NEWS FROM GUATEMALA
Saturday
We got into Guatemala about 11:15am on Saturday March 24. At first, we were surprised by the time change, but then realized that Guatemala didn't make the DST change when America did.
Our "10-15 min" shuttle to the hotel ended up taking an hour to show up, but this isn't a big surprise in Guatemala. We're staying at the Westin Camino Real this time (we stayed at the Marriott last time). Both are big Americanized hotels (3 restaurants, huge swimming pool, health spa, tennis courts, hallways that go on like hotels in Vegas, etc.). The main difference between the two is that the Westin is in a much nicer part of town. They're actually not very far from each other, but there is a huge Boulevard that separates the two, and that seems to make a huge difference, sort of stranding the Marriott in its own neighborhood.
We called Karla, our facilitator, once we got to the hotel. She was supposed to come by with the foster family and Maria. But instead, she sent her cousin. She'd done this last time (last year!) but we weren't expecting it (either time). So we're sitting in the lobby and say "Doesn't that woman look like Karla's cousin?" but didn't go up to her. We then see Vilma, the foster mother, walk by and go up to her. She tells us what's going on, that her husband, Papi, and Maria are waiting outside. So out we go and BOOM there they are.
Of course Maria doesn't recognize us, and she's clinging to Papi like he's giving her oxygen. I imagine that the big hotel is kind of freaking her out. We chat with Vilma and Papi, with Danielle (the cousin) translating. Favorite food, what she's eating, naps, bedtime, etc. Then BOOM, they all go and we take Maria upstairs.
Big mistake. Maria is wailing, missing her Mami and Papi and crying, crying, crying. We expect this, but it does make it hard to follow any routine. Or show her off on Webcam. Or take smiling pictures, or ... do much of anything other than try to console her.
We eventually discover that she likes walking. Walking, walking, walking. So we walk her up and down the halls, and thankfully it's a big hotel with lots of halls. And this is pretty much our routine. We try to spend as little time in the room as possible since she cries there, so we're in the hotel, by the pool, anywhere but the room (but we have to go there to sleep, change, bath, etc.).
We did take a bunch of pictures, but they're mostly on Anne's camera, and sadly I forgot the cable, so we snapped a few with mine. I'll post them soon.
Saturday
We got into Guatemala about 11:15am on Saturday March 24. At first, we were surprised by the time change, but then realized that Guatemala didn't make the DST change when America did.
Our "10-15 min" shuttle to the hotel ended up taking an hour to show up, but this isn't a big surprise in Guatemala. We're staying at the Westin Camino Real this time (we stayed at the Marriott last time). Both are big Americanized hotels (3 restaurants, huge swimming pool, health spa, tennis courts, hallways that go on like hotels in Vegas, etc.). The main difference between the two is that the Westin is in a much nicer part of town. They're actually not very far from each other, but there is a huge Boulevard that separates the two, and that seems to make a huge difference, sort of stranding the Marriott in its own neighborhood.
We called Karla, our facilitator, once we got to the hotel. She was supposed to come by with the foster family and Maria. But instead, she sent her cousin. She'd done this last time (last year!) but we weren't expecting it (either time). So we're sitting in the lobby and say "Doesn't that woman look like Karla's cousin?" but didn't go up to her. We then see Vilma, the foster mother, walk by and go up to her. She tells us what's going on, that her husband, Papi, and Maria are waiting outside. So out we go and BOOM there they are.
Of course Maria doesn't recognize us, and she's clinging to Papi like he's giving her oxygen. I imagine that the big hotel is kind of freaking her out. We chat with Vilma and Papi, with Danielle (the cousin) translating. Favorite food, what she's eating, naps, bedtime, etc. Then BOOM, they all go and we take Maria upstairs.
Big mistake. Maria is wailing, missing her Mami and Papi and crying, crying, crying. We expect this, but it does make it hard to follow any routine. Or show her off on Webcam. Or take smiling pictures, or ... do much of anything other than try to console her.
We eventually discover that she likes walking. Walking, walking, walking. So we walk her up and down the halls, and thankfully it's a big hotel with lots of halls. And this is pretty much our routine. We try to spend as little time in the room as possible since she cries there, so we're in the hotel, by the pool, anywhere but the room (but we have to go there to sleep, change, bath, etc.).
We did take a bunch of pictures, but they're mostly on Anne's camera, and sadly I forgot the cable, so we snapped a few with mine. I'll post them soon.
posted by Maria Anne at 7:01 PM
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