Peace OUT!

ive been slacking on this, sorry.

Whats new: On valentines day I met a girl in the park who was bumming out because she had nothing to do, and it was such a great day to have something to do. I was in the same situation, so we went out and had some drinks and danced some salsa. She said i was good but i know she was lying. Ive danced salsa maybe twice, and I only really know like 4 moves. So after a while we just went to this bridge and watched traffic and drank wine. Ever since we've been hanging out almost every day. She has an eerie resemblance to Somadee, and her friends say we will make beautiful children... which makes me want to run to Honduras, which, I will do! ( i really love the freedom of traveling! )

Im going to go to Utila, Honduras. I met a cool kid from minneapolis, and we just think it sounds like a good plan. Its more or less a party island with some good scuba diving. Its not as good as Roatan or the other bay island (which i can never remember the name of...) but its about a third the price. So we are going there to learn to do some scuba diving, and relax on the beach. Its cold in Xela (well not for Minnesotans, but for central america, its friggin freeeezing.) and we are more or less done with it. Not to mention Ive been in Xela for like a month plus now and im getting restless.

Im done with language school. My spanish is pretty good, I mean it has to be, I have a novia that cant speak any english. Language school was really cool but I wish I couldve paid week by week. Cus my school didn't let me take a week off, and I think my greymatter was more or less saturated the last week. Everyday I just needed to get out of there QUICK! I dont know if I learned anything. Just copied a bunch of notes notes notes. I need a bit of time to sit and just soak up the knowledge. But yeah, I learned a lot during the other weeks. Its pretty rad speaking another language. It just makes me want to learn another! All the new phrases and little cool ways of saying things. It kinda made me appreciate how unique my own language is anyway. And especially the way I speak it. English has so much more flexibility and slang than guatemalan spanish. Its funny meeting germans or swiss people or the rare guatemalan that speaks english. Everyone says im hard to understand. ''The english speak so proper! and they annunciate!'' too bad.

So ive been volunteering with an organization called nuevos horizontes. Its a shelter for battered women/ orphanage for their children. they also do a great job finding work and housing for the women once they are ready to leave the house. On friday night they threw a benefit party. It was super fun. Dancing, Costumes, etcetc. I had a great time. I was working as bartender til 11 and mingled til about one thirty. When I woke up on Saturday, Im not sure if it was the abundance of information in my head or the fact that i was bartending the night before, but I had a gnarly headache. I felt the urge to get out, so I hopped a chicken bus to the lake.

I heard a couple people talking about visiting san pedro a few days earlier, so i got on a boat to get there. And i got RIPPED OFF. I forgot all about asking locals before i went to the dock. Someone stopped me half a block before the dock and asked where i wanted to go (he wasnt a boat driver, he was a tour operator. that shoulda been the first sign!) and told me it was q35 to go to san pedro. Nothing is q35, so i told him it was a joke and walked away. he said ''no, wait! i can help you out for 25.'' Ok great, sounds alright lets go right?? We get to the dock and as soon as i set foot on the dock, the driver of the boat that was taking me told me he could take me for 20 (which means 15 if your spanish is good enough to bargain). Thanks tour operater! I paid 5q for a walking companion down the boardwalk! Oh well, to put things in perspective, it was only like 50 cents. but still!

So I got to San Pedro and walked around a bit. Its a really pretty city, but Im not sure Im really into the whole atmosphere. Theres a lot of people that consider themselves hippys because they have long hair and do drugs and are currently not in the US. A friend explained it well. Theres hippys that really understand things like peace and love and not taking more than you need, and there are people who try to build their image out of these morals. And ironically enough they come off sorta cocky. But the town of San Pedro is really beautiful. And the environment is super calm and was perfect for laying around reading a book. Even though its really touristy. I met a girl from California down on the beach who has been teaching in San Marcos for a couple months. We sat around and chatted. Then I think I made her mad cus I was saying that we should more or less accept the fact that we are expected to pay more for things like clothing and rides etc., because without the tourist money many people wouldnt be making a living. She said it was bullshit, and that all people should be treated fairly. I guess it depends on your idea of fair, right??

Ran into a kid from Minnesota, and we ended up hanging out all night. Ate some SUPER good street food (grilled chicken leg, refried frijoles, guacamole, hot tortillas) for q8. Went out and watched the football (aka soccer) game, and had a long night.

highlight!!: This lady set off these candle lanterns hot air balloon thingys that flew WAAY up into the air! I have no idea where she got them but I want to know! SO cool! I think the lantern made it over the mountains!

The morning: I think all that homework and studying really got to me. Headache still hasnt left. Boat to santiago, bought some tortillas for breakfast but ended up giving most of them to a blind guy. Wanted to visit San Lucas Toliman again, so I hopped on a pickup. Pretty cool seeing the longterm volunteers again. I plan to stay there once the money starts to run real low. I just feel very at home in that town. Oh yeah and I ate another delicious meal! (i only ate once on sunday, but it was well worth the wait.) Took the hottest, longest shower Ive had here. Its funny how much you miss the simple pleasures. Like hot showers. I really miss being able to take long, hot showers. alot. seriously. Afterwards I went and checked out panajachel. Its pretty cool but you can hardly do anything without being offered a handwoven scarf. I did buy a cool knife, which im yet to use. I think ill go buy some unsliced bread...

Got back to xela and got a pocket watch! for 50q! ive always wanted a pocket watch! then stayed in the worst hotel ive ever been in. it was either super grimey or overly swank, because i didnt start looking til like 930. and i wasnt gonna shell out the dough for hotel bonifaz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtRUL-y9ppE&feature=channel

probly not the most interesting videos youve seen. its how you get around lake atitlan.