Buenas noches. Once again I take keyboard in hand and post another day's worth of adventures here in Guatemala. As you may recall from yesterday's blog, we had the orphanage and market on the agenda. It meant a lot of time in the car and by the end of the day we were getting a bit loopy, but more on that later.

First to the orphanage. A long trip, about an hour more or less by van to Patzun, through the mountains of Guatemala. The countryside here in Guatemala is beautiful. Mountains, volcanos, lush green valleys checkerboarded by feilds that cling to the mountainsides by some means that defy the laws of physics. We had a very short time allotted to us at the orphanage, only a couple of hours. The children had a amss after lunch to attend, so we had to make the best use of the time we were given. Of course to me that could only mean one thing...get them in and get them washing their hands. An you all thought I could go at least one post without some handwashing reference. HA.

Anyway, the experience at the orphanage was much more than handwashing. There was also toothbrushing, taught by Laura, who did a wonderful job. Everyone, including us student nurses, pretended to brush our teeth for 30 seconds. It was really quite funny to watch. Lots of little kids moving their hands up and down in front of their mouths and laughing. We presented the school with a bunch of soccer balls and other toys, and then we were able to play with them. By that I mean the kids and the balls, not just the balls because that would be mean. The kids were so much fun. They would chase us around, play catch, or soccer, or basketball. They come to us and invited us to play. It was very touching and VERY hard to leave.

Just a quick word about the kids and the orphanage. It is run by Frnaciscan nuns, and houses babies through school age children. Many of the children who are there were born to mothers who are alcoholics or have some other problems and are unable to care for their children, or the children were born with physical problems and were unable to be cared for at home. Some of the parents do come to visit once a month or so but the children live at the orphanage. Other children are "traditional" orphans. Dawn got to hold a beautiful little girl (can't wait to share the photo, I think it shows just how much a trip like this can mean to both us and those we meet here). Dawn also got to learn the story f how that child ended up in the orphanage, and I will share that story when I can. Too much else to put in this post.

After we left the orphanage it was on to the market in Chichicastenango. What an adventure that turned out to be. We had decided yesterday to buy some groceries and make our lunch as we were on the road, in order to save some time and allow for more marketing. You haven't really had fun until you've tried to mke a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on a dirt road in Guatemala. After getting peanut butter on everything but the bread I decided a jelly sandwich ws just what I wanted for lunch, and the meal went much more smoothly. If you have ever been on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride while simutaneously being on a roller coaster and rocket to the moon, you have at least a little idea of our wild ride to the market. Our THREE HOUR ride to the market.

The reviews are in: "Harrowing!" Gut-wrenching." "It gave me palpitations." "No tengo miedo (I'm not afraid)" No it's not the latest Indiana Jones movie, it's the ride to Chichicastenango. The roads in Guatemala are a treat. Narrow lanes snake their way up and down the mountains with no guardrails along the incredibly steep embankments. At one point Alisha asked "are we like defying gravity now." Now along these narrow roads travel everything, cars, vans, trucks, and the famous chicken buses. Chicken buses are the popular public transportation, school buses painted in incredibly bright and metalic colors that apparently are governed by completely separate laws of the road from every other vehicle. They always have a driver (well duh) and some sort of assistant who can usually be found either hanging out of the open door at the front of the bus, or climbing onto the top of the bus WHILE THE BUS IS MOVING. At one point in our trip today Alisha was reclining in her seat with her feet propped up on the sliding side door of the van and asked "On a scale of one to ten how safe do you think this is?" To which I replied "In the US or in Guatemala, 'cuz in the US it's not very safe, but here the door is still closed so you're fine."

We were well into our trip when we suddenly came to a stop. Road construction. We stood in line for quite some time. Absolutely nothing moved. Nothing, that is, except the chicken bus that decided enough is enough and passed us all in the oncoming lane, honking its horn. I think they use the horn as an alternative to breaking, less wear and tear on the break pads, cuts down on service costs and parts.

You haven't really lived until you have survived a three hour trip through the mountains of Guatemala smashed into the back corner of a van carrying 7 female nursing students. I love thm all and think of them as my sisters, and hope that they think of me as their (slightly? ok maybe not s;ightly) older brother who may be just a little on the funny side (most likely funny strange and not funny ha ha). They are a wonderful group, and will make great nurses, each and every one of them. But they are CRAZY.

They are also fast becoming good wheelers and dealers. Lots of bargaining was done in the marketplace, and I do believe a good time was had by all. This market is very different than the one in Antigua we visited yesterday. More indigenous people, and people walking the aisles folloing you trying to get you to buy their goods. We couldn't go five feet without someone, usually a woman or child, coming up to us showing us something, a blanket or table runner or jewelry or machette, something to sell. Again I won't tell you what anyone bought, you'll have to wait until we return to find that out, but I will say that nothing caught my eye (sorry Mary).

The ride back was nearly as harrowing and death defying as the ride out, with the exception that we somehow started a real song and dance fest, in large part led by the famed choreographer the white seizure. I know most of you won't know who that is, and she will remain anonymous.

A great dinner and now here I am up much too late writing this. I need to go to bed, and if you, gentle reader are not already there, so do you.