Volcano

Yesterday the cousins got evacuated from their house because the Fuego Volcano was erupting. If you click on the link it tells you a little more about it- they had to evacuate thousands!  The cousins came yesterday afternoon, so we have a full house now- the three cousins, the aunt and Chochy´s mom.  We think we can see some of the erruption from the house- there are a bunch of clouds that look foggy and last night we could see a lot of lightning in them.  It was pretty cool looking.

I got to experience opening up a coconut with a machete yesterday afternoon.  That was interesting.  It also was my first time trying fresh coconut meat- it was really good.  At first, it´s disappointing because it´s not sweet.  But I decided that it tasted kind of like a nut, and I got used to the taste.  I also tried fresh coconut water, which I have had before because you can buy it in the States, but I didn´t like it very much.  Though it is definitely better straight out of the coconut rather then what you can buy packaged.  We worked really hard to get the meat out of the coconut afterwards, using knives and spoons.  It was difficult! I think I did two and half coconuts.  My hand hurts still- oh and I cut one of my fingers using the knife.  Haha, that´s the second time I´ve cut my hand in the past week- last week it was while cutting watermelon!  Last night Chochy boiled water, sugar, cinnamon sticks and added blended coconut and milk to make coconut ice cream.  Today she put it in little individual plastic baggies(that´s how they make their ice cream), so this afternoon it will be ready to eat.  Yummy! 

Car trouble

So yesterday we were driving Jose´s car home from the kid´s soccer and swimming training when all of the sudden Chochy pulled up onto the median.  I didn´t know what she was doing, when I realized that the engine had gone out.  Thankfully, we were in traffic so we hadn´t been going very fast, and we were able to come to a stop somewhat safely.  She tried several times to start the car again, but it wouldn´t.  The alarm went off and she couldn´t stop it.  We were only a block or so from their neighborhood, so when she called Mr. Ruano for help, he came on foot, along with Jose.  But before they came, a motorcyclist had stopped to help and got the engine running.  We thought it was better but when Chochy tried pulling into the street, it died again.  The boys got out and they all started pushing the car and eventually it was able to coast, since it was downhill.  Because the car wasn´t on, the only brake Chochy could use was the emergency brake which squealed like crazy and I´m sure was awful for the car. I was kinda scared that we would hit the car in front of us, but we didn´t.  When we turned into the neighborhood, they really had to push the car because it was a little uphill.  So we got home safely.  Feel bad for Jose though, not sure how fast the car will get fixed.

Right now I´m in the clinic but we don´t have any patients, so while we wait I´m blogging :)  I like going to the clinic, though this is only my fourth or so time.  I get to practice my Spanish with Kevin and Dr. Ruano.

 This Saturday is Guatemala´s Independance Day, so we don´t have practice for the kids camp, youth group or homegroup.  I asked if we are going to do anything, but it doesn´t sound like we are.  They have in past years gone into the city for the parades and marching bands, but Dr. Ruano told me that he doesn´t like to go because there are so many people and it is difficult to find parking- sounds like the 4th in D.C.  But I´m dissapointed becuase they only do fireworks for Christmas!  Well hold that thought- I just asked Kevin about it and he said that yes, they do have fireworks for Independance Day.  So I guess I´ll just have to wait and see what happens.

Chochy concert

Almost everyone on the Chochy team has a pair of Converse...mine are the signed ones with zebra laces :)

So I only uploaded a couple photos...I would post more but it is way faster to post them via facebook...sorry to all you non-facebook people. Both of these are from the first Chochy concert I was in.

Cumplo 19

Last Wednesday was my 19th birthday and my request was that we go shopping in the market :)  I really didn´t want a party even though they wanted to give me one, because it´s awkward to have a lot of people come for your birthday when you can´t really talk to them, right?  We went to El Mercado Central, where we had gone before with the Chantilly team in the beginning of August.  Wow, even though that was only a month ago, it feels like forever!  Anyway, I had a lot of fun shopping, though I am so indecisive...it´s worse in a market because you´re trying to focus on what your looking for amongst all these colorful things, you´re trying to make choices between items and you´re trying to bargain for good deals.  Oh, and on top of that I was trying to think money in Spanish, though most of the vendors know how to speak a little English.  I still have trouble with numbers in Spanish, and then it messes up my adding abilities when I try to switch over to adding in English.  Eventually, I made up my mind and bought a purse with hand-embroidered pink roses on it and I also got some earrings and scarves.  Pretty good deal-I got my bag for $5.  :) 

Annnyway...the rest of the day went as normal, we hung out at the house in the afternoon, I made a gluten free ``cake`` for myself, and then we all went shopping for groceries and the boys got some new soccer shoes.  When we got home from shopping, I helped a little to prepare for dinner by making guacamole.  We were going to eat taco salad.  Rossanita had finished cutting up the other vegetables, so we went upstairs to watch TV and wait to Chochy to call everyone to dinner.  I checked my facebook and email, responded to the birthday wishes, and still, no call to dinner.  It was 8:30, not very late for eating dinner around here.  I thought, ``Oh, she´ll call us in a half an hour or so.`` But then I heard her and Mr. Ruano practicing their song for the kids camp, and still no dinner.  Finally, at 10 minutes before 10, Chochy called me down.  ``Feliz Cumpleaños Rachel!`` shouted Kitty, Gaby and Monica as they jumped out at me.  They all gave me a big hug and then I heard firecrackers in the front of the house and Alan (Kitty´s boyfriend), the other Alan, and Edgar (Monica and Gaby´s brother) came in.  So it was a good sized party, they invited only people that I knew pretty well.  It was awesome! I was so thankful to be able to spend my birthday with all of them. 

Even though I can´t eat gluten, they had to buy a cake so that I could blow out the candles!  And, what´s a party without cake?  Dennis J. tried to face-plant me in the cake after they finished singing- that was funny.  You could see my teeth marks in the cake, but it all got eaten anyway!