Diciembre

Now for a quick review of December thus far. . .

The first week in December, I went to a CEDEPCA Christmas party in Guate which was really fun. We had a short devotional and then ate the traditional Guatemalan Christmas meal of tamales and ponche (warm fruit punch). Then we went to one of my co-worker’s houses where we played a bunch of games and had a gift exchange. I wasn’t part of the office gift exchange but they gave me a really cool bag that has patches of the trajes from all around the country. It’s so colorful!

The student centers and English classes have pretty much wound down for Christmas vacation. The centers have their Christmas pageants next week but I will be in Xela so won’t be able to go. So that means no more work until 2008. I’m going to miss all my kids!

This past weekend we went to the 5th birthday party of the daughter of my host mom’s best friend at a coffee finca. We had churrasco (grilled meat and vegetables which is a staple party food here), and then went for a hike, played soccer, hit a piñata, and ate Barbie birthday cake. Then we roasted marshmallows on a bonfire and listened to Christmas music. It was quite the little party!

Today was Día de la Virgen Guadalupe. Everyone wore their typical traje and took their kids to get their pictures taken in front of little nativity scenes in the park. There was a parade and fireworks. I went Christmas shopping so didn’t see the parade but the kids in the park looked really cute in their little outfits and the fireworks were pretty.

Tomorrow I’m going to a birthday party for kids with December birthdays at the center in Tactic and then have a youth group Christmas party at night. I am just a party-going maniac!
Friday morning my family and I are leaving to go to a quinceaños in Xela. Then Sunday I’ll meet up with the other YAVs for our Christmas retreat (also in Xela). I’ll spend the week Christmassing with my fellow Americans and then the following Sunday I’ll meet up with my host family in Guatemala City where we’ll spend Christmas day and then a few extra days seeing the sights. It’s so different to hear familiar Christmas songs in Spanish and for it to be Christmastime but tropical outside with palm trees everywhere! I’m really excited to see how Christmas is done Guatemalan style but also extremely happy that I get a quasi-traditional American Christmas via YAV.

Feliz Navidad y que la pasen muy bien!