Yesterday we met the people from Ecomaya, the company that I am going to work for. The office is pretty small, and there are only three people working here. There is the big boss Manuel who´s pretty nice, and there are two younger girls, Alma and Evelyn who are also very nice. We also met the people from Alianza Verde, the company that Sara is going to work for. There are all pretty young, as well as the big boss Saul Blanco. They all think it is also a good opportunity for them to get to know our thoughts about everything.

Tomorrow we will be going to our hostfamilies for our spanish classes. Unfortunately we will not be attending the same schools at the same time. There are two schools, one is in a little village called San José, and one is in a little village called San Andrés. The first two weeks I will go to San José and Sara to San Andrés, and after two weeks we switch for the last two weeks. Too bad we won´t be able to stay together, but they say that the little villages are only 10 minutes walking from each other, so we´ll see.

Anyways.....about today....

The people from Ecomaya had organized a trip for us to Tikal today. Tikal is one of the largest archeological Mayan sites in the region of Petén. We were picked up by a luxurious bus and it was only about an hour drive to the National Park of Tikal. We had a spanish guide, a small lady. Luckily she wasn´t talking too fast, and she was talking pretty clear, so we could understand the most important stuff. We started off with some small temples and buildings, nothing TOO special, but all of a sudden we arrived at the Plaza Central and WOW!!! Huge tempels!! You can not even imagine how big they were! Just incredible!! I think we climbed about 4 of them, and knowing me and being afraid of hights, I still can´t believe that I survived everything! It was pretty scary I can tell ya! But it was DEFINITELY worth it! Especially the last tempel we climber was incredible. The view was wonderful, you can´t image. You could see all the way over the whole big jungle of Petén, and you could see other tempel parts sticking out of the trees. Just incredible! And I was thinking that today was saturday, and normally I would be selling cheese at the market! haha! Sara and I were enjoying ourselves soo much, that our guide had to come and get us, because we forgot the time! Oops! Poor lady, all the way up those stairs!

We also saw and heard weird animals! I forgot their names, I think they were called something like Pizotes, whatever they are! And finally I know why they call a howler monkey a howler monkey. Man those animals can make a noise! If you wouldn´t know better, you would think you landed somewhere in Jurassic Park and some huge dinasaur would pop up from behind!

We walked around with a small group, and among them there was also a couple from Mexico. The little lady didn´t say much and looked Mexican, but her boyfriend or husband was some weird guy from Japan or China or somewhere who lived in Mexico. He was extremely funny, Sara and I called him Dopey. He was soo clumpsy! I can´t believe he made it down to those tempels safe and sound! We had a laugh with him!

Well, think that was about it, although I probably forgot something. Oh yeah, we also saw a crocodile in some lake there, small detail! But yeah, everything is pretty good here! Miss you guys, and too bad you aren´t here to enjoy this with me!

Ciao,

Marjolein