The morning started with Mia going next door and sorting out numerous items with the neighbor. This had to be done before they left for the airport at 9. I rushed out and got minutes for my phone in case we needed to connect with the person who is driving the shuttle. Both my phone and Kier’s phone ran out of minutes at the same time, which is unusual. It’s a good thing I got more minutes. Mia was supposed to leave at 9 and by 9:20, the driver still wasn’t here. I called him and he said he was in Chichi, but that he’d arranged for another guy to drive us. Should have checked with us first. He arrived in a small car instead of the van which we had paid extra for. Grr.
Coming to Guatemala is certainly a training ground in learning how to pick your arguments. If you want to function by North American standards, there are many daily opportunities to assert oneself. But then you’d likely be tied up in knots most of the time living here. It’s an acquired skill learning what you can and can’t live with after the fact.
I had to make this decision again when I bought minutes for Kier’s phone. I paid 50Q for more time on her phone. The way they do this is to make a call with a certain code in to the phone company, and then a text message appears on your phone within minutes, to confirm the new time credit on your cell. I went to four places to get minutes and they were all out. I ended up at the little store on the street where we buy our water. I’d never bought phone time there before. I gave him my money and he showed me the text he sent requesting minutes, but I never got a text giving me the credit on my cell. I decided this was an issue worth pursuing. He took the phone and tried to call out, but couldn’t. I told him this was because the phone was out of minutes. I wasn’t leaving the store without either my minutes or my money. After 20 minutes of back and forth, all fairly civilized still, the text finally came in. All was well.
Just as the issue was resolved, Kier and Madi walked by on their way to school and I gave K’s cell to her WITH minutes. Another small task which turned out to take almost an hour from beginning to end. Sometimes running a simple errand feels like part of a painful regiment in learning patience, one small task at a time. The expectation of efficiency needs to be released into wind from one of the tall mountains closeby. Let it go, I tell you, let it go. It won’t help you here.
The worker guys then came to the house to wash the walls. They are fast, diligent workers, these two. They must be around 21 or so. Didn’t take long to complete the job. He and his friend returned at 4:30 to paint the walls. They came in and chopped down some of the leaves that were up against the wall, then got right to painting. They did the whole thing in about 2 hours, and did good work. The space looks much larger with the white walls, you will like it Mia.
I spent a few hours today with one of my friends. We did a few errands, but mostly were in her house talking. Her electricity was turned off, so she lit a few candles. She said she takes very short showers when she doesn’t have electricity because it’s cold water. Next time I have to take a cold shower, I’m determined not to complain. Her son was paying her bill in the afternoon.
Madi had play practice right after school. She came home with two of her friends for a sleepover. I was going to make them chicken alfredo spiral noodles and a veg. But they only wanted noodles with a little bit of sauce and Madi wanted noodles with butter. No one wanted the meat or the veg. Gotta love cooking for the simple pallet, less time consuming. After that the girls watched the Half Blood Prince.
Cali was angry because I won’t let her have a FB account at 8. I explained that her one older sister doesn’t have Facebook and neither does her dad (although he meets the age requirement). At least I can tell her that I understand what it feels like to be the youngest and want to do the things my older sibs are doing. Although she doesn’t care that I could empathize. She was feeling oh so wronged. The injustice feelings were acute. I’m violating her basic human rights by denying her access to FB until she’s older. Perhaps in the future they will issue Facebook accounts along with birth certificates. Then you can have baby pics posted on your account and you’ll have one account from beginning to end.
Kier went for dance class and salsa classes. I decided to go to PanaRock since I hadn’t been there for a while with my friends. Marco Trio was playing. The three of us shared my salad. Then we danced. Later, in the street, they got a hot drink called atole, which is corn based and sweet. I didn’t care for it, but it’s a traditional drink here that is extremely popular, especially with the indigenous. Then we went to my friend’s house. She still doesn’t have electricity, so we sat around talking by candlelight. She paid her electricity bill today so will have it turned on by tomorrow (she knows someone, so it will only take a day).
Cali’s frog blog: Today I had lots and lots of fun. In computer class I did a facebook account with my friend. But when I got home to show my mom and Kier, I couldn’t find it anymore. That made me kinda mad and now they tell me I’m not allowed to make a FB until I’m older. But there is a girl in my class who already has one and she’s 9. We go on her account all the time. But I don’t know how to make an email and I need one of those. So now I’m so mad about all of that and I can’t write any more. But at least tomorrow I’m having a sleepover with my friend, so that makes me very happy. P.S. I still love all of you lots and lots, if I had a FB I could tell you on that.