Antigua Blues

Welcome Back Party

The ride back from Nebaj was sad and uneventful. We didn’t want to go back, not after an amazing week with El Descanso(our restaurant/headquarters), Marie Clare, and a great community. As we pulled into Antigua, and into my pueblo, Magdalena, my head ached just thinking about more days filled with ennui. It’s funny, we were coming back to “civilization,” the most touristy place in this entire country but we weren’t relieved one bit.

Expecting a quiet night after 7 hours of traveling, I crawled into my bed after talking to Yolanda and fam about my trip to Nebaj. Little did I know that my night was about to get just a little more interesting. Turns out that we had to go to a birthday party of my homestay’s 7 year old nephew. I don’t know what you know about seven year old birthday parties, but this one had alcohol—and lots of it. There were over 35 family members shoved into tiny chairs at the house and after an hour over 20 of them were drunk. It was great. I remember as I sat there among the laughter and the table slamming, I thought to myself, wow now this is a family.

I met some interesting characters at the party and even got into a pretty good conversation with a 40 yr old uncle who sells piñatas. Five minutes in, after we have developed our own little handshake, he starts to insist that we are “mejor amigos” or best friends. I told him that I do consulting work here to support local businesses and the community. Immediately, he tried to set up a date where I could come give him a charla to help his piñata shop. To which I told him that we don’t really operate like that and we do work for more rural regions. He started to violently raise his voice as he insisted that we were best friends. Scary haha.

The party ended when the family made me dance in the middle of a circle with Yolanda(my host mom) for ten minutes to crazy marimba music. It was definitely one of the most awkward 10 minutes of my life.

The Ecoli strikes back

I never really understood the term “More Money More Problems.” If I had more money, I would not have so many problems right now. Back up to three weeks ago when the doctor prescribed 10 days of cipro for the copious parasites in my body. Because it was so freaken expensive, I decided just to buy 3 days worth and see how I felt and go from there. Stupid stupid decision. I felt better, but while I was feeling better, the ecoli was mobilizing, spreading, replicating, getting ready to tear me up.

On Tuesday, as we were about to go to Mono Loco after a day at the office (apparently there’s free drinks for girls on Tuesday), I began to start shaking and feeling really really cold. I decided to take the bus back to Magdalena instead. The bus ride was terrible, as my stomach started to go nuts also. When I got back around 6 pm, I pretty much collapsed on the bed. I opened my eyes and it was 6 am. Yeah fevers, diarrhea, all that crap over again. Ya’ll have already heard this before. I got my medicine, and am feeling better. I think its incredible how many times I’ve been sick already. Don’t worry about me though; just keep me in your prayers.

Mental breakdown with Jeffrey

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this, but in my homestay I have this ten years old named Jeffrey. When I first met him a few weeks ago, he was one of the cutest kids I’ve ever spent a substantial amount of time with. Since then, things have changed for the worse. He is really starting to get on my nerves. Two nights ago when I had the most intense fever and diarrhea he climbed in through the window and kept tickling me even though I kept telling him to get out cause I was sick. He later just started throwing peanut shells from his window while I was sleeping. I really have no idea what to do about this random window that connects my room and his—I want to buy a lock, but that would be awkward to install and what not. Sometimes I feel like I’m in a freaken jail in this room when Jeffrey walks on the perimeter it just starts banging on the walls. Oh by the way, these walls are pieces of wood like 2 cm thick.

I normally love kids. There’s something about their innocence, how quick they are to forgive, how humble they are, and their curiosity. But two nights ago and quite possibly still today, I genuinely hated this kid & I don’t hate anyone. I guess I realize now that this is a problem. I need to work on the spiritual fruit of patience, there is something really sadistic about me hating this 10 year old now.


Monterico

So last Thursday, our group minus Kaveh went to a blacksand beach about two hours off Antigua. Everybody either immediately hit the bar or just chilled at the seaside hammocks. Psh east coasters. As for me, I immediately went out for a swim. Let me tell you something about the waves at Monterico, they’re HUMUNGOUS and very close to the shore. I went in to just dip my feet and totally got smashed on my back in a matter of seconds. There was a point where I was swimming as hard as I could back to shore against the under current( and I was still getting blasted out to sea) when I thought “Okay—this is a problem.” It was incredible to be so vulnerable and at the mercy of nature. The water was also super super warm, warmer than all the bucket baths I’ve been having here. Makes California beaches feel like Antarctica. I also met this random Nicaraguan here on vacation who learned English in Jamaica or something. This guy knew how to enjoy life, he answered all my questions in the same format “fucking __________ man.” When I asked him when he was going back to Nicaragua, he answered “fucking whenver man” to which I just started busting up laughing til I had tears in my eyes. Josh and Greg you guys make fun of the way I talk, you gotta here this guy.

Praying with a calm heart

I think I never realized how panicky I am when crises hit till Guatemala. I want to intervene, I want to do something to alleviate my situation. My prayers hold an internal sense of panic because I honestly believe that I am more critical to the situation than God is. One night where I just couldn’t sleep, I was a doing a devo on Mark 4:40 when Jesus calms the storm and when he says Do you still have no faith? I have learned that I need to trust and rest. Before I take it upon myself to do anything, I need to “calm my heart, seek his will, make myself receptive to Him, and just wait for his timing.” I think I’m learning to apply this process with everything in life—with development work, academics, relationships, everything.

Overall, my trip here is picking up speed, I can’t believe it has already been four weeks. I have one more week in Antigua then Xelah and Solola. These next few weeks are going to go by so fast man! But I still miss you all and am eagerly awaiting my return to the states. Thanks for the support and for following this blog, please comment!