Day 3 - First day on the project!

Today was my first day on the “project.”  My project that I had no idea how to get to.  My project that was about 30 minutes away – by bus. 

I set my alarm for 5:30am instead of 6:30am like I meant to.  But its okay, the roosters were awake at 3am anyway… coockkadoodle dooo! This means good morning in rooster.

Following the lovely wake up call, I took a shower.  Again – ice ice baby rang in my head as I rinsed off as fast as humanly possible.

After this, I came to the realization that my hair dryer could plug into their outlets!  This made my morning.  Sad, isn’t it? 

Breakfast this morning was only fruit.  Bananas, papaya, and watermelon.  The good news is, I don’t like melon… any melon… so I ate the bananas quick and slowly picked at the melons….I vomited once in my mouth but chose to swallow it….. Eventually, I got all the melon down.  I sound like a spoiled American.  I am one.

I left for the day with my family.  They graciously took me to my “project.”  Because honestly, if I would have gone alone, there is no doubt in my mind I would be lost wondering the streets of Guatemala forever….

I arrived at the project approximately 10am after catching a “chicken bus” type of thing with my family. 

We rang the doorbell with no answer.  Then made some phone calls, finally we were in!  Two other ladies from the US joined me – I was THRILLED… they spoke English, and they knew how to get back home. Perfecto!

One lady was about 55 maybe? The other 65ish?  They were the sweetest things in the world.  One from Florida, one from St. Louis – they met in DC however. 

We get a tour of the “project.” Pink walls everywhere.  Two gardens, a kitchen, a bathroom, an office, a cement play area for the kids… (I will post pictures soon!)

The place was huge and “nice” in Guatemalan standards. 

This place is designed for kids to come eat lunch and hang out between 10am or so and about 3pm.  For most of the kids who eat here it is their only meal of the day….

When we arrive there are no kids.  I am told the staff speaks no English.  Since the other ladies do not speak any Spanish, I become the translator… which is good for me since I need to learn.

I am told by Gloria – “headmaster” – that I will be teaching English to these children.  Sounds good by me. 

I enter the little classroom and prepare a lesson spontaneously.  The kids come. 

NOW… I realize that I am spoiled and have way too much STUFF or “cosas” en Espanol.  I feel guilty… ashamed… quite literally.  I have THREE COMPUTERS and some of these kids only get ONE MEAL a day? Seriously??????

I am a monster.

At least, this is the way I feel.

I’m surprised I don’t even cry.  Probably because I’ve trained myself quite rigorously not to.

I teach the kids colors, numbers, parts of the face, and greetings in English.  They have little notebooks from the project and pencils. 

I ask them their names, ages, and what they like to do in Spanish.. I’m getting better!

We have about a 45 minute lesson then we “break.” 

Its now roughly 12pm.  Lunch is at 1pm. 

All the kids hang on me and the other ladies.

One girl asks me if I have “caspa” … I have no idea what this is so I look it up in my handy dandy dictionary … “caspa” is “dandruff”…. Muy comico – or very funny in English.

The lunch is interesting.

The cook takes a slab of frozen meat of some sort and thaws it.. she cooks it using the water I’m “too good” to drink.  She prepares everything using her hands that were on this mystery meat. 

I have it so good.

The kids eat.

One kid I notice puts food in a zip lock baggie of some sort to save for later… he hardly takes any food…

At about 2:30pm, we head out for the day.

We stop at this little café. 

By this time, I have a MASSIVE migraine considering I’m having withdrawals from no caffeine.  Yikes.  I can’t even see straight.  The pain hurts so bad.  It enters my teeth…my stomach… you name it.

We leave the café after some rice, chicken, and soda.  I thought food would help, nope.

PAIN.

We stop at McD’s.  Because we are weak Americans.  Or something.

Thought “normal” food would help.

Nope. MORE PAIN.

I can’t even see.  Or think. 

One lady walks me home.  The 45 minute walk home…

I go straight to my bed and sleep for the next 4 or 5 hours.

When I wake up, I hear someone knocking at my door – “cena?” (supper)…

Noooo… estoy enferma!! (I am sick)

Finally, I get up.  Feeling better, we go downtown again.

Then back to the house.

Read. Sleep. Day is done.