I´ve been told that there is an organized public transportation, but I have yet to see it, or at least it is so very confusing to me. We were taught how to take the guaguas or busses and the carro publicos to and from home and school. We did this all yesterday in the rain. It was pretty interesting. When it rains here, it really does rain. Or at least its because there are some storms coming our way. The streets were flooded, and when it rains, all public transportation stops. People just don´t go to work or school, and it is totally accepted. My host mom didnt want me to go to school yesterday because of the rain, but we still had class. I was over an hour late because she was showing us how to walk there - a 40 minute walk - and luckily only my pants were wet. I have been carrying an umbrella everywhere I go because I never know when it will rain. I love when it rains because it cools down for a bit before the humidity starts to creep up again. But the only bad thing is the mosquitos seem to double in numbers.
One note about the guaguas and carros publicos - they are STUFFED to beyond normal capacity. Seriously illegal stuff. Its funny. The carros publicos are regular (somewhat pretty run-down) cars that fit 4 in the back and two in the front seat plus the driver. You are on top of random people and in their faces. Its pretty weird, considering that it is like a taxi but more like a public taxi, and they go in all different directions. Plus there are some hand signals to use to call them depending on the direction you are going to. It is all very confusing, but I am sure I will get used to it after a while. It is more confusing than the bus and taxi system in GDL. That is easy, this is weird. Plus they charge different prices, and I don´t know if they are charging me more because I am American. And the driving is another thing, that is totally crazy. Cars drive in all sorts of directions without stopping. I am so afraid of crossing the streets, because you kind of just have to run out there and put your hand out to make them stop so that you can cross. Trust me, some drivers do not care that you are crossing, or trying to. Pretty scary, because I have this fear about crossing the street by myself as it is. Back home everything was so organized - I miss that!
We have four roosters in the back and they like to crow very early every morning. Once one of them start, the whole neighborhood starts to crow. Plus the dogs. So I have been waking up early every day, and going to sleep early as well.
Side note - there is this little girl standing next to me at the computer, one of the neighborhood kids who is trying to talk to me. She just started to touch my hair and petting my head. Haha. OK, that was interesting. Now she is playing with my water bottle. I should get used to this. People in my face and touching my stuff. I was told that if you leave something out at your home, even if it is a toothbrush, other people with touch it and use it. So I definitely make it a point to put my toothbrush away.
The last two days we didnt have electricity, so I have been using my little flashlight. Thanks David!! Without it, I don´t know how I would be walking around the house or taking my bucket bath. This morning I took my bath with a lizard in the shower. I guess it was watching over me. Not to mention the big spider the size of my palm that was on the wall. That was pretty gross. Oh well. Things will only get more interesting when I go out to the countryside. Next week I will be visiting another volunteer at her site and I will have to travel there all by myself....
