Guatemala - 2012

Day 12 - Sun, July 8
San Pedro (again) and D'Marta

While we were preparing to go to church with Maria Elsa Kira climbed onto the girl's laps. Ariel was a little scared at first.

Here Juanito is helping me look for Maria Elsa's glasses.

Francisco, Jacqueline, Andrea.

Francisco helped me and Juanito find Bible verses, etc. Juanito and Maria Elsa were going to Guatemala City to go shopping so she decided we needed to leave early. I decided to stay. Jacqueline sat with me to help. I only needed a bit of help finding the Bible verses. Why? The names are different and they say the numbers very quickly.

A bucaro: a place to get water. In San Pedro most people do not have water in their houses, so they have to come to the bucaro with buckets.

Two girls in their "Sunday Bests" buying food on the main street of San Pedro.

I bought a cup of fruit for Q5. Already knowing that buying street food (especially not well cooked street food) is risky, I didn't eat it yet, waiting to take it home to at least rinse it in clean water.

The indigenous girls of the "Belen" Catholic school crowding the bread/pastry shop.

 

The little cherry-looking things are "Nancies". They are sore to me, but Maria Elsa likes them. Maria Elsa was not happy with me buying this. She is very leery of contamination.

A picture of Maria Elsa's refrigerator. She was horrified to find out I had taken a picture because she says it is very messy. I, however, think it is marvelous. If only the refrigerators in the US were this full of fruits and vegetables, we would be in much better shape.

This is how people walk their dogs. I have seen very, very few problems with this, yet this time there was a horse and carriage up ahead and one of the shepherds just couldn't help it. He ran ahead and barked at the horse. He came back when called.

I usually do Sunday lunch with Maria Elsa, but, again, she is going to Guatemala City with Juanito, so I found that Conchita could take lunch off. We came "D'Marta", which is very Guatemalan: cheap and yummy! For Q50 ($6.50) we both ate big plates of food (including drinks).

While we were eating a woman came in and she seemed somehow familiar. Then I figured it out: the girl from "Sin Ventura" that was dancing by herself. I said hi and she talked with us briefly. Then she made some comment about a phone and I thought she need to call someone. Since I have more time on my phone than Conchita, I gave her my phone. Turns out she was giving us her phone number, not that either of us asked for it. The other reason this picture is funny is that she quickly sat next to Conchita as if she was best-friends. AND she smiles in pictures without being asked: very strange for a Guatemalan. Later on I showed her picture to Maria Elsa, who reacted almost exactly like me. She eventually recognized her from the dance place, too.

Juanito bought Maria Elsa a webcam so they can continue their studies long distance.

And they bought Starbucks tea, too, even though it is more expensive here. ??

Juanito sat next to Jocelyn and her boyfriend, watching Indoor Soccer (Futbol Sala). It is another way to practice listening.

But it didn't take long before....

The nephew of Maria Elsa and Manuel. He is the son of Manuel's brother, who lives in the smaller house at the front of the property. I don't know if I ever heard his name. I know him as the kid that constantly comes in and, like Sheldon on "Big Bang Theory", saying "Elsa. Elsa. Elsa" "Quiero mis juegos" or "Juegos?" (I want my games.) He is 4 and doesn't get out much. He's going crazy and their family doesn't have a computer.