Monday, June 6, 2011

May

The Alumni Association from the University of Kansas generously donated 12 KU basketball jerseys! As well as tatoos, table tents and stickers.  Immediately, we went to put our names and numbers on the back.  Rock Chalk!!

We completed our season undefeated, winning the championship basketball game by one point with three seconds left!!  For the trophy acceptance speech, our team captain, Mary, gave a wonderful speech recognizing the oppression of women and the importance of physical activity.
Dad and Jane came to visit for ONE WEEK!! It was super nice. We spent a day in a half in Patzun, visiting friends, family, students, market, etc.  Then we went to Antigua.  We spent most of our time eating delicious meals, relaxing by the pool, reading, and exploring the architecture and history of Antigua. 
The mayor invited Lydia, Laura and I to participate in the parade.  Mary let me borrow her typical Patzun wear!! It is very formal and used for special occassions.  We walked a couple of hours in the parade, then went to the inaguration of the soccer fields, and then had lunch with the mayor and soccer players at the town hall building. 

Lo and I at the fair!!  I ate an ear of corn every single day of the fair (for eight days) yummy!!  Guatemalans eat it with mayonaise, mustard and picante sauce. I prefer lemon and salt.

 Estela and I at the fair!!  Look at the ferris wheel.  They go unsafely fast and in the opposite direction.  Nearly every one of my students asked if I was going to ride the ferris wheel.  Super scary.
One afternoon I went with Raquel and Hector to their other house (where Hector grew up) to help cut coffee.  Their other house is amazing. They have corn, beans, lemon trees, orange trees, coffee plants, rose bushes, etc.  It's beautiful.  We found lots of snails while cutting the coffee.
Mum's best friend of over fourty years and a dear friend to our family, Cherylanne Maria Baker Sweany Taylor, 53 suddenly passed away on Friday, April 29th.  Thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated it. It is hard coping with death in Guatemala and not being there for my mum and family.