Monday, April 2, 2012

Lovin' this lovin' ♥

Hi everyone

Someone donated a bag of toys to the unit!!! Yipee.
FRIDAY:
Friday was a really long day at work. Afterwards all I really wanted was some peace and quiet!! We got home and had a really nice lunch outside with all of staff to say goodbye to Dona Mari (the cook) because it was officially her last day. It was so emotional because she has been around since the program had started and everyone was sad to see her leave (especially her). She has served 1,311 volunteers since she has been the cook. How awesome is that?!

After lunch I took a long nap and chilled out for the afternoon. Our plans to leave town and head to the beach ended up not working out. Everything is so packed and booked due to most everyone having the week off for Semana Santa. So, we said oh well and I got to take the afternoon off to do absolutely nothing but nap, shower, watch a movie and eat. :) It was nice.

Later that night after dinner we decided we wanted to go see The Hunger Games at the VIP theatre... because we really wanted to see what the VIP theatre was like. It had been storming most of the afternoon and it ended up being really difficult to get a taxi because the radio wasn't working. Nothing has been wanting to go our way recently! So we decided to walk two blocks (me, Lili, Clark and Joe) down to Tacontendo and get some drinks and hang out. Debbie was visiting Tikal for the weekend since it was her only weekend in Guatemala. We all ended up coming home afterwards and staying up pretty late playing Taboo.

Funny story: Clark was trying to describe a word and said it was like an explosion... he then precedes to say "annndd......." and Lili and both respond at the same time "BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE". Both of the guys just stared at us like we were crazy and now they think Texans are even more hick (because of the way we said it). But really we were just quoting that youtube video of that poor sports reporter haha. It was pretty funny.

 SATURDAY:
Saturday morning we slept in pretty late and woke up just in time for lunch. It was great. Then we decided to go check out this artisan market by the airport that we found online (btw that's never a good idea) and once we got there we realized it was a tourist trap. Everything was way overpriced and thankfully we had been in Guatemala long enough to know it was a rip-off! BUT even though we traveled all the way to Zona 13, the trip was not a bust...... because the ZOO was right next door. Heck yes. If you don't already know this about me... going to the Zoo makes me act like a little kid again. I have way to much fun. This one was even more exciting because I had assumed it wouldn't be that great and I was totally wrong. Example: there was a freaking white tiger. Here were some of my favorite pictures:

I was walking around like... "omg monkeys, omg bears, omg giraffes..." etc. It was so much fun and it was a beautiful Zoo. Way to go Guatemala.

After the Zoo we had plans to meet up with the boys to try once again to go see The Hunger Games at the VIP theatre. We had trouble meeting up with them but eventually found them once we got into theatre. So we didn't get to sit by them but oh well because LOOK AT WHAT OUR SEATS LOOKED LIKE! I was so pumped. I love movies and I have never been to a theatre like this one before (even though I know they have them all over Texas).


We ate before but they were serving all kinds of food, drinks, candy, snacks, etc. It was really cool and super cozy. It reclined also. So we watched the movie in style and I (for the most part) really enjoyed The Hunger Games. I think I'll have to read the books now.

SUNDAY:
Sunday we woke up late again :) and then headed down the the Central Plaza area to do some market shopping and check out the scene. It is always crazy on Sundays and since it was Palm Sunday we knew there would be some cool things to see! We got there just in time for a precession.

Sunday night I watched a bunch of random movies that Netflix has been recommending to me. Most of them were good. It was nice to relax and not think about anything except for Ben Affleck and Ashton Kutcher.

MONDAY:
This is my last week of work so I'm feeling pretty weird about it! Time has seriously flown by like I knew it would. There have been so many days that I have to ask myself how I'm going to make it through, but I'm happy to say that my last Monday was a really great day. Everyone was energetic today and happy. That's always a great start. Most of the little kids are really starting to open up to me... hug me, hang on me, ask to sit by me, hold my hand, etc. It's really sweet and I love it!
Ingrid has so much energy and is pretty much the life of the party in the unit. She loves playing keep it up with a balloon, coloring, hiding from me, getting pushed around in a wheelchair, and laughs at everything. Even if it's not funny she laughs. It's really cute.
One of the greatest things about today was that I finally got to hang out with and speak with Christian (the 15 year old boy). He seemed like he was feeling okay today so I took the opportunity to ask him if he wanted to play some cards with me! He thankfully accepted the offer :). I taught him War and Egyptian Rat and he loved both of them. It was fun to play with him because he was actually really competitive about it. During the games he was asking me about my family, my friends, where I live, if I played any sports... These are the only conversations I can really have in Spanish so I was excited I was able to talk with him a bit! He was telling me about his siblings and the town he is from. He was excited to see pictures of my family and friends that I had in my back pack. I told him to guess my age and he said 19 so he was laughing when I told him I was 23 and told me I was old. Sigh. But it was really cool to finally get to know him a bit! Also I'm pretty sure he was asking me if God blessed Texas ? I wonder if he's heard the song or what. But of course I told him... yes!  ;)

Viki Bale sent me a goodies package with some magazines, a book, candy and some fun things for the children. This is one of them. We were laughing about it because it was suppose to be fun for them but it really turned out looking really creepy when you put it on. None of the kids really wanted me wearing it... but they all wanted to try it on!

Isaias was being really funny today. He has started walking around so much lately which is amazing progress from his usual laying in bed all day and/or only getting up in a wheelchair. He has basically decided he is the king of the unit (because he is much older than most of the children.. except Christian of course) and so he started stomping around today and giving everyone orders. He was going from person to person making sure they were having fun and if they weren't he would demand I gave them a balloon or played with them. Then if anyone did something he didn't like he would take them (usually it was me) and put them in "jail" and "lock" us up. If you left jail without being "unlocked" he would attack you with a pillow. It was really interesting and I kept getting all the other kids to steal me the toy keys he had and he was loving the little game. It brought a big group of me/kids together and it made for a really fun morning.

Good news on the little boy Brayan who I told you originally hated my guts (the one I'm holding up above).... he loves me now! I think he was having a hard time adjusting to the hospital and I think he thought I was a nurse so he was scared of me. Now he knows I am there to play with him he gets really excited to see me and followed me around all day today haha. Success!
One of the nurses was handing out stickers today and for some reason they love putting them on their foreheads (and mine)... so that explains that. Stickers are always a good time. This time they were Sesame Street.
And my little love, Carlos. His mother has been acting really odd recently though. She doesn't like when I am around him anymore and I have no idea why!! So I only play with him when she's gone. Weird stuff... still love his face though!

Brena's last day was on Friday so that means that was my last day of work with her. She has the whole week off for Semana Santa. I am pretty upset about that because I have really enjoyed her company! It was really cool to get the inside look into a 20 something life of a woman in Guatemala City. I have learned so much about their culture (marriage, family, friends, children, work, life, etc) and I am so lucky to have had learned it from someone so beautiful inside and out. She doesn't even know but she taught me a lot about myself just being a good friend and non-bias listener! I know she is going to do great things in her life and I hope we keep in touch!! Even though I know we will. :) Thank you, Brena for everything!!

So overall - I am so happy that this last Monday turned out as great as it did. I really can only hope that the rest of the week goes this well....... Any ideas on what I could bring/do for my last day? Let me know!!

They ordered us Chinese food for lunch which was really scary for my tummy..... but it turned out to be really yummy. Now Lili and I are trying to decide what to do with our free afternoon. So I guess as usual, thanks for checking in and I will talk to you soon.

The Earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.