Better than a backpack!
Didn’t think I’d be saying that, did you? Still frustrated with the language progress. I think I will change teachers after all. He’s very precise, and all the exact grammar lessons would be great if I had a year to learn proper Spanish. But I only want to be able to communicate. I really don’t care if some of my verb tenses are incorrect or the wrong gender. So I’ll speak to the school about that tomorrow. This weekend should allow me to get out a bit more and interact with other gringos, which will be nice I hope.
Home life is great, though. Mom is very sweet and patient. The kids are nice, and I’m thrilled I have my own private room on the roof. Yesterday I went for a run which felt good. Not only to get the endorphins and blood moving, but also to see something new. Listening to my own music, which should always be remembered as a great remedy for the blues. Apparently if I had gone a bit further along the path, I would have come to a beach. Perhaps I’ll do that tomorrow. It continues to rain for several hours each day, although it’s hard to predict exactly when. It can be a bit cold, too. I guess that’s what I get for coming in the rainy season!
Many of the women walk around with baskets on their heads, like you see in other developing countries. Their balance is most impressive, particularly when going up some of these steep hills. The town has lots of small scooter-like vehicles called tuk-tuks that serve as local taxis. They’re 3-wheeled, driven like a motorcycle, with a bench in back, and covered in a frame and tarp. Each one is decorated distinctively, like the “chicken buses” (so called because you might find yourself sitting next to a chicken). There are a lot of motorcycles about (but not a helmet to be found) and bicycles, too. Beat-up mountain bikes, since it’s rough terrain around here. The level of decor in the houses is what would be described in the U.S. as white trash. [I don't mean that pejoratively, just trying to describe.] Last night there was a loud bang and the power went out everywhere (I have a view of town from outside my room). I came running downstairs with a flashlight but by the time I reached the family, the lights had come back on, and no one seemed plussed – they had all returned to their sewing machines and telenovela.
Here are some photos of San Pedro (the town I’m in).
- View from my room
Tuk-tuks, bars, shops, lake beyond
