May 27-30, 2013: Celebración de Corpus Christi

Market purchases: tomatoes, apples, peppers, cucumber, carrots, green beans, and leafy greens

The tortillas I make in the U.S. are pathetic, tasteless specimens compared to the amazing tortillas made from fresh masa here.

I used to make my own refried beans with my famous hand blender, but here we have been eating these frijoles volteados--delicious right from the package, with just the right amount of salt.

Jolie is a recent transplant from Michigan and the mother of one of Ava's fellow students at PCI.


This week marks the celebration of Corpus Christi.  Like many holidays in Guatemala, there is a blend of Christian and traditional Maya traditions.  This celebration involves dancers, generally male, called los Negritos.  They are dressed in masks and costumes as women, lions, tigers, and other disguises.  From what I've been told, they alternately dance and drink alcohol, and the festivities become progressively wilder as the afternoon and evening go on, sometimes involving injuries and inappropriate touching of observers.

My Spanish teacher, José, gets his shoes shined while we watch the dancers.

Panajachel's queens for the festival

Three women observe the activities.

May 23-26, 2013

Candelaria says goodbye to some of the Spanish school students who are returning home or moving on to the next adventure. 

A brief goodbye speech before enjoying chuchitos, mole, and caliente.

Amanda's science fair project

Life School students play with a science fair rocket.

Amanda has made breakfast for us--coffee, nachos, and fresh guacamole.

May 22, 2013: Estupidez (Stupidity), or How to Accessorize with a Hand Blender

Warning: couple of graphic photos posted below.  Skip this post if you are squeamish.

The short story: immersion hand blender + distracted person = whirring blender blade embedded in index finger.

 

After more than 3 hours, 2 ambulance rides, 2 hospitals, multiple unsuccessful removal attempts by a variety of medical personnel, and a near-amputation, success!


Cost:

Private hospital visit: 300 quetzales (about $39)
Two ambulance rides: free
Three x-rays: free
Local anesthesia, surgical services, shot of anti-inflammatory/pain medicine, sutures at Sololá hospital: free
Bus ride back to Panajachel for Ava, Evelyn, and me: 9 quetzales (about $1.17)
Tetanus shot at public health center: free
Antibiotics from pharmacy: 130 quetzales (about $17)
Gauze from pharmacy: 8 quetzales (about $1)
Tape from pharmacy: 10 quetzales (about $1.30)
Percocet (no prescription needed!) from pharmacy: 129 quetzales (about $16.50)

Total: about $76

Waiting for the ambulance in my pajamas

The injury

Close-up

Ambulance ride

Reassuring hands on my shoulder

The bomberos talk to hospital staff while I try to cover up the hand-blender to avoid scaring the other patients.

Success at hospital number two!

Happy to have my finger, but really needing a shower and shampoo

My index finger is bent into this blender, but the metal of the blender prevents a good view.

The blender accessory has been removed--no visible fracture.

It's still attached!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the people who helped me!

May 19-21, 2013

Amanda experiments with makeup and ponytails.

Ava relaxes on my bed.

Some of the ingredients to make chicken pho for dinner

Tuesday night dinner at the Hurtado house--chicken pho and tofu/veggie lettuce wraps

The kids are ready for dinner.

Manuel washes dishes...

and so does Ava.

Andrés picks Amanda up and tosses her over his shoulder after she teases him.

Dog of the day