Good thing I am Good at Public Speaking

Well, you just never know here when you will be faced with making a speech in front of a bunch of people you don't know without prior notice. This has happened countless times here and just happened again yesterday. Here I am trying to wake up, sitting in the hotel kitchen drinking some coffee - it's a Sunday after all - normally a day to relax. I knew a group was coming - suppossedly at 8 a.m. - but that normally means 10 .m. here - so I thought I had some time and anyway I wasn't worried since no one told me anything that I was suppossed to do...well, here they come at 8:15 a.m. - actually on time for Guatemala - very impressive - a group of university students. The thing I wasn't ready for was when my counterpart walks in and asks if I'm busy - I'm like - well, not really - so he is like - well come with me. I still have no idea what is going on - I am still in my glasses and haven't really "gotten ready" yet since no one told me anything...well, I go out and meet the professors - very nice people - and there are about 20 business administration students there. Then my counterpart is like - why don't you give them a presentation about your organization and the projects you are working on and tourism. Wow - okay then - luckily at this point I know the in's and out's pretty well and can speak intelligently about tourism so it turned out to be no problem and I really enjoyed hanging out with the students after. However, this is just an example of one of many times when stuff happens totally out of the blue here - complete randomness - nothing planned - or if it is planned - then lack of communication to the people who are involved in said plan....oh well. The good thing is that at this point of my life here - almost nothing surprises me and I can just roll with it. Here is an example of random things that don't even make me flinch anymore...

1. gun shots/firecrackers and being able to tell them apart
2. people walking around carrying an array of knives and machetes - whether they are working or not and feeling safer when police with guns board the bus
3. Impromtu speeches
4. Random shout outs - whistles, chancita (blonde), que guapa (how beautiful), I love you... - I probably get about 20 of these a day - and significantly more when I am in a city
5. Being on a bus that is passing 4 trucks on blind corners with a cliff on 1 or 2 slides - I don't even flinch anymore
6. Eating meat that has not been refrigerated for 48 hours
7. Spiders in the shower
8. People taking my picture while I am shopping at the grocery store
8. People rolling up to talk to me with a boa constrictor around their neck
9. Impromtu 10 km or more hikes through the jungle or on the side of the road when the bus breaks down unexpectantly
10. Warm weak beer
11. 12 year olds driving trucks
12. People lifting up the windows on the buses to sell you whatever you might need through the window (I actually really like this - you can just ask them (within reason) for about anything you want and they will get it for you before the bus takes off - need a newspaper, gum, water, lollipop - just ask these guys and they will find it for you. Talk about service - love it!

Other good news - there is a new store that opened above the soccer field and it has electricity and a fridge/freezer and sells......chocobananos!!!! Yeeeaaaahhhhh!!! And only .50 too! Plus they sell hot dogs, bread, fruit, veggies - this is a great store! And it just opened!

So - I have a lot to do before my trip home - there are decorations to plan for a quincinera (15th b'day party), our first group of bird watchers are coming, more planning for our tourism group, plus in service training - these days are going to fly.

Cheers,
Tara