6.9

San Vincente de Paul
Today was my first day alone at San Vincente de Paul. I feel a little more confident, because I know what the schedule for the week is going to be like. When I arrive, the women aren't in the chapel. One of the staff says they aren't going today, but we still have exercises at 9. I spend half an hour chatting with a lady named Florencia, who is in a wheelchair. She's very sweet and doesn't have any family. She says it is very lonely here, because the staff and other people are always running by the rooms, never stopping to say hello. We go to the exercise class and dance a lot today. I sit next to small Valentina, again, and she chatters quietly to me and to herself throughout the class. Everyone is in much better spirits than they were last week.

After the class, I visit with another woman who is in a wheelchair, Alicia, who can't speak. She can make noise, but not from words. However, she's excellent at miming and knows the sign language alphabet (unfortunately, I don't). I talk to her, ask her yes or no questions, tell her about my life, show her pictures. We sit together and look out the window. She had three children, but they all died. Her husband died too. I tell her I will bring nail polish to paint her nails tomorrow, which makes her happy. Today has been a good day.

Popol Vuh
After lunch, we are taken to the Popol Vuh Museum. It's a small place that details the Mayan civilization from pre-classic period to colonial. The tour guide is a well-meaning college student, but isn't able to go off her script much or answer questions. We aren't allowed to take pictures unless we pay 30Q per camera, so none of us do. We see some old pottery and teensy Jade figures and beads. The Mayans didn't have metal until after the Spanish arrived, so everything is crafted with other rocks. The details are amazing.

After the tour, we have a workshop downstairs and get to make some cute little Mayan pottery of our own out of clay. I dropped off my laundry at a laundería before the museum, so we pick it up on the way home. Tomorrow, we're supposed to see the National Palace, which is Guatemala's White House.