Why?!?

On my bus ride today, the bus stopped at a traffic light where there was a big police truck with one of those elevator buckets stuck in the back. There was a man inside, and I watched as he put on a jacket and elevated himself up to the traffic light. He then proceeded to take a broom, knock off a huge bees nest that had been built on the yellow light, and then duck and lowe himself back down to the truck bed, as angry bees flew everywhere. The police truck then took off at top speeds, leaving traffic to continue as normal. Now, who the hell decided this was the best way to take care of the problem?!? Did no one stop to say, "hey guys, maybe this is a TERRIBLE idea?" I don´t get it.

Then, on the same bus ride, we passed a man with a pick axe in the middle of the road, taking up the asphalt. There were no barriers around him, he was all by himself, and there was nothing to keep a car from running him over. He wasn't even wearing a bright orange vest. Why?

Teacher Appreciation: Ecuador 1, USA 0

My students love me! Or more likely, they love any excuse for a party. Either way, it was teacher appreciation day on Sunday, and my students planned parties without my knowing in every class. I was showered with gifts, the best of which was a pet bunny. I instantly fell in love with it, and asked my host mom if I could keep it, but she laid down the law and said I had to find it another home. There were cakes with messages like "Feliz día de teacher, Katherine." My class of high schoolers brought box wine to their party, and I have a great picture of all my 15 year olds drinking illegally in my class. Each class president also gave flowery speaches about how amazing I am. In general, waaaay better than the US equivalent...if there is a US equivalent.

I really wish I could have kept that bunny, though...

Guatemala: Highlights

1. The totally awesome alfombra (murals of colored sawdust built on the street) we created, finishing the final touches while a parade of Catholics walked all over it.
2. The gallo. Thank god for beer that tastes a little less like tap water!
3. The fam.
4. The friends.
5. The new friends.
6. Using my hands to create something.
7. The little Guatemalan girl who climbed on top of my head, only to tell me that I had a lot of grey hairs.
8. Jumping into the pool with all my clothes on after a hard day's work.
9. Flushing toilet paper down the toilet for one night in Guatemala City.
10. Getting my ass kicked in soccer, so that the construction manager could tell me he remembers me from two years ago, and I played a lot better then.
11. The totally rico company of friends and family. I know I already menioned that, but it deserves to be mentioned again.

Everything I do, I do it for youuuuuuuuuuu

I can't believe I'm missing Bryan Adams in concert this weekend in Quito! I actually thought he stopped performing in 1987, but apparently he's still popular enough down here to do a big South American tour. I have as hard a time believing that as I do that I'm missing the show. You won't escape me next time, Bryan...

The wierdness factor

So, I don't really get wierded out about my life, until I get some perspetive and realize that I should be wierded out by things that I have completely normalized. This idea came into sharp relief last week when I was hanging out with a bunch of friends from home, and they always laughed or reacted oddly to things I don't really think about. Examples: I mentioned casually to a few people that the ceiling in my bedroom is falling down and at night I can hear it crumbling onto my wood floor, or that if two people try to shower at the same time in my house, the power cuts out, or that every day I go running in a park that has unleashed cows and llamas just hanging out. The list goes on. Anyway, I'm wierded out today that these things seem completely normal to me. Not by the fact that these things are out of the ordinary. I don't think I explained that very well...damn.