The Reunion Issue

Learning Spanish, As Explained by GIFs

Related Video: My friend Carrie shared this in our Spanish class. I can relate. It is a SNL sketch of "the Mexican soap opera for people who only had three weeks of Spanish in the fourth grade." 

Before I came to El Salvador, my Spanish education was limited. I went to Spanish day camps in elementary school. However, at camp we mostly ate chips and salsa and made piñatas.  In a more formal setting, I had one semester of Spanish in the seventh grade. The two things I remember from that class are the alphabet song and playing Bingo.  So to suffice to to say, I knew very little Spanish. I knew basic phrases, but that was about it. 

Moving to a country in Central America, I really want to take advantage and try to learn as much Spanish as I can. I take Spanish classes two times a week. Unfortunately, this is sometimes the only time I speak Spanish in a week. I teach in English, and I live with other teachers who speak English. Learning Spanish has been a slow, frequently frustrating process. Here are some GIFs to explain what the process has been like. 

The People are Talking Really Fast, And I Have No Idea What They Are Saying

When I first moved to El Salvador, I did not understand the majority of what people said to me. I relied on others to translate or had to make inferences about what was being said to me. It's isolating, not being able to communicate with others. 

I've Told You I Don't Speak Spanish, and You Still Talk to Me In Spanish

My students at the beginning of the year would speak to me in Spanish. It took a long time for them to get out of this habit, because they found out I couldn't understand them. There are still adults who speak to me in Spanish, even thought they know I don't understand it. Also, coming physically closer to me and making incessant eye contact will not help me understand you.

The I Don't Know What's Being Said, So I'm Going To Zone Out

Many of our meetings at school are in Spanish. I frequently zone out, because they are talking to fast for me to understand what they are saying. I hope that if they say something important, they will tell me later in English. 

The I Recognize About 1/5 Of The Words You Are Saying

It feels like a small success to recognize even some of the words that are being said. 

The I Don't Know This Word, So I'm Going To Try Just Saying It With An Accent And/Or Add An A Or O to the End Of The Word

 I know this is not a good practice, but it does work some of the time.

The I'm Going To Ask You How To Say Everything

In Spanish class we are only supposed to speak in Spanish, so it is a lot of "como se dice _______?" How do you say behind? How do you say easy going? I know I just asked you five seconds ago, but I already forgot. How do you say _______?

The I Now Speak/Think In A Weird Mix of Spanish and English

Que Mas? Es muy dificil constantly translating back and forth. Mi brain hurts.  

The I Can't Speak Spanish, And My English Is Getting Worse

There's four of us?  There are four of us? Is that right? That doesn't sound right. 

The My Mind Just When Blank With What I Was Trying To Say

What is this word? I know I know it. I can't think of it, because my mind has gone completely blank. I can't even think of the word I'm trying to say in English now. 

The I Just Had a Conversation and Used The Wrong Word And/Or Conjugation

I just said that I like to touch my friends. That was not the word I wanted to say. 

The Buckle-Up Because It's Going To Take A Long Time To Figure Out How To Say What I Want To Say

First, I have to think about what I want to say. Then, I have to translate those words in Spanish. Then, I usually have to change what I wanted to say, because I don't know the words I want to say. I also have to figure out how to string them together in a sentence.  It takes a long time. Be prepared to wait as I tilt my head and stare up. 

The I Just Had A Conversation With Someone And Didn't Completely Mess Up

I just understood what that person said to me. They seemed to understand what I was saying. Success! Okay, this feels good. 

The Okay, Okay, Even Though It Doesn't Seem Like It My Spanish Actually Has Gotten Better

According to Duolingo, I am 35% fluent in Spanish. That's not true. They're lying. Or, more so, it's very hard to measure progress in a language. The progress is very slow, if it even seems like you are making progress. This can be very frustrating. Still, I have gotten better, even though it doesn't always seem like it. 

So, that's where I am right now with Spanish. Next post I will be talking about the privilege that comes with speaking English. 

My Wish + What I'm Looking Forward to in 2018

Ancient Greeks and Romans would write wax-coated tablets. The tablets could be reused to conserve materials and money by smoothing over the wax and writing on it again. A similar process was used to conserve the amount of parchment used in 6th Century Europe. In the Middle Ages, powdered pumice was used to scrape away the original writing on vellum. The word used to describe this is palimpsest. The official definition of palimpsest is: 

a manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writing material has been effaced to make room for later writing but of which traces remain.

It comes from the Greek words "palin," which means "again," and "psēstos," which means "rubbed smooth." So, mid-17th Century, the words were combined to make the word palimpsest, or "again rubbed smooth." Though rubbed again smooth, the documents weren't erased completely. Researchers have been able to go back to these documents with modern technology and read the "underwriting" as it is called. Now palimpsest can also mean something with layers or an entity that is used for something other than its original purpose. 

The word "palimpsest" popped into my mind as I was sitting by a beach in Costa Rica with my parents on New Year's Eve. This time of year it is so common to hear the slogan "new year, new you." For many, a new year is an opportunity to once be again rubbed smooth with a fresh start. Like a palimpsest though, the you can never be completely new. There will be always be the underwriting, and that is a good thing. Past failures help guide next steps. Getting what you wanted sometimes means realizing that you want something else entirely. Enduring a tough situation builds character, strength, and resilience. So as we settle into this new year, I hope you don't try to become a completely new you. Instead I hope you use your underwriting to help guide what traces should remain and what needs to be scraped away to make room for the new. 

Something that I would like to continue is writing a wish for the upcoming year a la Neil Gaiman.  You can find my wish for 2017 here. So instead of resolutions, here is my wish for all of you in 2018. In 2018, I wish that you do more. For we can always do more. I wish that you scroll less, and instead take the time to look at someone's face. Make a connection away from a screen. Lastly, in this upcoming year I wish that you take care of yourself. Celebrate your body. Listen when it tells you what it needs, this includes your body and your mind. Give yourself the self-care you deserve. It's not selfish, it's essential. Happy 2018!  

Liz Lemon to provide a little Gifspiration for the new year. 

Here are some things (both personally and other) that I am looking forward to this upcoming year (in no particular order).

Things I'm Looking Forward to in 2018 

1. Spending less time on Facebook I've come to realize that scrolling on Facebook really doesn't make me happier. In fact, it frequently makes me unhappier. Yet, for some things I need it (like for sharing blog posts), so at this point I can't completely get rid of it. I will check it occasionally, but more to respond than to scroll. At the end of 2017, cut down significantly and there was a noticeable improvement in how I was feeling and in my productivity. I'm looking forward to more of that.
2. Trivia Almost every month, my roommate and I host trivia at our house. I  enjoy hosting it and putting together the questions. It's always something to look forward to each month. 
3. Exploring more of El Salvador I still feel like I haven't seen that much of El Salvador. However, as I was looking through my wish for 2017 post I said the same thing last year. I explored quite a bit more of Taiwan in the second half of the school year. I'm hoping to do the same for El Salvador. 
4. Getting better at Spanish and more opportunities to practice I didn't need to use that much Spanish in Costa Rica, because almost everyone I met spoke English. Still, in both Guatemala and Costa Rica I could get by with the little Spanish I know. Although it frequently seems like I am not progressing, while traveling I realized how far I have come. I'm looking forward to continue to improve in 2018. 
5. Going to Brazil Over spring break, I'm going to meet my friends from Taiwan, Tyler and Jacob, in Brazil. There's a comfort in familiar people, so I'm very excited to see and travel with them again. 
6. Traveling back to the Washington This summer the plan is to spend some time in Washington state. It's been two and a half years since I have been back and have seen my extended family. I'm hoping to catch up with a couple friends as well. 
7. Being in my friend Kristen's wedding In my freshman biology class, I was alphabetically placed next to Kristen. In addition to both being named Krist(i/e)n, our last names have the same first three letters. During class I told her it was funny how similar our names were, she said something along the lines of "Uh, I guess." It blossomed into a beautiful friendship. I'm looking forward to being a part of her wedding. 
8. My ten year high school reunion I know, I can't believe it either. I am getting old. I don't know if I can really say this is something I'm looking forward to, but it will definitely be something to write about. 
9. Finishing the second draft of my book and starting a new project As Charlie Puth asks in a completely different context, "how long has this been going on?" I've been working on my current WIP for a very, very long time. I'm looking forward to completing my second draft and starting something new. 
10. Watching the Shibutani siblings compete in the Olympics In 2016, I went to the US Figure Skating Championships in St. Paul. I hadn't really been that into figure skating since Kristi Yamaguchi in the 1990s. However, after going to the championships, I got back into it mostly because of the ice dancing of the Shibutani siblings. They are only like my favorite siblings. This year in the championships they surprisingly came in second. I'm looking forward to watching them compete and be hungry for gold in the Olympics. This is my favorite routine of theirs. 
11. Two YA books about Taiwanese Americans As I was in Taiwan last year, I wanted to read more stories about people who are Taiwanese. I'm so happy to see some representation in YA this upcoming year. You can read more about these books here and here. 
12. More diverse voices creating things In 2017, there was critical success of projects by diverse voices. I'm looking forward to more of these projects, instead of sequels nobody asked for. 
13. Mary Poppins Returns Okay, maybe just one sequel. I was completely uninterested until I learned that Lin-Manuel Miranda is playing Bert. I will support anything Lin does. 
14. Midterm elections Are you registered to vote? Change is a'coming. 
15. The royal wedding On May 19, 2018 Megan Markle and Prince Harry will be tying on the knot. It's not just a regular wedding, it's going to be a cool wedding that bucks a lot of royal wedding traditions. For example, there will be bridesmaids. It's also the chance to drink tea and make fun of silly hats. 
16. Sabrina the Teenage Witch reboot This Netflix series, based on the Archie Comics, is promised to be darker. Plus, they just cast Kiernan Shipka as Sabrina. 
17. Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian in Solo: A Star Wars Story TBH, when I saw they had cast Donald Glover in this movie, I originally thought they had cast him as Han. I guess I will have to settle for him as Lando. Glover takes on such interesting, diverse projects. I'm glad his talents are getting recognized and he is getting cast in bigger projects (including Simba in the live action Lion King in 2019). 
18. Isle of Dogs Stop motion + Wes Anderson + dogs + and island of garbage? I'm in. 
19. The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey This book has been getting a lot of hype. It is a mystery set in 1920s Bombay. The main character is loosely based on the first female attorney to practice law in India. It came out on January 9. 
20. The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory I don't read a lot of romances, but this book has been blurbed and praised by many readers I trust (Aminatou Sow from CYG, Roxane Gay, multiple people at Book Riot). It's about two high-powered professionals who meet in an elevator. The woman agrees to go as the date to the man's ex-girlfriend's wedding and sparks fly. 
21. A new album from Camila Cabello "Havana" is a jam. I can't wait to see more of what Camila does post-Fifth Harmony, when given the opportunity to have more say in the music she makes. Songwriting giants Charli XCX, Ryan Tedder, Pharrell, and Justin Tranter also helped write tracks. It is already out.
22. New Carly Rae Jepsen music? There hasn't been confirmation yet about a new album.  However, she has been in the recording studio, and with the likes of Jack Antonoff. I want to cut to the feeling of being swept up in her music again. 
23. New Beyonce music? Beyonce is performing at Coachella this summer. It would be a great time to debut a little something something. The music festival is also right around the two year anniversary of Lemonade. I'm just saying . . .

Do you have a wish for 2018? What are you looking forward to in 2018? 

My Favorite Things of 2017

Well out of all the years, 2017 was the most recent. This year protests became the new brunch, it frequently felt like we were living in a dystopian TV show, and there were many natural disasters (wildfires, Hurricane Maria, and the earthquake in Mexico to name a few). In more positive news, child mortality and global poverty rates went down.  On a personal level, I said a tearful goodbye to Taiwan, then moved to El Salvador. I also traveled to Japan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Borneo, Honduras, and Guatemala. As we get ready to welcome 2018, here are some of my favorite things of 2017.

Watched

TV show

                                                       American Vandal 

 The show is a mockumentary done in the style of Serial or many a crime documentary show or podcast. Instead of following a murder, the show tries to solve the mystery of who spray painted thirty-six penises on teachers' cars in the high school parking lot. I had pretty low expectations of this show going into it. I never thought I would get so invested in this case, but I did. Not only does this show poke fun at the genre, but it also is a love letter at the same time. Additionally, it is one of the most accurate portrayal of high schoolers and high school I have seen on TV. Go watch it, so I can talk about it with you!

TV Finale

Insecure

This show continued to be great in its second season. The second season finale boldly split into the three points of view of Issa, Lawrence, and Molly with overlapping events. The audience gets a satisfying conversation with Issa and Lawrence that gives both of them closure. So many finales feel the need to end with a big, soapy cliffhanger. Here we have characters quietly repeating past mistakes, while still making the audience wonder how they are going to end up. 

Sitcom Episode

                          "Dance Dance Resolution," The Good Place 

I binged this show this fall. I don't think I truly appreciated this sitcom until I watched this episode. Without giving too much away, this show continuously subverts what is expected. It also has a talented, diverse cast, and is just so smart. This episode in particular has the running physical gag of Janet falling down, which is always funny. It has the added bonus of a bevy restaurant puns like "From Schmear to Eternity" and "Knish From a Rose." 

Movie

                                                      Coco

This latest Pixar/Disney offering is visually stunning. The plot is a little clunky in some places, but overall this was a great movie. I bawled during the last thirty minutes of this movie, and I do not usually cry at movies. I also liked Get Out a lot. 

Music Video

"New Rules" by Dua Lipa

I do not watch a whole lot of music videos. However, watching this video made me like the song more. It isn't over-the-top and doesn't have huge special effects, but the simple choreography keeps your attention. I'm still waiting for a GIF of when they pony by the pool. 

Video

Selena Google Doodle 

I just found this google doodle incredibly charming. What a great way to celebrate Selena! 

Seen/Read

Fiction Book

Noteworthy 

I read thirty-five books this year. That is down a couple books from last year. There were many books I started but didn't end up finishing. Frequently I will lose interest or it is due back at the library before I can finish it. There were many books I liked, but didn't love. Noteworthy is one of the books that I liked a lot. It follows a high school student who dresses like a boy to join the school's male a cappella group. This book is funny and appealed to my music nerdiness. 

Non-Fiction Book 

Hunger 

Roxane Gay's memoir is deeply personal. She tells the story of when she was gang raped as a child. As a defense mechanism she gained weight and became super morbidly obese. Her memoir details what it is like to have a marginalized body. There were several times I found myself relating with her observations, and other times when I was unsettled. There aren't enough non-fiction and fictional representation of fat people, so here's hoping this book is a start to seeing more. 

GIF

 

"Sure, Jan"

This GIF isn't new. It was my favorite though. 

News E-mail  

The Skimm 

Living abroad it is sometimes hard to keep up with the news. I started subscribing the Skimm, which is a daily e-mail that summarizes the news. It gives enough information to know the major events that are happening around the world. There are also links to articles that I can go to for more information. 

Website 

Bustle

Bustle is a website that "is for and by women who are moving as fast as you are." I check it almost daily. It is my go-to for social sciences/pop culture reading. 

Listened 

Throwback Song 

"The Middle"

I listened to "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World on repeat when I first moved to El Salvador. I even wrote a blog post about it. "The Middle" was one of the songs I then started to hear everywhere. 

Breakout 

Julia Michaels

There was so much good music in 2017. I couldn't pick a favorite song. There were comebacks, and a lot of new releases from favorite artists. Julia Michaels wrote many of your favorite pop songs. This year she also released her own EP, and it is so good. 

Lyrics 

"Truth Hurts" by Lizzo

I listened to a lot of the Minneapolis-based singer Lizzo in 2017. Her song "Truth Hurts" has some of my favorite lyrics of the year. Here are some of my favorite lyrics:

"That's the sound of me not calling you back."

"I put the sing in single." 

"Ain't worried 'bout a ring on my finger/so you can tell your friend, "shoot your shot when you see 'em/It's ok, he already in my DMs." 

Album 

Rainbow by Kesha

I liked Kesha's previous music, but was blown away by her new album. The album reflects Kesha's personal struggles, including her legal battle with her former producer Dr. Luke. The album showcases her musical chops while also being empowering. Like any good album, I continue to go back and listen to it. My favorite song is also constantly changing. 

Podcast 

She's All Fat

Everyone has a podcast nowadays. There are so many great ones. The one that I most looked forward to was She's All Fat.Last year I learned more about feminism from the podcast Call Your Girlfriend. This year I learned a lot about body positivity and self-love through She's All Fat. The podcast is two fat women talking about their experiences of being fat. It informs while being chill and entertaining. 

Rando

Form of Communication 

Voice Messages

Last spring my friend Jess visited me. Her friends would send her voice messages on What's App. I was very confused by this. Why would you send someone a voice message when you could just text? This year I have come around to sending voice messages on iMessage and Messenger, mostly because I like getting them. They can be longer than text messages. It's also closer to having a real conversation with someone when they are far away.  There's just something about hearing a person's voice. 

Game Changer 

Sun Protection Clothing

This summer when I went to Borneo with my mom, she bought us both sun protection clothing. I burn so easily. It was a real game changer not having to worry about getting burned or constantly putting on sunscreen. 

New Food 

Fried Plantains/Beans

A tipico breakfast in El Salvador is eggs, beans, fried plantains, and cheese. I never get tired of this breakfast. I especially like the fried plantains with crema and the beans. 

Feature on PowerPoint 

Removing the Background

This year I started using PowerPoint more. I use it more with lessons in the classroom. I also use it as a kind of photo editor. My favorite feature is removing the background on pictures. Then I can put a new background, like in the picture above. 

Person I've Never Met

Lin-Manuel Miranda

For the second year in a row, Lin is my favorite person of the year. This year he continued to be incredibly charming on Twitter. He and his wife, Vanessa, are expecting another kid. He helped raise awareness and money for Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. He is also bring Hamilton to Puerto Rico next year, where he will be playing Hamilton once again. He's just the gift that keeps on giving. 

Guat's Up

I had a week off for Thanksgiving, so three other teachers and I went to Guatemala. Here is how we spent our week. 

Day 1

Jacob and I at the restaurant in Guatemala City

We woke up early to catch the Pullmantur bus from San Salvador to Guatemala City. We opted for first class, and enjoyed reclining seats, breakfast, and a snack. The bus ride took about five hours, but didn't seem overly long. I used the bus ride to catch up on some podcasts. When we reached Guatemala city, we checked into our hotel. Then we met up with my friend Jacob. I taught with Jacob in Taiwan and now he teaches in Guatemala. He showed us around Cayalá, a kind of city-within-a-city in Guatemala City. We wandered for a bit around looking at the more upscale shops in Paseo Cayalá.  Then, He showed us around the more historical downtown area. We had dinner in another zone. At the restaurant, they gave you a card and you could go to different food stands within the building. It was kind of like a food court, except you paid at the end with everything on the initial card.  It was nice seeing Jacob, and comparing experiences in Central America. 

Day 2

The view from our hostel kitchen in Xela

The next day, bright and early, we caught a bus to Xela (Quetzaltenango). It was about a four hour bus ride to Xela. That meant more time to listen to podcasts! We stopped at a small village, where the bus driver announced that he was going to stop to eat for thirty minutes. When we got off the bus it was more obvious that Guatemala is at a much higher elevation than El Salvador. It was cold! We warmed up with hot chocolate/coffee and a tipico breakfast at the nearby restaurant. After arriving in Xela, we found our hostel. At the hostel we were greeted by a man named András, who checked us in. Xela is known for its language schools, so there were quite a few gringos around. András was from Hungary, and was working at the hostel while going to school to learn Spanish. We dropped off our bags, then walked to the main square a couple of blocks away. Parque Centro had some older buildings, including a church. There were many locals just hanging out at the park. There was also a smaller market with food and some things to buy. We went back to the hostel, wanting to force friendship on others staying at the hostel. On the hostel's rooftop, we forced our friendship on a couple from Holland. We invited them to go to the hot springs with us the next day, because new friends. They, then, invited us to a soccer game that night. We grabbed a pupusa from the street market on our way to the stadium. It was our first experience at a Central American soccer game (we have been told the crowd gets very rowdy and it is dangerous to go in El Salvador). The crowd cheered along with the fan band. It wasn't a great game. Neither side played very well and it ended 0-0. The fans even booed for their home team. 

Day 3

Fuentes Georginas (hot springs)

The next morning we left to go to the hot springs Fuentes Georginas with our new friends. We were able to arrange transportation and entry with the hostel for $150 Q ($20 USD). We relaxed in the various pools. There were three bigger pools. Closer to the parking lot there were three more smaller pools. We decided to go check out the smaller pools. While walking there, I ran into Silvia, one of the PE teachers at my school. She was on vacation with her family.  We left the hot springs and got back in the afternoon. We ate lunch at the hostel's restaurant, which served Asian fusion. I had dumplings the first time since Taiwan. They weren't up to Taiwan red and yellow dumpling place standards, but they were decent. We did a little more exploring, including some shopping. The next day, Leah, Michelle, and Erica were leaving on a three day hike (more info on their hike here). They stocked up on some warmer clothes. That night they went to a meeting for the hike, while I enjoyed some alone time.

Day 4

My weaving project

Leah, Michelle, and Erica left very early the next morning to go on their hike. I puttered around for a bit at the hostel. Then, I went to Trama Textiles to take a weaving class. There are many weaving cooperatives in Guatemala for women. The women will frequently live in the cooperative and get an income from what sells in the store. The cooperative also takes a cut to pay for living expenses. At Trama Textiles, they also teach classes. The classes range from one hour demonstrations to longer twenty hour projects. A woman at the cooperative had me pick out my colors and showed me the basics of weaving. She did not speak English, but I could fake my way through the Spanish enough. I just spent the next four hours working on my project. It was very relaxing for me. The people in their cooperative went on with their day. I saw people coming and going about a normal day in the cooperative.  I had arranged for a shuttle to take me to Panajachel. In my plans I had timed it, so that I would have only a short amount of time in between weaving and the arranged pick-up time. Transportation from Xela to Panajachel was the only thing  I was a little worried about with traveling solo. I was paranoid they were going to forget me. I waited outside the hostel for the 30 minute window they gave me as a pick-up time. I also didn't have internet or a way for the hotel to contact me. I was just about to go to McDonald's to use their internet when András came through the door and asked if I was waiting for a shuttle. The hotel said they were going to be late. András let me hang out and chat with him in the hostel. They were two hours late, which meant I didn't get to Panajachel until dark. I made it though. I read some of What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton, then went to bed very early. 

Day 5

A church in San Juan on Lake Atitlan

I have never done a solo trip. So, the three days I spent by myself on this trip were actually the longest I have traveled by myself. I enjoyed traveling with the three other women, but I really enjoyed these days to myself to do exactly what I wanted to do. Still there were some drawbacks to traveling by myself. First, accommodations are more expensive, because I was not splitting it with anyone. Also, I knew that I wanted to tour some of the towns on the lake. I didn't think it would be as fun just doing this by myself, so I looked for a tour. However, most of the tours I found were private and there was a two person minimum. I e-mailed two tour companies and explained my situation. I heard back from one of the tour companies immediately saying that I could book the tour. It was with Tours Atitlan, and they were really great. The responded very quickly to all of my messages. The day of the tour the guide, Juan Carlos, picked me up from my hotel. It ended up being just me on the tour. We went to the villages of Santa Cruz and San Juan. Juan Carlos was very friendly and knowledgeable. He also let me practice my Spanish with him. He lived in Santa Cruz, so he told me about his experiences living there. We ran into an old teacher of his. We also ran into his nephew, who had firecrackers and matches in hand. Then we took a lancha and headed to San Juan. Each little village on the town is known for something. San Juan is known as a kind of artist hub. There were lots of painting galleries and more weaving cooperatives. I watched a demonstration of the process they use to go from cotton to the string they use for weaving. The cooperative also used natural dyes, so they showed all the plants they used to make the different colors. Even though I had seen the process for weaving before, it was interesting to see the steps needed before the actual weaving even started. I also saw a chocolate making and a natural herb demonstration. I found a place to eat dinner, then went to bed. 
 
Day 6

A dock in Panajachel

Happy Thanksgiving! Since I got to Panajachel so late on Tuesday and I was gone almost all day on Wednesday, I didn't have very much time to explore the city. I was meeting up with everyone else in the afternoon, so I took the morning to explore. Panajachel is know as the main hub on the lake. There are so many little tiendas everywhere where you can buy stuff. I find that it is all pretty similar things from shop to shop. I'm not a huge shopper, but Panajachel had really good shopping. I'm not one who usually buys a souvenir from my trips. What I do like to buy is art though. So, I found an art gallery that I went to and bought two prints. I also bought a purse that looked unique from others that I had seen. I ate lunch at a pizza place next to my hotel. There a man and I started talking and he wished me a happy Thanksgiving. He was from Bend, Oregon, which I was familiar with having lived in the Northwest. He had sailed from Oregon to Guatemala on a trip, and never left. He sold his sailboat and has lived on the lake for thirteen years. I took a lancha over to San Pedro, where I was meeting Leah, Michelle, and Erica. As Juan Carlos told me, San Pedro was nicknamed "Gringolandia." As I stepped off the lancha, I noticed the large amount of gringos. I did not like San Pedro as much. I took at tuk tuk to the hotel. We stayed at Mikaso Hotel, which was pretty nice. It was a bit of a walk to the main area of San Pedro though. I met everyone else at the hotel. We exchanged stories of our time away from each other. That night we went to get burgers for Thanksgiving. We ran into the couple from Holland that we had met in Xela. Together we shared what we were thankful for.

Day 7

One of the many shops in Antigua

The  next day we had breakfast at Idea Connection, which is a great European bakery. Then we took a shuttle through Atitrans to Antigua. Originally, Antigua had been the main purpose of visiting Guatemala. Everyone always spoke so highly of it. I liked Antigua. For me though, my favorite of the trip was Lake Atitlan. The hostel we stayed in Antigua was a pretty typical hostel dorm room. However, it was decorated like a stereotypical grandma's house. There were knick knacks everywhere. It was decked out in Christmas decorations, including two Christmas trees. They decorate very early in both Guatemala and El Salvador. We enjoyed the decorations though, since it was now after Thanksgiving. We wandered around for a bit and found a very big indoor market. All the stall owners claimed to have a good deal for us. We ate lunch at a restaurant called Fridas, which had really good Mexican food. There was also a store right next to Fridas, where we did some shopping. It had all the goods from the little stands, but was much cheaper. You also didn't need to haggle or get confronted by a salesperson. We also visited a chocolate museum, which had really good chocolate tea. That night we went to a bar called Cafe No Se. It was very dimly lit with graffiti on the walls. It had a good atmosphere though. While we were sitting at a table near the door, we ran into two people that the others had met on the hike. The joined us, and a really good guitarist and harmonica player started playing music.


Day 8

The iconic clock tower in Antigua

The next day we did some more shopping. We tried to go back to the indoor market we had found on our first day. We finally had to stop and ask someone, who told us it was closed on Saturdays. That night we hung out on the rooftop of a brewery. 

Day 9
On our last day we were determined to go back to the market we had found on the first day. We didn't end up finding it. I guess it is like Brigadoon. We did find an even larger labyrinth of a market. We were able to explore only a little bit of it before we had to go. We took another shuttle through Atitrans back to Guatemala City. Then it was back on the bus. After about six hours, we made it back to El Salvador. It was a good trip, and I would definitely go back and explore more of Guatemala. 

An Attitude of Gratitude

          The route to my grandma's house was a familiar one, and one I took often during college. Instead of going "over the river and through the wood," I would take the Tacoma Narrows Bridge across the Puget Sound and then go through the woods of firs and pines. This particular time, my uncle Paul had picked me up to give me a ride to my grandma's house for Thanksgiving.There were three things that were almost always a given at Grandma's house. The first was that there would most likely be Marion berry pie with Tillamook Ice Cream. It was highly encouraged to eat it for breakfast, because as my grandma would say, "It counts as a fruit." The second given was that there would be napping under homemade quilts in front of the TV while watching old movies. The third given was the feeling of love that could be found in every corner of the house from the hand stitched notes of love on the Ragedy Ann dolls to the animals that had been taken in that always seemed to find my grandma to the hugs at the backdoor. We sang along to Janis Joplin during the hour-long drive as I eagerly awaited getting to one of my favorite place.

          When we pulled up the gravel driveway, I was surprised there weren't any lights on. Were Grandma and Uncle Roy not home? We pulled in and parked behind Uncle Roy's Bronco. 

          "We haven't had power the past couple of days. There was a storm that knocked out the power lines. They don't know when it will be back up again. Ours was out too, but it came back on about a day ago," my uncle said.  

          I was surprised. Maybe I should have waited to come until the power had come back on. I had brought work to do on my laptop. It was too late now though. I was here. Thanksgiving was a couple days out still, so hopefully it would be back on before then. Uncle Paul said his hellos to Grandma and Uncle Roy, before heading back home. 

Here's an old picture of my grandma and I at her house. 

          We settled in the living room under quilts. Uncle Roy and Grandma confirmed everything that Paul had said. They hadn't had power for the past couple of days, and that they didn't know when it would come back on. They added that they had been fine though. Uncle Roy had made a few trips into town to buy some food and supplies, but other than that hadn't needed to change much of their normal routines. My uncle still got up everyday to go work at the shipyard. 
          My grandma asked me if I wanted some hot chocolate. I said I did. 
          "One of the things I had to go out to get was water," My uncle said, while Grandma was in the kitchen using the gas stove to make hot chocolate.                    Having grown up in the depression, my grandma hoarded food. I slept in the extra bedroom, which also served as an extra pantry for canned and dried goods. She also kept big containers of water. It had come in handy this time, but she added bleach to the water so it wouldn't go bad. 
          "The animals wouldn't drink the bleach water, but Grandma still does. So we have non-bleach water if you want some."
          I was skeptical that my grandma was currently making me hot chocolate  with water that neither the cat nor the dog would drink. 
          She handed me the hot chocolate and settled back in her recliner underneath her quilt. I watched her take the first sip. The face she made was not quite a grimace. She mumbled under her breath that the bleach was pretty strong, but it wasn't a complaint. I drank mine without saying anything. A little bleach wouldn't hurt anyone. Well it could, but I wasn't going to think about that. 
          We spent the rest of the evening in the living room all together under quilts listening to the Mariner's game on the radio. Even the animals joined us. The dog Rose was sleeping on the rug, while the cat Rose slept on Grandma's lap. Every once in awhile, the gas heater in the corner would kick in. We sat there talking in between innings until the sun went down. Eventually we couldn't see each other and decided it was time to go to bed. 
          We used a flashlight to find our way to our rooms, not that we needed one. We all knew the house with our eyes closed. The power came on the next day. My parents came a day later and we celebrated Thanksgiving like normal. Though I don't remember much about that actual Thanksgiving. Even though I had been initially a little annoyed to be without power, I was so happy and grateful in that time spent with my grandma and uncle. 

        This week I was thinking about how I was going to teach my students about having gratitude. This story came to mind, as it does every year around this time. It's a reminder for me to have gratitude for what I have (i.e. quality time with people I love) and not to focus on what is missing (i.e. power). I needed this reminder this year. My lifestyle in El Salvador is very different than it was in Taiwan. It's hard not to focus on the absence of some things I had while I was living in Taiwan, and instead focus on what I have to be grateful for here. I do have a lot to be grateful about my situation in El Salvador. As it is close to Thanksgiving, here is my list of what I am grateful for about living in El Salvador. 

I'm grateful for the beaches and these views.

What I Am Grateful For

1.My students/parents          

I have a really nice class. They are thoughtful, smart, and kind. They get excited about learning new things, and are just generally happy kids. They impress me and make me laugh daily. Their parents have also been very supportive. In conferences, many asked me about action steps they could be taking at home. I have also had many parents check-in to see how my transition to moving to El Salvador has been. 

2. Having a place to live/close to school

I live in a complejo with many of the other foreign teachers. It only takes a quick group message if you need something and there are many offers of help.  My roommate and I have our own house and backyard. The school pays for this housing. It is also very conveniently located near the school, so I walk to school each day. 

3. Haydee

The school requires us to have a maid come twice a week to our house. At first I was opposed to this. Why pay to have someone do something that I could do myself? Our empleada, Haydee, is such a blessing and I am so thankful to have her. She cleans, does our laundry, and cooks for us. It is so nice coming home after work and not having to worry about doing these chores. I also have much  more . . .     

                      

4. Time to Write

With Haydee doing the housekeeping, I have a lot more free time.  I have been using this time to work on several writing projects, including my book. This is something that I didn't have an established routine for in Taiwan. It have really enjoyed getting back into establishing daily writing routines again. 

5. Cindy/Spanish

One of my goals for living here is to learn Spanish. I get free Spanish classes through the school. There are only three of us in the class, and I really enjoy everyone's company.  Our teacher, Cindy, is also fantastic. The class is entirely in Spanish, which is what I need. I already can speak and understand way more Spanish than when I first came here. I also know way more Spanish than I do Chinese. Plus, I can read Spanish! 

6. Yoga

There is a group of us who walk to a yoga class every Tuesday. I started going to yoga somewhat consistently last year with Janice. I am so happy that I can continue the practice. I feel so zen and relaxed after class. The meditation is also very helpful to me. 

7. Cooking

In Taiwan, I rarely cooked. We didn't have a working oven, and also it was hard to find the ingredients I needed. I cook a lot more here. I have enjoyed getting back in the kitchen and seeing the end product of a meal. 

8. I'll be home for Christmas

Last year, I wasn't able to come home for Christmas. This year, I am so excited that I will get to go home for two weeks. I don't even care that it will be bitterly cold.