Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Tonight is my last night in Antigua. I am sitting outside of my hotel room in the small juggle-like patio. There is a girl talking to her enamorado on the phone up on the roof terrace. Every sentence begins with “Ay mi amor” or “Claro mi amor”. I moved out onto the patio below and turned on the light in the hope that she would move somewhere else.

It is cool and misty outside. This little hotel is a big change from the Candelaria. My room is tiny. The sheets are very rough and scratchy, and the pillows are lumpy. Last night I had a hard time falling to sleep. However, my room over looks a very nice patio and there are plenty of quiet places to sit. There is a roof top terrace and last night I had it all to myself.

In fact, something really beautiful happened last night. I was sitting alone on the roof writing out a questionario and a reseƱa de mi trabajo for people to read. It was pitch black outside, but I could just barely see the silhouette of the mountains surrounding Antigua. Everything was very quiet. At one point I looked up and I noticed a light cloud over one of the mountain tops. It got brighter and brighter until, very subtly, the celestial face of the moon appeared. It hung there, bright and beaming, as if it had performed some magical play just for me...


Today I went to go visit my room in Sumpango. It is in a dusty unfinished building about 10 blocks from the town square. There isn’t any furniture in it yet, but they will bring in a bed and a night stand tomorrow. It’s on the second floor and there is small bathroom down below. There is an internet cafe on the next block, which will come in handy.

I am a little nervous about moving. I’ve never lived in a little rural town before, and I am going to be the only foreigner there. Also, I don’t really know what I am going to do during the day. Most of the kite-making activities happen at night. The boys get together after school or work starting about 8 and stay up until 1 or 2. Frederico wants me to help in building one—which I would love to do. They work everyday except Sundays.

One possible day-time activity is teaching art classes. This Thursday I am going to do an art activity with the kids at Luis’ school. I’ve decided that we are going to make cities out of card board and rubbish, and afterwards we can destroy them!! It’s a chance for me to relive my childhood a bit.

Argh...I can’t think anymore. Goodnight.

2 comments:

AR said...

haha, you getting the hell away from that lovey-dovey girl just sparked a complete flashback to Buenos Aires! :P

Unknown said...

Chris,

Remember, big brother reads all, including in the blogosphere. As they say in Aztecville, "Aguas, man."

Tio Raul