The Key to Starting Over

Time in Guatemala: 13 days

Weather: Raining...wait not anymore...oh wait, now its raining again....oh, hang on....
Occupation Status: unemployed, made a great connection today!
Living Situation: Uxlabil EcoSuites hotel
Mental Status: Exhausted & ecstatic
Misc: 5 days until we move into our apartamento!


My regular routine involves a small variety of choices: grocery store, Oakland mall, yoga, napping, cooking, reading, Sudoku, or a myriad of activities on my computer (blogging, FB, reading news or forums etc) On Tuesday late afternoon I came across a fantastic website. Expatica.com is a wonderful resource for anyone who is considering moving to another country, or who has already done so. A few things I read surprised me and I wanted to share.
 
ITS VERY HARD. The average readjustment takes 6-9 months. No wonder I'm going a little loca. Why didn't anyone tell me this was going to be difficult? We're all enamored with the idea of selling everything and moving to another country to start a new life. Que romantico... That's why no one told me! People who've never done it think it sounds fun and exciting. People who have done it knew what I was in for but that I wouldn't understand if they tried to explain...
To make the transition easier Expatica.com recommended throwing yourself head-first into your new world. Join a club, join a gym, take a class. anything! Just get involved.
 
Well I did. And I can't describe how thrilled I am at the doors that opened in the last 3 hours.
 
In my hours of internet searching about my new home I stumbled across cookandrelax.com. A local chef who teaches cooking classes. Viva Espana, Vegetariano, Cocina Italiana...there's a class almost every day. I signed up for the vegetarian class, since Lucas isn't so keen on meat.
 
The class has 6 women including myself. I made 3 new friends. Esther and her mother, and Nidia. Esther was assigned as my interpreter and was very gracious about it. When she found out I'd only been here 2 weeks she said "Well now you have two new friends" Nidia, amazingly enough, is ALSO brand new here. She's from Tijuana Mexico and has been here 15 days. Her husband got a job as the principal of El Colegio Maya (school).
 
Its funny how things work together...last week when I met with Estuardo, from the company that owns my apartment building, he suggested I look at Colegio Maya for a job. He said it was a very good school. And now I am friends with the principal's wife! She said she would talk to him about me. She and I talked for a few minutes after class about how we miss home and have a hard time thinking of things to do to keep ourselves busy during the day. We're going to get together some time soon (in addition to our weekly class.) She lives in the same building as Wayne, Lucas' coworker with whom we had tapas last Saturday. Also, she speaks English and Spanish so maybe she can help me practice.
 
Thank you...
 
AND the class was so fun! We learned how to dice vegetables, make chicken stock, bake "Chard stuffed bread"...lots of things I already knew, but that was perfect because what I learned the most tonight is how to speak kitchen Spanish, which will make going to the grocery store less like looking at Lucas' economic theory equations.
 
I also took my first taxi today. And second. Very safe. They actually asked me to call back in 10 minutes so they could tell me specifically what the # on the taxi would be. I read yesterday that there are over 800 unlicensed (stolen) white taxis roaming the city. The taxi service I use is the Taxi Amarillo (yellow) which cost a bit more ($3 instead of $2...) but are very safe.
 
Its surprising how liberating it feels to be able to call my own taxi and get around by myself sin miedo. Baby steps....
 
Today I also had a tour of the campus of Universidad Francisco Marroquin. Breath-taking (photos soon to come! I forgot my camera today)  I learned so much today about the university's history, culture, foilage, technology...and its all very interesting and impressive. I'll create an entry later that's all about la universidad.
 
Last but not least- Esther said there's a store called Paiz (central american walmart?) that sells almonds, chard, and what sounds like many other food items that I haven't been able to find yet. And guess where it is? Right up the street from my new apartment...
 
 
Gracias por el valor, la confianza, la pacienca, el amor
 
Beautiful day. Perfect day. Oh look...it stopped raining :)