On the move (almost) and some pics

Today was the last day of my Spanish course, so to anyone who is thinking of travelling through Central America - go to San Pedro la Laguna, learn spanish at Emmanuel Spanish School and with the Ramirez-Gonzalez family (Francisca y Felix). The course was great, and the family was even better - some of the nicest people I have ever met. Generosity really carries so much more value when it makes up a large portion of what someone has to offer. I would like to say something about how we are far less generous in the west than the people scraping a living in much of Latin America. But the truth is that this has been one of the few occasions that we have been shown true generosity and nothing has been asked from us in return. Tonight after she cooks us dinner, the mum (Señora Francisca) is taking us shopping to get the best deal on some traditional Guatemalan material that all the women wear as skirts, and some men as shirts and trousers. Afterwards, we're all going to sit down and watch their TV to see the guy who apparently looks like Lucas. Last night we sat around and played songs on our guitars for them and they sang Guatemalan songs for us. But we are off early tomorrow morning, via Guatemala city, to the Copan ruins on the border of Guatemala and Honduras.

Once again I will have to bore any readers with my ramblings on the contents of my head as the finishing line for the Latin America journey draws ever closer. One side of me is filled with excitment about seeing my wonderful cousins and grandmother again, yet the other is dwelling upon the other apsects of my life that will need to change in order to establish a semblance of a life in Inglaterra. I suppose I have some reservations or even fear about re-entering the world of social ettiquette, obligation, responsibility and related elements of 'normal' life. We have had no responsibility or obligation to anyone or anything (except each other to some extent) for the past 6 months, and am a little hesistant to be going back to a life of complicated relationships and histories. I am so used to paying for everything, ie. nothing is free, that the idea of asking someone for a favour feels like I will suddenly be deeply indebted to them, almost a relinquishment of some independence. I also think that this feeling has been compounded by our two weeks in this little pueblo. The life here is so simple and the relationships seem simple too, people have very little to gain or lose from cut throat entreprenuership or getting drunk at 9am on a Tuesday, and as a result they are so incredibly lovely to one another, not once on this trip have I felt as safe, comfortable and accepted as this town. I suppose the only times I have felt twangs of horror have been the nights we wandered past the rabid murmurings of a church full of evangelical christians talking in tongues - conjuring up images from 'Zombies' or 'The Excorcist' - it really freaked me out, people en masse losing control of their actions, regardless of whether it is supposed to be into the hands of a benevolent God (didn't he order some crusades or something??) is something that makes my skin crawl. But I digress. That was a couple of moments of discomfort during two weeks of otherwise relaxed bliss.

However, to avoid past errors of not explaining myself enough, this is only part of my head thinking, the other half - which I think still belongs to Canberra and before - is screaming 'gym', 'MILK', 'money INTO the bank account' and other such homely and workly pleasures (I must find a way to encourage money into the bank account in the absence of work).

So on our last night in San Pedro, I say 'thanks u lus (Mayan dialect for San Pedro) and everyone here who has made the place so great'. See you in a couple of years.