San Pedro Highlights

1. BESOS de los NIÑOS! (kisses from the kids) There was no opportunity to feel down in San Pedro because the LOVE of the children was everywhere! My host sister Sindy always had hugs and kisses to share whenever she saw me. While Kristen was posing [en Vogue) for the camera, an 8 year old bread vender by the name of Rosenda Rosalia, came over to me, sat in my lap and whispered into my ear how beautiful I was. She gave me lots of kisses while we kept KRisten entertained and in good spirits to look natural for the camera.

2. THERE WAS A BLACKOUT one night in the entire town of San Pedro. At that moment, I was walking along the cobble stone streets with my host mom, both of us in a traditional Mayan shawl, heading up the mountain to a FIESTA of Evangelical churches. Two things happened the moment the lights went out: first, the NIGHT SKY came alive at once, as the stars shone brightly and innumerably in the utter darkness. Second, my little host mom (we´re talking half the size of me), grabs my hand and we continue up the hill, walking hand in hand with her leading the way by memory. When we arrived at the church, all was still dark, but as we entered, we were met with the wonderful sounds of a live mariachi band - playing from memory in the dark!!! I was blown away! I had never expected a mariachi band at church, but why not!? The darkness made for a great ambiance and the fiesta of music and preaching was wonderfully entertaining. Groups of women, including my host mom, went up on stage to sing. I was struck by the beauty of the mayan women, especially the wrinkly old ladies up there singing their hearts out!

3. 7am MORNING SWIMS with uncle PEdro ... Every morning, my uncle pedro headed down to the lake to bathe and every day he asked me, are you going with me tomorrow?? Finally I said yes. As we headed down to the lake just past sunrise, I was surprised to see the rocky shoreline lined with mayan women washing their clothes and bathing in the water. I dove in and being in the water made a refreshing start to another wonderful day.

The new model for Gallo, Cerveza

(Hana looking out at the sunset in San Pedro)

Xela, Guatemala

We finished with Spanish school with great success. Our last night in San Pedro, I took my host family out to the bar for drinks and dinner. It was a joke throughout the week that I like to drink a lot, (due to the fact that I couldn't work the keys in the door, so I crashed at Hana's one night, making them think that I was so drunk I couldn't find my way home), so I invited them out. They took me up on it and we went to El Barrio, where I bought them beers and dinner. Afterwards, the two daughters snuck back out of the house and met Hana and I at the bar. Good times!

I feel that I have learned a lot of Spanish, or at least got my mind refreshed from the Spanish I did learn back in high school. Well, pretty much I am not timid anymore to at least try to speak the language. My mind was a lot more interested in the local Mayan language, and I learned some words which made my host family laugh. I felt like I was everyone's entertainment for the week.

In San Pedro we met with Anthony for lunch and he filmed us, maybe for part of the Discovery Channel show, or just for fun...but after filming us, he told me that I should be a model. Well, as some of you might know, that was always a secret dream of mine, to either model, be on TV, or even better, in the movies! So, Anthony is this great photographer and journalist, so he offered to take my picture to start my portfolio. That afternoon we had a photo session over looking the lake. It was amazing. At first I was so nervous and was thinking about ditching out, it was the high school shy Kristen that came out fo me again. But, I sucked it up and showed up. Anthony was great. He totally made me relax and hopefully we got some great pictures! He even offered to develop them and make a contact sheet for me. I was so lucky to meet him and run into this situation. Later, we went back to his hotel and talked about life...It was a great conversation. He is planning on writing an Angel book, about certain people's encounters. I am going to write up my story of Eric for him to publish. Amazing how life just works out. Anthony was so generous and I am very grateful to have this opportunity...plus it was a blast!

(Photo Shoot with Anthony)


Now we are in Xela, Guatemala visiting a friend of a friend that Hana knows. Ryan met up with us and is kindly letting us stay at his house, called the Yoga House. Yes, they do practice yoga there, but we haven't done it yet. Last night we went to the market and bought food for a huge community meal and ate like kings. A lot of the house mates helped cook...it was wonderful, but didn't feel like Guatemala, more like a college setting in the states. Another crazy small world connection is that Ryan is from Coupeville, Washington and went to the same highschool as Kyla, and actually knows her! Strange! Today we toured around Xela and are planning on heading to San Salvador, El Salvador tomorrow.

(Ryan, Hana and I at the Market in Xela)


Other crazy spanish language stories...We were having break at school, where we get to eat snacks and rest our brains. Well, when the teacher came to tell us it was break time, I said ¨Tengo hombre¨. All of the students and teachers laughed, but of course I didn't get it until they explained to me that I said ¨I have men¨. I meant to say ¨Tengo hambre¨, I'm hungry.

Also, Hana and I have talked about every subject possible, so how we are sitting around the table, like old women, soley talking about our aches and pains, and of course our bowel movements.

Life is Good,
Kristen