Hola from Guatemala!

Hola from Guatemala!

Week 1 has been such a great experience already. Guatemala is MUY bonita!!!! One of my favorite experiences so far has been walking around the town and visiting the old churches and cathedrals. There are 8(?) Catholic Churches walking distance from where I live. We have been trying to attend a different church for daily mass every day. Of course I have already taken a ton of photos, my favorite being this one below.  Since we walk everywhere, I am lucky enough to be able to pass by and spend time here every day!

On the left of the picture is San Francisco Church, which is just down the street from my school and on the right is the most beautiful adoration chapel. 

Anne, Kassidy, and I arrived in Guatemala last Saturday  and the other two missionaries, Cecilia and Laura arrive tomorrow to complete our missionary class. Anne, Kassidy, and I were welcomed by 3 of the staff members from La Union Spanish School. They gave us the sweetest letters from our host families and a doll that is a gift from the school. 

My sweet host-mom, Lizza

I have school every day from 8am-noon, and I usually hang out at school for a bit afterwards before heading back home for lunch at 1:15. I am then free to study and explore in the afternoon and evenings. My school offers various activities in the afternoons that any student can sign up for and participate in. They also offer volunteer opportunities around the city which we will hopefully begin next week. So far we have visited a music and coffee museum, and we were taught how to make tortillas (my tortilla making skills are still a work in progress).

Anne, another student at La Union, one of the instructors, me, and Kassidy making tortillas

My baby tortilla

In school, we all have 1-on-1 teachers that teach us according to our individual spanish learning needs- which is great because my spanish needs a lot of help! Since we have 4 hours with our teacher per day, they often take us to various places around the city. One of my favorite adventures so far has been to the market. I have seen markets like this in pictures and TV shows, but they do not do it justice. It had everything that you could possibly ever need and more options than you could ever imagine. My maestra (teacher) told me all about the different foods that we saw and I was able to practice my spanish through communicating with her and through buying fruit while at the market. When we got back to school we made las fresas (strawberries) y los bananos con crema. There was a ton of extra so Anne, Kassidy, and I served some to the other staff, teachers, and students- while of course practicing our spanish when offering it to them. It was muy delicious!

                                                                Can't start school without a first day of school pic!

Anyway, Guatamala has been amazing. I will continue to blog and post pictures when I can. While I am in Guatemala I do have access to wifi at the school and would LOVE to hear from you via e-mail (listed on the right hand side). We were told this is our transition phase into to missionary life, a time of separation from home with a new lifestyle, yet not quite the life of a missionary. I am trying to distance myself from accessing the internet on a regular basis, but I still love hearing from family and friends when I do access my e-mail! That is where we are right now, enjoying our days of Spanish and new places and preparing for the day we meet our Finca family.

Thank you so much to everyone who has kept my fellow missionaries and I in your prayers and has made this adventure possible, you are very much appreciated and loved! We are praying for you as well. God Bless!