July 6th, 2009
I woke up around six this morning to take a shower and to work on some writing before going to the courtyard for pancakes. I am still very disturbed by my discovery last night and the subsequent research on tape worms. I have to say that I am quite convinced that I have an unwelcome parasite of my very own in addition to what I have discovered to be a slowly spreading patch of ringworm on my right hand. Every morning I can smell the delightful scent of toast and bacon all the way on the third floor. After enjoying three pancakes with syrup and a cup of hot black tea, which was entirely unsatisfying, we went to class for the very first time in room 307 for two and a half hours. It was very entertaining when Connie decided that only she knew best if the air conditioning functioned and turned the whole system off before swinging her arms like a giant crazy animate pinwheel before the vents. “I don’t...don’t feel anything,” she stuttered. Class went smoothly as John presented us with the last few ounces of grammar that we will learn as Level II students. I got a 94 on my exam and was extremely proud of my performance, especially since it was the second highest grade. I was also assigned to Donna Emilia’s house with Pablo who also had her last year just as I had Donna Francisca a year ago in Santa Elena.
We didn’t have much time before our one o’clock departure for Xocen, meeting on the steps of the Meson before loading into two taxis for the thirty minute trip to the village. The taxis were every bit as disgusting as I remembered with burlap padded seats and hot stuffy air flowing past the open windows like a hurricane. Upon our arrival we had to wait for our families to arrive to accompany us to our afternoon residence for the next four days.
Rudy is our eleven year old companion and Donna Emilia’s son that met Pablo and I at the house of Don Teodoro where the taxis drop us off. A very long and slow walk later we arrived at Donna Emilia’s where we began our first day lounging in the hammocks. She spent some time chatting with Pablo since he had her as a host last year before even considering my presence let alone asking my name. When she finally did turn to me she asked the one simple question, “Bix u k’áaba?” to which I responded, “In k’áaba Heather, ich espanol xFlor, ich maaya, xLool.” Donna Emilia absolutely loved my Maya name and as such seemed to repeat it over and over throughout the day. Yet much of the conversation was entirely focused on Pablo and spoken chiefly in Spanish.
About an hour later we moved from the main hut to a much smaller version where a fire was blazing with such fierceness that its smoke turned the thatch high above into charred black remnants. Donna Emilia praised my skill at making tortillas, while I commented on Pablo’s “jach kaas” tortillas sending all of the women into a fit of laughter. It was even more entertaining because Pablo had no idea we were even talking about him, let alone insulting his tortillas. Pablo and I enjoyed chaya and eggs for lunch along with fresh corn tortillas, while Donna Emilia who had eaten with the Level I students in the morning sat by the door quietly. It was all very strange. After lunch she turned on Yool Ick and fell asleep in her hammock for the remainder of the afternoon while we played Maya Bingo with Rudy. Donna Emilia and her family do not gossip like the family I had last year and so I have no idea what to expect tomorrow.
When we returned to the Meson I spent some time doing homework before joining Mark and the two Level III students Grant and Stephanie for dinner in the courtyard. I enjoyed my first taste of crema de elote since last year and look forward to several more before my departure. Grant entertained us with stories about Rainforest Spirit, a student from his Level I two years ago and her unfortunate experience with a cenote and her expensive camera. He did an amazing impression of her swimming, putting her head in the water to fix her toe ring, and her response as she raised her head to exclaim that her camera was sinking to the bottom of the cenote. After dinner Mark, Allison, Grant and I went for cookies and cream ice cream while completing our homework for tomorrow. I am waiting until tomorrow to see if I can confirm somewhat that I have a parasite before talking to Sharon. I still feel like I am being a little silly, but only time will tell.
