Guatemala _Dos

So, my Spanish school has these free outings on Tues. and Thurs. afternoons. On Tuesday I went to a macadamia nut farm, and today I went to a coffee farm. The coffee farm was far more interesting then the macadamia nut farm, even thought I don't really care for Coffee. Actually I don't even like it. Regardless, the coffee process is very interesting. Did you know that the coffee beans picked off a tree are red, and that in the 1600 some people in Ethiopia discovered it because they saw goats eating the leaves of the plant and then going super hyper and not sleeping, crazy, right. I know. And here I am thinking Starbuck was the original coffee producer. One interesting thing, and actually sad thing; For every dollar of coffee sold, only 8 cents goes to the producer of the bean, 86 cents goes to the Seller. (i.e. Starbuck, Caribou, etc.) Now I don't know to much about business or the coffee market, so maybe this is normal. But If I were producing a product I would hope to receive more then 8 cents of the dollar sold. Really no news to report from the macadamia nut farm. Another picture in this post is atop my school. Their is a children school right next store to us. And the niños in Guatemala will buy these plastic pelotas (balls) to play soccer with, they are really cheap. But they always kick them on the roof. So they go and buy another and do the same the next day. During Christmas, it's a big things to light of fireworks. No naturally, Sam's brother, Joseph, had some left over. Really no regard for the neighbors, these things are loud.

I'm learning that learning another language is hard. And that you really do have to take it paso a paso (step by step) other wise you will burn yourself out faster then you think. Which I feel I did yesterday. I stressed so much about learning every word, getting it all right, making sure I only spoke Spanish. But in doing all that I became so tense I was not able to let my mind learn anything. Today was much better. I made a schedule for myself. I get to talk in English when I walk to school with Kesha, and Lyn-Marie, two girls who are also staying with the family I am. And during our 1/2 hour descanso (break) for spanish school. And of course when I'm chatting with my parents or writing online. I'm learning I won't learn, you can't learn a whole language in two weeks. It's going to take some time. And I'm becoming ok with that. So when ever I feel myself getting a little high strung I turn to reading a passage from the good book, no not Harry Potter, although a good option non the less. The Bible really is active is live sharper then a double edged sword. Its calms and enrages, it comforts and challenges, it confronts and encourages, and it gives and it gives and it gives. I have come to term that if I don't leave Guatemala being able to speak spanish as well as I'd like, It will not have been a waste of time. For I have learned some much already, of which I will continue to write later. But for now, enjoy some pics.