIRD people living here, and some good people too. Turns out its still easy for non-nationals to work in Guatemala because the country still has few rules in that repects. Anyway, in traditional areas like ours whatever rules the government makes are sort of ignored. Forexample, there are no fumar, no smoking signs everywhere, but no one really gives a shit if ou smoke inside. Anyway, the other day I met a woman who literally left the states 10 days after the initial bombing of Iraq. She owns several properties here, and is working on opening a guesthouse targeted at women who might be too nervous to travel here and experience the culture on their own. I also met a man who graduated from Foss HS in Tacoma- random!

Other quick thoughts (Im off to visit a coffee and craft co op)- I live with the cutest 9 year old in the world, and next door to the cutest baby- micxel. (I think thats how you spell it, but its like Mikchell). Lolita loves to tease and laugh at me. Micxel is literally runs in fear terrified every time I appear.

Im sick of corn now. Eating this much corn is like eating kenkey for every meal, if you comprehend Ghanaian cusine. Consequently, Im rarely hungry for my meals, but the food my host mom makes is really tastely. Last night she made coco from scratch (again, it contains a kind of corn meal, like everything else). Now shes beginning to remake things I like the most- I complimented the soup, and now I get tons of soup. Somehow I never seem to get sick from the food, while all of my companions are sick at least twice a week. Im sure its because they are scaring themselves into being sick with their fear of the water the food is cooked in :) Jk.

Thats all I got for now- Ill find a better computer for photos eventually...