One week down

Hola!

This past week has been a very smooth transition for me as I have settled into my homestay and started Spanish lessons.  My host family includes Mr. Elder Marino, and his wife, Marina Marino.  They are both retired from their previous careers and now manage the complex I am staying in.  Elder and Marina cook us three meals a day and I can honestly say that the meals they prepare are better than any restaurant I have been to here in Antigua.

Mine and Katie's room for the semester. Very cozy.

I have also had the pleasure of meeting some others who are currently staying in Elder's complex who are from the United States but live in Holland and work for a company called Global Players.  The focus of the organization is to encourage collegiate athletes in the United States to study abroad.  Global Players makes sure that the path to studying abroad for American collegiate athletes is as smooth as possible.  Check out their website if you think anyone would be interested!

The streets of Antigua all look very similar
to this one and can take a while to memorize

Other than relaxing at my homestay, exploring the city has been great and I find a new coffee shop, restaurant, or  artisan's shop every time I go out.  My professor here, Paul, explained it as the "Ann Arbor of Michigan", which I would have to agree with.  Antigua is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, Spanish colony still standing in all of Central America which was established in the early 18th century and features a myriad of cultural sights and sounds.

In the picture below, the yellow building is one of the many long-standing traditions Antigua has held onto.  The structure is called a "pila", and is essentially a small pool of water where people can come to wash their clothes.

South-facing street in Guatemala featuring the volcan de agua
(don't worry it's inactive)

Getting adjusted with my new surroundings has been surprisingly easy for me as I enjoy the simplistic and quiet surroundings I am blessed to experience.

That's all for now,

hasta lluego! (see you later!)