Xela - Week 2

Day 331.

Hola Amigos,

Después de mucha consideración, he decidido continuar con esta publicación en inglés, en parte debido al tiempo que me llevaría completar en español. Asi que, aqui vamos…

It was time to enjoy our first weekend in Xela after a fairly gruelling WK1 of Spanish lessons. Although making sure we completed all the required homework we managed to dodge the rain and get out an explore. Checking out the famously colourful cemetery and munching on some incredible deep fried Platano being just a few of the highlights. Note to Ellie, always try the local snacks, especially when there’s a queue of locals too.

Spanish school has significantly improved for limbster with Unknown teacher 2.0. Breakdowns stand at nil this week and can safely say Spanish is improving. Another week of school means another week of Salsa lessons. Quickly questioned why it took us a whole week to return once we got moving on the Dance floor, although rusty at first it’s safe to say inspired by Rosa we will now be regulars!

Another week in Guatemala obviously meant another festival.. This week it was a religious one but regardless the parades and fireworks were out in full force for 4 full days of events. When I say fireworks I don’t mean the colourful kind that go off at night, these resemble more a small bomb going off just a few feet behind you at all hours of the day, wherever you are, even mid Spanish lesson - the amount of times I’ve seen Miriam leap out of that chair. Deciding to check of the big days festivities ourselves we set out on a mini teacher student excursion, observing full force the firework bon fires (pile them up and watch them fly) and the brightly coloured parades! It was worth the cough I had the remainder of the day from the sheer amount of smoke travelling through my lungs.

Inspired by that 3 man Platano frying trio Ellie stepped up to learn the skills herself with Connie midweek with the intention of feeding 15 come Fridays pot luck lunch. The lesson went well, less can be said for the conversation.. in one ear out the other is the best way to describe it I think.

Attended our first quiz night in Espanol this week with new friends, granted it was repeated in English but every little bit helps. Regardless of the English we placed fairly poorly, avoiding all chances to win free booze. If we thought the performance during quiz night was bad it soon got worse during our first attempt at Basta (Ride the bus Guat style) with our Guatemalan family, playing a game which wholly depends on your knowledge of Spanish vocabulary is a challenge to say the least, all those animals we know beginning with X and all…

Ended the week with a chicken bus ride out of town to check out Sarjaca, a small market town with (rumoured) to have Central Americas oldest church, not only that but a fresh load of home produced fruit wine out of the local lawyers office - it goes without saying we obliged, as did the teachers come Friday lunch..Read more