Nov 25 Poetry in the streets

Tommorrow I am going to the largest outdoor market in Guatemala...It is in a town called San Francisco and is about a 45 minute chicken bus ride from Xela.I will be going with my present teacher and other students and their teachers.Is their anything you want me to buy for you...scarves,pencil/ makeup cases,glass cases..T shirts.,,note nooks..,etc etc.I sense that Guatemala is where it is at in centro america in regards to handicraft products due to the strong Mayan influence.You won,t get it in the same intensity in Costa Rica.
 Yesterday I visited a womans textile cooperative and purchased some small items .Tommorrow will be the real M,Coy for buying things so if you want anything reply now and I,lll read my EMail later tonight.
Last night I went to hear a poetry reading in a popular cafe in Xela called RED....Several poets read their work outside the restuarant in the narrow street.I was the only nonGuatemalteco present and no doubt the oldest...a veijito for sure....and of course I hardly understood anything they said but the emotional intent was easy to grasp.I went because the teenage son of he family I am staying with was reading his work and so was his cousin who is also staying with the family.The street was  narrow and cussions were placed on the egually narrow stone sidewalks.The poets took their turn sitting in an easy chair with a micro phone on a nearby table.There were about thirty people sitting about...in their late teens..twenties and so on.Sort of an intellectual circle for the hip Guatemaltecos.I was quite moved actually even though I hardly understood anything.
Constantly being in a spanish world is taking its toll in my sleep pattern.My mind is on on overload and if I wake up during the night..which is common due to the two house cats jumping and campering about on the tin and plastic roof(what a commotion !)...I then lie awake thinking about spanish words and phrases....It is dificult remembering all the verbs and nouns and a lot of the other students have more experience aand are just probably more adept.Neveretheless I persevere.