“Let me tell you about my best friend’

I chose not to attend school for the second week. for a couple of reasons. The first being that I haven’t had a break at all this summer. School ended, and I worked an extra week and rolled right into summer school. So, to do a little self care, I felt like I needed a break. Second, I wanted to time hanging out doing things around the city. Nicole and I booked two spa days, and Nicole decided to do a day of volunteering doing womans health in the old city. I spent a long time in my head going back and forth trying to deciding whether I was gonna tag along or not. Not because I didn’t want to go, but trying to figure out how I could be helpful without speaking the language almost kept me from going. In the end, I decided to go and just be helpful any way I could.

I have always been one to have a few close friends. It takes a lot to be my friend, but once I choose to let you in, my friendships tend to be lifelong. When I was younger, I didn’t put much thought into understanding my friendships, meaning that whoever I clicked with is who I hung out with. But as you age you gain an insight into people and realize the actual reasons why you just “click” with someone. Let me tell you about my best friend… hense the title. I am so lucky and blessed to have my best friend along on this crazy ride called life. To have someone who is willing to do things outside the box, take adventures (and keep me from dying by being more guarded than I, a nice balance), and see the world. But that’s not why she’s my best friend. She is my biffer because I admire her, because others are endeared to her, because she makes anything and everywhere better just by being there. I know how amazing she is at her job. I send everyone I know, including friends and clients to her. I trust her more than any other provider. But getting to watch her in her element (well her makeshift element) today was an honor. The facility opened its doors today to women of the community, and they came in not knowing who they were seeing but trusting her with the most sensitive of topics. I went today not knowing if there would be a purpose for me, but being there I realized that my purpose was to witness first hand my friend at work. I got to add to my admiration of who she is as a provider and as a person. Today, others got a little bit of her, and they are so much better off for having met her. I am proud to know her, to call her my friend, she is one of my favorite people, I admire her, and am so blessed to have her around for these life adventures.

Luca writes…

We missed three blogs because there was no electricity. We still don’t have electricity so maybe tomorrow or maybe the day after that. The big giant storm knocked the electricity things out and just our block has none. We have been using candlelight at night and it’s not that cool because we have to do a fire and light a lot of candles. There’s no light and we are in ancient times. I am showering and going to the bathroom in the dark with candles.

On Saturday, we woke up, did our morning routine, and it was raining a lot so we didn’t do anything. We played keepy uppy, which is where you have a balloon and it’s where you don’t let the balloon touch the ground. We have to only hit it one time and wherever the balloon goes we have to hit it. I found the balloon under the chair. It was a cool find.

I went into the garden and we have bad news. I touched a certain tree, which the sap had a bad chemical. Luckily I didn’t eat it because it would make you sick and diarrhea. My hands started to feel frozen because the bad chemical/poison came onto my hands and started a really bad hurtness and itchiness. I couldn’t eat lunch and mommy had to feed me. We are going back in time everybody. I’m as young as Odin now.

After lunch, we put cream on my hands and I held onto a cup of ice and watched tv. Then we relaxed for awhile. I ate dinner, and right after I ate dinner I put my hands in a cool cold bath. I got myself into the cold water then I took a shower and then all of a sudden the lights were out and we heard the biggest thunderstorm we ever heard in our entire lives in Guatemala.

Then I rested my hands while the others played some card games and then I went to bed.

On Sunday, we woke up, we did our normal routine and we rested a little bit while Kayla and Kianna were sleeping. I went to the coffee farm and we ate outside. There was a hammock and a wooden swing. A little bit later something crazy happened on the swing, the swing slipped over and I was hanging upside down. I called my mommy to help me, I hanged on as long as I can and she saved me.

I went on a little bit of a run with Kayla and a little bit of a walk with Kianna. I brought my walking stick through some muddy puddles and I accidentally got my left shoe so dirty. So then we walked a little bit more then we walked back to the restaurant. It was an outside restaurant. Then we played put put golf for fun. It was a nature put put. Then I got an ice pop. Then we walked and we saw this so cute dog, he or she loved Kayla and Kianna. He or she was so nice that she scared another dog away. Then we took an Uber, which means take a car ride back home. Then we went back home and still no power. We did our night routine and we played one game or go fish but the rest rummy. Then we went to bed.

Monday we woke up did our normal routine. Then we walked to school, we sat in a different room today. I like it. Me gusta (which means, I like it). I learned today but I didn’t write it in my book so I don’t remember anything. Then I had pausa (break) and we went to this cool breakfast place even though it was not breakfast. It was on the roof and we saw the volcano erupting. It was so cool.

We went back to school, then I learned more. Then I listened to Bones in Spanish and in English. Then we brought scrabble letters and we wrote words in Spanish. I think we won by 4 points, I think. It was veinte y cinco to veinte y uno (25 to 21). Then school was over. I came home, ate lunch, I had three hot dogs and some papas fritas (which means French fries). Then after we relaxed, the girls went to a cafe. After they were done with the cafe we played keepy uppy with sitting instead of standing. We had to keep the balloon in the circle. Our record was cuarenta y seis I think (46). Then we went to cerro de la Cruz and took gymnastics pictures.

Then we took a picture with a butterfly wings. Everybody did. Then we went to a fancy restaurant and I was the king of the table. My cup said principe which means prince. I had steak, chicken, shrimp, I tried a chip with mashed up beans and pico de Gallo but I did not like it. I had corn and papas fritas. Then we went to Starbucks to tour ourselves. Then we walked to our ice cream place but they didn’t have ice pops so we walked to the ice pop place and I got an orange ice pop. Then we walked home and took a shower in the dark with the candle. Then Kianna wrote a English song in Spanish and I helped her with some of it. Then I walked to my bed and I did this blog. The end. That’s my long blog.

Luca writes…

We missed three blogs because there was no electricity. We still don’t have electricity so maybe tomorrow or maybe the day after that. The big giant storm knocked the electricity things out and just our block has none. We have been using candlelight at night and it’s not that cool because we have to do a fire and light a lot of candles. There’s no light and we are in ancient times. I am showering and going to the bathroom in the dark with candles.

On Saturday, we woke up, did our morning routine, and it was raining a lot so we didn’t do anything. We played keepy uppy, which is where you have a balloon and it’s where you don’t let the balloon touch the ground. We have to only hit it one time and wherever the balloon goes we have to hit it. I found the balloon under the chair. It was a cool find.

I went into the garden and we have bad news. I touched a certain tree, which the sap had a bad chemical. Luckily I didn’t eat it because it would make you sick and diarrhea. My hands started to feel frozen because the bad chemical/poison came onto my hands and started a really bad hurtness and itchiness. I couldn’t eat lunch and mommy had to feed me. We are going back in time everybody. I’m as young as Odin now.

After lunch, we put cream on my hands and I held onto a cup of ice and watched tv. Then we relaxed for awhile. I ate dinner, and right after I ate dinner I put my hands in a cool cold bath. I got myself into the cold water then I took a shower and then all of a sudden the lights were out and we heard the biggest thunderstorm we ever heard in our entire lives in Guatemala.

Then I rested my hands while the others played some card games and then I went to bed.

On Sunday, we woke up, we did our normal routine and we rested a little bit while Kayla and Kianna were sleeping. I went to the coffee farm and we ate outside. There was a hammock and a wooden swing. A little bit later something crazy happened on the swing, the swing slipped over and I was hanging upside down. I called my mommy to help me, I hanged on as long as I can and she saved me. I went on a little bit of a run with Kayla and a little bit of a walk with Kianna. I brought my walking stick through some muddy puddles and I accidentally got my left shoe so dirty. So then we walked a little bit more then we walked back to the restaurant. It was an outside restaurant. Then we played put put golf for fun. It was a nature put put. Then I got an ice pop. Then we walked and we saw this so cute dog, he or she loved Kayla and Kianna. He or she was so nice that she scared another dog away. Then we took an Uber, which means take a car ride back home. Then we went back home and still no power. We did our night routine and we played one game or go fish but the rest rummy. Then we went to bed.

Monday we woke up did our normal routine. Then we walked to school, we sat in a different room today. I like it. Me gusta (which means, I like it). I learned today but I didn’t write it in my book so I don’t remember anything. Then I had pausa (break) and we went to this cool breakfast place even though it was not breakfast. It was on the roof and we saw the volcano erupting. It was so cool.

We went back to school, then I learned more. Then I listened to Bones in Spanish and in English. Then we brought scrabble letters and we wrote words in Spanish. I think we won by 4 points, I think. It was veinte y cinco to veinte y uno (25 to 21). Then school was over. I came home, ate lunch, I had three hot dogs and some papas fritas (which means French fries). Then after we relaxed, the girls went to a cafe. After they were done with the cafe we played keepy uppy with sitting instead of standing. We had to keep the balloon in the circle. Our record was cuarenta y seis I think (46). Then we went to cerro de la Cruz and took gymnastics pictures. Then we took a picture with a butterfly wings. Everybody did. Then we went to a fancy restaurant and I was the king of the table. My cup said principe which means prince. I had steak, chicken, shrimp, I tried a chip with mashed up beans and pico de Gallo but I did not like it. I had corn and papas fritas. Then we went to Starbucks to tour ourselves. Then we walked to our ice cream place but they didn’t have ice pops so we walked to the ice pop place and I got an orange ice pop. Then we walked home and took a shower in the dark with the candle. Then Kianna wrote a English song in Spanish and I helped her with some of it. Then I walked to my bed and I did this blog. The end. That’s my long blog.

When the power goes out in the states my life basically comes to an abrupt halt. No internet, no air conditioning, no stove, no microwave no way to cook food, no cell service. I am talking a complete stand still. But here, power basically means no fridge and that’s all that is truly effected. We lost power last night shortly after dinner time. So we lit candles, a fireplace, and played cards. This morning Nicole and I walked to get coffee and picked up ice to turn our fridge into a cooler. I was able to still make breakfast on our gas stove, we were all still able to have hot showers thanks to our gas heater… and life went on with very little being effected by our loss of power. It’s 65 and sunny here, and we aren’t sweating to death, but rather enjoying the day at the coffee bean farm, naps in hammocks and trail runs. Sometimes going back to basics makes life easier.

So as much as I try to disconnect I still get daily updates from the states. I know that traveling with kids especially those who aren’t mine comes with a great deal of responsibility and sometimes with criticism from others who say that I am crazy to come to Guatemala, and even crazier for taking kids who don’t belong to me.  I’ve been entrusted with the most precious of cargo and I take that responsibility very seriously.

While the news portrays much of Central America as a collection of violent countries, the news as we’ve learned, often times gets it wrong.  I am not saying that there isn’t a great deal of political discourse here,  nor am I saying that this place is immune to violence or evil.  What I am saying is that life and anywhere it takes you comes with risk.  While my morning news out of Antigua reports car accidents or road work, my morning news from the states is a stark contrast of mass shootings,  kidnappings,  serial killings,  racism, restricting of human rights…. and the list goes on.  I am by no means downplaying what is happening around Guatemala, I simply am bringing to light that danger and risk is all relevant and exist everywhere.  If we shy away from experiences out of fear we will miss out on so much in life.  Here I tell the kids that we don’t have rules but rather we make smart choices.  For instance I don’t have a rule about not having phones out when we walk… but rather we make smart choices and put our phones away when we walk the city to reduce any possibility of exposing ourselves to a threat. We make smart choices and never go anywhere alone.  We make smart choices and always have a plan.  We do things that keep us as safe as possible while allowing us still to experience life.

It feels like forever since I’ve blogged. Me… the pusher of the blogs has been the most absent for a couple of reasons. Mostly because the kids have surprised me with blogs without being asked to do them… and also because I haven’t stopped long enough to have a moment to reflect. I’ve been so busy living in the moment, the day, the memories that there hasn’t been much time to pause and blog.

Ohhhh but there’s been so many moments that I have wanted to share. Not the moments that one might expect… like the cool things we’ve been doing, but rather the more unexpected unplanned moments.

Yesterday concluded my last day of school. While I am so excited to be done with the school days (and looking forward to the days to wander the city) I am far from being done learning.

One of my favorite things about traveling internationally are the people you meet and the unexpected connections you make. Wednesday I went back to the dance studio I started taking lessons at 5 years ago…. and to my surprise all the kids wanted to go along. So Nicole got a nice nap while we all got to dance. The instructor I had was a student when I first took lessons 5 years ago and he’s now an instructor. Life comes full circle. Also Nicole came to our school yesterday for our food presentation and was chatting with someone and made the connection that she knows my brother and lived at the Finca during the same time my brother was there (small world)

Ugh, the moments. I am trying to convey what the moments are like here. While they seem so simple, they are really pretty magical. To watch the kids being kids with actual human interaction; where clothing, technology, and the latest fads matter not. Where asking them to not be in their phones hasn’t had to happen because they are naturally engaged with each other and the people around them. To see them interacting with others, they have just met and finding common ground with people we would have probably never encountered in any other setting. There are a few families here with interesting backgrounds and reasons for being here. Including a couple of stories of adoptions and one of the girls having been adopted from here and coming back here for the first time. To not have to “parent” or nag them about getting up for school at 7am… because they are getting to on their own because this is their experience, and they want it. We have spent hours playing cards, or doing each other hair, or coming up with games to play, and even studying (Spanish) on their own. Life before technology has returned here…. and I am soaking it up.

The time here is flying by and I want nothing more than for it to slow down.

A night of fire, games, cooking in the dark and all kinds of random goodness…..

Kayla

– Lights out
– No one steal my title
– I wanted two, but one will do
– Love hate relationship with – French toast
– Movie night turned into candlelit rummy
– Luca, the problem solver
– Mmmmm, Nutella
– I have a question If I have a card
– Patience is key

Luca

– Don’t touch everything in the garden
– Burned by the mysterious plant
– Uh, My hands
– Candles
– Man of the house
– Rain and lightning storm
– Tia made the best chicken
– It’s hard being 8 3/4
– Someone forgot to oil their car
– late night food
– Ancient times
– Whyyyyy
– Don’t act stanky

Kianna

– Plantains are life
– Yum
– 501 Spanish verbs
– Corregir
– Flaming rosemary
– Es tu turno
– I have an answer, maybe

Michele

– Naked and afraid
– Light the torch
– Dona sed
– Fire starter
– Alone at the meat counter
– Happiest in the kitchen
– Joyful in the grocery store
– These OG candles are the best
– Validation is everything
– Been cooking in the dark
– Who you texting

Nicole

– Mosquitos laundry and hydration
– The Florida weather followed us
– Hellooooo
– You cut that in the dark Doña sed ?
– I didn’t know I had to wait
– You’re a hard working woman Doña sed
– How do you know you’ve wiped well when there’s no power

Michele writes….. “My kitchen is my happy place.” In most cultures, the kitchen is the heart of the house. While Nicole’s happy place has proven to be the garden hanging laundry, mine is by far the kitchen. I love everything about my kitchen. From the gas stove/ oven to the view out of my window that overlooks the back garden and Volcan Agua to the kitchen table where the kids or Nicole will come to chat while I cook.  Having kids around who love eating vegetables and trying new food has been so much fun for me.  I also have gotten so at “home” at the grocery store.  I can now order my own meat at the counter, a necessity since Nicole refuses to enter the meat section 😆. Not gonna lie. While it’s not as overwhelming as the meat section at the market,  it’s still a very different experience.  I have had so much fun learning typical food dishes here and being able to replicate them at home.  On my past trips, we have simply avoided vegetables that weren’t cooked, but I am so proud to say that I have learned to appropriately wash vegetables here so that we are able to eat them without worry.

And when the lights went out…. my kitchen prevailed. Gas powered stove and water heater means that life can continue despite the blackout.

…without technology. It never sounded so sweet.

Luca writes…

Mi presentación hoy es el tomate (my presentation today is the tomato). It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my life and I don’t want to do any presentation ever again. Kianna and Kayla did so good, they were so brave. Tia chickened out. She didn’t even go up there!

Mi maestra made my favorite, pico de gallo. I ate it with a big round tortilla chip. It was delicioso. I love tomatoes. I can’t stop thinking about how I wish they had chipotle here. I can’t wait to eat it.

We went to dinner on a mountain. There was up and down. We went up first and it was pretty but when we went down it was more pretty. It had beds on a hammock that was hanging over the mountain. Mommy almost didn’t do it, but she did it.