Life in San Marcos

So aside from me spending days on my laptop finishing the report for the NAPA project, and also working on my university assignments.. what has life been life in San Marcos?

Firstly I made a local friend Fernando who is the director of a Mayan Indigenous Healing and Wisdom centre in the centre of town. He is interested in healing techniques, including astrology, naturopathy (using local knowledge of plants for treating sickness), massage and is passionate about a revolution for peace on a world scale, especially after the experience of being born into a country in civil war and being separated from family. He will make a presentation at the conference in October which will be a great opportunity for networking with like-minded people. This is the one I will be attending as well as part of the NAPA-OT conference.

I also had a visit from Yann - a friend from Antigua that we met on the volcano climb. So I got a chance to use the kitchen (making hot chocolate from the cocoa beans off the tree - yum!) and make some yummy soups and pasta with the local fresh veges. So lots of cooking... We also did a bit of bush walking and took a boat ride to the main city on the lake.. Panajachel. Here we had a beautiful breakfast, stopped in for ice-cream, and did some more food shopping (I even found Japanese miso for soups!) and I got my hair cut and also done in a traditional style by a local woman looking to sell the head pieces to tourists..

I also checked out a program called Las Piramides - which has yoga every morning at 7 am and meditation program.

http://www.laspiramidesdelka.com/. Maybe go there a few mornings a week to keep the balance.

I went to find "la cambalacha" yesterday which is a centre promoting the arts and dance for local children. I thought I could spend some time volunteering there in terms of dance with the children. SO I will be assisting with a class next Tuesday afternoon. At the same time I met a lovely English lady who's little boy was attending La Cambalacha for the first time. After chatting for a while she said that the local private school was looking for a English teacher 4 hours a week. www.lacambalacha.org

As well as a local public primary and secondary school, they have a 'Waldoff' school here! I think it may be one of the only in Guatemala? So I am going to apply for the English teaching job here. This will give me a chance to meet some more people.

Tried to throw a Salsa party last night -- not many people showed up!!! ha ha it is so quiet here :) Next time to try and find a fiesta I think I will head to the nearest town "XELA'

It is a Saturday morning so I am off to do my laundry now!