6.3

San Vincente

Today was slow. Sari and I arrived at 8:30 and joined the women for prayer. After, we wheeled them down to the Comedor for arts and crafts, which lasted two hours. The more able women embroidered and crocheted, the less able colored in coloring books. Two women cut strips of orange and blue streamer paper into tiny pieces to stuff confetti eggs with for next year's Carnival. There are already several stacks of eggshells waiting in the supply room. Sari and I color, assist the women, talk with them, and listen to the salsa music playing on the DVD player. We wheel women out to their rooms as they get tired. Struggling to understand everything the women are saying, many of whom have no teeth, is mentally draining. While I know this is exactly what will make my Spanish auditory and oral skills improve over the next three weeks, it's difficult. We paint a few women's nails for them, but most have fresh coats and aren't interested in a color change. When the activity is over, we spend the next hour helping set up for lunch and chatting. We leave a little after 12 to head home. Despite the short day, my feet and head hurt. Lunch is served at the Home Base, and we rest a little before our afternoon outing.

The Map

Today we have a “Spanish Lesson.” It has been raining on and off, but the weather is cool and we set out with our umbrellas. There is a park several blocks away that has a large, realistic map of Guatemala. We spend about an hour there taking pictures and talking about geography, then head back. Tomorrow, we will visit a Coffee Plantation, yum!