Monday, June 9, 2008

Guachimontones, Gran Noche Internacional, and the RAIN

Saturday we went to the Guachimontones pyramids. I was really hoping we were going to get to see some ruins. We were originally spend Saturday in Tapulpa but with the talent show and everything being Saturday night, we didn’t think we would have enough time. The pyramids were amazing. They are the only circular ones around and really the whole tribe is sort of a mystery. We watched a movie about them in “English” but the Spanish accent was so strong and I was so tired that I really didn’t understand too much of the movie. We had so much fun taking pictures and exploring the ruins.

We were in a bit of a time crunch and everyone was starving. We decided to eat – but did not get our food until 2:30. Mind you, we wanted to be home by 3. Everyone was stressing - but we did get to eat some good food. The chips were flakey and delicious. Everything else was mostly fish so a bunch of us just got a hamburger and 4 good sized quesadillas. All that food for a high price of $4.50. Can’t beat that!

When we hadn’t left by 3:15, the tension was overwhelming. Luckily, we made it home with just enough time for me to shower and get ready and be at the chapel by 6. People were running around, setting things up, and trying to get in last minute practices. Before long we had probably about 200 people watching our “Gran Noche Internacional.” We had everything from piano playing, ballet, Polynesian dancing, and juggling. We opened with Color Esperanza – a favorite song amongst our group. I participated in the opening song, a group performance of THRILLER, the talking heads (you know, faces on the chins, singing upside down) we sang la cucaracha, and then we closed the entire show with Joseph Smith’s First Prayer in Spanish. It went very well. Yolanda came and I think she was very impressed. Natalie did a beautiful ballet piece and I am so very proud of her!

After the show I had some time to mix and mingle with a few of the elders and of course all our friends who came to support us. Then the boys wanted to take us to do something. Of course we left with a plan, salsa dancing, and ended up doing - not that. Half the group sat at Burger King waiting to hear plans from us, the 11 girls and 5 boys in a big red truck. First, we came back to our house to change and drop everything off. We then drove around for about forever and decided we would try the cherry lobby…bad idea, a few of us didn’t have id’s and they were trying to charge us, when I know girls get in free on Saturdays. So we decided to get some food and ended up at some concert. Another interesting event. We finally ended up at a park – trying to play games in a gazebo. The game didn’t work and before we knew it, it was pouring. Wow, can it rain. The thunder and lightening was magnificent but we got stuck under this gazebo for a good solid amount of time. The wind blew the rain into the gazebo and we all ended up wet. We waited for a little break in the downpour and ran back to the truck where 9 people had to sit in the back. A night I will never forget. Within no time, the streets were flooded. That night there was one thunder that shook the entire house. You could here everything rattling. It actually scared me – but I was so tired that before long, I was asleep…until about 2 hours before I had to get up for church. I was asleep and moved my leg and BAM – a charlie horse. HORRIBLE. I couldn’t move and I just yelled for Natalie. I didn’t know what to do. Haha Later she told me our whole conversation was in Spanish. I said, “Natalie! Natalie! Tengo un charlie horse. Me duele! Me duele!” hahaha and she said, “Lo siento. Tu necesitas un platano…” Then she was asleep again.

No comments: