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Masenhh, 21 November 2005
Guatemala , Guatemala City

holiday...

How many different kinds of mold will fit in four square meters? We know the answer! After the rainy season, with weeks of non-stop raining, we decidedç that something had to be done to our totally molded
kitchen roof. The Upavima’s rented guys from the street to change the wavy metal roofparts. After 2 ½ days they thought they were ready with their work, so they called it a day after receiving a (for Guatemalans) huge cheque. At this moment, indeed, we dont have any mold. In stead we have a windy roof with so many cracks, that i am glad i’m not going to be here for the next rainy season. The female inhabitantrs of the roof could have done a better job!
As counts for almost everything here: nails that break after touching them twice with a hammer, paint that dries while you move your brush from pot to bench. Pencils that break after writing two divisions, kwality as you will not find anywhere else!

The holiday- programm started well. Like a bunch of hungry lions, the kids jump on you and almost attack as soon as the door closes when the soom’s full. We cook, we make art, we even have dancing lessons. Just
try to immagine, a bunch of dutch and belgian people trying to teach latino kids to dance. Not that we’re being made fun of, but the kids and the ayudantes smile a lot during these classes. And of course the
kids have normal classes. You kind of have to, seeing that 5th and 6th graders can’t do divisions, or don’t know their alfabet.

Oh, well, with a smile we prepare and in four weeks we have our holiday to enjoy.

Until yhe next update, adios.