Up and dressed for desayuno (breakfast) which is prepared for us when we come down. We try to keep to a schedule so Hortensia can know when to expect us. We had scrambled eggs, Mayan corn tortillas, hot drinkable cereal (still tasteless) this morning. We walked to school with Stephanie, the other student at Kie-Balam.
Patty started me on AR verbs! We had 15 or so which we had to conjugate. The dry erase marker gave up the ghost so we had to switch gears. It was more difficult but we got the job done. I now have to spend some time learning the verbs and hunting for more.
Our afternoon activity was a walking tour of the historic district and the museums with Marlo, the director as our guide. It rained!! It rains most afternoons here because it is winter. Marlo is trying hard to whoo Don into promoting Spanish, Kie-Balam and Guatemala with Iowa State University. She is doing her best to fulfill her end of our education at her school. There are currently only three students. The summer vacation months June and July in the USA are her busiest times.
We ended the day wet and tired. Just when we thought we would finish for the day Marlo invited us to a fiesta her sister Marta (from Chicago) was throwing at the school. We felt obligated to attend at least for a little while. After the party we left and discovered no running water at the house! It turned out to be a major problem for that sector of the city for a couple of days and included the school. Fortunately it rains in Guatemala and they capture the rain water for just this reason. So wet, cold and no shower available--- was a great day indeed. We went to bed and called it done for the day.
We found a laundry just down the street. Here it is call a lavanderia. We drop off our dirty clothes and after class pick them up folded. The cost is about $4.00 each time. It is really kind of slick -- no dish washing, meal preparation, no laundry and for this I am learning to say hello in Spanish.
