Well, on the eve of 2011, I (out of pure necessity) devloped a new skill... possibly a future career. I wish you could hear this picture. I thought Kindergarten classrooms could get a little crazy. After about half an hour of twisting and shaping (that allll began with the words, "Well...I could probably make a crown or something...) Valentina looked at me and said "You should be a teacher." "I am a teacher!" I said. It was a wonderful affirmation :)
Frida's crown was subconciously inspired by her pacifier--her most loved possesion. haha. This little one, earlier in the day, started calling me "Tia" when she needed to get my attention. My other sisters laughed when they heard this and said, "Tia que?" (Aunt what?) ...Shrug.... "Tia Laura!" So New Year's Eve is the day that I officially became a Guatemalan Aunt and now I have 7 new neices and 4 nephews...and they all have lovely ameatuer balloon crowns...
This was the main dish of our meal for New Year's Day.. it was quite a process.. beginning with saddening, panicking squeals coming from across the street. (Sorry, porky.) This was also the 3rd time that the family has used the oven (in over 5 years), as the controls are in English. So, between the balloon making and how-to-use-the-oven lessons, I was feeling pretty helpful this night. (Note: interesting that I had also only only used an oven a handful of times before coming here, yet I was NOT preparing 3 home-made hot meals a day....hmmm...)
Traditional Christmas decorations. I wish you could SMELL this picture. Smells like Christmas (notice the pine needles on the floor)! Two of my sisters work in shelters (one in Antigua and one in Guatemala City) and they both had to work on Christmas, which got me off the hook for Christmas also, as I spent it in Costa Rica. ♥ So... the whole family came over (and did not all fit at this table, but spilled over into the kitchen and another room) and had tamales and traditional Christmas punch. We had also drawn names and did a very simple gift exchange, which is not a part of a traditional Guatemalan Christmas, nor is any kind of exchanging gifts, really...except for food! We will spend money on food, and decorations! I'm okay with that. 
Tamale love. The gift that I received in the exchange was a recipe book of traditional Guatemalan recipes! It's home is in the kitchen right now, and every once in a while we add a recipe to it or Mama Irma does a little loving editing. The woman makes 300 tamales every Friday!
She also (although very un-Guatemalan-like) "does not like fireworks" Sooo...I go to get my camera and walk out the door to find her holding the largest roman candle in existence. mmmmm-hmmmmmmm...
I didn't really understand the national fascination of fireworks until this night. But at 10 minutes till midnight, we went up to the rooftop terrace. A few minutes before midnight (at least according to our clocks) the show started. As the minutes ticked by and the 2010 calendar year officially expired the sky lit up with colors and 3 feet strands of black cats everywhere echoed off of the surrounding volcanos. Now that I think of it..it was like an OMNI theatre production of fireworks... I would turn 360 degrees and in every direction, from the tourist-filled streets of Antigua to the most remote of the surrounding villages there was an understanding. It might sound silly... but the divisions that exist here--catholic/evangelica, indigenous/ladino, gang members/civilians, gringa/Guatemalan-- seemed to suspend themselves for a few moments (actually, about 20 minutes of continuous, saturated setting off of fireworks). I was skeptical, I tell ya. But there's something mezmoring about thousands of explosvies simultaneously blasting without intention to hurt one... to just enjoy, and wonder.
No countdown, no kiss at midnight, no alcohol (gasp), no high heels or dancing, no black eyed peas on New Year' Day, no biological family:( Oh , and my favorite---no shopping malls the entire Christmas season!! or parking lots for that matter :) but lots of wonderful moments to bring in the New Year.
Many blessings to you in this new year, and if you're looking for a New Year's resolution...
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God
HI, Laura!
ReplyDeleteLoved the new year's resolution -- did you write that -- or someone else -- I would like to quote it in my blog -- but want to attribute it to the right source if there is one --
Keep up the good work -- bet you can't wait for your parent's to come!!!
I can't take credit for it. I actually saw it on a friend's facebook page...but after doing a little research turns out it you find it on coffee mugs, keychains, t-shirts etc, etc. I hope God's getting a cut on the profit :)
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