A Guatemalan Experience Continues

This has been a great week in Antigua, but really I couldn't expect anything less from this place. I moved into another house this week with Ben and Kale because they had an opening there, and their meal times are a lot better cause of some sweet South Africans and also because there is a lot for forced Spanish conversation. I'm really glad that i made that move because i got to meet and get to know some of the coolest people around. These are three guys from S.A. who left stressful careers to travel the world and experience life to the fullest. One guy is a mechanical engineer for Boeing, another is a geologist in northern Ontario, and the third guy has a masters in micro biology, some very bright guys to say the least. they have been traveling by car all through Canada, and the States and are making their ways to Panama and ultimately Peru, rock climbing and kite boarding along the way. They taught me a lot and were really inspiring people, but it was great to get to know them while they were here.
A great experience from this week has been all the live music that we have been able to see. First we were able to see the Buena Vista Social Club at a small restaurant in town. They are a really famous jazz/salsa club from Cuba, and so one of the members came to Antigua and he was great! they also brought in a drum line style group that was also incredible to hear. That was a great night to relax and hear some of the best and liveliest music around.
Another night we saw a group that played Peruvian music. It was a little more chilled out than the salsa but it was still a great time and a fun experience.
This week has also been good for my Spanish. I'm starting to have things click, and I have some daily epiphanies when it comes to Spanish. It has been great not only because it is enabling me to speak a little better and understand a little more, but also because I have had the opportunity to learn a lot about the culture. One day I was talking with my Spanish teacher about the wars that have gone one in the region and it because a very emotional conversation that lasted about 45 minutes. I got some good insight into the history of the area and the scar that it has left on the people here. I'm pretty sure that she wants me to get married cause Ive been given a lot of marital advice, which has been entertaining though i have explained multiple times to her that I don't have a lady friend. But also just in general learning about the culture and various aspects of what is going on here has been rather insightful
We also had the chance to drop off the Gleaners soup (and yes Shelly I got some pics). Its was great to go back to the place and my how it has changed. It was good to see that the orphanage is coming along and that they are getting their feet under them. I'm glad I was able to provide a little bit of help courtesy of the gleaners to the kids there. It was a good day to relax and chill with the kids and see the end part of the gleaners soup process.
Finally, we finished off this week with a trip to Volcan de Pacaya, which is one of 3 active volcanoes in Guatemala. When we started out assent it was quite cloudy and I thought that we would be disappointed and not be able to see the great views. Thankfully the clouds cleared and gave us a great vista of what was around and we some some lava roll down the hill. It was beautiful, and this year I was able to go a lot higher than we did last year, pretty close to the cone. That was such a good experience that was a lot of fun and a great way to end the week.
Today I am going to Chimal to see the Discover student who arrived yesterday. This week is going to consist of some more Spanish and finalizing our next step of the trip to Nicaragua.
Hope you have enjoyed and sorry for the long update.
Bye for now

Mike (who is quite warm in Guatemala!)