Fuentes Georginas

I went to work as usual again on this Tuesday. This week is already starting to fly by. Paula was back at work today and I figured out that she rotates which days she works. This week she is working Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Then the next week is Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. She was glad to see me and I enjoy get the traditional hug and kiss when you greet someone and when you leave. She is the only worker that does it, but it definitely makes me feel welcome in the home. She was extremely appreciative of my dish washing and told me so many times today. I also peeled, cut, and shred carrots and chopped what smelled like parsley. I was able to ask Paula how many kids are in the home, and there are 80 total. I didn't ask how many workers, but from what I can tell there may be 15 or 20 but they come in shifts on different days. I definitely don't have enough arms to go around though. It is difficult to balance holding and playing with each one of the kids because they all crave the attention. Jenny was back today and wanted to be held a lot and got really mad when I was playing with one of the other kids. I still haven't gotten the name of this one little boy who gives me a hug every time that I come to work, but today he asked if I had a boyfriend. I think he wanted to be my boyfriend. He gave me a really long hug while I washed some dishes today. Belkis seemed a little better today. I asked her if she was sick yesterday and she said no. I asked her if she was sad yesterday and she said yes. I hugged her for awhile today as well. It's funny how her and Helen make their way into the kitchen when I'm working to get a hug and a handshake and a smile. :) I was talking with one of the other volunteers today and we agreed that smiles go a LONG way! Paula is constantly laughing and smiling in the kitchen, and it really is a joy to work with her, and I know she appreciates the extra hands.

After work we had lunch and our trip out for the day was to the Hot Springs, or Fuentes Georginas. They were deinitely different than the ones in LA. It was a lot more commercial and touristy with the bottoms of the three different pools made with sqaure rocks and a cabana shelter built next to the top two springs. At one time there was a restaurant next to them as well and so workers were rebuilding the walls of the destroyed restaurant. The temperature was much hotter than the LA hot springs and the water was a lot clearer. I'd have to say that I enjoyed the LA hot springs a little better because of the more natural appeal and the awesome river running next to the springs where you could cool off. Although there were people at the hot springs in LA, it seemed more crowded here in Guatemala. One of the neat things about the hot springs in Guatemala is the surrounding landscape which jungle like. The green surrounding the srpings is amazing, and the drive was beautiful!

I think that tonight is movie night around here. It rained really really hard today with a lot of thunder and lightening extremely close to our house. Our internet was down for a little, but it's back up again! It's a perfect night for a movie though after our relaxing time at the hot springs, and a chilly and rainy day here in Xela.

Guillaume is doing better today, still not great, but better. His platellette count was down really low and they were worried, but he was on some antibiotics and slept a lot and seems to be gaining strength. The doctors thought it was something that he ate that was a really strong bacteria which caused an infection which led to his fever as well. I'm so thankful that I did not get any of those symptoms, and that I am still healthy! We're still trying to figure out what he ate that was different from the rest of us. I have some more picture that other people took of our trip to Atitlan and some from the hot springs!

This is the whole group with Nayo (our driver), Don Renee (our gaurd), and Andres (the director's nephew). This was at the Xela soccer game that we went to last week, but four of the people in the picture left his past weekend.

This is the view from the porch at our hostel, La Iguana Perdida. It was an amazing view!

Me in los fuentes georginas! The water got increasingly hotter the closer you got to the rocks.

Hannah and I in the hot springs. I have really enjoyed my time getting to know Hannah. She's in Xela a total of 8 weeks. She's hiking Santa Maria with me this weekend! :)