¡Hola!

We made it and have been enjoying our first couple days in Guatemala! We arrived at the airport at 1:30 yesterday, and someone from CASAS picked us up. He drove us down dozens of cramped one way streets to the CASAS center. It looks so different than when we helped with the construction 11 years ago! A big white building with nice landscaping.. I´ll post a picture so you can see sometime, mom. We were told our host family would come at 4:00, and sure enough, there was only one family, which means that Steph and I are staying together! Originally they asked if we´d like to be together, and we decided we would, but then they said they didn´t think it would be possible. Anyway, it has been nice to have her here since we can´t text each other to see what´s going on!
Our host family is awesome. There are 3 girls, Diana, Sandy and Mary, and their mother Olga, who is called Chineta or something. Diana is 24 and does something with public relations. Sandy turns 22 next week and sells tickets for an airline, but she´s planning on studying psychology in the fall. Mary is adorable, 11, and is in school all summer. They are good friends with Elizabeth and Rebecca Barge, who I don´t know, but I know they´re from Harrisonburg. Amy Layman stayed with them this past semester as well. They are a very modern family, I would say. The girls are very fashionable, and they actually took us to Sex and the City 2 tonight at the theater. We also had no idea what the accomodations would be like, so I was preparing myself for 2 months of bucket baths! Thankfully, they do have running water in a couple of the bathrooms, they have internet access, and a brand new plasma TV. And I love the bright orange and teal walls :)
Steph and I went to church this morning with Chinita. We got there early because she was the worship leader, which was around 9:15. We sat through Sunday School and church, and then had birthday cake for someone in the congregation, and got back in the car at 1:30. I tried my best to listen and understand during Sunday School, which was very difficult with my limited Spanish! It is actually exhausting trying to translate all that. We met a delightful older man named Mario who loved Stephanie and joked with us a lot. He says he´s having us for dinner sometime this week.
Tonight we went with Diana and Sandy to an extremely nice mall and the theater there. They said many European stores have come to Guatemala in the last 5 years, and there were many of the stores that we have as well. It is interesting to see the impact of the US and Europe on this country. For a while during the movie, we even forgot we were in Guatemala. They took us through the drive-thru at McDonald´s on the way home.
We are definitely enjoying our time so far, but it is frustrating when we feel like we don´t know what´s going on in conversations. Diana and Sandy both speak English well, but Chinita says begining tomorrow there is no English allowed! We start classes in the morning, so Chinita is taking the bus with us at 7:30 to show us where to go. Buenas noches!

ps- While I am here, my sister has a new baby! Evelie Cole Prouse, born June 10. I´ll post a picture that Emily sent me of Evelie and her big sister Connelly, who is 2. She was born a week late, so I was supposed to be there, but I ended up missing it. I can´t wait to see them!