Our weekend trip during these past few days was a bit different. The group went to visit a rural community to play soccer, hit a piñata with some kids, and paint a mural on a recently constructed school. It was great experience to spend time with a different kind of community – they live in a very isolated area, they don’t have a lot of resources, and everyone was there was so friendly and warm. The kids were so well-behaved too! Eight of us from our group attempted to entertain about 20 kids for about a day, but with the kids’ enthusiasm and good behavior, it wasn’t too hard.
We arrived around lunch time on Saturday and were welcomed by a lot of the community. As soon as we arrived, we were served a tasty stew with a heaping stack of homemade corn tortillas for lunch. We were then introduced to all the kids in their small school which consisted of 3 rooms and then started to play soccer and volleyball. The kids had so much energy. They tired us out after three hours, and after eating an amazing veggie soup for dinner, the entire group passed out before 10 o’clock.
On Sunday, we finished painting the mural with the kids (see pictures). and let the kids take their shots at the fish-shaped piñata. I was so amazed that the kids did not pick up one piece of candy until every one had a turn – so well-behaved! After the piñata, we said our goodbye’s and headed back to Xela in the back of a pick-up truck.
This past week was also great and busy – I’m continuing shadowing with the doctor in the social clinic. Dr. Sim (I normally just call him Javier) is letting me participate in the interviews and the physical exams. I usually start the interviews with a casual “How can we help you?” to start it off. I ask the basic questions about the patient’s symptoms and other basics about the medicines they are taking etc. and when I can’t think of any more questions, Javier takes over. I’m learning more and more medical vocabulary every day and getting great practice before being a translator next year back in the States.
The rest of the past week was interesting as well, complete with a Hamantashin party (Jewish cookies) for the Jewish holiday of Purim and a Shabbat dinner on Friday night, both of which were prepared by my American friends here, Jessica and Maya along with help of some of the other students in my group. And on Thursday night, we headed to downtown Xela for karaoke for my friend, Hang’s, 23rd birthday. For Purim, we even acted out the Purim story. I played the role of the wise old Mordecai. It’s funny because 5 out of 11 of the students in my program are Jewish (just by chance)…which makes for some awesome foody occasions.
The purim party...Ricky as King Ahasuerus, Raquel as Queen Esther, and Miguel as our very own (very enthusiastic) Haman!
My first Guatemalan Shabbat dinner - Maya lighting the candles, the food!, and Hang blowing out her birthday candles...
Hope everyone is doing well. Miss you! ¡Hasta pronto!
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