Guatemalan Adventure!

I'm not going to consider going to Guatemala a "trip of a lifetime." Why? Because I hope that that trip won't be the end of my travels. I loved Guatemala! I know I can't take you there, but I hope that by sharing what I experienced with you, you can sort of understand how impactful this trip was. I know there was a blog written during the week, but I kept a journal so that I might be able to share things from my perspective. I'm not a very good writer, but it's straight from my heart, so don't mock my silly grammer mistakes. Also, we aren't aloud to mention kids names, so if it seems like I'm forgetting names, I'm really not. I hope you enjoy!

4-20-13, Saturday
This trip is definitely full of new experiences. I got to finally experience my first plane ride! It was super exhilarating and nerve-racking, especially during take-off. Landing was pretty meh, but take-off was like "holy crap, I'm gonna die of excitement." We had a two hour flight to Miami and then a two hour and twenty minute flight to Guatemala City. We threw our stuff on the bus  and hopped on. This was the best hour-long bus ride of my life! Driving in Latin America is absolutely insane, I love it. It was a stick-shift bus and was super bumpy and crazy. Let's just say I'm thankful we're alive right now! Casa Bernabe is incredible. The kids just hand all over you like monkeys on banana trees. Speaking spanish with people isn't proving to be too difficult. I don't know what tomorrow holds in store, but I'm sure God has fantastic plans for us.

4-21-13, Sunday
What do you know? The pastor used Jeremiah 29:11 in his sermon! We all loved the service and most of us could understand most of it without the translator. The singing was awesome, and they were nice enough to put the words on the screen and sing some in English. It was so awesome because, during greeting, I got like, seven hugs.

I love it so much. We haven't started any work yet, but I still feel like I want to come back some day.

It's so funny how many girls are asking about boys! Fran and Mitch have some girlies that really like them. I'm surprised at how easy it is to talk to the kids, I love it! Now I'm watching Liz, April, Sean, Jori, and Caleb play cards while betting with oreos and nutter-butters.

4-22-13, Monday
This was quite an excellent first day of work. We ate breakfast then headed outside to tear up a road only to put it back together again. We were basically swinging pick-axes, shoveling rocks and dirt, hauling stuff in wheel barrows, and some of us got to play with the kids in the baby house, or pull weeds in the garden.

I felt kind of awkward with my spanish today because the house parents talked so fast! (And I was totally out of it.) I also met (yeah, insert name here), a super bossy kinda bratty girl, (insert another name aqui), a trouble maker, (you guessed it, next name!), an adorably clingy little guy, (hit me with another name please), a cute developmentally challenged boy, his sister (cutie-pa-tuty!!!) the cutest and lightest little one year old ever, (so-and-so?), an adorable little trouble maker, and (last name guys!), a cute little girl, yet again.

4-23-13, Tuesday
More road work today. A little before lunch, a few of us went to help in the garden. Hauling up cauliflower and broccoli plants really takes it our of ya! I hate how, throughout the day, I think of such great things to write in my journal, but I seriously forget all of them! One highlight of my day was smelling like rotten broccoli. It was pretty great. I love all the random inside jokes our class is making up. It's so much fun! I can't believe I'm in Guatemala.

4-24-13, Wednesday
It's extremely difficult to write right now, considering the fact that our hands are the most tired part of our bodies. We're still working on the road and making good progress, but with only one and a half work days left, I don't think we'll finish. the people in the garden are getting frustrated because Tony, the boss man of the garden, wants everything perfect. I guess the guys aren't good at planting corn in straight rows, which doesn't suprise me, and Tony is always sure to let them know. But I guess it's his fault cause he wanted only boys in the first place, for some odd reason.

Clint had five or six of us girls putting cement between the blocks, which he said would take three hours, but really only took one! Then we were pick-axing, shoveling, and pounding more cement, which of course exhausted our hands. And now my hand-writing is atrocious! (Is that how you spell it?) Class dynamics are starting to show. Of course people are going to get upset with each other or only like their clique, but seriously, this is getting ridiculous. Whatevs! We get to go to Antigua tomorrow! But for now: a nap and then back to work.

Hey, guys! Yeah, I don't know why I said that. I'm in a really hyper, crazy mood right now. I worked my butt off today shovelling, pounding cement, and picking up rocks, clay cement, everything! Except gold. I didn't find any gold. I was singing to myself in the shower like the whole time. And it was cold! But on purpose cause I liked it:) And I could barely peel my jeans off cause I was so sweaty! It was so cool. Okay, not really. K', I'm gonna go now cause I have extremely sore hands.

Wow! That "going-away-party-program-thingy was awesome. I almost started crying, and that's really saying something! Most of the groups did a dance or made us a really cool card. It made me love these kids even more. I could definitely tell that Casa Bernabe was extremely thankful for all of our work. It was so cute, (my friend, whom I can't name) sat by me and was holding another little girl. And that girl just sat there fiddling with my water bottle. It was also hilarious when Tony started chucking chocolate everywhere. The room was an instant mad-house! And a lot of people got pegged inthe face with chocolate. Chairs were being pushed over. I don't know how the little kids survived! Well, time for some itch cream and some sleep. Tomorrow, we're up at five to head to Antigua!

This is only the first 2/3 of my journal. The rest is coming soon! Thanks for reading:)