Princess and Guatemala

In my life journey in different countries, I meet so many friends and some are becoming very very dear friends. Today I am going to tell you one of my special friends. She is a Princess. I met her in 1993 in Guatemala. Around that year, I had quite a few friends from US Embassy in Guatemala. There, one of the ladies that I knew was a Japaneses girl who married to American. She taught us Japanese Flower Arrangement also how to make Japanese Sushi!!! She is my first Sushi Teacher! Well mostly social life!

One day my Japanese friend called me "Helen, I want to introduce you one of the lady and she looks like you (I am glad she said that because when I saw The Princess, she is a beautiful lady)" . So I went down from my building to meet them and I saw her, the Princess. From there we becoming friend now for almost 15 years.

We had the best 2 years together in Guatemala. First time when my plane landed in Guatemala, I thought I am in America and how come this air port not look like American Airports which I saw in the movie??? I did not pay so much attention that what the different between North America and Central America! This is very bad of my knowledge, well before OK! Now I am smarter and know the different looks of many countries. (before Guatemala, I lived in Hong Kong/Macao for 4 years)... I love Hong Kong/Macao! By the way, there was my final years of my single life too!! My wedding was in both Hong Kong and Macao.

I was totally not prepare for to live in a country that culture, way of living, and language are so different from Burma and Hong Kong ( I do speak Cantonese after 2 year though)....ect!! Daily basic, I can't talk to no one for the first year or two in Guatemala. Can't talk to maid or security guards or buying food was so difficult ...well from there life was leading me that Guatemala made me feel as my "second home "...I have a handful of friends there who also very dearest to me. I just met them last year one of the keys in Florida. Thank you to Silvia for her so friendliness and kindness! She introduced me to her wonderful friends in Guatemala!

Countries before I lived, physical contact is no no at all. I still remembered that the day I joined the Gym in Guatemala, the Aerobic Instructor hug me and kissed me both cheek..then all the aerobic class people, both men and women Kissed me out of their friendliness! On that day , I think I felt so...how to say? so uncomfortable and so shocked but a kind of new feeling I sense it! like.... How's so friendly? Why they hug me without asking me? (in Burma the Government will put you into the Jail for improper action in Public as by law any kind of hugs and kisses) What kind of culture (my curiosity starting from there)??? but after based in Guatemala many many years...Now I am the one starting to kiss and hug to my friends!! Most of my Thai friends also hug but not to everyone mostly they "Sawadee" each other.

Have you ever seen men urinating in public area? I do not see in Gainesville though! See I live right at the back of US embassy and way high floor in Guatemala. From my apartment I can see all over Guatemala and I do have binocular. The day I saw 3 or 4 men urinating in Reforma Road, which is one of the main Road, I was shocked because I do not see in Hong Kong nor Macao...can say may be I live in nice area??? On top of that they were urinating into the country's hero statues!! on joking!!

I was alone most of the time at home. Robins was all over the central America for busy with his shrimps. At that situation, I met the Princess and we both had the best time. We went to the lake, to Antigua and many places... We shopped till we hungry. I remembered the day she bought 6 horses in Antigua! She is the one told me to paint too. She paints beautifully till today at her home in McLean. I went to visit her in McLean and we had a good time. Took me all over Washington D.C. She came back to visit me in Belize (I do not like Belize that much, the most boring place I had ever been but I like the Caribbean beach), where Robins was building the Shrimp farm. She came with other 2 women one is her realative Pi Ing, she is so fun to be with, half Thai and half Gemen and Pi Twe!

Well today by this moment, my Princess might be touch down Bangkok air port! She is coming for her relative funeral (the King's sister). We talk on the phone almost each week (almost everyday in Gainesville when I was fighting with my liver cancer), but after many years I am going to see her in person. I love her because I have reasons to.... she nice to me in many ways! I am looking forward to seeing her!! Welcome back to Bangkok Pi Yin!!!