Monday, April 27, 2009

Looking for a Place to Call Home!







Over the weekend, we spent some down time trying to catch our breath from the week before. The heat seems to get a little more intense everyday as we work our way toward the rainy season. Every day a few more clouds gather and the humidity seems to grow a little heavier. On the upside, true to the works of our friends the Maracles in Dundas, we seem to be adjusting slowly to the higher heat. We are sweating less profusely and now the cold shower & pool seems freezing instead of refreshing. Each day we seem to adjust a little more to this vibrant foreign country. Our Spanish is growing too although to be honest, it´s not so much what we know for words, it´s being able to understand the local when they talk. It´s SO fast and hard to distinguish the individual works. We need to get the mental picture of the sound structure so that we can follow it.

We have found a delightful apartment around the corner from where we are that we think may suit our needs perfectly at least for the next six months. It is within an open complex hidden behind the walls of a plain looking colonial home. Inside are a number of apartments surrounding a pool and cabana area. There is a locked entrance and a night security guard which really puts my mind to rest at least until we know a little more Spanish. The woman who owns it has a beautiful chocolate coloured Doberman Pincher named Pachino that Nikki promptly fell in love! We are still looking, but this seems like the best option so far. We looked at a typical Nica home yesterday on the way to the meeting. $300 a month (thanks for the tip Debbie) It was in an okay area closer to the hall but had a completely open metal roof, was dirty and had big piles of poop on the floor from some sort of rodent. I could of cleaned it but there was no way to stop things from coming in and so I couldn´t see us ever feeling secure there. Onward.

We were able to see the Missionary home on Sunday after the meeting. It´s not typical, a little more high end than normal, as it was build with a donation from an Scottish Brother who wanted it to be a little nicer than perhaps normal. It is more like a mini bethel. One of the local Missionary Sisters who is originally from New Jersey was telling Nikki that she moved with her parents to serve in Guatemala when she was the exact same age as her. Pretty cool.

We came into town on Saturday and were inundated with people asking us for money. it must be a big day for tourists and so beggars. It was the first time we had really been hit with it. It is difficult as you know how much we have compared to them, but you can´t really help them or support the activity. Worse when it is children in rags. We saw a young boy around 7 sleeping on the concrete in the town square in the middle of the day and he was still there when we walked by hours later. He was filthy! My heart hurt from the site, but again, what can you do?

We are off to look at another property and to look around a museo. It is very hot today so we will limit how far we travel!

Love to all!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Fotos por favor!

Bev Wong-Kleinjan said...

Enjoying reading your adventures in your new homeland, Jo. Keep 'em coming when you can. :) (Nat was a sweetie and shared the link to your blog with me)

hugs,
-Bev

Brooks' family said...

Your wish is my command Julie ;)The hour it takes me to get them uploaded is nothing......

Bev, Nice to hear from you! Hear you've been having some nice weather in Nova Scotia yourself!

Bev Wong-Kleinjan said...

It's been gorgeous here! 30 in Kejimkujik and the Valley and 27 here in Liverpuddle! Wow!