last couple of weeks...

Seeing that it's been a while since I wrote, i thought I would grace u with a posting from me.   i'm sure everyone is sooooo worried!! :-)

The last couple of weeks have been different in the sense that my perspective has changed from being a traveller to being a local and as such i am just living here versus looking at things through fresh eyes - if that makes any sense...?  I met a group of people here who i've been hanging out with - they've pretty much taken me under their wing and i have to say it's been super cool!  I actually met these folks my very first day here and would see them around a lot but only got to know them properly about 2 weeks ago. 

Continued...Last weekend i went to the beach with them - it was incredible.  A gorgeous place called Tilapita - one of the folks has a holiday home there and so 9 of us crashed there - it's about a 3 hour drive away from Xela.  We stayed at the beach till 2 in the morning with a camp fire in the background, peeps playing the guitar and singing(in spanish unfortunately but  at least they were in tune.), waves crashing in the background.  U get the idea.  Even though it was very late, the beach was surprisingly still pretty light.  We then went back home and they continued to play the guitar and sing till 7am!  I had to retire early cos i was the oldest one there and need my beauty sleep.  We slept outside under the stars...So now, i can finally say that i have camped!!!(kind of - quite honestly this is the closest i'll ever get to camping).  It truly was a stunning experience though!   Except that i got bitten 1000 times by mosquitoes despite the hard core 55% deets Belgian repellant- ugggggggh.  I've been itching ever since -but def worth it!

I've been helping one of the guys (Willy) with a salsa performance for a couple of his students- pulling the choreography together and just teaching the kids what little styling I know.  I love it!  Salsa truly is my passion - I can do it all day every day!  It's such a shame there's no money in it so i won't quit my day job just yet...!  I have parents of kids calling me asking if i can teach their kids and they'll come at any time i'm available.  Kinda cool:-)  I mean lets face it, it's for free so of course they're gonna but it seems that i have enough clientele to be able to start my own little school here – also it helps that they don’t know what the real salsa looks like so i’m starting from a very low base!:-)

With regards to Christian, I've hung out with him a few times.  We went shopping 2 weeks ago for a big time marathon shop.  That was when i decided it was time to use some of the money u kind generous peeps gave me - We bought 30 pairs of sport shoes, 30 sweaters, 15 pairs of jeans, socks,  underwear, food - u name it.  And all for about $400!  Ok, the quality wasn’t like Macy’s or Express but at least the kiddies have more than they did the week before.  I wasn't allowed to see him the week after that cos he had been misbehaving:-( that seemed weird cos he's such a good kid.  At first i thought that it had something to do with the fact that i've been taking him out and that that's making him a little naughty but they assured me it wasnt the case.   Apparently some of the kids have been annoying him so he fought back and got into trouble. 
I was at the studio teaching one day, when suddenly 15 kids walk in and they were all the kids from Christian's class (minus Christian unfortunately).  Apparently Willy teaches them for free.  I was really excited cos it was a lovely surprise and some of them remembered me.  I asked WIlly if i could teach the class and he very willingly said "OF COURSE". Boy did i regret it!!!!!!!!  It was COMPLETE AND UTTER CHAOS!  15 5-8 year olds running around each other, dancing in different directions, side to side, upside down, inside out  - I was getting so frustrated.  By the end of it, I figured i just had to get rid of their energy somehow so after i had them clean up the place and do some pushups, we pretty much had an aerobics class!

One of the kids told me that Christian was sad last week cos he thought that i had left Xela and not said goodbye.  I wouldnt do thaaaaaaaaaaaat!   So i went to see him today on the off chance that they would let me take him out and they did!  The shelter was really nice to me which was great.   We went for Mcdees and a coffee afterwards then he bought tons of stuff for his friends.  I think he likes to be the big guy, bringing back the gifts:-) 

Christian’s court date got put back cos all the judges were on holiday so it’s gonna be mid January now...Unfortunately its gonna be difficult for me to do anything to help him but i’m definitely gonna keep in touch.  Next week, we’re gonna buy a xmas tree and decorate it – apparently they’ve never had that before so they’re super excited.  I’m looking forward to it - should be fun!

Ok guys, I promise to write a couple more posts in the next month and not leave it too long!!

Love to all xxx