Hello friends and family. Fourth of July is coming up. I´m going to miss being home for the traditional family bash at the Joseph house, but thankfully it is also a big day for those of us in Peace Corps Guatemala. All one hundred and seventy something volunteers here make the trek to Antigua where we have a place rented out. There, we get to BBQ and play all day long. Just like home! I´m looking forward to that.
In other news, life in the site is good. It is certain that by now everyone in town knows me. The best analogy I can draw to being the first gringo to live here is the time I had to dress up as Smokey the Bear for work back in the States.
Here´s why:
-Most kids are stoked to see me and ask me a thousand times how I´m doing while they shake my hand or give me a hi-5.
-Some kids are a little apprehensive to say hi and when Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother, or Friend tries to force them, they usually end up in tears.
-People ask me to just give them stuff. (I guess that´s more like Santa than Smokey)
-Everywhere I go, people seem to pop out of nowhere to scream “B´ex!” (that´s my name, remember?) and then wave to me excitedly.
All that may sound a little overwhelming or annoying, but it isn´t. I have gotten to know some really good people here and I take their excitement as meaning that they like me. So ya, that´s a good thing.
Here are some pics of those good people.
These are Ramiro´s 3 youngest kids. From the left, Hector, Julio and Walter. They´re great. I always make fun of their pot-bellies, so here we are showing them off. If I look a little weird here, it´s because I´m trying to look fat and I can´t even pretend to do that.
Welp, the other pictures won´t load so it looks like just one will have to do. Take care and have fun on the 4th.
5 comments:
You are not a freak, Ted. This is by far my favorite story yet! Miss you and love you, Your big sis--Katie
Five year old cousin Trey says, "I loves you and I love coloring with you and I hope you come back and I will get something for you at the store and it will be a present and I love you."
"17 years old there's not much I can give"
I miss and love you too
Ted I got back from my crazy trip and now I'm trying to readjust to the life here in Boston. I met a few Peace Corp people in Mongolia. This dude was building infrastructure in some village in the Gobi.
Ted it sounds like you're having so much fun and I can't wait to see how this experience is changing you. I am thinking about visiting you over spring break... I'll practice playing ball before I get there.
Hi Ted,
I love that picture with you and the kids and hope you did indeed have a great 4th. I celebrated my 4th in Paris, where I had to tell people I was Canadian so they would speak to me in English. It sounds like everything is going really well for you and I couldn't be happier that you're having such an amazing experience. We missed you and thought of you often during graduation, keep having a great time!
love, mong
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