End of Semana Santa and Back to Magdalena!

The rest of Semana Santa was as much fun as the first half of the week.  I walked around Antigua more and saw more alfombras and processions.  I hung out with Leah and her family more.  It was super fun to have them at our house.  Since my family was unable to make it down, I was really glad they were able to.  It was a lot of fun to go to different places with them to see the excitment in them with all the new places. 

Our family's alfombra.

One day I went with Sydney and a couple other people to Hotel Antigua for breakfast.  Sydney had received money from someone back home to take some people out to eat there for breakfast because when they were in Antigua, that was one of their favorite places.  I can see why!  The hotel is beautiful, and it was really fun to experience it.

One last view of the Cathedral at night

On Easter we went to church.  It was fun to experience Easter Sunday church in Guatemala.  The music was great; however, the sermon was not quite what I'm used to for Easter Sunday. 

Leah and I in the balcony of our room!

After church we went home and finished packing ALL of our stuff.  I seemed to accumulate quite a few extra things.  Everything fit in my suitcases; however, I'm pretty sure that I'll have to do some rearranging to get everything home.  We walked around Antigua one last time before getting picked up to move back to Magdalena.  It was weird walking around Antigua knowing that after living there for three months, I may never get back. 

Leah and I with Elvira, our host "mom" (or Grandma) and Kaori,
 another girl who stayed in our house the last month.

I wasn't not looking forward to going back to Magdalena, but I was going to miss Antigua with all the cute tiendas and cafes.  As soon as we pulled into Magdalena, and I saw my host parents I was glad to be back.

We settled into our room, and then went to Pastor Mario's for Easter dinner.  It was fun to eat as a group again.  When we were finished eating we went home and talked with our host family before going to bed.  It was so much fun for Leah and I because our host brothers have warmed up to us a lot since compared to our first week here.  We were also able to understand them so much more than that first week. 

Today we went to ministry sites.  I will be working with at the social work site in El Gorrion with a man named Nic; however, he was gone today and will be gone tomorrow as well.  Emily, the other girl at that site with me, and I went with Jose at the media site.  We went to El Gorrion and took pictures at the three sites there: the clinic, appropriate technology, and the school.  It was really fun to go back to the school to see the kids again, even if it was just for a little bit.

Me and my new friend Roxy.  She was at the clinic waiting for her turn to see the doctor when we were taking pictures there.  She came up to me and started hanging on me.  Then we went outside and she told me ALL about the flowers, and we played games.

After that we went to Antigua to put the pictures on the computer at the SI office.  I wasn't expecting to go back to Antigua so soon, and it was really different being back.  I definitely feel like I've adjusted to life in Magdalena already.  I love the small town feel.  Tomorrow I'll be working with Jose again, and I think we're planning to go back to Antigua to the social work site there at a hospital called Hermano Pedro and also to the nursing home.

I'm working to enjoy my last 3ish weeks here.  I can't believe how little time I have left here (23 days, but who's counting?).