Getting my notebook back

The bag that I mentioned had been lost in the shuffle consisted of a bottle of soda, a notebook, and directions to the school. The first, obviously, I could live without. The other items, though, were pretty important. After returning to the docks yesterday only to find that it had not been turned in, I assumed that I had seen the last of it.

So, I went about the rest of the day wandering the town and eventually getting to a 6:00 Mass. I was early largely by accident, as I expected that it would take me much longer to find the Church. Ten minutes before Mass began, the Church was filled with people of all ages. The women had their hair covered, mostly with matching, black and white checkered shawlls. Everyone (except me) was in their Sunday best. The women wore traditional Guatemalan dresses while the men wore mostly polo shirts and either well-kept jeans or something close to khakis. By American standards, the men would not have stood out by the way they were dressed, but here it was abundently clear that it was the best they could do. After every seat was taken, the ushers took out some extra plastic stools that ensured that just about everyone had a seat. Needless to say, I could barely understand anything that was being said, except in a few instances in which Latin came in handy. (This is just the latest example of why I think the Church must return to the Latin Mass.)

After Mass, I took the scenic route back to my room and spoke briefly with the other students from the school. Two more people, young Swedish friends, have moved in. Both speak better English than most Americans. As I was speaking with one of the students, my back to the street, someone came up to the gate and attempted to get my attention. I had no idea what he wanted. After a few attempts - all in vain - to communicate, he finally raised my notebook above the wall. It was bent in half more from getting soaked in the boatride than having had any damage done to it. Nothing had been removed, including the directions to the school, which may yet come in handy since I still find it difficult to navigate the town. Needless to say, I was shocked not only that the book turned up, but that somebody actually brought it to me at this school on the other side of town.

Anyway, I´m having my first laundry done today. The "laundry facilities" advertised on the school website actually amount to a wash basin, so I´m taking the advice of one of the other students and having it done at the local laundromat. "Laundromat" here means a mom and pop store with a single washer and single dryer. Clothes are left to be picked up a few hours later. It´s convenient and reasonably priced.

This afternoon I have my first class. It´ll be an experience for both me and the teacher. I am quite certain that I will be the biggest challenge ever presented to the school. If they manage to teach me how to speak Spanish, then they´re charging far too little.