My first (last) belt loop

To Gautemala I brought 2 pairs of khaki pants, 2 pairs of gym shorts, a pair of khaki shorts, and a brown belt to complete my waist and below ensemble. I usually purchase belts that allow me to utilize a hole somewhere in the middle of its sstring of holes. To my amazement one morning, I got dressed and !gasp! I went all the way to the beginning of the set of holes and......I was officially on my first beltloop!

I told this to otre amigo Jon while hiking one morning and instead of first belt loop, I said my last. I guess it depends how you look at it, as the beginning or the end. He automatically assumed it meant I got fat and started listing strategies on weight loss in Guatemala such as "drinking the local water" which is synymous to giving yourself awful diarrhea. Other things that has been proven by my classmates here to give you the craps include eating the fresas, lettuce, or any forms of "salad" that's washed by the water. Another friend of ours, an Infectious Diseases extrordinaire to be, decided it best to suck down some pepto bismol when she accidentally ingested some natural H2O while showering. Don't think she's got the craps yet...at least to my knowledge. Pepto has an ingredient called Bismuth which is antibacterial. Speaking of antibacterial, Jon's homestay family prided themselve in never having a student go to the hospital and instead the family gives the student an "herbal" remedy tea. Jon felt ill one day to the estomago, drank some herbal goodness, and felt well immediately! He was amazed. So he found the packet of "herbal" tea, read the back of the package and one of the ingredients was......TETRACYCLINE, an antibiotic great for stomach bugs! There IS some science to alternative medicine.

As part of our Spanish school education, we are placed in a homestay where we are given three meals a day, shower, bed, and spanish interaction with a host family. Jing and I are really lucky to have a very nice family with a mom and two kids around our age to interact and to take care of us while in Xela. The mother is an excellent cook and makes delicious Guatemalan fares including tortillas, frioles, huevos, pollo, etc. While we are getting delicious food, it's not in Jing and my usual portions. The family also does not have the tradition of eating a large dinner and the mom infrequently eats more than coffee and some toast at dinner. Meat is also uncommonly seen at the table. Outside of eating chicken three times in the past two weeks, we've had sliced ham twice, and shrimp once. I neeeeeed meat!!!!! But it's cultural and I respect it. Needless to say, about a week into this regimen of eating delicious albeit small portioned meals has made me lose a little weight. Bygone are my large breakfasts of oatmeal and fruit followed by a large lunch and larger dinner: bowls of rice big enough to stick your face into.....ah I miss porridge! Even eating out, the portions are not American. Maybe it's for the better.

Most guide books and people say don't come to Guatemala for the food, Jing and I must agree. The food leaves huge room for improvement. We have however found some delicious places in Xela for a drop of change. One of my favorite spots is the Taiwanese Empanada place where they make the best tortillas stuffed with cabbage and pork and picante sauce on top. There are actually a handful of asians in Guate. I know...shocking. We have been to a chinese estaurant in Xela and believe you me, it's a far cry from peter changs but it was a damn good change. Don't worry there was PLENTY of meat. Tonight we had really great Indian food from a place called Sabor of India. Mmmmm curry pollo, can't go wrong with that. I'm so glad to have my fiancee and friends who too are feeling meat/food deprived.

At Utz Hua- the traditional Guatemalan restaurant. We really wanted a saucy chicken dish and though the ¨Caldo´s¨ were it but oh were we mistaken. Still...hungry.....

A taco sandwich? The dude put 1 tortilla shell, meat, onions, cillantro, and 2 more taco shells on it. I guess this is how taco is eating outside of the states.

A meal we often get with our Guate-mama. The black stuff is frioles, and then you see some eggs, slices of ham, toast, and a drink. Delicious but also small.

Cena International at our Spanish school where we all come together and cook something. Jing and I ofcourse made some meat. Beef fried rice without the fried rice. So really beef stirfry with onions, cillantro, garlic, and cabbage and a side of white rice. Everything was SO GOOD.