HELLO! So we're back in Jocotenango now! After Monday's 8 hour travel escapade, we decided to leave as early as we could handle today from the orphanage. We were planning on just stepping out of the house at 6:30 am and walking around with our hiking backpacks plus my guitar until we found a taxi. THANKFULLY Herlyn, the mom of the orphanage, got up with us and advised we call a taxi because they never circle that area of Xela. But today we made excellent time and I was stepping into my house in Joco at 11:15. But that's boring news, i'll tell you about the rest of the week...
pretty much it was amazing! I felt like I spent the whole time in the presence of God. They were long days, but not that physically draining, and it was just such a sweet experience. Herlyn has a younger brother that took us to see a Meet the Fockers (they're all in English with Spanish subtitles) and then to this really cool touristy antiques cafe after for cake. It was great to have a night out :) Oh, except the town is pretty sketchy... Herman carried his TAZER with him while we walked from the car to the theatre entrance! thankfully he didn't have to use it. oh, it's crazy, every year the college students in guatemala have a few weeks where they dress in black or purple robes with pointed hats and tiny holes for eyes (yes, you read right... pretty much hundreds of KKK-looking people walking around a foreign country. unnerving is an understatement) and go around asking for money. they use the money to throw a year-end party, but they can get a little violent. like they get on the buses and usually they are harmless, but you give them a Q (like 16 cents) if you have it! They go around to businesses too, and if the owners don't pay up they come back in the nights and do major vandalizing. sketchy, yes. so we saw them EVERYWHERE in Xela and mostly at nights. crazy sauce!
we did lots of cleaning and cooking and painting for the orphanage and just hung out and danced with the kids. it was super super super awesome and fun. last night they made us all goodbye cards and it was ADORABLE! i miss them already... There was a big football (soccer) game between Guatemala and Belize last night, so we thought "hey, fiesta!!" and brought the TV into the dining room and had hot dogs, pop, chips, candy, cookies, balloons, and face paints for them. it was a HUGE hit and just so much fun. and Guate won, 2-0, so that was even more awesome :) and then we had a dance party. v. cool :) yeah... so that's pretty much been the week! awesome, amazing, and fun. oh, except today on the chicken bus from Chimaltenango to Joco, all of Joanne's money and debit card was taken from her money belt, which was well hidden under her pants, a shirt, and a hoodie. Poor girl! She had lots in there too. it'll be a good wake-up call for all of us, i guess.

so tomorrow is a well needed day off to do laundry, internet, and we have to take these spiritual gifts/personality tests for the knowing yourself/spiritual retreat week we're doing starting Tuesday. I'm excited for that. Blayne Greiner, a first semester speaker, is coming down for that! hurrah! it'll be a good week to process my time here, figure out some more of who i am and where i'm going. it should be awesome! and we'll be on a coffee plantation. oooo! so far all the coffee i've had here has been instant, which is raunchy. ok, ok, so i don't actually drink coffee, so i can't tell if the stuff here is good or not, but apparently the real, homegrown stuff tastes different than at home. but yeah, that's about all... gotta run! Meeting Katie and Jo and Niki at the fountain. Miss you all! happy days!
PS. Mom, Dad, Joel, Paul, Nicole: PLEASE email me! i haven't heard from any of you in ages and i miss you. Paul: Go to Esperanza.
PPS. All you others, PLEASE email me! i will reply! and i love feeling connected to home and knowing how you're all doing. be blessed!
Psalm 58