I am slowly settling in to life here in Xela, or more formally, Queztaltenango. This is quite the lesson in perseverance. I do not speak Spanish well. I am easily confused by the winding streets. I trip easily on the uneven, stone roads. I do not appreciate tortillas, rice, or beans. But I can reassure you, it will be a memorable summer!
I am studying Spanish at Escuela Kie Balam, a 5 minute walk from my hosting family's house. My teacher, Mariela, is a 4'6" dynamo who only speaks Spanish. Fortunately, she is more than willing to trapse around town all morning with me, conversing in broken Spanish and drinking multiple cafes con leche.
My hosting family consists of Catalina and her 7 year old son, Antonio. Her disgruntled mother-in-law also inhabits the house (I was told, by Catalina, that the woman was grumpy -- so I figured 'disgruntled' is a fair label). Antonio will most likely be my most memorable teacher, because at 7 years old, he is more than willing to repeat himself 5 times in painfully s-l-o-w Spanish as I attempt to understand his 2nd grade reading material.
And now to today's topic: Diffusion gone horribly wrong.
The scene: my living quarters. As much as I enjoy awaking to pictures of Marilyn Manson greeting me from 2 different angles (the angry pose and the angrier pose), the posters had to go. In a generous compromise to Antonio (a staunch defender of his brother's taste in decor), I agreed to retain the lovely Iron Maiden and Kurt Cobain wall decorations. Now, as I sleep on my Spiderman sheets, I can enjoy some serenity.
I am currently orchestrating the 200 quetzal ($25) makeover of my living quarters. This includes: 2 new pillows, new pillowcases, a new towel, and 2 plastic organizers. Of course, I am considering posters of either Ozzy Osbourne or Alice Cooper to supplement the collection.
