PICTURES!

Over 1,000 photos from my trip are all uploaded! Enjoy!
Thanks again for journeying along with me on my trip!
-Andrea

http://s1127.photobucket.com/albums/l639/astockwe08/Que%20Guatemala%202011/

Last night in Guatemala!

Today was amazing! We went to the beach, which was beautiful with black sand and miles and miles of ocean! After reapplying sunscreen for the most times in my entire life, I still look like a tomato! Getting ready to say some sad goodbyes and pass around the presents!

Things I loved about this trip:
-Getting food poisoning made me lose about 15 pounds!
-The 2 hour tours we would go on after school each day!
-Seeing the social side of Guatemala
-Our very hospitable family who has been amazing!
-My very smart students who I will miss terribly!

This truly has been an experience of a lifetime, in which I will never forget!
-Andrea

Last Day with the kids!

After a week that went by very quickly, today was our last day at the school! It was very sad. Yesterday, the high school kids threw us a party with presents and treats! Today the elementary kids did the same. It was remarkable how much these kids want to give back to us for teaching them English! The day was not lost on tears ( however those were present) but a joyous day knowing that one day we would some how all find our way back to the school. We ended the day by visiting an orphanage of children who have HIV. These kids are some of the happiest kids I have seen, with that fate that they have. We really had a great time. It will be so hard to leave Monday, leaving behind all these kids that I just wish I could pack in my suitcase. My students are so smart, bright, and extremely talented that I wish I could share that with everyone. It truly was a blessing and an opportunity of a lifetime to meet all the kids and people we have met here. Although I am ready to be back home, I will never forget the school and all the kids!
-Andrea

Six Days Left

With only six days left we are finally getting into learning English. The high school kids are doing such a good job and learning quickly! Today we talked about society, what makes up a society and such! Then we went over phrases that will be helpful. They wanted to learn everything they could today about how to say this and that. It was great to act out different phrases and try to understand what they wanted in Spanish to tell them the word in English. I can't wait for Thursday to give them cupcakes, pictures, and treasures! Although I'm excited to head home, I am going to miss all of them! Today we took lots of pictures, which are now on the photobucket website, so check them out!
-Andrea

http://s1127.photobucket.com/albums/l639/astockwe08/Que%20Guatemala%202011/

The Weekend

On Friday we left for Antigua for the weekend, a city that use to be the Capital of all of Central America. The city was very pretty with all the buildings looking similar and cobble roads. We checked into a cute little hotel that was actually a 200 year old house. We went the market there and got lots of souvenirs, then dinner at a fancy restaurant and out on the town. The next day we went to a coffee plantation which was really fun to see all the hard work that goes into making coffee. We learned that the plantation we were at exports their coffee to Starbucks, the new Guatemalan coffee is from where we were! That was pretty neat,  as well as getting to taste the coffee and buy some of our own! After the plantation we went to the Jade factory which was neat to see how they make the jade and delicate the process is. The jade is so pretty and unique. After touring the city a bit more, seeing the cathedrals, and such we came back to be picked up by our host family. Since it was pretty late we called it a night after showing off our new treasures! Today we went to the country club, which was really nice to have a relaxing day. We swam, hung out in the hot tub and sauna and just rested.
I have plenty of pictures from this weekend and they are uploading to photobucket as I type this! Feel free to try this link periodically to see when they upload!
-Andrea

http://s1127.photobucket.com/albums/l639/astockwe08/Que%20Guatemala%202011/

End of Week 2!

Doing lots better! Still not sure what I had, but feeling close to normal again. Excited for Antigua and the beach this weekend! Taking lots of pictures, but having complications loading them without a camera cord, might just have to wait until I'm back in the states and them load them all at once! Today my lesson we great again, I think the students really like being active and learning. After school our family took us to the mall, which was really fun to see all the places and shops! Well bedtime, big weekend ahead! I will post after our adventure to Antigua!
-Andrea

Sick Day!

Starting to get better I think, not sure. The vomiting and such has stopped, but a fever took it's place. Stayed home from school today and rested. Have hit the humor stage of the trip where I just laugh at myself for the misfortune I have come into. Between my roommate having a cold and me having who knows what we just laugh at everything. More pictures can be found on the photobucket website in the last post.

High of today: Gatorade and 7 up
Low of today: super sick
Funny thing of today: My roommate sounds like a man!

12 days, can't wait to be home!