Ups and downs

Wednesday, an in between day

Group one left at the crack of dawn this morning. Some of Group two has arrived  in Guatemala City. They are staying there tonight, and a shuttle is bringing them here tomorrow. 

I am the only one doing both sessions. But many of the participants, in both groups, are highly experienced mosaic artists.  The second group is somewhat larger. One person from last year is returning and bringing several friends. Another person is bringing her adult son. One or two people are from France. One person has a prosthetic leg. And that’s what I know so far!  Everyone in the earlier group seemed to get along well. Hopefully that will also be true of Group 2.

. In my experience, the first week is like a honeymoon period. If there are going to be tensions they tend to develop from the second week. And these are one week sessions so hopefully no time for tensions to arise!

Of course, my experiences have been quite different, with the majority of the group in my volunteer experiences being in their 20s, and the groups being very international. But I’m not sure how much that affects the dynamics. One likes to think that people in their 40s to 60s are more mature, but I am not really sure that is true. But everyone in this group did seem to get along quite well, and there are several that I will hopefully keep in touch with. 

This morning Deb told me that she, Chati and Cindy had decided to move me to a different room on the first floor. I had actually brought the idea up with Chati a day or two ago, not because of the steps, but because there is a lot of road traffic, especially early in the am.  I told her to show
me another room and that I would decide.

So I was rather startled when Deb informed me that they had decided for me. She also mentioned that they were going to escort me back and forth from my room because they were worried about me. That was the worst of it.   I understand that they are worried after my fall, and also that they are to an extent responsible for my wellbeing. Nonetheless, I hardly need escorting, and just how were they going to do that?  Including down to the work area? I made clear that I was upset (by bursting into tears)  and they discussed it further and decided that I didn’t need to change rooms.  They haven’t mentioned monitoring my walking again, so I am hoping they have let that go.

I realize their concern, between the fall and the group losing me in the other town. They must think I’m a total space cadet and/or incompetent , and now I am worried about their worrying about me. 

The fall, after all, was not on the hotel premises, and on a sidewalk with a bump, not on the cobblestones of the hotel. I am usually quite careful about steps, at home and elsewhere, including here, so it’s somewhat ironic that I fell on a pretty smooth pavement  which I had deliberately moved to from the cobblestone street.

So I am feeling a little out of sorts this afternoon, since I had been really enjoying myself, and the project, until this morning. Now I am feeling even more conscious of my walking, too much so, hoping not to do anything that will worry them further. 

Well, time to go to the music school. Hopefully that will put me back in a happy mood.