Escuela d'Espagnol (Spanish School)

School has begun, and 4 hours of one on one instruction is very exhausting. Definately glad I decided to do the afternoon classes vs the 8am ones. The meals are delicious and filling, and no risk of gettin parasites like at the market. Plenty of Tortillas with every meal guarantee you'll be full after each. At the market they just leave giant pots of food sittin on the stove for God knows how long, and serve you as soon as you order...pretty sketchy, hence the illness the last few days.
Apart from takin a break from the booze and studying up on Spanish, I've been hanging with Shane and Jeff lots, listening to tuneskies and sipping on Gallo (Guatemalan beer...and beer isn´t booze). My Spanish instructor, Sandra, doesn´t speak very much English, and what little she does speaks is pretty terrible. Better for me I guess, because I try to talk in only Spanish for the duration. First day was alright because I felt I knew it pretty well, but day 2 she threw 14 verbs my way AND more...my brain was fried. Day 3 today, and I´m hoping to mainly have conversation instead of writing down and conjugating verbs for the whole time. I figure after the week, I'm not going to be super fluent of course, but will finally be able to hold a decent conversation in the Latin language.
Mondays and Wednesdays are the do nothing nights here in Antigua, but last night was a big salsa night at La Sin Ventura discoteque, and I learned some Salsa dancing for my own. It was similar to learning Spanish after knowing french, because I know swing/jive...but they are different dances, yet equally fun and incredible looking.
Last night, we decided to go to Cinema Bistro, which is less of a theatre and more a cafe with 3 living rooms; each with a fairly big TV and rows of couches. We watched the enjoyable, and informing "The Lord of War" with Nicolas Cage. I recommend it.
Today, after breakfast, went back to sleep for a couple hours then got up and studied Spanish...I remembered why I'm not in school right now...in no mood to study. Two more days of class then the travelling shall continue, yipee! Take care everyone!
-Mitchell-

Photos: Living quarters (comfiest bed I've had in Central America)....Shane, Jeff and Ross in the back row of the "cinema"