Tears, grateful, and others not as much.

How does one classify a "life-changing experience"? Is it confined to situation, the a string of them, or simply just to how we view such things and people that come into our lives without any intent of change at all?

Since I first arrived here, the words, "life-changing experience" have been thrown around as simply as a child carrying a rag doll. The words are beat into your forehead like a hammer to iron, and robbed of their initial meaning. Of course, an experience like this will change perception, and of course, we take things for granted. I knew that coming into this the extreme economic divides, the extreme poverty and the extreme opulance would be quite deamanding and always, always obvious.

There is a school group here. They have to volunteer all day, and never get a chance to enjoy what makes this country so astoundingly beautiful. I believe the administration that brought them here is pretty inadept for the simple fact that these kids have to be here and to have their views only limited to the extreme disparity of the country's situation. It is equally as beautiful as it is tumultuous, for Guatemala is the great soul of the land, it has, encased within it's borders, a wealth and spirit that makes it very special.

My work has been getting better. I worked with a class a few days ago and they are finally beginning to retain some english- largely colors and words that are classroom and school supply related. The school has very limited resources, but the government is finally trying to shine a light upon these kids- after years of war to re-capture the light, hope, and imagination that makes being young so special, and slowly, there is change, but the beginning has been rather tough, for the teachers not to have to teach to a specific itinerary and curriculum for the first time in years. Before this, it was very rigid, Guatemalans having lost their pride in a country that betrayed them. Genocide was rampant, it was a nightmare, which for me, hearing the speech, I cannot even imagine it. Being here now for me is imperative, indeed, reconstructing something that fell apart. I am so small compared to the great weight this country is trying to diminish.

My children are wonderful, though. Many people can say they have only one or two children, well, I have two-hundred, and they all have beautiful bright eyes in which they encase a marvelous future. I am blessed to be here now.

I am living my dream. This weekend, I am going to Antigua, then Lake Atitlan, and the great market of Chichicastatenango. I am assured that if Tikal were anything precursory, than this will be a splendid break from work.