Guatemala y Gracia

I've been in Guatemala for over a week now, woh, time flies. The days are full: Spanish one-on-one class from 8am till 1pm, usually an activity with the school in the afternoon, and dinner and homework at night. I'm absolutely LOVING it! Having traveled for the last couple months in countries where I did not at all speak the language, it is so comforting to go to a place where I can at least get by with the language. I'm living with a host mom, Doña Berta or Catalina (she goes by both, which I love). She is an 83 year old woman with this vibrant, rich, child-like spirit and just the right about of sass. She laughs constantly with these deep eyes that hold decades of stories behind them. She reminds me of my grandma who passed away several years ago, something in her smile I think. It has been so good to live, learn, and EAT with her - I am WELL fed here for sure. Oh, and she has a pet pigeon named Paloma. I would not say that Paloma and I are friends yet, but I have 2 more weeks there and I'm sure we will bond. Photos forthcoming of both... 


Last Thursday was Dia de Gracias (Thanksgiving) and it was the first Thanksgiving I have ever spent away from my family. It was strange but I felt oddly grown up away from home but still desperately missed being home with my family. Thankfully, my friends here Blake and Amy Nelson (who are AWESOME!) invited me to dinner at their house with some of their friends here in Xela. It was a simple, perfect night. Dinner, dessert, and speaking in Spang-lish. We listened to Christmas music and laughed. It was so good to be with friends that know me and feel a bit of home so far away from home.

Thanksgiving Day Dinner!

If you haven't read Anne Lamott, do it. For real. I love her raw honesty, no BS, tell-it-like-it-is style - she makes me want to do the same. I have been devouring Traveling Mercies like it's nobody's business, trying to slow down so I can read it for longer. One part in particular really captured me, speaking into something I have been experiencing these last couple weeks, giving me words I needed. It was in her chapter on grace. She begins by saying that she's learned more about grace in the last 2 weeks. I feel the same. I can't really put my finger on what it is exactly. All I know is that I feel God's presence in a different way here. I'm resting deeper and just feel more at peace. Maybe it's that I'm not constantly on the move like in Europe or maybe it's Doña Berta's amazing cooking and warm smile. I don't know. And really I don't care to define it. I just love living in it. So grace, o gracia, has found me here. I am grateful for it.