i could get used to this

Yesterday represented the kind of day I had originally hoped to have here in Antigua.

After I wrote my blog post yesterday morning, I went to a local cafe for a cup of some -awesome- coffee (screw it, I'm drinking caffeine down here...the coffee is way too delicious not to) and studied my lesson until I knew it like the back of my hand. While I was there, I met a girl from Boston who has been living in Antigua for over a year teaching English and she gave me a bunch of information about great places in Guatemala to visit. I now really want to visit this place called 'Semuc Champagne', where you swim through these caves with a light on your head and apparently has all these gorgeous natural pools. She gave me her email in case I had any questions, and I left the cafe.

Next was another delicious lunch, with carne asada and potatoes. I went to the school afterwards with my housemate Kanako (finally, her name is sticking! I felt so bad, I had to ask her something like 20 times) and studied a bit extra. My lesson went really well, and though I'm a bit overwhelmed at the amount of verbs I was given and that I'm learning some new stuff (demonstrative pronouns), I'm pleased that my teacher is putting me on such a fast track since she knows I only have one week to learn. I can't believe how much it's already helped my conversation skills...I end up playing translator a lot at the dinner table.

The tamale for dinner left something to be desired (it was all corn? it didn't have anything inside and the masa itself was pretty mushy..Mexico definitely wins that contest), but the conversation was great. Zack was out having dinner with some friends so it was only Cesar and us three girls; we just sat there after eating for a good hour, chatting about everything from types of bugs (where the comedic and animated Cesar acted out every bug, even pretending to be an ant, carrying a napkin on his head) to how a traditional Guatemalan funeral is conducted (unfortunately, the latter topic was very relevant, as Cesar was attending a service last night/this morning for a friend).

By 8:30pm or so, the three of us ladies were dressed and out on the town - there was lightening in the sky, but no rain, and the air was so warm. The drinks at Monoloco was even cheaper than I expected (Q3, or, 42 cents) for ladies night, and we all ended up with four rum and cokes each. The bar itself was really packed, but we did manage to find a table with a couple local boys who we practiced Spanish with for some time. The guys were nice, chatty, and wanted to dance, so after an hour or two, we went over to La Ventura. The bar was having their salsa night and the dance floor was packed and hot! It makes me regret having bangs a bit, because as soon as I start to sweat, they become wet and stick to my forehead as if I just got out of the shower. :p Erica danced with one of the guys, while Kanako and I took turns and danced simultaneously with the other, Diego. That girl is so adorable - you can't help but smile and laugh with everything she says.

We were there dancing until midnight, where I also danced with an ex-salsa teacher/current performer in a salsa band, Jose (who taught me a couple things beyond the basic move), and Manny, another local who though he couldn't dance as well was certainly enthusiastic. I felt like we left at a reasonable time and it made things easier to be out with other girls - I'm going to keep trying to do that in the future.

I already feel a world different than I did this past weekend. I'm comfortable, feel like I understand the city more, and best of all, I feel confident even in my Spanish. If this is what being here for a few days is like, I can't even imagine how I'm going to feel after a few weeks of traveling in Guatemala.

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I'm still devouring books. 'In Cold Blood' is long finished, and I'm halfway through 'Cat's Cradle', my last pleasure book. There is a couple bookshops here that will trade along with a few extra Quetzals, and though I'm going to take advantage, I'm wondering if I shouldn't slow down a bit, both to keep my books for longer and to keep myself from reading so many English words.