Welcome to the Jungle...

Well, the first leg of our journey is officially over and a new one has begun. On Friday, Steve finished his classes in Antigua, and Saturday, we moved to Panajachel. Our last week in Antigua flew by and I can’t believe our trip is almost half way over. We are settling in to our new place, and again adjusting to our new surroundings.

Living in Panajachel is quite the change from living in Antigua. For one thing, we went from living in the middle of the city minutes from everything, to being in a secluded little place in the middle of the jungle. Don’t worry, we’re not far from civilization, but if you look out the windows, you would think so. Another change is going from living in a hotel room, to living in a little apartment. We have a bedroom, bathroom (with really hot water-another change), living room, kitchen, and balcony.

We are very excited to one, not share a room with Aliyah, and two, have a kitchen, but these things have presented their own challenges. We figured out that Aliyah sleeps much better if she has her own enclosed room, so although it may seem strange, we gave her the bedroom. We sleep upstairs on our futon couches, which I actually think are more comfortable than the beds, so it works out well. I’m excited to cook again, but our kitchen lacks an oven, which was a bit of a surprise for me, but we’re working around that. The other challenge is that we’re starting from scratch. We don’t have all the normal little stuff you’re just used to having in your kitchen, like spices, baking soda/powder, measuring cups and spoons, whisks, mixers, or blender. And then there’s the difference in food. Things are definitely different here, but it’s kind of fun, or at least interesting, to try and come up with something tasty for dinner.

Aliyah is sleeping better now that she has her own room, and we are glad that there are more places to let her run around. And it’s not all rocks, there’s grass too! There is also a pool and a little playground, so hopefully we will be able to keep Aliyah entertained. One down-side, there are not a ton of people that want to hold her, talk to her, and play with her. She is having a bit of people withdrawal, and she really misses playing with other kids. Other than that, she is a happy kid. I don’t feel like she’s much of a baby any more, she’s getting so big! And she’s only walking; she’s very independent and would quickly wander off if we didn’t watch her. And she claps and waves at appropriate times. She’s also eating normal food and loves it. She eats a ton! One of her top teeth has come in, and the other looks like it should pop through anytime.

Steve is working with a lawyer in Solola. It’s only been a couple days, but the guy is super nice and he seems to be enjoying it so far. And I’m just chillin’. Trying to keep Aliyah entertained and learning to cook with very basic ingredients. The weather is wonderful, and the surroundings are amazingly beautiful, and I hope to come back with a nice tan :)

Our new place

Playing on the balcony with Daddy

The view

We live down by the tall tower.

Pics added to previous post...

Hola from Antigua!

So we've been here in Antigua, Guatemala for two weeks now, and it's taken a little while to adjust, but life is good. Antigua is a beautiful old town and we've become familiar with our surroundings and are enjoying the sights. Steve has law classes 4 hours a day and I meet two hours a day with a Spanish tutor. Aliyah is walking all over the place! Unfortunately, learning to walk in a world where there is no carpet and there's a lot of cobblestone is not the easiest thing to do, and she's got the bumps and bruises to show for it. But she's learning quickly, and loving all the attention she gets for pretty much everyone, other students, hotel staff, people on the street, everyone. I guess there's no denying she's a pretty cute baby!
This past weekend, we also had the opportunity to visit Panajachel on Lake Atitlan. It was beautiful! While there, we met up with one of Steve's mission companions and spent the evening with him, his wife and baby, and his wife's extended family. It was interesting to see the way they lived and a good opportunity for me to practice my Spanish. Unfortunately, we were only there for a day and a night, and for a good amount of that time, I was pretty sick, so we didn't get to see much of the town. Fortunately, a week from now, we will be moving to Panajachel, so we will get to see as much of it as we want!
And now, some things I like about Antigua, and a few things I don't.

Things I Like:
It's very pretty in an ancient sort of way.
Everything is within walking distance.
I don't have to cook. (We live in a hotel.)
The other students are super nice and I don't feel like I'm an outsider even though I'm not a student.
I'm learning Spanish.
The food is delicious.
Our hotel is nice.
The weather is wonderful. (Upper 70s to low 80s, mid 60s at night)

Things I don't like:
The city is old, so although our hotel is nice, it's an old convent built in the 1600's and lacks a few amenities. But really, it's not bad, it's very pretty, just old.
Sharing a room with Aliyah. This has probably been the most difficult thing. It's taken some adjusting and some creativity, but I think we've about got her back to her normal sleep schedule.
I'm not good at Spanish.
We have to find a place to eat twice a day.
The food does not always agree with our stomachs.

So far, things have been great and we are enjoying this adventure. We're learning a lot both in and out of the classroom and are blessed to have this amazing opportunity.