Enjoying Antigua

Ok, so after getting over the few days of ickiness, we are now enjoying ourselves in Antigua. It´s a very cute, old Colonial town in the mountains. It´s a small little city, with cobblestone streets and multicolored old stucco buildings. It just oozes charm...The weather is a little chillier here then we have encountered yet on our trip, but that´s ok.

It´s been an interesting week...I decided to take a Spanish class for the week, hoping it will help me more. Today was my last day...I would go in the afternoons from 2 to 6 and speak with my instructor, Tatiana. At first I thought she was a little strange (she told me that eating strawberries makes your hair fall out!), but she turned out to be very nice and patient with my messy Spanish. She told me a lot about her life in Guatemala, her family, and all the reasons that make life in Guatemala very difficult for many people. It was very interesting to talk with her and be able to ask questions about her life...I just wish I had a better answer then ¨ah, es muy dificil¨. Not that she was complaining, or at all whining about her life, it´s just what she knows as her life. This week she bought a used washing machine, and it was a huge deal for her. The first time in her life she ever had credit, and of course now she has to have monthly payments. For the past 2 days we would just read the Guatemalan newspaper and discuss what we read, which was interesting for both of us...My problem is that Spanish words are so damn long!! I mean, we don´t have many common words that are 5 and 6 syllables long...Anyways, I enjoyed my class and I think it helped.

Onto other things from this week...You know, just your everyday earthquakes and volcano hikes. Yes, you read that right, there was an earthquake here on Monday night! We were sitting in our room eating some cheese and crackers and drinking wine and then I felt the bed shake...First I thought, ¨Antigua has an underground train?¨...Then we realized the whole building was shaking!!! I ran to the doorway with my proper earthquake response (but I think I didn´t make it there until it was over!) and everyone in the hotel starting chatting with amazement. It was a big quake, 6.1, but there was no damage and to my knowledge noone was hurt. It was felt in El Salvador and up in parts of Mexico! My first earthquake...I hope I don´t feel any more!

Two days after the quake we went to hike Vulcan Pacaya. There are 4 active volcanoes just in this little area!! It was a pretty steep, but short hike up. We couldn´t go all the way to the top, but we walked around the field of lava rocks. There was even lava flowing down this field that we walked right over! That was pretty crazy to me. I couldn´t believe how hot lava is!! (I know, it´s brilliant) It was pretty cool...

We will probably head to a new place on Sunday...We have only until May 2nd to get to Honduras to pick up my Mom!! She´s coming for a visit, so I am very excited!!!