Antigua Observations

Well, we’ve officially been here one week. Phew! Truthfully, it feels more like one month, as it’s been chockful of hard work. Setting up a household in a new country has been quite a challenge. I think I had my rose-colored glasses on these last few months of planning. I visualized us all sitting around the pool happily, all three girls playing harmoniously together. Well, there are moments like that, but there are also more realistic moments! Everyone is still adjusting to having a new baby in the family. Unlike when a newborn joins a family and you can put him or her down for a while and lavish attention on the other children, a 20-month old who has just been wrenched from the only life she’s known and plopped into a new family has urgent needs that cannot be relegated. Each day gets better and we are finding ways for everyone to feel properly loved by mommy (thank goodness for the Ergo backpack!!!).

Shira is adorable and doing well. She is adjusting to her new situation and having the normal ups and downs that would be expected with such a huge life transition. We call her foster mother on the phone each morning so Shira can “talk” to her and the whole family came to visit us today, which was wonderful.

Shira is learning new words daily and can now say “Liat” (which sounds like “cha”), “Poopy” (don’t ask!) “mas” (more), “pacha” (bottle), and “MAMA”!!!! Her favorite word continues to be.... “NO!”, like most other toddlers we know. In fact, the very first morning we were here, I was giving Shira a bottle in bed and Ravi –across the room-- picked up one of the toys Shira brought with her from her foster family. Shira promptly pushed away her bottle, stood straight up, pointed at Ravi and screamed, NO!!! It was a riot. Shira is getting used to having siblings to share things with also, especially one so close in age to her. (Her foster brother is about 12.) Not to worry, Shira is no shrinking violet. She is not afraid to let us know exactly what she wants and when she wants it—loudly and clearly. I predict some sparks will fly around here as she becomes even more comfortable with all of us.

On the more mundane side of life, did anyone else realize that you can still buy carrots that are large, orange, and covered with dirt? Who knew that they still produced carrots that way... we’ve only eaten the small ones out of the bag for the last 10 years. Anyways, making meals here is quite tedious. Peeling, boiling, sterilizing and all that good stuff one needs to do when eating in a third world country increases kitchen time by about 300% I think. And boy do I miss my Amy’s frozen vegan burritos that I was living on at home!!! Finding food without meat here is a challenge, not to mention trying to find anything organic or dairy-free. We walk daily to the local store—the Bodegana—which is about 8 blocks away (on narrow sidewalks with fast moving trucks and buses passing you at breakneck speed!!). For safety’s sake I take one small child on my back or else take Liat with me. We haven’t yet ventured out all together.

Antigua itself is a lovely little town consisting of a central square, artisans market, internet shops, several high-end boutique hotels, great restaurants, and tourists from all over the world who come to study Spanish at the renown Spanish schools, tour the Colonial ruins (especially old churches), or admire the gorgeous volcanoes that surround and enclose the city. Antigua is also known for its delicious coffee and beautiful jade—there are several large jade factories here. The responsibilities of taking care of my three gorgeous children have kept me from exploring the city in the way that I would like to if I was a regular tourist. But over time, I hope to get out and about a bit more.

Our apartment is in a lovely little development on the side of town close to the hotel that I stayed in on my last visit. Our doors open onto a gorgeous grassy area with two small pools, which are terrific to have close at hand for the kids to enjoy. Liat especially has been swimming for several hours a day and does not mind the cold water (they call it “acclimatized” water which is obviously a euphemism for freezing cold!). Bottled water is delivered twice a week and there are always two security guards on hand to help with anything that is needed. (Crime is high in Guatemala—not to scare anyone off from visiting, but street smarts are important here, as they are everyone else.)

So, lots more to tell you in the coming weeks, but we wanted to let you know some of our experiences during this incredibly busy first week in La Antigua, Guatemala! Thanks for all your sweet messages and emails. They help us keep our spirits up and feel connected to you, though we are far away.