tikal

This weekend was our trip to Tikal. I went with one of my housemates, Beth, who is only here for a few more days. Which basically means that even though our ride to the airport was coming to our house at 4am, it was absolutely imperitive that we go out on Friday. We went to a couple of dance clubs...one had a contest to see who is the most sexy. Que sexy! Luckily for us, clubs close at 1 so we got a stellar 2 and a half hours of sleep. Our ride came around 4am, and it was a very bumpy trip to Guatemala city to catch our plane. More waiting in the airport, then an extremely short flight to Flores, which was a tiny airport. The minute we stepped off the plane we felt the oppressive humidty. Then another car ride to Tikal. So, although we tried, napping opportunities did not really exist. We took a tour of the temples, but our group was huge and I have trouble paying attention to tour guides as it is, so I didn't get a ton out of it. It was still fun, though. When we got back we ate lunch and took a really long nap. The hotels only have electricity from 6-10, so we felt gross and sticky pretty much all the time. (There's running water, but it's cold when the electricity isn't on. But actually, that's not so bad.) So anyway, there's not a lot to do in Tikal once the park is closed except eat lazily, so eat we did. And then much needed showers and sleep.

The next morning we woke up around 4:45 to go on a sunrise tour. We got to one of the temples about a half hour before the sunrise, and even though it was too cloudy to see anything it was still very tranquil and relaxing. Then we took another, better, tour. We got to see (and hear) more wildlife. There's the spider monkeys, which look like weird lanky aliens jumping from branch to branch. Then there's the howler monkeys, who can cause quite a commotion. For a while we were right in the middle of the noise...they really sound like monsters that are going to attack you soon.

So after the tour it was about 9:30 or so...we ate breakfast, then took a cold shower, and then wondered what we could do until we left at 2. Basically, not much (since we had to check out of our hotel room). At 2 we went back to Flores, but our flight wasn't until 7, so we decided to kill time in Flores instead of at the airport. Flores is a cute, small island town with tipico shops on every street. A little boring. But oh well, we didn't have the energy to do...fun things that might require energy. We finally flew home, got another ride back to Antigua, and rested. Hurrah!

Today I am getting laundry done which is probably the most exciting thing ever. I want to go buy some chocolates.

Oh, also, I decided to start reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory because that's a little easier to explain to my teacher in Spanish than the formation of the U.S. government.

more

It's hard to write an organized entry when you don't want to hang out in an internet cafe for hours. Yesterday we went on an excursion to an organic macadamia nut farm with our school. The tour was pretty short, and we learned about all the benefits of macadamia nuts. But the best part was the chocolates...so so yummy. I bought a small bag and almost ate them all yesterday.

Speaking of eating....I've been eating meat every day because I decided I don't care enough to turn down my host mother's food or go hungry. But, the meat hasn't been really good, so it doesn't really feel like I'm cheating. We'll see if this endeavor continues when I get back to the states.

I assumed that I was not going to be able to exercise at all, but my housemates and I joined a gym! So I've been using the treadmill, which is good since I won't get completely out of shape during this trip. I'm running the 10 mile race at the Twin Cities Marathon in October.

My classes have been good so far. In 3 days I think I have covered all the verb tenses that took 4 years to learn (and forget) in high school. My teacher is funny, he likes to tell me jokes that aren't always PC. It's all good though.

Okay, I think this is it for now, more later!

bienvenido

Hola,
I have decided to revive my blog from Guatemala, as a way of keeping a travel journal. My flight from Atlanta to here was over 3 hours late, but my ride from the school was still at the airport waiting for me. During the ride I was pretty quiet and tired and just took in the sights....so many mountains and trees. Some funniness...we listened to the musico tipico de Guatemala, with the exception of...¨My heart will go on.¨ Haha. I got into Antigua and met my host family and also my home for the next two weeks..and at first I wondered what I had gotten myself into since I was here alone with really bad Spanish. After I got dinner I met other people staying with my family, and today at school I met many new people who are all very friendly. Classes were good but somewhat difficult...this is good though. I am definitely starting to really understand what many of my students go through every day. Ah, tengo hambre. Adios!

sugary sweet

Yesterday I was running and two specific things made me smile. One was running by the Governor's mansion, where there were not one but TWO newspapers stuck in the fence at 6pm. It just struck me as funny that they have such an immaculate lawn and yet no one can bring in their papers from the rain when they're not home. Then I ran by a restaurant where there was a large group of adults engrossed in conversation, and one little girl who looked out the window instead. She waved at me as I ran by, and I smiled as I waved back.

I got a hula hoop and it's pretty awesome. Today I had some friends over and we made chocolate chip cookies, and then I had to show off my hula skills. It took some time, but I managed to get the hoop going while eating a cookie and drinking milk. And as I swung my hips around I said, "I am so happy right now."

Wow, after writing this all out it kind of makes me want to barf.

Live, little blog! LIVE!

I keep trying to update this but I end up losing my focus, writing entirely too much on things that only interest me and maybe 2.4 other people. So, let's do a whirlwind update of the past month:

• Almost lost my job, but things are looking pretty safe for next year.
• Got new fancy bedding for my apartment and also added some wall decorations to my bedroom. Next on the list: curtains.
• Went to Madison and had a grand old time. Came back with some furniture...the apartment is rounding itself out more and more.
• Took my first day off all year on Monday, just because I needed a break.
  
• Then I ended up taking another day off today, because I was sick. The whole year, I planned NOT to be sick. Funny how these things work.
  
• Decided I would sew my first skirt with a zipper, using this pattern. I finished the zipper part and surprisingly, it works. I'll finish the rest soon.
  

On the horizon: SUMMER. Really, that is all that matters.

these links are FIERCE

I know I need to tell you about my trip to New York and whatnot, but I'm too tired for that right now. So, links!

Tyra does a show on myspace
Just reading the description is almost enough. "He said he used the site to make friends and make out!" Hahaha. Fabulous.

Grups! The new, hip grown-ups
This is a little long, but I could see myself being a grup in ten years. Of course, in ten years there will be some new name for us and no one will have ipods, but like....I don't know, super computer robot companions that fit in one's pocket? Like I said, I'm tired.

Maybe I'll go to Guatemala instead of Costa Rica or Argentina
This place sounds too good to be true. Learning Spanish on the beach! All-inclusive! If you look under What Makes Studying in Puerto Viejo a little different section, one of the reasons is hammocks. Hammocks, my friends. I am SO THERE.

Pictures from my trip, to tide you over
I finally got a pro flickr account. Whee.

can't stop!

Dear Retail Gods,

In order for me to stop buying stuff, you need to stop putting ridiculously cute stuff on sale. Come on, cupcake notecards? Are you kidding?

Thanks,
Erica


*found on shelterrific, good times had there.

weekend update

Oh, I have a lot of stuff to say. Oh, why do I always start sentences with "oh"? I have no idea.

1) On my neighborhood.
Last Saturday I had a lovely afternoon that included walking to the downtown library. I obviously love libraries, but this one takes the cake...just look at it! It's not like all the smallish community libraries that I've been to....which are fine and get the job done, but pale in comparison to this. This one is old and classic, and has marble staircases. And it's within walking distance. Hooray! So, I got a bunch of travel books and trudged back up the hill (which has this view) and settled down in my neighborhood coffee shop. When I left, I very absent-mindedly left my favorite scarf on my chair as I tried to find to perfect song to walk home to. A very nice woman ran after me across the street (while I was oblivious) to return my scarf. It made my day.

2) On Spring not actually being here.
So after my nice weekend, thinking spring was on the way, it snows nearly a foot on Monday. [pictures] My district of course had the foresight to neither cancel school nor delay it, and I showed up to work to discover our building had no power. It was a long day. But it was pretty when I got home. Now of course the snow looks brown and disgusting.

3) On media
I'm taking a nod from Mike to tell you about my media consumption as of late. Besides a bunch of travel books, I also got Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer from the library. I like it so far, especially how it's written in the voice of a 10 year old in a way that's not realistic but also very believable and honest.

And, I've been going through season one of Arrested Development thanks to my new dvd player. There is not much to say except that it is hilarious. And that's why you never teach lessons.

on television

1. Project Runway
I cannot wait for the finale. I am so excited for it I am having dreams about it. No, seriously! In one dream my sister and I had lunch with Heidi Klum. We asked her all about the show...fun times. In another dream, I was flirting with all the Project Runway men, which is odd, since they're gay. I'm rooting for Daniel or Chloe. My money is on Daniel.

Fans should really read this interview with Tim Gunn. [Part 1 and 2] I still love him, but I didn't expect him to be talking shit about the contestants! And who hordes muslin? It's MUSLIN. Chiffon, that makes some sense. Muslin does not.

2. New Scandinavian Cooking
This is one of the shows I sometimes watch during my Saturday morning cooking show marathon on Public Television. It fascinates me to no end because this really cute Norweigan guy goes to a middle of a fjord or something, sets up a kitchen (who cares how? It's Norway! It's magical!), cooks a nice meal, and then invites some of his very attractive Norweigan friends to come eat with him. It's the best looking cooking show there is. Anyway, on the show I just watched, he puts on his scuba gear, dives into the sea, and catches a king crab with his bare hands. (Okay, fine, he had gloves.) I don't even like seafood but it was strangely hot...until he smashed the poor thing on the side of the boat and ripped all its legs off. Yeck.

silicone! it's not just for fake breasts!

So, when I was moving into my apartment and scrambling to get everything I would ever need in my kitchen (which was pretty much everything, since all I had was a bread knife), my mom offered to give me a few things she didn't need from a silicone bakeware set she got. It was probably something like this. And even though I'm not into fancy pants baking technology, I wasn't about to say no to a loaf pan when I had none to call my own.

I finally broke in the sucker tonight. If you don't know, it's this kind of plasticy material that will not melt (!), and you can squish it all about. [Me trying to describe it to my sister when I couldn't remember it was silicone: "Uhhh, it's this stuff you can bake things in, and it's like, you know, floppy?" Her: "Yeah, I have no idea what you're talking about."] I filled it in with banana bread dough, and look at what happened to it!

The amazing pan couldn't take the weight of my awesome banana bread. Lumpy bread, sheesh. But when I took it out of the floppy pan, it did come out beautifully (although still lumpy) with little effort on my part.

[Yes, tinfoil can be a cooling rack. Another thing I haven't gotten yet.]

For those of you keeping score at home:
-1 for lumpy loaf
+1 for ease of removal
+ a gazillion because my banana bread is awesome even if it looks like a football
+1 for chocolate chips
+ 1 for walnuts
____________
total = a gazillion plus 2. Not bad!

Now some hot steamy action* for you:

*Man, I'm going to get the best search referrals from this post. Fake breasts and hot steamy action, ohhh yeah.
p.s. anonymous comments are back, baby!