Short update
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Desire
14 Maart 2013 | Guatemala, Antigua
Hola!
A new short message to tell you what I have been up to. I am still doing fine and enjoying myself. I am not traveling a lot, but that is because I receive a lot of satisfaction from being with the kids in school, and helping with church projects. So here some short updates.
The kids in my class are really becoming ‘my kids’. I help out in class, and play with them (jongens pakken de meisjes en anders om) in the breaks. What is surprising though, is that I am almost one of the only volunteers who actually plays with the kids! (For exercise) I also participated in the kids’ gym class – long jumping, far throwing and (hand)baseball. Beside helping and playing I do a lot of art craft. I am very much enjoying myself with this! After 6 years of studying, this is perfect! I don’t have to think. I can just do. Very relaxing. I added some pictures of one of my art works.
I also participated in another church project. This time, the group of Americans were physiotherapists. We went to a town nearby to treat (not me) people, and also provide them with new shoes. When we arrived, there was a line of people waiting for us. My task that day was to translate from English to Spanish and vice versa. At first that was quite difficult, but after the first patient, it went a lot better! I was happy I brought my dictionary with me though. The people in this town were very very poor. They usually do not go to a physician because that is expensive, and they do not have shoes, or shoes that a good. But they are hard workers! One lady told me her arm hurt, this was because she picked fruits from bushes/trees which were at head height. She told me that she does this 8 hours a day, without actual breaks! No wonder that her arm hurt! After that she would make tortillas, which you clap with your hand, and also clean the house and do laundry (by hand). Most of the stores were the same. So I was happy I could be there to listen and translate – to help out.
I am still swimming. However last time the water was really cold. Cold to the point my toes and fingers were white and actually hurting! So now I only swim when it is actually warm outside for more than a couple of hours haha! It is colder though in the mornings and evenings. Might be time to buy an extra sweater.
So that’s it for now! Talk again soon(ish)
Adios!
A new short message to tell you what I have been up to. I am still doing fine and enjoying myself. I am not traveling a lot, but that is because I receive a lot of satisfaction from being with the kids in school, and helping with church projects. So here some short updates.
The kids in my class are really becoming ‘my kids’. I help out in class, and play with them (jongens pakken de meisjes en anders om) in the breaks. What is surprising though, is that I am almost one of the only volunteers who actually plays with the kids! (For exercise) I also participated in the kids’ gym class – long jumping, far throwing and (hand)baseball. Beside helping and playing I do a lot of art craft. I am very much enjoying myself with this! After 6 years of studying, this is perfect! I don’t have to think. I can just do. Very relaxing. I added some pictures of one of my art works.
I also participated in another church project. This time, the group of Americans were physiotherapists. We went to a town nearby to treat (not me) people, and also provide them with new shoes. When we arrived, there was a line of people waiting for us. My task that day was to translate from English to Spanish and vice versa. At first that was quite difficult, but after the first patient, it went a lot better! I was happy I brought my dictionary with me though. The people in this town were very very poor. They usually do not go to a physician because that is expensive, and they do not have shoes, or shoes that a good. But they are hard workers! One lady told me her arm hurt, this was because she picked fruits from bushes/trees which were at head height. She told me that she does this 8 hours a day, without actual breaks! No wonder that her arm hurt! After that she would make tortillas, which you clap with your hand, and also clean the house and do laundry (by hand). Most of the stores were the same. So I was happy I could be there to listen and translate – to help out.
I am still swimming. However last time the water was really cold. Cold to the point my toes and fingers were white and actually hurting! So now I only swim when it is actually warm outside for more than a couple of hours haha! It is colder though in the mornings and evenings. Might be time to buy an extra sweater.
So that’s it for now! Talk again soon(ish)
Adios!
-
14 Maart 2013 - 22:45
Marian:
Lieve Desire, wat leuk weer iets van je te lezen en te zien.
Jij hebt het echt naar je zin, he? Op de foto's zie je er zo ontspannen en blij uit. Wat geweldig.
Je zult ook wel een aardig woordje Spaans spreken, als je kunt tolken bij al die medische verhalen.
Ik ben trots op jou.
Maar wat gaat de tijd snel. Van jouw vader hoorde ik (ik zie hem nu elke week, omdat hij bij mij logeert) dat je over een paar weken alweer thuis komt.
Op dit moment, 14 maart, is het heel koud, en sneeuwt het!!!!! Maart roert zijn staart, geloof ik.
Je mag blij zijn dat je lekker in het zonnetje kan lopen. Wij hebben hier één mooie dag gehad, en daar moeten we het maar mee doen voorlopig.
Heb je iets van de pausverkiezing gemerkt bij jullie. Hier werd en wordt er veel aandacht aan geschonken.
Het is dan wel een Argentijn, maar ook een Zuid-Amerikaan!!
De foto's zijn ook leuk en het valt me op dat kinderen over de hele wereld hetzelfde lijken te zijn als ze een V-teken maken achter iemands hoofd. Grappig.
Ik stop er nu mee en geniet er nog van zolang je daar nog bent.
Dikke kus, Marian -
15 Maart 2013 - 10:19
David:
Hola Desire,
Sigo tu estancia en Guatemala con mucho interes. Veo que estás conciendo mucha gente y culturas muy diferentes.
Sigue así siempre tan positiva.
Seguro que tu Español va mejorando mucho con acento guatemalteco.
Aqui la vida sige igual cambie de trabajo. Neus y los niños están muy bien.
A ver cuando te pasas por aqui denuevo. Te prometo una vuelta en moto.
audoe !!
David -
16 Maart 2013 - 17:29
Desire Van Der Heemst:
Aan Marian: Ik heb het inderdaad zeker naar mijn zin! Mijn Spaans is ook zeker beter dan voor ik ging. Ik ben nog ver van vloeiend, maar het gaat wel steeds beter gelukkig. Wat betreft de tijd gaat het inderdaad snel ja. Het is nog maar een kleine 4 weken! Aan de ene kant is het ook wel tijd om naar huis te komen,maar aan de andere kant ga ik de kinderen en mijn werk hier heel erg missen. Wat betreft het weer is het hier ook wat frisser, maar niet zo als bij jullie (gelukkig!). Ik heb gehoord van de Paus idd! Dikke knuffel!
Para David: Hola David! Que agradable recibir un mensaje de ti! Estoy muy feliz en Guatemala. Mi Esponal tambien esta mejorando (por suerte jaja). No tengo un acento Guatemalteco. Aqui se dice que tengo un acento de Francia y tambien de Espana jiji. Estoy feliz de oir que todo esta bien con tu y tu familia estan bien. Donde trabajas ahora? Espero es posible para mi visitar Espana denuevo tambien!! Hadoe!!! :D
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