Soccer League

Zane giving "Argentina" their winning medals

Winning team, "Argentina"

Right before the penalty kick that made Argentina winners.

Zane, left; Stephen, right

My sitemate, Zane, who works in the town hall of our site, had an idea to start a soccer league with the children around Santa Maria Chiquimula. The league ran from November until December 21st. Zane, Myself and my other sitemates, Valerie and Stephen all helped to pull this league together. There were 4 teams and 4 games every week. Let's just say once the championship was over, I think we could all take in a deep breath of fresh air! Adolescent boys are a handful!! There were many a time when I wanted to wash their mouth's out with soap, but I won't get into that :) I love other people's children :)

The final game was actually pretty sweet. There was a tie and both teams had to take penalty kicks. The team favored to win actually lost and it was a very exciting finish!

Our next group project is a World Map. We plan on painting a mural of the world on a wall outside of the health center. Zane also wants to start the town's first library, so that will definifely help keep us all busy!!

The Start of a New Year

My parents came, and then they left :( They were only here for a week but it was such a breath of fresh air to see my family. It really didn't feel like Christmas. There was no snow, no Christmas music on the radio stations that started well before Thanksgiving, no Santa Clauses or Christmas decorations on every street or in every store, no Christmas light decorating wars between houses... there really was no Christmas spirit. So even though Christmas is a little over 11 months away, I am really looking forward to it! (oh the things I look forward to these days...)

I don't have any pictures from my parent's visit because my dad took all the pictures, but when I do I'll post a few. Along with my parents came my 82 year old grandmother. She really impressed my health center staff. They couldn't believe she was still alive, haha! It has been weeks since they left and they still bring up my grandmother, lol. My grandmother and her Bible group also donated blankets and baby clothes to my health center and as a family we brought them over to the health center. Everyone was very grateful.

My family and I did a lot of shopping. My mom, grandma and I walked around through all the artisian markets and tried to bargain down prices and my dad usually walked elsewhere to take pictures or wonder around. At least, so I thought. My dad is probably one of the funniest people I know. With that being said, my dad would walk around and see who would try to sell him something, and the majority of the time he really didn't want to buy anything, he just wanted to see how low he could get the vendor's price down. About a few hours into our browsing, my dad shows up telling us that he has this vendor down to $35 on a blanket and thinks he can get it lower and wanted to show us. We walk over there and the vendor is selling this blanket like you wouldn't believe and all the while my dad is telling him in his Spanglish he wants "No, No, No. trienta!" (30). Also telling him in English we are going to walk away, cracking jokes with the guy.... it was pretty hilarious. I guess you had to be there and also know my dad. We ended up getting the blanket for $30. When he finally agreed on the price he was talking so low because he didn't want the other vendors to know how low he was selling this blanket. I was very impressed with my dad! I think my dad was too, so much so I think my parents went home with about 5 or 6 blankets. It was a running joke through out the whole trip. "Hey dad, that guy over there is selling a blanket, I think you need one for the imaginary guest bedroom we have in the house"

My parents went home the 31st and I spent New Years in Antigua with friends.