On Saturday Skylar, Paige, Eva, and I went to Chimal and went to Mega Paca, which is a thrift store. I was able to get 5 shirts for 42Q (about $6). We then walked to Pollo Carbonara and I was able to talk to / facecall to my grandparents, parents, and friends using the wifi and Whatsapp. We drove back home, dropped Eva off, and kept going to Paramos. We decided to go to the Pizza Place because the owner had told the team that they could use his wifi even if they didn’t buy anything. When we walked in we saw May, Ana, and Charlie there too. The only person missing was Midge. It was cool because we unintentionally met up with most of the team. I was able to facecall some other friends and officially wish my mémère (grandmother) a happy birthday.
On Sunday we took a VERY crowded chicken bus to Antigua to go to church (5Q). We went to Shoreline City church and it was in English. I was then able to finally exchange some of the cash I had, get a SIM card, and get a donut from Dunkin Donuts (yes they have one here!!!!) Then we went shopping and I bought a pair of elephant earrings and a bag. [picture] We walked to a shuttle and it had AC! We got driven up a mountain to a hotel/museum/restaurant called El Tenedor Del Cerro. I was able to order a Top Sirloin with mashed potatoes, and it was absolutely delicious. Then people came over with a birthday muffin thing and they sang Happy Birthday to me in English and Spanish. My teamies paid for my meal and I thought that was going to be it, but I was wrong. We went back down the mountain and went to a coffee shop and I was able to talk to my parents on facecall. Half of my teamies, (May, Midge, Skylar, and Paige) left early to go set stuff up at home.
We left a little later, went on another crowded chicken bus, and got home. I was not allowed to face the room when I walked in the gate, and when I could turn around, I had to walk to the room slowly. I turned on the light in the room and they all yelled “SURPRISE!” There were multicolored balloons with the number 9 on them, they had gotten me cereal, skittles, and oreos, and (best of all) a Peppa Pig Pinata. It’s not over yet though!!! They walked me into the dining room and at the end of one of the tables they had set up fairy lights, made pasta, sauce, and sluttly brownies (cookie dough, oreo, and brownie) for me because I said that I loved Italian and brownies.
They were all so nice to me and gave up their whole Sabbath to make it the best day for me. They only had a few days to prepare because I had gotten there late and they didn’t know. I can honestly say that I had the best birthday ever here in Guatemala.
