Continuing preparations to return... Even though so much time has now passed since I've been there, the pull to go back and live with and learn from these people remains immense. Really the biggest thing in the way is the language. I need to focus on this.

A friend of mine from my volunteer group in Chocola just sent me a link to the language school she went to in Antigua, Guatemala. She took me there when we spend a couple of days in Antigua after our time on the dig. They teach immersion Spanish and K'iche Maya! When I go back, I want my first few weeks to be at this school - Dina's spanish was fantastic, considering she had only taken spanish in High School, like me.

I'm combining a number of approaches to build my spanish: I'm listening regularly to music by a Mexican band called Mana, that Dina turned me on to. I've bookmarked a couple of Guatemalan newspapers online, to read regularly, thinking this will help with my vocab. I also have a copy of The Rosetta Stone PC software, which seems very effective, if I could only stay devout enough to use it every day!! I also have asked the language department here if I can audit an intermediate spanish class next semester...

Reading what I just wrote It sounds like I'm better at spanish than I claim.. maybe I am - Dina did tell me regularly that my problem wasnt not knowing the language but lacking the confidence in it..