Guatemala: Day 10
This is the tenth day of my journal for the 2004 trip I took to Guatemala. This is a transcription from the notebook I took, but if there is any additional explanation necessary, I put that information in [brackets]. This is how it reads:
July 5th: Los lunes, ni las gallinas ponen. [On Mondays, not even the hens lay (eggs).] The phrase of the day. Just another manic Monday.
Anyway. Worked a bit on Montículo 5 with Xan, Juan y Haniból. Work got done. The wall (moro) that Chris, Eric, Felíx, and Augosto were working on is now 5 layers deep. It seems to be continuing as well. After work I talked to Diana for a while. Still a pleasure. Some conversations get deep. Well, as deep as my vocab will take me. She's really patient with me. I appreciate it. At dinner tonight she sat with us and was talking in English. [I referenced in Day 7 how there were two tables in the dining area. By chance or comfort the people whose first language was English sat at one table, while all the Spanish-speaking Guatemalans usually sat at the other table. So people crossing boundaries like this was a pretty big statement when it wasn't simply due to the lack of space at a given table. I also mentioned that she was talking English, which was new for me because she always forced me to speak Spanish, which I admired and needed.] Every time she had a question about a word, she'd look to me. Apparently we've bonded, and I have no problems with that. I think Kaplan thought it to be a little odd, but I think he figured it out when he came into the lab with both of us sitting there talking. Diana's a smart woman. I wish I could understand 100% of what she says. Sometimes its a bit much to ask what was said 5x's over.
As for Mayra, I talked to her a bit today. She's moved onto talking to Adam and once again reuniting with Brett. I say let them have their fun and I'll get in a bit of conversation now and then. Mayra, what a sweet girl. Jose keeps motioning for me to walk her home and shit. I don't have the balls to up and do it in front of everyone. Apparently Jose is Doña María's bitch. He works in the kitchen and at her home. I guess that's what you get for having 11 kids. Yeah so I still have Mayra's ring. [Mayra gave me a ring on Day 9.] I don't know how rude it would be to give it back. Maybe I'll just give her some money for it. For education. [I felt bad for literally not having anything to give to her in return.]
Working with Diana tomorrow. Should be fun. Diana Belches Luin: teacher of Spanish, learner of Portuguese, puller of teeth [in a "good" way--dentistry], tagger of [artifact] bags. Thanks for talking to me. El gusto fue mío.
July 5th: Los lunes, ni las gallinas ponen. [On Mondays, not even the hens lay (eggs).] The phrase of the day. Just another manic Monday.
Anyway. Worked a bit on Montículo 5 with Xan, Juan y Haniból. Work got done. The wall (moro) that Chris, Eric, Felíx, and Augosto were working on is now 5 layers deep. It seems to be continuing as well. After work I talked to Diana for a while. Still a pleasure. Some conversations get deep. Well, as deep as my vocab will take me. She's really patient with me. I appreciate it. At dinner tonight she sat with us and was talking in English. [I referenced in Day 7 how there were two tables in the dining area. By chance or comfort the people whose first language was English sat at one table, while all the Spanish-speaking Guatemalans usually sat at the other table. So people crossing boundaries like this was a pretty big statement when it wasn't simply due to the lack of space at a given table. I also mentioned that she was talking English, which was new for me because she always forced me to speak Spanish, which I admired and needed.] Every time she had a question about a word, she'd look to me. Apparently we've bonded, and I have no problems with that. I think Kaplan thought it to be a little odd, but I think he figured it out when he came into the lab with both of us sitting there talking. Diana's a smart woman. I wish I could understand 100% of what she says. Sometimes its a bit much to ask what was said 5x's over.
As for Mayra, I talked to her a bit today. She's moved onto talking to Adam and once again reuniting with Brett. I say let them have their fun and I'll get in a bit of conversation now and then. Mayra, what a sweet girl. Jose keeps motioning for me to walk her home and shit. I don't have the balls to up and do it in front of everyone. Apparently Jose is Doña María's bitch. He works in the kitchen and at her home. I guess that's what you get for having 11 kids. Yeah so I still have Mayra's ring. [Mayra gave me a ring on Day 9.] I don't know how rude it would be to give it back. Maybe I'll just give her some money for it. For education. [I felt bad for literally not having anything to give to her in return.]
Working with Diana tomorrow. Should be fun. Diana Belches Luin: teacher of Spanish, learner of Portuguese, puller of teeth [in a "good" way--dentistry], tagger of [artifact] bags. Thanks for talking to me. El gusto fue mío.
Labels: 10, guatemala diary
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