Sunday, October 28, 2007

Guatemalan Cold

10/24/2007
My alarm clock says that it is 55 degrees out. I can’t trust it, because I can’t figure out why sometimes it tells me its warmer at night than it was during the afternoon. One thing is for sure, it is steadily growing colder. When I arrived here it regularly told me it was 65 degrees out. Today I walked to the gym wearing my wool hat, long sleeved shirt, sweater, and raincoat, to no avail as the wind seemed to cut through all of it. I’m currently bundled up in my bed, still wearing my wool hat, contemplating pulling out my sleeping bag and wishing Guatemalans believed in, or could afford, central heat. I’ve been working on an excel spreadsheet for work merely so I can sit my computer on my lap and absorb the warmth it emits. Cups of tea drank today is nearing 500. No wonder I have to pee so often.
The good news is that I will soon be the recipient of a used space heater thanks to a COSing PCV in Xela (Coincidently, also Sara, without the H). A space heater AND a blender. Now I can finally start making all those margaritas I knew I would be sipping on in the Guatemalan heat. Joke’s on me. I never would have thought I would be cold in Guatemala, and it’s only going to get colder. It frosts over in December and January, although the Guatemalans like to claim that it actually snows (and don’t try to convince them otherwise).
At least the rain is going to be stopping soon, and my clothes can dry. This is my never ending dilemma here. For example, tomorrow morning I have to bus the hour and a half to the closest ATM to Cabrican in San Carlos Sija. Do I risk it and put my clothes out to dry tomorrow morning and hope it doesn’t rain while I’m gone, or do I leave them sitting inside my apartment and hope they don’t start smelling like mildew before tomorrow? Decisions, decisions.

1 comment:

B. said...

I am SO jealous of your space heater! I am FREEZING here, and I am sure it is worse in Xela. Yeah, wasn't really mentally prepared for a cold Guatemala.

I can't wait to see you at Thanksgiving!!