Second day!

Oh my god - this is so wonderful.....

Spent the morning at Casa Jackson, the centre for children who are malnourished, about a 10 minute walk from the Dreamer Centre.  Casa Jackson is like a small hospital for up to 20 children  most under three who have varing levels of developmental delay depending on their family situaiton.  Most are very under weight and many are not walking or talking.  The morning was spent bathing, holding, playing and feeding the children.  Other than me, there are several other volunteers from Germany and some from Guatemala.  We have to be walked to and from the centre with a man because some volunteers have been robbed in the past.   The school is closed for the holidays, so likely I will be at Casa Jackson and then the Homeless Shelter from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.  Tomorrow I will help with the Christmas Party at the Dreamer Centre and then it closes for the holidays. I  plan to take some side trips to Chicacantengo and Lake Atilan, maybe Tikal- I will see how it goes.

Dora is a wonderful host and speaks English well so she in helping me with my Spanish which is pitiful.  She cares for her 3 year old grand-daughter, Maria who I have fallen for - she talks non-stop so I call her my maestro d'espagnol.   Had thought of looking for another place such as the hostal where I am writing this but it would be the same $ but only one meal a day, with Dora I am paying $10 per day w 3 meals -makes for a cheap vacation and the experience of being with a family is rich.   It is also very safe and quiet despite her entire family being there for dinner last night.

So far everything is perfect - better than I thought.