BIG BIG news!

I am the proud mother hen of two adorable chicks! My host sister and I decided on Saturday at the market that we HAD to get some (Q1 each or around 15 US cents) and botabing, botabang, chickens in my life... The one I picked out is yellow and I named her Luna. My host sister, Elisa, picked out a purple one (that's right folks, purple) and subsecquently named her Violeta. They lived in a cardboard box in my room mostly, but I take them upstairs to soak in the sun on the patio. For those of you who have been fooled before by my chicken tricks, I must assure you that this is 100% for real (confirmation can be provided by request from my family as they heard the chicks via skype)...

Unfortunately I was afraid that Violeta wasn't going to make it when this morning she looked just about dead but was still breathing. I held her over my little burner for about an hour and then had to go work, aka some school visits I had scheduled. And when I got home around 1pm, she really looked dead but alas I've been watching her all afternoon and forcing her to drink water and she seems to have perked up a little. I believe that she's going to pull through-that little purple people eater.

So while I was home nursing my chickens back to health, I made myself a fabulous lunch. This weekend I hit up the supermarket and stocked up on spices and specialty items. I made a lentil stew today with fresh carrots the size of a forearm, onion, tomatoes, cumin, and garlic. Then I got really domestic and decided to finally try making banana bread. I know what you're thinking, well geez that ain't no thang. But, I made it WITHOUT AN OVEN! Now even the expert baker will admit that takes a little bit of skill. Wondering how it works? A Peace Corps Oven: simply take a comal (like a large skillet without the rims, we use it for making tortillas) and put an empty can of tuna filled with water in the middle, over your burner, then place your cake pan with delicious dough on top of the can and cover the whole thing with a big pot put upside down. 50 minutes later you will have a wonderful smelling kitchen and delectible bread to accomany your afternoon cafecito. Honestly though, I'm pretty shocked that it turned out so well. It will definately be my signature dish here in Guatemala for repaying those amazing neighboors for their fresh spinach.

If we always had everything we needed, we'd never get to be creative!

Yesterday I got to conference call skype with my family who is currently displaced all over the world. It was pretty awesome. And come to mention it, they're pretty awesome too.

Speaking of technology: I would formally like to apologize for my butchering of the Queen's English, but my spellcheck here only picks up Spanish... sigh, I am incompetent and hence dependent on technology. But I could start writing this blog in Spanish if that was preferred by my readers

p.s. get excited. I am on the hunt for a cable to connect my camera to the compu this week so pictures are on the way