Hungarian Times (a little late)

So I realize I'm about 3 months behind on this post....but better late than never! As you know, I spent the winter holidays in Europe.  My first stop was the Netherlands (not Holland--that's like calling the entire US, South Dakota, as explained here, THANKS, Steven! :)  After a nice stay there, I ventured on to Hungary to visit Budapest, Szekszard (Peter's home town), and a few other villages as day trips that I'll get to.  Since I'm a few months late on this post, I'll do my best to piece it together from notes I took and pictures posted.

Day 1:

Peter and I had a super early flight from Amsterdam to Budapest so we cabbed it to the airport and tried to find breakfast but most everything was closed.  We took turns watching the bags while the other person went to eat.  I found something and came back.  Peter left, and never returned....giving me a heart attack and making me look like a crazy woman calling out into the men's bathroom looking for him while I watched our flight board, fearful we would miss it.  With 2 minutes to spare, he showed up and we caught the flight.  He was lucky; I would have killed him :)  We were flying the Dutch budget airline, Transavia (equivalent to Southwest when it comes to the cattle-call fight to get a seat), so we were lucky to get seats together and were both able to sleep a bit on the short 1.5 hr or so flight.

Upon arriving in Budapest, we caught a cab and set off for the apartment.  It was fun to hear Peter speak Hungarian since he's usually to shy (or dumb?) to speak it around me, claiming he can't remember it...he didn't have a choice this time and it was cute! :)  My first sights of the city were of KFC on every corner.  It was about a 45 minute drive to the apartment that his family owns, where he and his brother lived during college.  His parents live a few hours away but were kind enough to prepare the place for us a few days prior so that there were clean sheets, towels, water, etc.  We were exhausted and starving and weren't sure which sensation to satisfy first.  In the end, sleep won (as well as cold since we had to wait for the heat to kick in) and we napped and bit before heading to town for food.  We walked to a local market, his old stomping grounds,  and happened to catch the last day of the Christmas market, which was fun to see.  We ate lunch--Peter sausage and such, and me a fried fish with potatoes.  I was craving mashed potatoes but had no such luck.  Peter had to order it all.  It was a new dynamic for us with him having to handle all transactions because of the language barrier, but I think we handled it well.  I, at least, found it fun, not sure how he felt about it.

Eating my first local meal in Hungary.

After lunch, despite the FREEZING temperatures, we decided to see a few sights since we were only in Budapest for a few days.  We grabbed the tram and rode to see the infamous bridge on the Danube river that connects Buda and Pest (we were staying on the Buda side, most tourists go to Pest).  We were able to ride for free that day, and all week after, since Peter had 2 tickets for us and we "forgot" to validate them.  His kind plan was to blame it all on me and have me play the dumb tourist who didn't understand.  I was completely on board with this plan.  It was a cloudy and, did I mention, COLD day so we hopped of the tram, took a photo, and then hopped back on to head home.   That night we were too cold and lazy to head out for dinner so we ordered a pizza.  It wasn't the greatest, but it was nice to order it and stay warm.

Views of Pest from Buda.

The next day, we had a lazy morning watching movies before meeting one of his old college buddies. for lunch.  We tried to go back to the same market to try some more traditional food, but it was Sunday and it closed early.  So, we went to the mall instead and ate at the food court.  I had a soup, I think it was broccoli or asparagus, can't remember.  After that, we went to Best Byte, the Hungarian version of Best Buy, so Peter could get some Christmas presents for his family.  I called it an early night while Peter had a boys night with some more college buddies.

Day2:
The next day, we left for his hometown, Szekszard.  We caught a cab to the train station and had to SPRINT to catch the train.  I think I broke a world record that day, including carrying my suitcases.  Luckily, we had pre-purchased our tickets online and only had to print it and run to the train.  I'm still not sure how we made it; I honestly almost gave up at one point I was so out of breath.  But, we made it and then spent a good 10 minutes trying to catch our breath in the doorway before venturing into the train to find our seats.  Everyone was headed home for the holidays so it was packed.  We had seats across from each other but Peter asked someone to trade and we were able to sit next to each other and watch a movie on the computer for the ride.  We had to change trains once and while waiting to board the 2nd train, Peter ran into 2 girls from his high school who were also heading home.

When we arrived to this town, we waited in the cold for his Dad to come pick us up.  Luckily, his town is small so we didn't have to wait long.  Before the trip, I wasn't sure how communicating with his family would go since I speak about 10 words in Hungarian and I was unclear about their English abilities.  Thank goodness for me, their English is much better than my Hungarian and we had no problems communicating throughout the trip.  They were SO kind and welcoming to me and I am so grateful....I'll get to that.

We were greeted at home by his mother and a delicious home-cooked meal she had made--vegetarian and gluten-free just for me! As it turned out, she and his grandmother cooked 3 meals a day, EVERY DAY like this for our entire stay.  And, they cooked separate just for me and had researched recipes and stocked the house full of gluten-free items just for me---so sweet!  I can't remember what we did that night.  I'm assuming not much of anything since we were tired from traveling.

Rest of the days:

Okay, at this point, I'm just gonna type what I do remember, with the disclaimer that it may or may not be in exact order.  But you'll get the gist of it all the same.  His family's apartment if very nice.  It's up on a hill, with a large balcony to take in some gorgeous views below.  I love the European efficiency with all of the built-in storage and utility of every inch of space.  I especially liked how all the appliances have the same wood finishing as the cabinets so that they all blend in and you have to know where the fridge and dishwasher are or you'll have to open each cabinet searching for them.

We had planned to drive to pick up his Grandmother the next day but we woke up to find his mother had already gone since it was snowing a bit and she was worried about the road conditions.  His grandma is just what you would expect from a grandma--sweet, huggable, and an amazing cook! She showed up with about 7 bags of food, both cooked and uncooked, including batches and batches of gluten-free cookies, bread, and other goodies for me! My favorite were these little breadstick things (I can't remember their name) that Peter kept trying to steal from me. We both gained about 500 pounds on that visit since she and his mom cooked amazing meals for use each day and wouldn't let me lift a finger, literally.  We would wake up, eat, nap, wake up, eat, rest, eat, and then sleep. Oh, and I can't forget the wine, wine, palinka (a traditional moon-shine liquor with an alcohol content between 38-86%--I think ours was more like 200%), and more wine served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the Biczo house :) Wasn't half bad.

A few of the nights we met up with his childhood friends in the center of town for drinks.  They were all really nice and it was fun to get a glimpse into his "previous life." His town is really cute.  We could walk to the center and home in a few minutes, and although hilly and cold, I didn't mind it.  We walked because we wanted to, but also because there's a really strict drinking and driving law--you can't even have one drink in your system.   When asked about the differences between American and Hungary, the best I could come up with was that the bathrooms at home have the toilet, sink, and shower all combined.  Here, the toilet and shower are in separate rooms.  They couldn't fathom why we would still call a bathroom a bathroom if it didn't actually have a bath/shower.  Peter made fun of me that this was all I could think of until he helped me out by offering a difference in size of cars, buildings, everything. Oh yeah, those are different too.

Peter's friend playing foosball.

While I enjoyed hanging out with all of his friends (except for a few overwhelming moments when everyone was speaking Hungarian and I was left clueless), my favorite night was when he and I went to his favorite Italian restaurant in town.  He had been raving about their pizza since I met him and I'm happy to announce it lived up to the bragging rights.  They also had a delicious pasta and dessert.  (This night was followed up with some good old-fashioned ice-skating, also fun. We arrived just before closing time and only had 20 minutes, which we thought might suck...but turned out to be plenty. Those things are not comfortable)!

With all the drinking and eating, I was happy to go to an exercise class one day with his mom. It was at his old elementary school and was a good workout--both for my body and my brain since it was all in Hungarian.  It was fun to figure out what she was saying and I was quite impressed with my ability to figure it all out.  I think I may have even followed her instructions better than some English-speaking instructors.  It's amazing how much communication really is non-verbal.

Since it was Christmas time, I was able to learn about many Magyar (Hungarian) traditions, which I loved! For starters, they don't put the tree up until the 24th.  In Hungary, you decorate the tree and open presents on the 24th. They believe Jesus was born on the 24th and the tradition is for the grandparents to take the kids on a walk while the parents put up and decorate the tree. When the kids come back, baby Jesus has brought the tree and presents for them.  Since we are "big kids" we stayed to help decorate, which in Hungary, includes making and hanging ornaments from Szaloncukor, a traditional hard candy.  Once decorated, they attach sparklers to the tree, light them, and sing a traditional song while they burn. It was really nice.  It was also nice to learn a new board game (although it's American) and kick their butts playing it :)  Best of all was seeing all the photos from Peter's childhood, including all of his summers in various European countries, which I suppose to them is no different than spending a summer in Florida or North Carolina to us.  Still, I was jealous.

Szaloncukor candy for hanging on the tree

I had smuggled a 60 lb. Gingerbread house kit from the states into the country so I was also able to share some American traditions (although we never did that at my house growing up. Shhh....don't tell them that). We all had a blast doing it, especially his dad! :)  His family went above and beyond to spoil me on Christmas.  I got lots of lovely gifts, including traditional Hungarian clothes, linens, and a famous book, The Pastor Boys.  I finished reading it a few weeks ago in Guatemala, and although good, I wish someone had warned me it was quite sad.  On a happier note, it was fun to practice my Hungarian pronunciation with all the names in the book! I also got some hand-made jewelry from Peter, which, of course, I loved.

Not half bad!

Since his family is all spread out, including some cousins in Germany, we had the big family "dinner" (also eaten around 2pm like at my house), a few days later.  It was really nice to eat all the traditional foods and meet all of his cousins and extended family.  I loved the fact that at dinner, there were 3 languages going on the whole time--Magyar, English, and German!

Although our time was short and packed with family and holiday time, we managed to make a few side trips for sightseeing as well.  One day, we went around his own town and saw the vineyards (it's a famous wine area) and sites, including his old hanging spots.  We also took a day trip to Tapolca, a small village a few hours away.  It's where his dad grew up (I think), and it has a beautiful lake in town and caves that we had all to ourselves to explore in small canoes.  After a good picnic lunch in the car (it was raining), we continued on to Abrahamhegy, a small lake town where Peter's grandparents had a cabin and Peter spent his summers here growing up.  We visited their grave sites and their house that his Dad and Granddad built.  On the way home, we jammed out to Beyonce and Pink (both of which were on Peter's playlist).

Canoeing in the caves at Tapolca.

As with all good things, our time in Szekszard, had to come to an end.  Peter and I drove his grandma home to her town about an hour away (can't remember the name) and I enjoyed amazing stories about her youth under the Soviet rule, including a few years where she was separated from all her family in another country! Her house also contains a picture with bullet holes and a glued-together sofa from a bomb.  She and her house were walking history and fascinating! The next day, his parents drove us back to Budapest.  We took advantage of having a vehicle and stopped at the grocery store to stock up on food.  We said a sad goodbye to his parents and then cooked a delicious meal.  It's our own invention and our favorite one to make and has shrimp and cashews. Yum. Now I'm hungary (pun intended, sorry, but I had to throw it in here at least once)!  

Back in Budapest, we met more of Peter's college friends and explored the city some.  They were great tour guides.  We climbed to the top of the Citadella to see views of Pest, saw more Christmas markets, and ate more yummy things like kurtos kalacs (kind of like a churro & not at all gluten-free but worth the headache), and warm wine (gluhwein) .  When I couldn't stand the cold any longer, we ventured over to Pest to see some sights there and then find a warm pub to defrost in.  We visited several that night in order to see different vibes.  We also met up with one of my buddies, Kriztian (aka "chief"), who I met while in New Zealand--it was a great mini-reunion!

Peter with a kurtos kalacs.

New Year's Eve was a blast in Budapest, although bittersweet since it was my last day of the trip.  We spent the majority of the cold day inside watching movies and then headed out to meet up with his friends.  We pub-hopped a bit and played foosball (they are crazy about the "sport" here!). I think I was the only one who noticed when it was close to midnight.  There was not ball dropping or countdown like at home, which made it seem a bit anti-climatic and chaotic to me since we were all basing it off of different clocks.  Nonetheless, when someone's watch said 12, we all cheered, hugged and kissed, and they sang the national anthem.   We had to end the night kind of early since I had a red-eye flight the next day.  

Hope I remembered most things--how's I do, Peter?!

A GIANT THANK YOU TO HIS FAMILY FOR THEIR
 FABULOUS HOSPITALITY!!!!

Random things I learned about/while in Hungary:

*Buy bottled water with PINK lids---this is the non-carbonated kind

*Buda and Pest were two different cities, now combined to one.  Pest is the flat, more touristy side and Pest is the hillier, more local side. (Did I get that right?)

*Tesco is their version of Target and T-mobile is a German company

*Hungarian men are useful. More than most countries, I saw them shopping, cooking, cleaning, watching kids, etc. 

*Hungarians are misunderstood by most of the world, and about themselves as a miserable, Eastern-Europe style.  In fact, they are quite friendly, happy, and completely Western-European.  Don't hate me Peter, but even I thought it was more Eastern-European before I got there.  I stand corrected.  To be fair, the part I just wrote was quoted from our Magyar friends so it's not just me. 

*Hungarians are very affectionate people. They love to laugh, have fun, and are not PDA-phobic.

*Almost all of the younger generation speaks English, and much of the older generation as well.

*Hungarian teenagers went through the same terrible Nirvana grunge, rebellious stage as Americans (I saw the proof in Peter's photos--it was classily horrible)

*They re-use their plastic bags at the grocery store and shop every day for food (do this is the Netherlands too)

*I observed many young people helping older people on public transportation and admired that

Weirdest things about Hungary:

     *They are one of the only countries who kiss cheeks on the left first when greeting. It can be dangerous if you go the wrong way!

    *Kindergarten is actually what we call preschool (because of those Germans, technically it is their word so I suppose maybe they are right)

    *Their knives are upside down! Peter doesn't believe me and thinks I'm an idiot and can't use a knife. But, at home (and anywhere else in the world I've every seen for that matter) the sharp part is always the curved part. Here, the sharp part was the straight part so I kept trying to cut things with an upside-down knife.  I do know what I'm talking about, Peter.  Here's Proof!

See? Round side is the cutting side!

****On a semi-related note, Heathrow airport SUCKS! ON my way home, I had a layover there and it was the longest, worst travel time ever! I had to take a bus, then another bus (like not just in the airport, but on a highway), then a tram just to get to my new gate.  All of which I believe took almost an hour. Then, security was the worst I have ever been through, they searched almost every single person's back and hand-searched mine for so long I thought I was going to pee in my pants.  It was not fun. If at all possible, don't go there. 

  

Day 22: Beating them at Their Own Game!

Sunday, February 10th, 2013

It’s hard to believe that today marks exactly 3 weeks ago that I arrived in Guatemala.  I’ve already made such good friends and in many ways, it already feels like home and like I’ve been here for quite awhile.  I had considered going out of town this weekend but had a pretty hectic week and was feeling a bit disheveled so I opted for a lazy weekend at home instead---I’m quite happy with that decision!

I’ve got some pretty good routines down.  Since I tend to go to bed quite early, I also wake up at a nice ungodly hour.  I quite like it, actually, since I have nice leisurely morning before work to workout, drink tea, shower, and/or clean my house.  I usually get to work around 7:45 and I don’t have to worry about leaving ahead of time since it’s a 1-minute walk and no chance of traffic along the way.  We start each morning at the morning circle to sing a song and recite a poem amongst all the staff.  It’s a nice way to start the day and to regroup as a team since otherwise we might go days without seeing each other.

I’m mostly in my office but have the flexibility to set my own schedule a bit.  Usually, once a week I work away from the office, and almost once a week I have to travel to another down to run errands for the school.  I enjoy both of these days as it allows me to also get done some of my own errands and means riding on and enjoying the fresh air and views of the lake.  I’ve also perfected my techniques of not getting ripped off on the boat fare when they try to charge me the tourist price.  Every driver is different so you have to study him during the ride and them cross your fingers when you get off to pay, but the 2 best techniques I’ve found are to have exact change for the correct fare, hand it to him, and walk away quickly.  When he starts yelling at you, either a) ignore him and keep walking, or b) politely state that you know the correct fare since you are a resident and will not pay more. They don’t always work, but most of the time they do.**UPDATE: After a particularly lengthy incident in which I was surrounded by 3 boat guys, the “encargado”, and a policeman with them arguing with me for more money and telling me that I had to arrive at a meeting in another town on a Friday night to register myself as a local in order to pay a lower fare (complete BS, btw), I held my ground for 20 minutes, won, and paid the lower fare.  It was quite annoying at the time, but thanks to that lovely incident and, I now have a 3^rd technique which is to state that I registered with the “encargado” for the lower fare. So far it’s worked--dare I say that I've figured out a way to beat them at their own game?!

We have 2 full-time cooks on staff at the school, Teresa and Amarilis and they are super sweet and good cooks.  We eat a mid-morning snack around 10:30 and then lunch around 1pm.  The meals are vegetarian, mostly gluten-free (and they watch out for me), and really well-balanced with vegetables, fruits, etc.  I could not be happier with the meals and it’s such a big help financially and to not have to worry about packing a lunch ever day.  Plus, I’m usually full enough to get away with just snacks for dinner.

I usually get home around 4:30 and enjoy relaxing on my patio and talking to my neighbors and the homeowners and his son and dogs.  It’s the perfect combination of people around if I want to be social, but I don’t have to be if not in the mood.  Most nights I venture to the plaza to buy some snacks and always run into people I know.  I enjoy it because every night turns into something I hadn’t planned when I run into someone and then end up doing something together.

*****SORRY, I tried to upload photos into this entry but it was taking too long so I gave up.  Hope you can get over it.  

Day 21: Settling In

Monday, Feb. 11, 2013

I know it sounds impossible with today being a Monday and all, but it was a good day!  Well, besides the fact that they decided to turn off the water in all of the town so when I returned home dirty and sweaty from a great game of soccer I couldn’t shower, wash my hands, or wash dishes. This was yet another time I was grateful for packing baby wipes since at least I could wash my hands a bit.  And of course, I had filled a pot with water last night and dumped it this morning when the water was on for a few minutes---dope! Oh well, such is life!

Back to the good parts of today.  Work is finally starting to become manageable.  It’s less overwhelming and I’ve established routines and systems so I can at least fake like I know what I’m doing J The food today was good. Mid-morning snack was tostadas with pasta, tomato and carrot sauce (sounds gross but was actually pretty good). Lunch was a bean soup with tamales and watermelon.  I also had an afternoon snack of a fresh banana, right from the school grounds.  

Some of my colleagues at morning circle time at work.

In the morning, the guy selling baskets came back with a big one that I had asked him about last week.  Of course, I felt guilty and bad that he came all the way back (from out of town), carrying a big one for me so I felt kind of obligated to buy it.  I wasn’t sure it would fit in my house so he left it for me to try and pay when he came back later…except he didn’t come back while I was still there.  I hope he will come back so I haven’t just stolen a hamper basket. Then I’d really feel guilty.

So, after lunch, I went home to try the hamper, and coincidentally, to bring all my dirty clothes back to school for Sabela, the housekeeper at school, to wash them for me.  Normally I do them on my own, but my back was hurting and I thought I’d splurge the $3 for her to do it this once. 

I actually left school on time, at 3:30, and had some downtime in the hammock before heading to soccer at 4pm.  I met Lilly and Nicki at the field and later Mel and Aneke came to join us.  All are moms from the school except Aneke.  It was a fun game of 3 v 2. Was not very competitive but nice just to move around a bit and be social.   On the way back, I cut through the plaza and ran into several families playing in the park.  I also delivered a message to Dave from Nicki so she could sneak home and cook dinner without her kids seeing her.  I love the small-town and seeing everyone wherever you go.

Back at home, my favorite little 5-year-old Guatemalan, Fabio, was waiting for me.  He’s Aniceto’s son and as cute as can be.  I won him over with the free Angry Bird coins that come in my chips bags and now we’re best buds.  Today he hung out with me eating pineapple and I introduced him to peanut butter, for which his dad thanked me after he requested they buy it now.  He also made sure to tell me that the other “gringos” were also eating pineapple in the yard. J

I ate my leftovers, pineapple, and some hot chocolate…but still had to run out for some last-minute chips.  On my way, I ran into one of the construction workers from next door.   He’s a young 15 year old boy (I’m totally guessing here, but around that) and remembered my name.  It was yet another reminder that poco a poco, I’m becoming a member of the community and I need to have patience with myself.

So, now I’m lying down, packed and ready for the night.  Still no water in the house and I don’t really have matching clothes since I gave them all away to be washed (I hope she has water to wash them) so I’m wearing a lovely combo of an Orioles t-shirt, multi-colored leggings, and a wool sweater. Hot. 

Day 20: Sunday, Funday!

Feb. 10th, 2013--Sunday, Funday!

What another lovely day here in San Marcos! As always, the weather was perfect so I spent my early morning organizing things around the house, waiting for the water to come back on as it was out in the whole area), making rice to use for my dinner, and catching up on my blog and phone calls home before heading out for some fun in the sun.  I knew it was going to be a good day when I sat outside eating breakfast and caught a glimpse of a squirrel that appears from time to time in my garden.  It always strikes me as odd since I’ve never seen one anywhere else and it seems out of place amongst the banana trees and bamboo.  It always makes me smile and think there’s a little piece of home watching over me here.

I had planned to learn the traditional weaving from one of the local moms, Maria.  She runs a local bookstore, Tekonëm, that is partnered with the school so I’ve worked with her and gotten to know her well.  She is a kind soul and an “out of the box thinker” and I love her spirit! Her daughter, Elizeth, is in the 3^rd grade at our school.  Anyway, she had said to come by anytime to learn so I made an attempt today but the store was closed. 

Traditional Weaving

Instead, as I was walking down, I ran into a Canadian family from the school, Manda and her 2 daughters, Zella Rose and Mayla.  As we walked down to the beach together, we ran into 2 other families from school and my neighbors selling their jewelry—I love small town life!  When we got to the beach, Manda and her crew joined up with Dave and Nicki, another Canadian/British family from our school.  I decided to head a bit over to my shady palm tree spot, and where I would feel a bit less weird sunbathing in a bikini near families from school.  As much as I love small town life, that’s one aspect that I’m still getting used to.  At home, we’re always taught to “keep business and pleasure separate.”  That’s impossible here.  And while I don’t mind it for most day to day things (like Nicki and I joining up to make a women’s soccer team), I can’t quite seem to get used to sitting around in my bikini with kids and parents from school.  Not sure I’ll ever get used to that one. 

Equally weird is living in a town amongst native locals, foreign locals (that’s me), and tourists.  In Paraguay, I was the only foreigner amongst locals and the rest of my travels have been as a tourist.  I’ve never had to live amongst a strange combination of all 3 and it’s taking some getting used to for navigating things (like making sure vendors recognize me and know I live here and am not a tourist.  Even still, there’s a big price difference for locals and foreigners but there’s still a gray area of foreign locals who own hotels and have lots of money and those of us earning local currency, like me).  It was really easy for me to gain the trust of locals and get to know people in Paraguay since I was the only foreigner and was therefore a novelty others were curious to get to know.  Also, I was always respectful of the culture and never mistreated anyone.  I’m finding it more difficult to get to know locals here--in part because it’s easy to get caught up getting to know other foreigners and in part because locals are so used to foreigners around that I’m not a novelty.  There’s also a long history of locals getting screwed by foreigners in land deals and disrespectful tourists so it’s harder to earn someone’s trust.  I’m sure it will come with time, but for now, I find it a bit odd and am slowly getting to know the locals I work with, my homeowners, and the shop owners. 

Speaking of my homeowners.  The family reminds me so much of one of the families from my town in Paraguay (Don Eustaquio).  They are forward thinking, humble and kind, and hardworking.  There are 6 adult children, 3 girls and 3 boys and all 3 girls went to college to become teachers.  Something almost unheard of around here where most people don’t study beyond middle school, especially girls. 

After a few hours of reading at the beach, I called it a day.  But, not before learning that my precious little beach didn’t exist last year because of the high level of the lake.  The lake has no natural outlet to let water out so the level never goes down once it rises.  Apparently the only reason it went down this year is because of the earthquakes.  I hope it stays around a bit ‘cuz I quite enjoy it.  Otherwise, the only option is to sit on the rocks.  

As I made my way back, I stopped to buy a few items for my dinner for Thai pineapple fried rice.  I decided to stop in shops I don’t normally go to so I could comparison shop for prices.  I now know which stores have the cheapest toile paper, wine, nuts, and chocolates—all I really need to know.  I got all the essentials I needed plus a piece of delicious banana bread.  Then I continued up the road to my pineapple vendor.  He was kind enough to slice it open for me and put it in a bag since I a) don’t have a sharp knife for cutting pineapple b) had no clue how to slice one open (I watched carefully so I know ho next time).  It was a cute exchange trying to get the right change back as his 8-year-old daughter tried to do the math in her head.   I also stopped to buy some more yarn.  I try to exchange names with every vendor/store owner I interact with and I always quiz them the next time to see if they remember my name.  I was happy to discover that the librería owner where I bought the yarn remembered mine.  And then, as I left the store, I ran into María and Elizeth and was greeted with giant smiles and hugs.  It’s moments like these that remind me that I have to be patient with myself and recognize that I am getting to know the locals, little by little. 

The rest of my afternoon was spent cooking and eating my Thai pineapple rice, writing my blog in a hammock, crocheting outside in my patio, and enjoying another hot shower—dare I say I believe he finally fixed it (knock on wood)!! J  I had cooked a large portion of the rice in hopes that it would be my dinner all week, in place of the usually potato chips or french fries and fresh coconut I’ve been eating.  I’m sorry to say I already broke down and got some chips again today…but, everything happens for a reason, and as I entered the store, I bumped into Lilly (a mother at our school and the owner of a local hotel) and I was invited to join their soccer practice tomorrow evening----can’t wait! And I think the healthy exercise at the expense of a tiny bag of chips was worth the trade off! J

Day 19: Just One of those Days (in a good way)!

Saturday, February 9^h, 2013

I had one of my best days today! Nothing that spectacular happened-- it was just one of those days when every little small thing seemed to go right and added all up together, made for one great day!

I started off my day with a morning run to the next down over, Tzununá.  The road there is a combo of dirt and rocks so you have to watch your steps, which is hard to do because the hilly road runs high and parallel to the lake and affords breath-taking views along the way.  There are also some ridiculously nice houses to gawk at en route.  I had called my “rent-a-dog” service that morning and borrowed Josh’ dog, Lassa for my run.  She’s almost 8 months old and has a beautiful dark, shiny coat.    I was stopped multiple times along the way by people wanting to meet her.

Lassa, the Wilson's dog, my running buddy.

Anyway, it took us only about 15 minutes to reach Tzununá.  I had heard about a waterfall in town so we decided to go check it out.  One of the teachers at my school and her husband own an organic farm in town and we thought we might stop by there too.  But, then we learned that they were heading out of town for the day so we set our sights on the waterfall.  Walking through town, we ran into 2 packs of 4 or 5 angry dogs charging towards sweet Lassa (and me).  Luckily, a few “FUERA” shouts and rock throwing from my behalf scared them away enough for us to pass without a fight. 

Tzununa is basically one giant mountain hill so we climbed up, up and up until we reached the bridge.  We had no idea where we were going except to turn right at the bridge so it was a good sign we at least made it there.  At the bridge, I stopped to take some photos of the views of the lake and also had the pleasure of watching some local women washing clothes in the river.  I wanted to take photos but always feel bad about doing so.  Like I’m some voyer or somehow degrading them by doing so. I don’t know why, but I always feel weird about photos of things like that. (Update: just read about the people being beaten and attacked for taken photos of locals....glad that wasn't me! : )

Washing clothe in the river.

View from Tzununa.

Anyway, at the bridge, I spotted another gringo and asked him if he knew how to get to the waterfall.  It turns out he also knew Colleen and Shad and he offered both Lassa and I some water which we were very grateful for since we hadn’t any with us.  He was an older man from Nebraska who had been living there for 4 years.  I love meeting people and hearing their stories.  Re-energized from the water, we set off for the falls.  Every time I saw another person (which was not often), I’d ask if we were headed the right way to the falls.  Each time, we were sent in a different direction so it was only by pure luck that as we wandered up yet another dirt path, I heard a “HEY!” and looked over to see Colleen and Shad! They hadn’t left town yet and we happened to walk right past their farm! They invited us in to see their house (gorgeous!), drink some more water, and I set up a deal to order goat’s milk from Shad to make my own goat cheese---I’m pretty excited about it!

After a brief visit, we continued up the mountain in search of the waterfall.  Since the footpaths were numerous and hard to navigate, we decided to just follow the river up to ensure not getting lost.  It was a good idea in that sense, but also a good workout climbing rocks!  We almost missed the falls when I nearly turned us around to give up after not reaching it for 20 minutes.  Luckily, we pushed on and it was just around the corner.  It wasn’t the biggest or prettiest falls I had ever seen, but it was still a nice hike and place to rest for a bit.  I was really glad I had Lassa with me as we didn’t see another soul until the top when there was 1 Latvian girl there and on the way down we saw 2 sets of 2 people.  

Falls at Tzununa

Since it was already noon and we were both hot and hungry, I thought we’d take a tuk tuk back to San Marcos.  But, as the universes works, they only appear when you don’t need them and none showed yesterday.  So, we walked back the 45 minutes home and drank some much-needed water.  Turns out, it was lucky we were walking since I met an Indian guy, Raj, on the way back who used to make coconut oil and said he would teach me how to do so and help me get the machinery!  Josh and family had gone to another town to go swimming so I kept Lassa with me for the remainder of the day. We spent the day crocheting, reading, napping, and digging for bones and coconut husks (I’ll let you decide who did what).  Lassa also had a great time playing with Don Lucas’ dogs, Sky and Rufo.  It was nice to have her company and reaffirmed that I definitely want to get a dog here. 

I also got the great news that construction on the house right next to mine was on hold for awhile.  This was great news to me since the workers used my outdoor sink and were constantly in and out of my yard.  I felt like I was living in a fishbowl so I’m looking forward to having a bit more privacy and to getting the fence up around my yard a few other projects completed now that Aniceto will have more time to work on my house.

As the day was ending, I spent a few hours talking myself up for a shower since I was really dirty from the hike, but really not looking forward to a cold battle.  Luck was on my side today and for the first time, the hot water worked…and stayed working throughout my shower!  My house owner, Aniceto, had added an extra few inches of tubing to my sink faucet for me that morning (so I wouldn’t have to reach so far when washing dishes, hurting my back), and it turns out he had also adjusted my shower…thank goodness! I hope it lasts!!!

My lengthened faucet to help my back.

I ended the day with pizza and wine (I splurged and got the bottle, not the box) at Josh and Courtney’s house, along with Mirabai and Althea, their 2 daughters.  Their house and patio are beyond beautiful.  It used to be a yoga retreat center and the grounds are massive and gorgeous.  The pizza was brought in from the next town over in the other direction, San Pablo.  It’s from a Canadian guy who works as a carpenter during the week and only makes the pizzas on Saturdays.  You have to call in the morning to pre-order and then he delivers it via Tuk Tuk to your door----I got his number from Josh so I could order sometime too.  I love how the world works here with all it’s insider information you have to learn from locals.  There’s not phone book or internet search for pizza in town, you just have to ask around and find out from others who know!  We also had fresh greens from their garden and chocolates from our German visitors this week.  It was a great night of food and friends and a fabulous way to spend a Saturday evening! I ended it with a terrible movie, Frozen.  Don’t waster your time; it’s not a great way to spend a Saturday evening!

Their patio....just a tiny piece of it. Huge and beautiful.

Blessed, Fearless Weekend!

February 24th, 2013

(I'm posting out of order today since I thought this was too good to wait a month to catch up on other posts...plus, day 7 was a bit snippy and I wanted to end on a happier note! Hope you can get over it!)

Friday:

Wow! What a weekend! I started off the weekend with not may plans, as usual, but ended up with a fabulously filled few days! After a hectic week at work, I left around 4 pm on Friday and wanted to go for a quick run.  Instead, I headed straight to Josh and Courtney's for a happy hour (aren't you proud, Jenny?!).  Everyone from school went and we had a nice few hours of hanging out in their absolutely beautiful patio while eating tostadas with homemade guacamole, cake, and popcorn. There was also coffee, beer, wine, and hibiscus juice.  I went for the wine.

While we were sitting there, we heard the water jug guys calling out to see if anyone wanted one.  I did so I borrowed Mirabai, their 4 year old, and she came with me while the guys changed out my 5 gallon jug.  Her first question to me was, "where are your shoes?"  At the party, she had tried on my sandals and she now insisted I change shoes so that she could try on a different pair back at the party. She then proceeded to explain in great detail how she would have her mom make her a pair just like mine.  Gotta love a girl who knows what she wants (and has my taste in shoes)!

Said Shoes, sandals first, flats second. Very practical.

I left the party around 6pm and ran to the store to buy minutes for my cell phone since it was "Triple TIGO."  TIGO is the cell provider I use and about once a week they offer a promotion where whatever amount of minutes you buy, you get 3 times the amount if you buy it that day.  I was down to zero so it worked out perfectly.  In case you were wondering, family and friends can purchase minutes for my phone and they are always triple, plus I get free minutes to call the USA.  If you're interested, feel free to check it out.  I won't ever say no! (end shameless plug here)

With minutes on my phone and a few minutes of downtime to shower, I got ready for my night out with Andrea.  She arrived while I was in the shower but was happy to wait a few minutes outside while I finished up and could open the door.  She and I spent a few minutes looking at photos and hanging out at home before we went to town.  Neither of use goes out much-me because I'm lame, her because she has a child, so we weren't sure where to go.  We asked a few people but there didn't seem to be much going on.  We ended up at a restaurant, Fe, and enjoyed some red wine, live music from a Mexican/American couple, and great girly gossip/life dreams.

Around 8:30 pm, we both decided to call it a night.  Mostly because we both knew we had to walk home alone and neither one of us was looking forward to it.  I know lots of girls who do it and everyone swears it's safe, but I've always lived by the "better to be safe than sorry" motto so I was a bit nervous.  I brought my mace and had it ready, just in case.  The walk from the restaurant to the center of the plaza was fine, as there were some people around and lights on. In the plaza, there were lots of people as well so I was okay.  It was only the last little bit between the plaza and my house that I was worried about because it's a dark, isolated path behind the abandoned high school.

I spotted a teacher from school in the plaza and stopped to say hello (and perhaps ask him to accompany me home), but then saw 2 teenagers headed up my path so I quickly said goodbye and caught up with them to walk together.  Turns out they were super sweet and live next door to me.  I told them to come by anytime, and Saturday evening they did! They also brought along their cousin (I forget her name, but they were Mabel and Sofia) and we had a nice chat.  They told me, "we've never met anyone like you! Most foreigners barely say hi, but you just smile and talk so much!"  I guess someone finally appreciates my non-stop talking! :)

Unfortunately, the sugar and wine caught up with me and I ended up waking up multiple throughout the night.  Luckily, I had just gotten internet hooked up at my house the day before so I was able to watch Modern Family and The Mindy Project a ll night :)  I'm one of only 4 people in the town who now have satellite internet and it's pretty awesome! I debated getting it or not.  One, for the obvious reason of cost.  Two, because I was kind of enjoying not having it and not having that distraction at home.  Plus, it forced me to be social and go to a cafe to use internet.  But, in the end, I got it and, at least for now, and super happy with it.  I was even able to Skype a few times with it and it actually worked!

Saturday:

I woke up early, around 7, and decided to finally go for a run since I hadn't been all week. I ran my usual route towards the neighboring town of Tzununa.  I tried to find the house of Raj, an Indian guy who I had met during a run a few weeks back.  He used to make coconut oil and he said I could come by any time to learn. Today I decided to take him up on that offer...only I couldn't find the house.  As I made my way up my path, I saw Aniceto, my landlord, who just happened to be going to Raj's house! I grabbed some water and left with him.  On the way, we walked through Barrio 1, which I had yet to see so that was nice.

When we arrived at his house, he was just finishing up breakfast with a friend and a Spanish woman (I forget her name, but it was probably Maria) who was staying with him a few days.  She and I chatted a bit while he and Aniceto looked at the construction site that Aniceto would begin working on Monday.  I also met Paola and her 2 year old son, Kevin, and her sister Heidi, who both work to cook and clean for Raj.  Paola is the president of a local woman's group who just started making shampoo and wants to open a restaurant.  I'm excited about the possibilities that could come out of working with her in the future.

Paola and "Maria" left to San Pedro for shopping while Raj, Heidi, Kevin, and I stayed behind.  Raj and I drank hot chocolate (it's straight, pure coco that's big here, not like nestle) while overlooking his insanely beautiful view.  See for yourself.

I ended up staying for 2.5 hours, and that was after trying to leave for awhile! He was SO nice and it was interesting to share life stories.  He's a 71 year old widower from India, but spent most of his life in Chicago, and the past 14 years in San Marcos.  He is so kind a generous and even offered me a part of his land to build a house and/or utilize garden space to plant my seeds.  I had also mentioned that I was making goat cheese and he offered to buy my first batch.  Don't worry, it wasn't in a creepy, I want something from you sort of way.  He just really is that nice!

Since we had arrived at 8 am on a Saturday morning, unannounced, to a man's house I had met for 2 minutes on the road, 2 weeks prior, I wasn't sure how I would be received.  Bu,t I'm glad I didn't let fear stop me because it ended up being a great morning! I have to keep remembering that cultural norms are different here, and it's okay to show up unannounced...I love that (at least when I'm the one showing up unannounced).

When I got home, Sebastian was still working in my yard to prepare the land for putting in my garden.  I can not say enough wonderful things about by landlord and how much they have accommodated my requests in the house.  They are almost finished building me a fence and are now preparing the land, tilling the dirt and removing all the rocks in it so that it's good dirt for planting.  They are also going to build me beds for growing everything.  I'm really excited for that to be ready!

I cleaned everything in my house today and washed the floor. Even though I have a tiny house, byt he time I had dusted everything I could think of, hand washed every pair of shoes, etc. it was almost 3 hours of cleaning.  I was tired of not being able to go barefoot in my house because it constantly feels like there's dirt on the floor, not matter how many times I sweep it.  I'm trying out a "no shoes" rule to see if this makes a difference.  I'm also considering hiring someone to clean the house a few days a week.  Not so much because I need it, but because I can afford it and it will help someone local out.  Plus, it helps save y lower back so it's really a win-win, no brainer.

 I was planning to learn how to make a stained-glass window with Aniceto (for my bathroom) but that didn't end up happening so I ate lunch, rested a few minutes, and read some of a cultural book about Guatemala before heading to Tikonem for a weaving class with Maria.  As always, I ran into a few people in town, including Tania, a mom from school who works with street dogs and is going to find one for me!  At Tikonem, I ate my "usual" of pecan pie, a chocolate chip cookie, and milk.  They don't believe me that I'm actually a salt-tooth since I eat that almost daily now...it's too damn good!

Maria was finishing up with Andres, and New Yorker who has he border his clothes with the traditional border.  He runs a local soup kitchen and invited me to a fundraising event later that night.  He also does Spanish tutoring and is going to help find me clients.  Once they were done, she and I began class.  It was fun to learn and I was working on a silk belt that is the traditional wear for women to hold up their "skirt" since it's really just a piece of wrapped fabric.  I was shocked to learn that one women's blouse costs between 500 and 600 Quetzales---a year's wage for lots of people.  But, after learning the process, I understand a why.  In order to do the weaving, you have to strap yourself in around your lower back.  It was actually good support and therapeutic to my aching back.

While we were working, Maribel, a teacher at school, and Marta and Manda, moms from school,all stopped in at various times and talked.  I love the small-town life! Maria and I had some great conversations.  She's a local woman but is very progressive in her thinking.  She asked me about birth-control and many other taboo topics that are just not talked about here (and I had just read about in the cultural book).  She also talked about how her sons and husband help cook and clean, saying, "they have hands too!"  I love her!   While we were on the topic of women's reproductive health, I mentioned to her some of the studies linking tampons and pads to ovarian cancer, infertility, and other health problems; mostly due to the chemicals used in cotton farming.  I told her I had some organic cotton, reusable pads and she was excited to learn to make them.  We may buy a sewing machine together to make them and to train other local women to sew (once we learn how to ourselves) so that they can earn income for their family. I'm loving all these side projects, reminds me of my Peace Corps days.

On the way home, I ran into Johnny and his son, Yago, who invited me to Japanese food but I only had about an hour before I was to head out for the night so I took a raincheck.  I rested up (aka watched an episode of Raising Hope) and then set out for the night with Savannah and Anderson (my Aussie/Brazilina neighbors) and Manda (a Canadian mom from school).  We went to Fe for the fundraising party.  I hadn't planned on spending much money since I'm down to my last Q until I make it to the city on Tuesday to find an ATM (and get paid) but there was a Q20 cover fee...and then I "had" to get a Q25 mojito (it was for the children)! :) We met up with Andrea (Guatemalan teacher) and Nikki and Dave (Brit/Canadian parents from school) and also ran into 2 other parents from school (Russian and Lithuanian)...I love this jumbalaya of cultures!  I was also very pleasantly surprised to see a few local families at the party (when I say local, I'm referring to indigenous Mayan).  I was about to hide my drink when I saw some students and their families, until I saw the mom chug back her beer so I figured I was safe.  The dj was alright and it was a fun night of mingling and dancing.  Manda and I walked home together around 10:30 with everyone else telling us how lame we were :)  I'm cool with it though since I have now officially gone out twice...in one weekend--big party weekend for me! :)

My San Marcos friends--neighbors and parents from school.

Sunday:

I woke up early today and wrote most of this blog and then finished washing my clothes from the day before.  As I was nearing the end, Courtney called and invited me over to brunch at their house.  I had already eaten, but have you ever known me to turn down food?! So, I finished up the washing and then went to town to buy a pineapple to bring with me.  We ate fresh crepes that Josh made and had a nice time chatting.  I got some good advice from them on places to go see during Semana Santa when we have a week's vacation.  I borrowed their guide book and am excited about my first trip in Guatemala.

I spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the quiet at home, painting my nails, coloring a drawing from school, and picking out the stone and string for a gift that Savannah is surprising me with.  Tonight we are heading to the Japanese restaurant to enjoy a meal before they leave on Tuesday to India.  I hope they come back soon! Apparently, a couple with a 4-month old baby are moving in...hope the walls are sound-proof and the baby likes to play :) I'm down to Q83 (about $10) to last me for 3 days, until I go to the city with a bank, but it should be worth it! **Update, we ended up changing plans to go to the Japanese place tomorrow and Savannah and I went to Moonfish instead tonight.  I had a falafel sandwich on fresh baked bread (don't worry, I took my Gluten-Ease pills) and topped it off with a brownie with almond slices.  It was heaven.

As the day is ending, I'm feeling relaxed, content, grateful that I don't have to prepare any lessons or lunch for the week and glad that I quieted my fears to experience so many great things this weekend!

Day 7: Recovering Travel Snob

January 27th, 2013

By Sunday, all signs of the poison were out of my body and it was time to reenergize with some fuel!  I was still hesitant on eating so Peter sent me a list of do’s/don’ts of eating after such a spell.  I started the day off with a bean and pasta soup I made and then hung around a few hours to make sure it was staying down.  During that time, I met my neighbors, a Brazilian guy named Anderson and an Aussie girl, Savannah.  They are artisans who make and sell jewelry.  They have been here about a month and plan to remain about one more before continuing their travels around Central and South America.  They are both very sweet and my kind of people. 

Once I was sure nothing was coming out of me, I headed down to town for a few Skype dates and then to the lake to relax.  I spent a few hours reading under the shade of a palm tree and listening to the sounds of the water crashing on the shore.  It was so serene and peaceful and reminded me of my weekends in San Diego.  Except in San Diego I never saw topless Mayan women bathing in the water or was surrounded by a million dirty hippies.  Don’t get me wrong, we have hippies in SD, I even consider myself one sometimes.  But we’re the clean kind (at least when I decide to fight the cold shower).  Not the dirty, loud, druggy ones that give the rest of us Gringos a bad name here. Locals here may not have a lot of money, but they place high value on looking presentable.  So it's hard for them to understand why a foreigner, who to them should have money, would intentionally look (and smell) so scruffy.

Before I piss some of you off, let me explain.  I’ve realized something here that I’ve been borderline discovering for a while.  I am a travel snob.  I’ve always known I was one when it came to seeing sights and doing things that everyone claims are “so incredible” and I'm like, “yeah, it was okay, but I saw way better in PLACE A or B, etc.” But, now I’m realizing that my backpacker mentality has changed.  All the time I spent traveling last year, I loved meeting other travelers and was always jealous of the people I would see who lived in the fabulous places I was merely visiting.  I always wondered what it would be like to be one of them.  And now that I’m one of them, I want nothing to do with the travelers.  I know, I kind of hate me for it too.  I mean, I’m not cruel or anything towards them.  But after working all week all I want to do is relax at the lake.  So when I head there and find a bunch of people blasting their music, dancing around, camping out in tents and hammocks, dry humping in public, and generally overtaking the place with loudness (yes, I realize I sound like I’m a bitter 80-year old), it’s disturbing and I can’t help but feel bad that this is the impression that locals have of foreigners.  And, sadly, as a foreigner, I’m lumped into this category and it gives the rest of us who don’t act that way a bad name and a harder time living here.   So, now that I think about it, let me rephrase.  I have nothing against travelers; I have something against loud, obnoxious, ignorant people.  

And, just to clarify, I have met some really nice travelers in the past few weeks here and I like them just fine.  I just have to choose where to put my energy too since I’m living here.  I’d rather invest my time getting to know people who also live here and can become my friends than people who will be leaving in a few days.  Anyway, I did enjoy my time at the lake and then I decided that to celebrate my recovering stomach’s victory, I’d get a pizza! I had a difficult time finding a place that both makes pizza, and makes them on Sundays but after some time, I found one.  It was an over-priced touristy restaurant, FE.  It was a decent pizza and just what I needed! I wrapped the rest up since I had to order an entire one (no slices here) and went home for a nap, some more reading, and blogging.  I also had a surprise visit from a teacher at my school, Karin.  She is also brand new and is part Columbian, Armenian, and Canadian.  She had come looking for Anderson and we ended up chatting for a bit.  It was a great way to end my weekend and prep for my workweek.  (Disclaimer: If workweek is spelled wrong, blame spell check.  I don’t think it looks right as one word, without a hyphen, but spell check keeps yelling at me that it is).