Well, after what was one of the worst illnesses I´ve ever had, I´m well on the road the recovery. Last Wednesday, about halfway through my class day, I started feeling a headache. This is very unusual (& consequently very uncomfortable) for me. I decided to leave a couple hours early to rest for the afternoon. What I didn´t realize is that I was about to sleep for roughly 40 of the next 48 hours. Every break from sleep was accompanied by a splitting headache & general body discomfort, so I´m glad I was able to sleep so much. (Imagine the fever dreams I had - they were epic!) Apparently, it´s very common for students to have an adjustment period due to: alititude, change in food, different water, etc. Unfortunately, it appears I dealt with all the symptoms at once. So, I´ll let you use your imagination, and not take anymore time describing this horrid experience. Suffice it to say, I do hope this was an adjustment period and I don´t deal with it again. Just today, I finally have my full appetite back.
Anyway, otherwise, everything´s really great! I had a fun weekend. On Friday, I walked to the Bake Shop, a world famous, Mennonite-run bakery in Xela. I had to bring something for our weekly graduation dinner at the school, and I certainly wasn´t feeling like cooking (or eating for that matter). This place was great. In retrospect, it´s probably good that I was ill, as otherwise, I may have well purchased the lot. They have donuts, cinnamon rolls, pies, cakes, cookies, all these bread-based guilty pleasures of mine. It´s also in my best interest that they´re only open two days of the week. I´ll definitely be back.
On Saturday, we went to Fuentes Georginas (www.lasfuentesgeorginas.com/history.htm), a collection of three pools of hot water, fed by the Zunil Volcano. The largest is also the hottest, and that shit was HOT! I seriously couldn´t enter past my feet, and even that was only in small doses. Meanwhile, this emaciated man, probably in his 80s, sat on the steps next to me while his daughter bathed him in it from head to toe. He has arthritis, she told me, and the water helps cure him. Well whatever his ailments, he still showed me up for sure. I spent most of my time in the third, coolest pool, which was about the temperature of a good hot tub. The drive up was nice too. It was nice to get out of the city.
On Sunday, my friend, Kate, and I walked to El Mercado Minerva. She kept talking it up so I agreed to go. Somehow, I failed to remember that I really despise shopping. And if there´s any place to solidify that sensation even more, it was this place. Basically, it´s an outdoor market with lots of stalls, but they all basically sell the same stuff. Clothes, shoes, and housewares that don´t sell in the United States and are sent all around the world. I saw a documentary about it once. So, now the clothes are like 30 cents each. It almost felt unethical buying this stuff, but god, there was so much! So, I participated politely, and bought three things that I actually do need since I packed pretty poorly turns out :) Kate really stocked up of course. She´s been like 4 times too! We also talked a ton of English together, but it honestly felt nice. Kate actually didn´t speak any Spanish when she arrived, so it´s particularly hard for her. But, for me, I don´t feel very interesting in Spanish. I can carry a conversation just fine, but it´s so basic & simple. So, it´s nice to actually be able to express myself and talk about more complex topics. I realize this with the local people I´ve met, but most of them actually don´t speak English, so it´s more incentive to practice. Oh, except I did meet this hombre at my salsa lesson, and after a while of Spanish, I inquired about his English. He leaned in and said (imagine an accompanying Spanish accent), ´´Mah English ees not bery good-looking.´´ Which made me laugh. But then, ´´I am bery good-looking. Jah?´´ I think I was tricked. It´s been my experience that some of the younger people put on that they know less English than they actually do. Probably much like I do with Spanish around Spanish speakers...
Anyway, now I´m just super glad to be feeling well, I can´t even tell you. We´re about to go to La fabrica de Chocolate, and I would totally buy you all edible souvenirs (the best kind of souvenirs), but I still won´t be home for a while...
Hope all is well, and more again soon!
Love.
P.S. Sorry, I tried to do photos, but can´t get it to work right now. Soon, I promise!
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