Dec 2006

Once again time to borrow Chad’s laptop to catch up on what has been happening here. .
I did join the guys in the end for the climb of Acotenango 3976m! I wasn’t really sure what I had gotten myself into but by the end of the day I knew. We got up around 4.15am and the shuttle was there about an hour later. We got dropped off in a town and started walking around 6.15am I was prepared for cold but it wasn’t as cold as we had expected. I didn’t start taking layers off right away but the higher we got I took of some layers but decided to keep some on although others were running around in T-Shirts. I was so sweaty that I didn’t want to risk getting all cold. In the beginning it was very steep through fields and going up. Once we hit the tree line it was more like a curvy path leading up. I was okay at that point still and was also able to carry the backpack. Once we hit the first peak I was beat. My head started pounding and I was falling behind more and more. Elmer stuck with me and the last part up to the top was really tough. I have never been that high up before in my life and had no idea what to expect. The first time that I had the experience that I had hit my limit when climbing up. Pictures that he took prove it. I mean I was out of breath, head aching and trying to draw a breath … heart racing … I look really pale in the pictures but I have never been a quitter and this volcano wasn’t going to make me. We made it to the top 30 minutes behind the rest and we had a break to eat and drink. While we were up there we had a perfect view of Fuego and it had twice eruptions. Smoke and ash was being blown very high in the air and we could see the lava flowing down on the sides. It was a great spectacular but when you think about the fact that some of the towns further down are still lived in and not evacuated … I don’t know if I could get used to the idea that any day it could blow and you might not make it … Going up took us about 6,5 hours and down 3 hours with breaks of course. By the time we were down my head felt as if it would explode. I was expecting knee trouble as usual when I overdo it on exercise but none this time. We took a shower and felt clean again afterwards. My muscles though the next day hurt like hell and walking up and down stairs were hell. The one surprise I was in for though was that only my upper leg muscles hurt really bad! I was looking forward to a lovely Sunday of chilling and all … instead I got a phone call from Jose asking me if I could help him out since he had fired a waitress. Big surprise there since it was more a matter of time. The girl was already stealing money from Funky and running up a tab so I was actually surprised he hired her at all. Guess he isn’t so tuned in to the gossip line here. The problem is that it is a very small town and once you have a bad reputation it takes very long and very much hard work until it changes. Doors for work will slam in your face although they will always be very polite about it.
Today 12-12-2006 means only 12 more days and than it is Christmas and the room isn’t even decorated yet. Our place looks rather messy and although there is time to do stuff during the day it just seems we don’t find the time or energy to do that. I am having a day off. I must have caught another little bug except this time I spent the night in the bathroom and last night wasn’t the best one either. I just can’t figure out how since Elmer and me had the same food and he is fine. Although the last time he caught something, I was fine. I guess that evens it out o,)) I feel a bit out of it and don’t have the energy for gym yet but hopefully Thursday I will have the energy again. I miss my work out. The last time I went Manolo showed me some nice arm workouts and the next day my arms and shoulders were killing me. I guess I am a little whimp o,))) although I am proud of the figure that I am starting to have again.
Since I started working again I hardly go out at night. I might go for literally one beer and than I just want my bed and on other days I just can’t be asked for any of that. Elmer was looking for ages for a new job and it was usually we would call you when there is an opening blabla. I told him not to worry and rather use the time to see his son and family and study. I know that time is flying and before he knows it we will be packing our bags and leaving. His Mum is having a hard time with knowing that he will be gone soon. Her nerves have already been acting up and the other day she was crying. His Dad is sad about him leaving as well but hides it better. I don’t know how much his son has understood of it and has really absorbed yet but it is starting to hit Elmer as well now. There are nights when I am beat and asleep and he is still lying awake since there are still too many thoughts in his head going around. He isn’t ready yet to talk about how it will look like in reality and how he will feel but he knows that it won’t be easy. When I went to the States for a year it was more like an adventure and of course I missed my family especially around Christmas time but I knew exactly when I would see them again. Elmer can’t look forward to that yet since it will depend on so many factors. He is taking in a way a far bigger step than I ever did but I am sure that we can make it together. I mean right now again being the Christmas period I miss my family, the cookies etc. everything that makes me think of a Christmas at home. I know though that I will have that next year and this year I get to celebrate it with my colleagues at work 24.12. and at night after work with Elmer and the next day with his family. It is supposed to be great fun and the whole town is up and about and eating tamales … I am looking forward to seeing how that will be. The only thing that I won’t be able to participate in will be to go to church since the last service is around 10pm and I will still be at work.
We enjoy though our “Adventskalandar” filled with chocolates and he has the even numbers and I have got the uneven numbers. Nidia, my boss, gave me a straw angel, who now sits on top of my little tree o,))) She also invited me the other day to a party at her place around Christmas. They are all so nice to me here and I already know that for me it will also be hard to leave.
On the personal front the wedding certificate finally got legalized and the next step was to get it translated and that one legalized than. We than requested the visa for him and if we are lucky than we might have one before the end of year and if we are unlucky than hopefully first week in the new year. To us the embassy is wonderful and very helpful although I have heard other stories as well.
I started my new job like almost 2 weeks ago as a hostess in Restaurant Welten www.weltenrestaurant.com and I enjoy it a lot. There was also a wedding held there for about 80 guests. It was for me not extremely busy but the bartender was snowed under so I helped him out and was busy enough. Elmer was working that night as well. It was fun to work together and to see how we each did our jobs. For me it was very interesting to see how people dress here for such an occasion. Women came in long gowns as well as cocktail dresses; men were dressed from suit to jeans … the few kids that were there all dressed up. They were kind of annoying since they were running around and the waiters really had to watch it where they were going.
The waiters Don Carlos, Ramiro, Nerry and Erik are nice and we have lots of laughs together. I don’t have all that much to do with the kitchen but they are always nice to me as well. Don Carlos is the oldest and is wonderful. The others call him sometimes “abuelo” but it fits since he has adopted me from the start. I guess I have managed to gain their approval quickly since they tell me what is really going on. Nerry e.g. is the handyman for pretty much everything since although not the youngest one he is small and fit and gets to climb on the ladders (which are rather scary to climb up since they are everything but stable) and decorate for Christmas the garden e.g. Erik is nice enough and a bit the on heavy side and a bit lazy. Ramiro is always good for a laugh and a massage or a hug. The first time he gave me one he lost his watch and we all burst out laughing what a cheap watch he has. Ramiro and Don Carlos have already told me that they love me and that they will miss me. I was like but guys I am not leaving yet and anyway I will than only have worked with you for a shirt time period. So they told me that the turn over of hostesses has been quite high lately but that doesn’t mean that they really like the person and they just have to work with them. Point taken! Ramiro and me left the other day together work and got an ice cream on the way home. Don Carlos is always checking if I am okay at night walking the last two blocks by myself but there are always enough people around and the police are also around. Okay, maybe the security they give is an illusion but hey … The last time when I was in the embassy and read the note about lots of crime in Antigua and around I was like that is so odd I mean I feel safer here than at home when I walk the streets at night. I shouldn’t leave Sergio out, our bartender. He is my close by companion since the reception is right across from the bar. I help him out if he has got too much going on at once. I guess the other hostesses didn’t do that and I help putting things on the trays for the guys or clear their trays quickly so that they can go and wait on the guests. We have by now a routine and they appreciate the help. Roberto who is responsible for marketing but also works as host some nights does crap all and only talks to Nidia as if the others are beneath him so that doesn’t exactly get him any brownie points. I admire Nidia since she has started out in the kitchen and worked herself up to manager without any so-called education. She is great with details and other things that guests will appreciate and no college education will ever teach you it is only experience. Roberto is German but has a Peruan passport and in most ways he is typically German. He is nice to the guests but it always comes out as trying hard. The other night he was like that was a short round for you. We had two groups and they were all talking animatedly and I just asked if everything was fine and wished them to enjoy your meal. I was like sorry but they were happy and hungry so I will check up on them when they have finished the meal. I know when they are basically saying thanks for asking but you can leave now. Other guests want to chat especially Americans like that but Germans as well sometimes. The Spanish speakers depend on the combination. I had two ladies from Colombia and we started chatting and in the end they wanted a picture from all three of us taken. I chatted with a big family where the brother and sister were running around the pool until the little girl feel in … She didn’t hurt herself was just soaking wet. She ended up in her Daddy’s parka and enjoyed the attention she got. She was cute and the brother rather subdued afterwards. The reaction though was so different than what I have observed. I mean they dote here on the kid and no screaming and harsh words. Everyone is just occupied with making sure kid is okay, warm and taken care of. There is always something or other going on and I love it. When lunch hour is slow than they will be in front with me and keep me company. We chat about everything and nothing and just joke around. At the beginning it was weird for me that they would wait on me since they don’t get a free meal. By now I can’t say that I am used to it but I have grown more costumed to it. Ramiro usually if it is his turn will tell me your queen dinner has been served at the usual table. He gets a smile and a court courtesy and we both just laugh. Whoever passes wishes me a nice meal and asks if I am happy with my meal. For that short time I am like a customer. Maybe it also helped that I went with them on the excursion. I guess that I can count myself lucky. I had just worked for Nidia like 5 days and they had the Christmas outing. It was all the staff with families. We went by bus to an amusement park near Guate and spend the day there. Usually people who work for 3 years for a company have the right to obtain a certain card that will give them access to certain parks and than they can come and go as often as they like for five years and than they get renewed. Of course, I didn’t have a card and on the card you can take 4 or 5 people with you. Angelica also didn’t have one she became the daughter of one the cooks. I ended up being the wife of Ramiro for that day (why that? because he is about my height and all the others are rather small and wrong age). It sure was funny since he also had his kids with him. We were the first one’s in line … He showed the card and than more or less pushed me through with the kids and went love take care of them and I will be right there. His card has expired and the guy from park was doing paper work for him but therefore didn’t ask for my identification or anything. Lucky me! Angelica and I spend the day together hanging out. We found a picknick spot and all had breakfast (hot tortillas, sodas or water, crème and beans). Yummy! After that we walked around first in a group and going on rides and having fun and later on split up in smaller groups. For lunch we all meet up again. The cooks had made meat and salad, tortillas and also dessert. Ramiro and his kids ended up behind us at the table. He was like love you deserted me. Angelica was like of course any woman would if she would be married to you for a day and have 4 kids. We were all laughing and kidding around some more. Afterwards since we had seen pretty much everything we all waited a bit and than we went off to the pool. Angelica didn’t have a bathing suit or bikini with her so only I could enter but she got my camera and took pictures. Ramiro and kids and Erik where in the big pool while the one’s with the little kids where in the smaller one. I showed them how to swim and than they were eager for me to show them how. The water was cold but as long as you moved around it was fine and than drying of in the sun was the best. We were the last one’s out and than we all took the bus back to Antigua. The only bummer was that some of us had to work at night and we had like 1,5 hours time to get ready for work but were actually rather tired from the day. Oh well, it was a fun day out! Angelica worked me in and we got along very well from the start. I hope to see her again one day. She left to study in Pana and live with her family again since although she loves Antigua she misses the lake and the fish etc.
We already celebrated our 1-month-wedding anniversary and due to our work hours a romantic dinner was out of the question as well as a nice and long tea break since he had to work overtime. It was nothing more than buying a piece of cake and splitting it o,))) It also being “Nikolaus” he got a nice big chocolate one and he is still enjoying it!
On my day off I met up with Anne for coffee. She is an ex-colleague from Flor. It was nice to sit and chat and of course we got chatted up in the café – at least the guys got the hint not interested! Before I leave we will meet again that is for sure! She gave me a good tip about what to do about my stomach. I should eat a spoonful of Papaya seeds and any diarrhea will be gone shortly afterwards and it kills all the little suckers in the stomach. The seeds taste horrible but now I just have to wait and see if they will do the trick!
Today if things go according to plan Sonja will come to Antigua the last time and give me her adapter since I was stupid enough to leave mine at home. Possibly I get to meet her boy friend as well. Elmer won’t be joining us since he has to work and his schedule is still kind of weird. So also no salsa classes at the moment since schedules overlap too much. I hope that once the restaurant is open than he will have a more normal schedule and we can do stuff again.
Elmer told me the good news last night. Marcela has got her visa and has to be out of the country before the 24.01. and she is overjoyed. They felt the whole time that their life was put on hold and now they can plan and move forwards. Chad must be so relieved since he can hardly wait to work again and study again. Marcela is just happy that she will leave soon since they were both getting more and more worried that they would have to separate again due to finances. I have to drop by before work since I want to congratulate her on that.