Chinche-Hunting

Today we went chinche hunting.  Why we are hunting for an bug that can give us a deadly tropical disease I have no idea, but Norberto (the retired insect-enthusiast) is determined.  Of course, HE has close-toed shoes on. We hike up into the forest, with Norberto and his machete, and watch as he searches for the mysterious chinche.  After about a half hour, we sit down and make ourselves comfortable as he continues his relentless search (we couldn't have helped him even if we wanted to, because there was only one machete, obvi).  Two hours later, the search turns to mangoes, and the next thing you know we are picking fresh mangoes from a tree and eating them like lollipops, and Norberto is using his machete to cut open coconuts for us.  We like this kind of hunting much better. :)

After we finish the hunt with no mention of our failure to find the chinche, we go to a little boy's home who has the disease of chagas.  He basically has a death sentence, with a life expectancy of only about 15 more years, as he has already had the disease for five.  He is only 7.  We ask his grandmother about healthcare, and she explains there is no reason to even go, all they do is wait for hours, the doctors may not even show up, and they can't afford it anyway since the government took away their welfare.  Of course she has chickens running around the yard and a gnarly-looking goat.  At the end of our morning on a whim I ask Norberto if I can come to his Catholic mass on Sunday and he says yes.  So I have that going for me, which is nice.

However, I start crying in frustration in my Spanish class this afternoon because the teacher can't understand something I said.  Of course, it is ONE thing, but in my deep desire to be the best Spanish speaker EVER, I have failed myself.

The universe answers by introducing me to four high school Mexican girls on my way home from class.  Nervously they ask if they can interview me for a high school project to improve their English skills.  In very shaky English we start the interview, and they are so cute, trying so hard to get it right for the video (and, I presume, the grade).  Their questions go something like this:  Did you eat hot dogs yesterday? Did you have friends? What was your favorite 'some word I can't understand despite the three times we did the interview'?  They are super grateful for my time, and it all reminds me to not take myself so f-ing seriously.