I am escaping the heat in the only Internet Cafe as far as my world is concerned - an Air-Conditioned cafe! Never thought A/C would mean so much to me but it does when the heat is at this level. It is ridiculously hot; abnormally hot the locals say. This sort of heat does things to the mind. You feel sluggish. You move slower. All you want to do is sleep. I keep moving though, because when I sit down for too long I really feel the heat and tiredness it brings about.
Last night the city lost power for about an hour to two hours. Not sure, as I decided to use this time to take a nap. Power went out shortly before dinner, so we ate dinner by candlelight as lightening and thunder clamored down all around. Would've been romantic if not for ... the damn heat! No electricity means no fans. I attempted to walk down to Big Wave Dave's after dinner because I hear they have free Wi-fi and are open later than the internet cafes. I walked about halfway there before realizing that their intenret would be down because of hte poewr failure. Duurrrr! It was kinda scary walking around town with the power out. It wasn't incredibly dark yet but the air took on a sense of recklessness with the power out. Cars were honking more than usual (a lack of stop signs small streets means Nicans honk upon approaching almost every inersection corner .... more on that another time). Shops and houses glowed eerily in the candlelight, and the dogs were barking (they are usually quiet).
After my failed attempt to make it to Big Wave Dave's I returned home and sat on the porch with Salvadora and her family. I sat in a rocker next to Salvadora's mother, the abuela (Grandmother) of the house. My Spanish is even worse than I thought, and I am having a hard time communicating with Salvadora's family. In addition to running her apartment services/house, Salvadora also works at Henry's Iguana Bar during the day, and is rarely home. She understands and can speak English very well, but hardly uses it with me. She wants me to speak Spanish, which is good for me. But without her at home, I fend for myself conversation wise with her sister, sister-in-law, children and mother. I know enough and our communication is okay enough that basics like food, cleaning, etc. are communicated, but I really wish I could speak with them and get to know them better. I am learning questions to ask, but when they answer them I cannot understand! I ask them to speak less fast, but most of the time to no avail. I have settled for tickling the children and making my (in)famous duck-call sound for them, and for quietly sitting next to the old woman. They seem to enjoy this but it feels a little isolated at times not being able to communicate more than "I am hungry/thirsty," "I am going to the beach (with my friends)," or "Thank you very much."
I really like my home here though. The group from Texas is in a situation where they are all paying the same as me ($20 per day, including three meals a day), but are sharing very small room swith a floor-communal bathroom. They were under the impression that they were each to receive their own room, but upon arrival were grouped into pairs. They are in small rooms and sharing either bunk beds or full beds, with one small fan per room, and are sharing one toilet and shower for the whole facility. There are currently five of them, plus one additional guest and two more Americans coming. Ay yi yi! There is space available at my place but they are hesitant to break up.
About my place though. You enter through Salvadora's locked-down porch, complete with table and several rocking chairs - a typical set-up for Nican homes (porches with chairs) but the amount of chairs and their upkeep indicate a nicer status. You enter into the living room, then the dining room, and finally the kitchen. Behind this is the two story apartment building.
More to come, must go meet group to go watch a bull-fight - part of the festivities in honor of today, the annual celebration of San Juan!
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