Sugar and Salt

During the war, many who were either living in the mountains to escape being killed or in refugee camps did not have access to sugar or salt. Their food was very bland. When you hear the accounts of people who lived through this time invariably you will hear about the lack of sugar and salt. Move ahead to today… the majority of the food that I have eaten is either very salty or very sweet. I don´t enjoy the high concentrations per se but knowing the reason behind does make a difference. Reminds me of Matthew 6:1.

Here in Xela, I have to take the sugar with the salt as well. I arrived here on Monday, the 30 of August and was alone for the first time in a month! A friend of the Castillo family drove me here from the capital and we were able to converse for a good portion of the almost 4 hour drive. It is amazing to experience first hand the selfless hospitality of so many. I arrived an hour late to the introduction… but I would not have wanted to leave Guatemala City any earlier than 5:30 am so oh well… We finished orientation and I meet my teacher for the week. We talked a bit and then I am given my Spanish test… which I did okay on considering I have only had a few hours of instruction ever in Spanish. Then she wants me to write some words down… well I have not learned the alphabet or how to read yet so that was a bit hard and very frustrating. Bottom line by the time I got to my host family I was holding back the tears… tough day!

Major lesson… I cannot possibly be fluent yet in Spanish so I have to quit expecting that I can get it right the first time. Realistic expectations of myself… muy importante.