I came down the mountain yesterday in a rather spontaneous decision to head home for a day or two. I grabbed a van down the mountain to coffee-country, then another van out to the Inter-American highway, then a bus to Huehuetenango, then another bus to Xela, then a bus out to the village. 7 hours later... Norma!

I only have a day here because I should be back in Concepcion tomorrow for another couple of days. But this morning I woke up feeling domestic and well-fed (as much I complained about being in Concepcion for 8 days eating only eggs, beans and Cup-o-Noodles - seriously only - I made myself eggs and beans this morning, ha!) and I put up some shelves. I put up my "Peace Corps" shelves in the outdoor kitchen: wood, some "pita" or like plastic-y rope, and 2 nails...


And I'm about to try, for the 2nd time, dumping hot water in the pila for a bucket bath. I tried this before, dumping boiling water into the pila and then dumping that water over my head, but last time the cold water won over all the hot water I dumped in. Shame. This time more hot water! Less cold water!

Yesterday on the bus, the ayudante (aka guy who takes the fares, tells you to get to the back, throws stuff on the roof, rubs his belly, etc.) and his two gold front teeth were cracking me up. It was the Huehue to Xela route and the guy was seriously "Indiana Jones"-ing in the front door to the bus. While screaming down the windy mountain highway, as buses do, he was climbing out the door, doing something on the roof, then swinging feet first back into the bus. These guys are so funny - what a job. Absolutely one of the most dangerous jobs in Guatemala - for the high speed Indiana Jones-ing but also because of the violence - gangs are known to extort bus drivers and ayudantes. Jealous of those hairy bellies I guess.