My Simple Life
One of the reasons I love living overseas is life is simpler.
So far in Guatemala, I'm surviving without a car. My goal is to make it at least until I pay off my student loans (projected August 2008). I've been able to do it thus far with the help of my very generous friends and co-workers who bring me to and from work and pick me up to go out on the weekends. Public transportation has a long way to go here in the city, but there are Yellow Taxis who are both prompt and safe that I can fall back on when a friend isn't available. They're currently working on a more efficient form of bus transport, but its current route isn't yet helpful to me.
Not only are my bills extremely cheap, they're very easy to pay. Banco Internacional is located on campus and takes payment for all three of my bills, electricity, cable and telephone. You can also write a personal check to yourself from your US bank account and they'll cash it and give you the amount in Quetzales, the local currency.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my co-worker Audrey gives yoga lessons for a mere $2.50 US and on Wednesdays Sora gives them for free! It's very convenient as it is right in the High School Music classroom on campus at 4pm and the buses, provided by the school to drive both teachers and students home, depart just after class at 5pm.
Every other Wednesday, Emma, my cleaning lady, arrives at my apartment while I'm at work (I leave the key downstairs with the guards) and not only cleans, but strips my sheets, does all of my laundry, remakes my bed, cuts vegetables, making five separate salads for my lunches each day, and cooks dinner! I come home to a nice meal, a clean house and freshly watered plants! This is provided for 100Q, which is equal to $12 US. Unreal.
My helpful neighbor Marco is on the Board of Directors and hooked me up with the building maintenance guys who will hang a couple of my hammocks on the patio this week and hopefully repair a couple broken ceiling lights. He also kicked out a non-resident couple who used to be in our downstairs gym each morning at 5:30am when I arrived and were sometimes using the treadmill that I needed to use to run my 5k each morning. I didn't know they were non-residents, but the first day I showed up and the husband was on "my" treadmill, Marco told me he'd "take care of it." I had no idea they weren't supposed to be in the gym, but Marco said he didn't mind until the guy starting using "my" treadmill. It's nice to have Marco on your side!
Every other Tuesday I leave 14Q ($1.75 US) at the front desk and the Salvavidas water guy brings a 5 gallon jug of water right to my door. I simply carry it inside, take off the cap and tip it upside-down on the water tank holder. I used to leave my key at the front desk and the guy would even do the for me, but I didn't think it was smart to let a random water guy into my apartment when I wasn't home, so I started doing it.
My apartment is conveniently located in an upscale neighborhood near two grocery stores, banks, farmacies, cheap Korean clothing stores, restaurants, a great coffee shop and a movie theater, which is directly across the street! I'm able to walk everywhere and being that the weather is so excellent, it's a pleasure! The only downside is that it's not advisable to walk after dark for security reasons, but during the day all is well.
The airport is conveniently located only 5 minutes away. Low budget Spirit Air offers round trip, direct flights to Fort Lauderdale for $80 and Los Angeles for $225! I'm looking forward to taking off to LAX after school on Wednesday this week!
So far in Guatemala, I'm surviving without a car. My goal is to make it at least until I pay off my student loans (projected August 2008). I've been able to do it thus far with the help of my very generous friends and co-workers who bring me to and from work and pick me up to go out on the weekends. Public transportation has a long way to go here in the city, but there are Yellow Taxis who are both prompt and safe that I can fall back on when a friend isn't available. They're currently working on a more efficient form of bus transport, but its current route isn't yet helpful to me.
Not only are my bills extremely cheap, they're very easy to pay. Banco Internacional is located on campus and takes payment for all three of my bills, electricity, cable and telephone. You can also write a personal check to yourself from your US bank account and they'll cash it and give you the amount in Quetzales, the local currency.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my co-worker Audrey gives yoga lessons for a mere $2.50 US and on Wednesdays Sora gives them for free! It's very convenient as it is right in the High School Music classroom on campus at 4pm and the buses, provided by the school to drive both teachers and students home, depart just after class at 5pm.
Every other Wednesday, Emma, my cleaning lady, arrives at my apartment while I'm at work (I leave the key downstairs with the guards) and not only cleans, but strips my sheets, does all of my laundry, remakes my bed, cuts vegetables, making five separate salads for my lunches each day, and cooks dinner! I come home to a nice meal, a clean house and freshly watered plants! This is provided for 100Q, which is equal to $12 US. Unreal.
My helpful neighbor Marco is on the Board of Directors and hooked me up with the building maintenance guys who will hang a couple of my hammocks on the patio this week and hopefully repair a couple broken ceiling lights. He also kicked out a non-resident couple who used to be in our downstairs gym each morning at 5:30am when I arrived and were sometimes using the treadmill that I needed to use to run my 5k each morning. I didn't know they were non-residents, but the first day I showed up and the husband was on "my" treadmill, Marco told me he'd "take care of it." I had no idea they weren't supposed to be in the gym, but Marco said he didn't mind until the guy starting using "my" treadmill. It's nice to have Marco on your side!
Every other Tuesday I leave 14Q ($1.75 US) at the front desk and the Salvavidas water guy brings a 5 gallon jug of water right to my door. I simply carry it inside, take off the cap and tip it upside-down on the water tank holder. I used to leave my key at the front desk and the guy would even do the for me, but I didn't think it was smart to let a random water guy into my apartment when I wasn't home, so I started doing it.
My apartment is conveniently located in an upscale neighborhood near two grocery stores, banks, farmacies, cheap Korean clothing stores, restaurants, a great coffee shop and a movie theater, which is directly across the street! I'm able to walk everywhere and being that the weather is so excellent, it's a pleasure! The only downside is that it's not advisable to walk after dark for security reasons, but during the day all is well.
The airport is conveniently located only 5 minutes away. Low budget Spirit Air offers round trip, direct flights to Fort Lauderdale for $80 and Los Angeles for $225! I'm looking forward to taking off to LAX after school on Wednesday this week!