¡Me Va a Sacar los Frijoles!

He's so excited!
Originally uploaded by zassink

Yesterday was one of those days of extremely mixed emotions. My neighbor, Carlos José, had his sixth grade graduation, which is a really big deal here. It’s kind of like a high school graduation in the States, just cheesier (at least here in Copán). We went to one of the nicest hotels in Copán, Hotel Posada Real, in order to have the ceremony and dinner. Apparently the hotel is famous for not good food....and I’d say that it lived up to that. We had a super expensive dinner that I probably could have made better, and that’s saying something!:) The ceremony was alright, I really don’t see the big deal about graduating from sixth grade, because you’re only about half way through school in my opinion...never-the-less I played along and enjoyed the ceremony.
When we got home around 9:30 I was hanging out with my neighbors realizing that I might not see some of them for a really long time. They were planning on leaving early this morning (5:15am) for Tegucigalpa and the graduation of the oldest of the kids from high school. They don’t get back until after I leave for the States on the 27th. Only about half of them were planning on going, but they were all considering going (still last night they weren’t sure!). So as I said my “see you laters” last night I started to get really nostalgic thinking about all the things that we’ve done together. They have all been like brothers, sisters, and of course a mom to me. We’ve taken trips together, eaten dinner together on a regular basis, I’ve studied with Carlos José constantly, had our Sunday morning coffee hang outs, watched Caso Cerrado (it’s like a good version of Judge Judy), sat outside the house commenting on all the tourists passing by, they’ve even tried to get me a girlfriend here in Copán (unsuccessfully).:) So I’m saying goodbye at the time to María Beatris and her four year old son right before I go to bed. María and I are talking about all sorts of different memories and thanking each other for putting up with each other. Then I bend down to give Norman Roman (the four year old) a hug; I lift him up and give him a strong hug. As I set him back down he says (giggling), “Mister.... ¡me va a sacar los frijoles!” In other words, “Mister...You’re going to squeeze the beans out of me!” I got up this morning and found a note on my kitchen stove....all my neighbors left this morning! I’m left to fend for myself here in my house for the last week. I no longer have anybody to joke around with, to make fun of each other with, to comment about tourists with...nothing! This will be kind of a boring week I think...the good news is that there is a medical brigade that should keep me busy. I’m going to miss my neighbors though, beans and all.