Kevin

He has the most enchanting, and the deepest dark brown eyes i've ever seen. The biggest front teeth, too! But those two front teeth make such a warm smile when you see it. He is about 4 feet tall, and chocolate color skin. The most amusing guy i've ever met and such a gentlemen (good work with him, dad). His name is Kevin. He is ten years old and he is my brother; a brother that i had no idea existed. He is such a funny person. He likes to make me laugh cause he finds it amusing to hear my laughs and even more to hear how i giggle.

I bearly know him but i already love him.

It is so sweet when he confidently says to other people "this is my sister Mariana", or when he gives me his seat in the transit because the other seats are all occupied and i have to stand.

There's a song in Spanish with my name in it. The song is called "Oh, Mariana". He'll start singing the song randomly, like he is doing right now. He will sing "Oh Mariana" over and over again even though that's the only part that he knows out of the entire song.

Like any other younger sibling, he's speciality is to get on my nerves. Something that he learned pretty quickly how to do. "Don't call me Carmen!!!", i will shout. Then he'll shorten my name to Mari and then jump to calling me " Mari, Mari, Mariposita" in a really annnoying tune! It is so embarassing when he does it in public! I just think "please, be quiet!!"

However, he is my little brother. Annoying? Yes. But i love him either way.

Guatemala

I don't know how to start this first blog. I can say that i am in another country, and that it scares me beacause everyone knows that third world countries are dangerous.

Besides that, i've come to find out that i have an extensively large family. Not even counting the extended family i have over at the US.

Dad and grandma say i'm not done meeting all of them. So far, i can't count the total number of grandparents i have with both hands. Yes, that is a lot! I don't even know how i come to be realted as a grandchild with all of these people. Cousins... dude, i'm not even gonna go there.

Why does Guatemala scare me?

Well, haven't been here in such a long time. I don't remember most people- people that claim to know me. My hometown changed a lot. My street isn't the same anymore. When i left, about six years ago, my street wasn't paved. Now, it is and it even seems as if it had shrunk (must be because i've gotten taller). I have gotten lost i don't know how many times and have had to walk around looking for a public phone to call someone. Good thing has been that i've had money on me to call and that i always carry a phone number with me.

I've almost gotten run over by crazy drivers. I constantly forget that i am not in the US anymore when i cross the streets. US drivers respect pedestrians more than drivers do here. A car won't stop just because you're crossing the street. So, now i have to keep on reminding myself to really look both ways before i cross the street.