I only meant to eat half of the chocolate bar.

One of the students living in my house passed his entrance exams to start medical school in the Capital next year. I thought that deserved a congratulations present. I went to the store to buy him a Snickers. I asked for one. Then I asked for 2. Then I gave him one last night. And I just ate the other one right now. Supper is an hour and a half so I thought eating half would be a good thing. And half a chocolate bar IS a good thing. But do you know what is even better? A WHOLE chocolate bar. Maybe it will be beans tonight and I won't really want to eat anyway. :)

I started school again this week. And I had such a compliment today!!! My teacher said that the lightbulb seems to have turned on! I don't know what she was implying about the first 11 weeks that I studied but I will take it!! :) Maybe having a break let me just build on my base and now I feel like I can move onto the harder stuff and try it in real life. This week of school seems to have flown by for me! Which is unusual. I mean, we are talking about school here. But I am glad. I will study for the whole month of August. And I am looking forward to being able to say "should". It is a tense, not just a word. And I found out it is the last tense I will learn. But have you ever tried to explain the meaning of "should"? It is really hard. Try it some time. Then try it in a different language that you have not mastered. Fun times people!!!  

I don't fear going into stores anymore and I don't practice every sentence in my head before I say it when meeting new people. I have even thought in Spanish a few times so I MUST be getting something through my head. 

Also this week, I went back to the school I went to last week. On Monday the kids did these little choreographed dances (each grade did one) to welcome the group that was here from England. It was adorable!!! They were so cute in their little costumes and their little moves. I stupidly did NOT bring my camera. What was wrong with me??!!?? Then on Tuesday afternoon the group did a presentation for the parents and pastors in the community. There were a lot of people. And a lot of kids. I was sitting in a section that had free space behind me so of course the kids congregated there to play. So it was a bit noisy and I tried to not be distracted too much. One of the speakers has been blind since birth. She spoke about her experience. She had some books that her mom had made for her. They had writing and braille and had textured things to make the pictures. One was called "Where is Phillipa?" It had a door that opened, you looked under the bed, etc. It was pretty great. One man shared a lot of verses from the Bible talking about people with disabilities and sicknesses, about guilt, how to treat them, etc. It was good. And an occupational therapist talked about ways to relate and communicate with people with disabilities. 

Tomorrow I am going to meet with a nurse that I worked with when I did the surgical team. We are going for lunch. I met her daughter at the same time and she has been here in Antigua studying Spanish the last 6 or 7 weeks (and before we met as well). We have been trying out a bunch of restaurants. I recommend nachos at Rainbow Cafe and the chicken and cheese quesadilla at Sky Cafe. 

And I am finally going to see a movie in a theatre! One of the students in the house has gone to a theatre several times so he is taking me and another student and another friend into the city (Guatemala City). The other student in the house is a 62 year old Japanese man and he wanted to ride a chicken bus. So that is why we are going. :) It is a really cheap theatre (about $1.50) so they are probably old movies but that is okay. One day I am going to find someone to go see 'My Sister's Keeper' with me. 

Oh, and guess how long it took me to finish the bag of sour wine gums. Well maybe I won't tell you and let you give me the benefit of the doubt. :)

Take care all!!!!