Shopping Spree

Going Salsa Thursday night didn´t help me recover from whatever bug I have. So, Friday night, I curled up into a ball and slept off the body aches and exhaustion.

Saturday, Esmeralda gave me a gift of a pair of earrings, an old shirt, and a sweater of hers. I think she either took pity on me or got tired of seeing me wear the same 2 shirts and 2 pairs of pants everyday. I got the hint and went shopping. Plus, Rachel and I desperately wanted a pair of jeans. I prefer function over fashion when I travel, but since I will be staying here for awhile, I could use an extended wardrobe that I can easily donate back when I move to my next city.

Big Ben, Rachel and I walked 30 min to the bus terminal where vendors sell used clothes from the States. The Salvation Army donates clothes that they can´t sell to Guatemala. The vendors just leave these heaps of clothes on a table for sale. We rummaged through them and I felt like a bottom feeder looking for the best of the worst. For 5Q or about 75 cents each, I found some great bargains and a great pair of jeans. Since I couldn´t find a mirror or a dressing room, I tried the jeans on under my skirt and asked Rachel to check the ass factor to make sure the jeans looked okay. She approved. I bought a couple pair of jeans, a sweater, a couple shirts and a dress for less than $7. With all my random side trips, classes, room and board, and nights out, I´m still only averaging about $34/day. Not bad for U.S. standards although I should be able to lower my costs down to $25/day. To put it into perspective though, the average Guatemalan makes about $200 a month with half the country in poverty. 50 to 60% are indigenous mainly Mayan and 44% are under the age of 15.

Family is very important in this culture. I rarely see a homeless person despite the poverty and that´s probably because the family takes care of each other. I found that Tio, which translates to uncle in Spanish and is the name of a 73 year old man in Gladis´house, is not really an uncle. He is actually her late father´s best friend. She cares for him and he is part of the extended family living with her. I too feel like a part of the family here. Every time I see Tio, he calls me his Reina, or queen in English. Tio lights up my day.