An amazing week!

Monday morning, almost fully recovered but still relying on rice and bananas, we set off for Spanish class just steps from our hostel. Annie sat down with Ana and I with Lety. For eight hours on Monday and Tuesday and four on Wednesday, we practiced vocabulary, conjugated verbs, and conversed with our maestras. Annie and I played each other in a couple rounds of Spanish Scrabble, and quizzed each other at night. During our last class (Wednesday morning), Lety and I talked for a long time about everything. I struggled to remember the right words, but I learned so much in that hour long conversation. We talked about tourism and adoption in Guatemala, and shared stories about our families. I actually began to feel comfortable speaking Spanish. Now that our lessons are through, it is time to practice in the real world.

Monday and Tuesday night we prepared dinner in our hostel's tiny kitchen, where we shared the stove's burners with several other guests. Liv and Livy from England, Tate and Kathleen from Brooklyn and Aniq and Menau (an architect!), a Dutch couple enjoying their four week holidays, mandated by law in Holland. (Hello???) Menau said he lives opposite the office of Rem Koolhaas and that their vacation schedule is quite different (more like -4 weeks).

Wednesday afternoon we waited at Hotel Carmen for Aunt Judy and her friend Lisa to arrive for the beginning of three days of festivities celebrating the noble work of From Houses to Homes, a charity that builds houses for the Mayan poor around Antigua. The organization was started by my uncle, Joe Collins. They have built 260 homes to date. (http://fromhousestohomes.org) After a quick lunch at Pollo Campero (the KFC of Antigua), we headed up Volcan Agua to the town of Santa Maria de Jesus to witness the closing ceremony of a newly built house. It is a moving and joyous occasion in which the volunteers who have helped to build the house hand over the keys to the family. Judy brought a SpongeRoberto Squarepants pinata for the kids.

Along with Judy and Lisa, the Moran family of Harding, NJ came down to witness the opening of a school that was funded by them in memory of their husband/father Bryan Moran. We all dined together that night at Hotel Antigua, posh accommodations replete with lush gardens, a huge in-ground pool, and pet macaws decorating the trees.

On Thursday morning everyone piled into a bus to head to the capital to the National Palace for a ceremony honoring Joe's work. He received the Ambassador of Peace Award. The ceremony included Joe changing the white rose of peace, signifying another day of peace in Guatemala (the civil war ended only 13 years ago). Several speeches were made, including Joe's, urging everyone to do more to fulfill the human rights of the poor. The children performed a traditional Mayan dance, the crowd favorite a little boy with a paper maiche bull's head and maracas. He was very into it; their teacher had to retrieve him from the stage several minutes after everyone else had finished dancing.

After the ceremony, we accompanied Judy to the US Embassy to get an emergency passport. The crazy Vermonter next to her on the flight in had stolen it right before they landed. Everything went smoothly here for the most part; it took us about three hours total. Entertainment for a good portion of this time was an American woman who had driven from Las Vegas to Honduras with an expired passport. She was demanding a new passport pronto, as well as for the embassy to reimburse all the fees she had incurred while bribing border guards through three Central American countries. We watched her conversations with the infinitely patient embassy ladies, hoping that the metal detectors at the entrance were in good working condition.

Friday was another awesome day: the opening of a new primary school in Pastores, a town about 20 minutes outside of Antigua. It is truly a beautiful school by any standard; photographs do not fully express its dynamism and charisma. It is the first school built by FHTH, in association with the organization Cambiando Vidas (http://www.asociacioncambiandovidas.org/). The ceremony included the notably lengthy Guatemalan National Anthem, many speeches, loads of Gracias, and another performance by the little toro. Touring the school was the best part; it was designed pro bono by a talented young Guatemalan architect, still completing his studies. It is all concrete block, like most buildings, painted bright orange with a sloped tin roof. Afterward, more tasty grub at Hotel Antigua, a visit to Santa Maria to see the families that Judy and others built for in August, then Reilly's-- an Irish pub that made us forget we were in Guatemala, except for the fact that we were with about 12 Guatemalans (the staff of FHTH). Father Paddy honored us with an a capella version of Danny Boy. One more stop before turning in for the night: Cafe Condessa for a small bite to eat and some delicious chocolate cake. Finally got that cheesecake with Aunt Judy.

Saturday morning Judy and gang departed, and we spent the day exploring Antigua a bit. Tomorrow we will explore a bit more, then Monday we begin our house!!