San Marcos, Guatemala

After Pachal, I returned to Xela for a night so that I could do some laundry, get a good WiFi connection for making plans for my next adventure and make connection with people back home, mail some stuff home and other necessary things.  I stayed at a hostel recommended by one of the Aussies.  It was nice, spartan and clean.  It was centrally located and I was able to get everything completed that I needed to.

Why unload some stuff?  Well, as you know, my pack was feeling too heavy, so I figured it was time to unload some stuff.  I left some things with Armando's family in Pachal.  A pair of pants, a shirt, a towel & washcloth and some empty bottles.  Claudia was so grateful!  Warmed my heart to see the smile on her face.  Then there were a few things I decided that I'd hate to just leave behind, but if they never made it home, oh well.  I mailed home my hair straightener (gasp!) because I decided that I don't need it (haven't used it since Puerta Vallarta).  I also sent home one dress (I have one left) and my hat and gloves.  I concluded after some cold nights in Pachal that my gloves and hat weren't doing me much good because they weren't warm enough anyway that it made more sense to buy new ones if I need them later down the road.  I sent home some other random stuff, like my small (3.5"x2.5") notebook with enclosed pen, my mini "stove" (decided I'm not going to be roughing it that much) and my compass (like I'm going to go wandering around the woods by myself!).  I think I lost about 5 pounds or so from my pack, but the darn thing is STILL too heavy.  I'll probably unload some more clothes relatively soon.  I'd hate to just leave them around, so hopefully I'll find someone near my size who is in need.

Yesterday morning, I stuffed what I had left into my pack and caught a shuttle bus to Panajachel.  It's a somewhat touristy city on Lago de Atitlán (Lake Atitlán).  I had no intention of staying in Pana, as it's nicknamed, because I've heard it's just one big tourist trap.  That's not what I'm looking for.  Ronnie (one of the Aussies) from Pachal recommend San Pedro instead, which is a smaller village on the other side of the lake.  That was my intention as I left Xela.  Funnily enough, I didn't make it to San Pedro.

The bus ride to Pana took about 2.5 hours.  The shuttle wound through the mountains the entire trip.  Up and down, around and back.  This would not be a good ride for anyone who gets carsick.  I guarantee they'd have to be asking the driver to pull over.  For the rest of us though, this is possibly one of the prettier trips to take. The mountains and volcanos, full of greenery, crops, fields, wildflowers and the occasional farm, loomed on the horizon.  I've been to the Rocky Mountains and seen huge mountains throughout America, but this is nothing like any of those.  The mountains are not snow-capped and they are full of vegetation to the very top.  The trees are not only pine, but all sorts of fruit trees, flowering trees and other trees I've never seen.

As we neared Pana, the lake came into view.  Oh.  My.  Gawd.  So, I looked at pictures of the place the internet before my arrival and they don't even do the place justice.  To be honest, I was thinking of skipping the place.  I kinda figured that if you've seen one lake at the base of a mountain, you'd seen them all.  I mean, we have Mount Hood with Timothy Lake and other great places back home, right?  Uh, no.  Lake Atitlán is majestic.  Truly awe-inspiring.  As I wound down the two-lane road to Pana, the lake sort of just appeared out of nowhere.  It is HUGE and it is surrounded by HUGE volcanoes.  The seem to soar to the limits of the sky.  The water is clear and almost a dark turquoise blue.  Small, wispy clouds hung around the tops of the volcanoes the day I arrived, almost like halos or crowns.

My driver took me to the bottom of Pana where the boats wait for passengers.  He dropped me off and told me to go to the lake.  I felt completely stranded for a few seconds.  Here I was, standing in the middle of the street, engulfed by this huge backpack that I could still barely life despite having unloaded about five pounds, staring at the boat docks and wondering who the hell I talk to to get to San Pedro.  I found a small family selling food at a stall and asked them what to do (I figured they probably have nothing to gain by sending me one direction or other, so they'd probably lead me in the right direction).  They too told me to go to the lake.  I did my best to ask them (in Spanish, of course) whether I should talk to the guys at the dock or someone else first.  They said to just talk to the guys on the dock.  Sure.  No problem.

There is a long, gravel portion of the road leading to the docks.  It is STEEP.  Carrying about 40 pounds on my back and wearing flip-flops probably isn't the easiest way to get down the decline.  Fortunately, I made it.  I said to the guys lolling about the docks, "Yo quierro ir a San Pedro."  I'm not positive that's the right way to say to them "I want to go to San Pedro," but they understood me just fine.  I was offered one boat partially full of people and a completely empty boat, one for the round-about-way and the other direct.  If I took the round-about boat, I'd stop at several villages on the way to load and unload passengers and it would take about 45 minutes.  If I took the direct route, I had to wait at the dock for more people going directly to San Pedro, but it would only take 20 minutes to get there.  I opted for the boat full of people, thinking I'd get to see a little more of the lake that way.

I squeezed onto a bench and looked around.  There was a group of women and children that clearly all came from either the same family or tribe, because they were all wearing the traditional Guatemalan garb in the same colors and patterns.  There were also several Americans on board.  A married couple from Connecticut had been living in Santa Cruz (a village on the lake) for about 6 years.  A man from New Mexico had been in San Marcos (another village on the lake) for a month and was considering moving there.  Some other men were on their way to San Pedro and were just visiting on vacation.  I struck up a conversation with the man in San Marcos.  His name is Bo.  I explained that I was on my way to San Pedro and was looking for some peace and quiet to write and relax for a little while.  I really felt like I needed some alone time.  He recommended San Marcos instead of San Pedro, and the couple from Connecticut quickly seconded his opinion.  So, San Marcos it was.

I got off the boat in San Marcos with no idea where I would go, but Bo offered to show me around and help me make sure I found a hostel to stay in for at least a night.  I checked with Hotel El Unicornio, but they only had dorm-style rooms available.  I prefer private rooms.  You pay more, but the silence and personal space is worth it to me.  Maybe later in my journey I will feel like saving the money and staying in dorm-style rooms, but not quite yet.  The next place I checked was Posada del Bosque Encantado.  They had a private room with a private bath available.  Perfect.  The cost is Q125 for the night, which is roughly $12.50 USD.  Not bad.  Bosque Encantado has only three rooms, each of which offer large rooms with private baths.  There's room for four people or more in each room (a twin bed, a double bed and a loft), but fortunately you don't pay more for the unused beds.  It felt like a little slice of heaven after Armando's house, where the toilet was in an outhouse (a hole in the dirt covered by a freezing cold metal "chair" of sorts) and my "showers" were infrequent and accomplished by washing myself with water heated on the stove.  Bosque Encantado has a beautiful courtyard filled with tropical plants and hammocks, and a café serving breakfast.  I figured it would at least do for the night.

After dropping off my bag, Bo showed me around San Marcos and told me a little of what San Marcos is all about.  It is a sort of spiritual enclave.  There are lots of opportunities for massage, yoga and meditation, which seems to be THE reason to come to San Marcos.  I still haven't decided if I will partake in some of the meditation or yoga classes, but I have a little time.  My plan was to be in San Pedro for a few days, but I might stay in San Marcos for a little longer than that because it is so peaceful.

One thing I learned after my arrival in San Marcos and after paying the Q125 for Bosque Encantado is that there are no ATMs or banks anywhere in the village.  Oops!  I didn't bring enough Quetzals for this!  Yikes.  After the Q125, I had only Q30 left!  Bo agreed to change a $20 for me so I at least had a little money to eat for the day.  I could take the boat to San Pedro the next day for some more money.  Bo and I met the owner of Bosque Encantado who showed us her house and property.  Wow!  Her house is like a child's fantasy -- it looks like a treehouse!  Such beautiful property.  Bo and I had lunch at a local restaurant that grows all their own vegetables.  It was delightful.  Bo told me about his travels over lunch and recommended some great places for me to see along the way, as well as some people to contact when I get to those places.

After lunch, I took a Tuk-tuk to another part of the village with incredible lakeshore homes and views.

I met some of Bo's friends, expats from England, Bulgaria and the US.  I visited the local community center where children were playing soccer and basketball.  Every person I met was so nice, locals and visitors alike.  San Marcos is really a beautiful place.  The buildings are connected by cobblestone paths wide enough for about 1-2 people.  The paths wind through the vegetation and buildings in a seemingly haphazard fashion, but it's not too hard to find your way.

After my afternoon with Bo, I found a place with some WiFi and settled in to write and check in on the people back home.  Well, I didn't get too far on that plan.  I ended up meeting more people.  Shocking, I know.  I talked with the two people running the place, both of whom are from the US and just had the job land in their laps about a month ago.  Eventually they plan to travel south too, but for now they are happy in San Marcos.  They are also running one of the local hostels for now, and I plan to check it out.  It's only Q50 a night, which includes breakfast the next day.  That would be a great savings, but the rooms don't have private bathrooms so we shall see.  At the WiFi spot I also met a wonderful German man who chatted with me about his travels and his time of meditation in San Marcos. He gave me some pointers of places in Panama and Colombia that I will have to see when I get there.

That about sums up my time for the last couple days.  I have some exploring to do and might just take a dip in the lake!

*** Oh, and I decided to move to the other hostel.  Saving money is a good thing!

Writings from Pachal

Antigua, Guatemala, is one of the coolest towns I have visited thus far.  It is an old Spanish colonial town and it's architecture and streets maintain as much of the original beauty as possible.  Some of the old churches are crumbling, while some of them have been restored.  The frescos and other ornamental features could keep a painter busy for hours.  The buildings along nearly all the streets have one solid facade, or at least it seems that way.  Although there are many businesses along each wall of the streets, you have to look carefully in order to tell what business you've just come upon because they aren't highly advertised like our American stores.  In fact, I was surprised to stumble upon a Subway with no fanfare other than a metal sign on the outside of an otherwise seemingly plain building.  The buildings frequently have courtyards in the middle; most storefronts, hotels, restaurants, and bars look like they are a small space, but go inside and you'll find some of the most amazing courtyards I've seen.  They have tropical plants, statues of saints and famous people, stone benches surrounded by fragrant flowers and water features that harken back to colonial times.  The mismash of buildings gives the place its own unique character that it just oozes charm.

I wandered around the streets without much thought of what to see and what to do.  I was delighted to stumble into the town square, where opposite buildings flank a beautiful park anchored by a center fountain that reminded me of DuPont Circle in Washington, DC.  The buildings are the governmental building for the mayor of Antigua and the former seat of the governor of Central America (Antigua was the seat of the government of the original Central American states).  Their large columns are so striking that you can't help but stare.  At another end of the square stands a huge (and I mean huge) church.  It's facade has been restored, but many of the former internal walls have not.  If you climb the stairs to the second level of the mayor's building, you can see the old church walls crumbling behind the restored facade.

I was sitting in the park, marveling at the buildings and people watching when a gentlemen came to sit on the bench next to my bench.  His name is Noah...I think.  I'm thinking there is a Spanish version of that name that I couldn't quite figure out.  We started a very halting and definitely difficult conversation in Spanglish.  He recounted his tale of woe to me.  Well, he recounted A tale of woe anyway.  I can't be certain that even half of what he told me was real.  Nonetheless, I listened with an attentive ear to show respect.  He apparently has four children and is out of work.  He said that last year his house slid down the mountain side in a mudslide.  He also told me that his family had not eaten in three days.  The guy was extremely skinny, so that could be true, but who knows.  In any event, I gave the guy Q50, which is the equivalent of about $6 USD.  Even if his story is fake, he still needs the money far more than I do and at least I could tell from my conversation that it was unlikely that he was going to use the money on drugs or alcohol.

After our chat, I headed out of the park for another stroll, only to be stopped by some locals asking me what I was up to and how I liked Antigua.  They invited me to watch the USA vs. Guatemala "football" (ahem....soccer) match going on that night.  I agreed.  Pretty cool.  Oh, and GO Team USA!  We won 3-1 in case you didn't know.  I met those locals and many other locals and tourists up at a local bar that evening.  It was like an American sports bar.  Pretty cool to find something like that in colonial Antigua.  I am fairly certain that I met just about everyone who is anyone that night.  Good times. Afterwards, I went to a salsa club nearby.  Wow!  They had a great band and salsa dancers.  I was asked to dance and tried to decline, but the guy said he's a salsa instructor and I accepted.  Had a great time and he definitely knew his stuff!  One dance though and I was good.  Made some friends that I think I'll go back to visit... I made it back to my hostel and crashed!  I knew I had to get up early the next day for my long bus ride to Quetzaltenango (nicknamed Xela, which is pronounced shay-la).

The next morning came way too early, but fortunately I could sleep on the shuttle bus.  The shuttle was more like an oversize minivan and they are extremely common down here.  I arranged it through my hostel so that I didn't have to deal with the crazy busy bus station.  That was a smart move, it turns out, because when I missed my 3 alarms that I set the night guy came banging on my door to make sure I made the bus.  Bonus!

*****

I arrived in Xela unscathed and none the worse for wear.  Because I had my huge backpack and my other bag, I couldn't really make good use of the extra time I had.  I got dropped off in Parque Central, which is in the center of town and framed my large governmental-looking buildings with lots of interesting architecture.  After a few pictures, I sat in Parque Central and people watched.  From what I understand from my guidebooks, there really isn't much to see in Xela besides Parque Central anyway.  So nearly three hours of time watching my passerby wasn't really a bad thing.

It soon became apparent that the women of Guatemala, particularly around these parts dress in traditional Mayan garb.  Their skirts are called cortes and their blouses are called güipils.  They are absolutely full of color!  If I ever thought I'd wear one and if I didn't have to lug it around for the next year or so, I'd buy one of those amazing skirts.  I might just have to get one and make a trip to the post office and send it home with some other stuff I don't really need.  Remember....I NEED to lighten that pack!

My ride picked me up right on time at the prearranged spot and took me to the small pueblito of Panchal.  Panchal is a small village located about 20 minutes from Xela.  One must drive up a steep hill and into the countryside off the "highway" (a two-lane road).  There are a few thousand people in the village, which has a couple cafes and tiendas (little markets), but little else.  The locals generally speak their native tongue and Spanish.  Their native language is one of the Mayan languages, I think.  Fortunately they speak Spanish too...not that I speak it well, but it's certainly better than no languages in common!

Now THIS is what I imagined it would be like when I said that I would do a little volunteer work.  This place is POOR, but they seem to have everything they need.  Not everyone in the village works for the charity I'm helping, but many do.  The Chico Mendes Project is an organization that seeks to rebuild the Guatemalan rain forests, one tree at a time.  They get no governmental assistance and don't seem to take too much of the money for administrative time.  The people at the Chico Mendes Project are dedicated -- really dedicated.  They work long hours and get themselves good and dirty.

I am living in the house of the organizer or director of the Project.  I gather that it is one large family that lives here, including the director Armando, his wife Claudia, I believe their parents and their children, but I can't be certain.  It's kind of like a compound with several small homes built around a central courtyard.  There is one other volunteer currently here, although there were two yesterday who only stayed for one night.  We eat with the family and help with their family chores as well as with the Project.  Would you believe that I milked a cow?!   Yep, first time ever!  It's not all that easy, but fun to try something new.

Generally in the mornings, we work in the small farm area preparing trees to be transplanted into the rain forest when the spring comes and the weather is right.  Sometimes this means that we are packing little bags full of dirt for future planting of little saplings, other times we are transplanting saplings into the premade bags of dirt, other times we are planting seeds to make the little saplings, etc.  The dirt under my fingernails tells the story of how much dirt I've been playing in.  Regardless, it's rewarding and there's a certain level of spirituality in spending so much time in nature getting dirty.

In the afternoons, we each take one-on-one Spanish lessons with different tutors for four hours each day.  It feels incredible to be getting my hands dirty and helping such a great cause while learning Spanish...and believe me, I need it!  My tutor, Alicia, is very patient and good.  Again, I thank God for her patience with me.  It's very easy to get frustrated and I'm impatient for it all to finally come together in my brain.  I have to remember that I'm trying to learn a completely new language from scratch and I can't just expect to have it magically pop into my head.  Practice, practice, practice.

Our accommodations are the epitome of modest.  This place has only the barest of essentials: walls and a roof over our heads, clean water to drink, food to eat and the blessings of community.  Quite nice actually.  I desperately need a shower and I'm hoping that I'll get one soon, but at least I'm not alone in this.  They don't bathe every day, so it's kind of weird to ask for a shower.  Fortunately I didn't downsize myself out of my shower wipes, so at least I've been able to use those for a bare minimum cleansing!

It's cold at night in Pachal in October.  During the day, it's in the 70s, but at night it's got to be in the 50s or so.  Again, I'm thankful that I didn't downsize my warm clothes too much just yet.  Frankly, if I am able to make it to Chile and Argentina, I will want the warm clothes then as well.  There are no heaters or fires in our rooms or the little house that the other volunteer and I are sharing, but there are plenty of blankets!

After dinner on my second night at the Project, I heard loud singing from nearby and went to investigate.  Turns out that Armando's house is just across from a small church.  I was delighted to hear familiar sounds, even if I couldn't understand the Spanish.  They hymns were unmistakable.  I peaked in and said a special thank you to God for bringing me to such a great place.  I am going to try to check out church service on Sunday.  I believe they are Catholic, but God welcomes all his children and I'm sure the church in Pajal will be no exception.

I already miss having WiFi and contact with people back home, but I suppose it's good for me.  If I expect to have time to think and pray and process and grow, I can't work at the Project, learn Spanish and waste time on the internet, all at the same time.  Something's gotta give and I guess internet is it for the moment.  It's like forced solitude, but God knows best and I don't question it anymore.  That's really quite a nice feeling: knowing that I don't have to question the situation because I can finally accept that this is all part of His great plan for me.  Removes some of the stress anyway.

****

Claudia (Armando's wife and kind of the queen bee around the house) said something to the other volunteer and I that kind of made me sad.  She said that I was the first person to ever ask about attending church and the other volunteer and I were the only ones who've ever wanted to go.  First, I find it hard to believe that the other volunteer and I are the only Christians to have passed through the Project, so it seems odd that no one would ask to go to church (let alone fail to notice the church right across the street from Armando and Claudia's house).  Second, even if you aren't religious, wouldn't you want to experience all there is to experience of life in this little pueblito where faith is apparent and obviously highly valued?  Just seems strange to me.  This is definitely a full immersion type of situation, so why not fully immerse yourself in everything?  I, for one, am excited to worship with these people and I'm looking forward to services on Sunday.

****

Armando, Claudia and I were having a conversation about Pachal and my experience at the Project.  Armando asked if I was enjoying myself.  Without hesitation, my answer was yes.  Being here is truly something special and I tried to convey that to Armando and Claudia.  I explained that I feel like I am part of the family, that I enjoy dining with them and conversing with them, that the Project is wonderful and inspiring and that Pachal has charm that no big city could have.  I am convinced they understood the impact of my words, even if my Spanish wasn't very good.  In any event, Armando said something that warmed my heart.  He said, "mi familia es tu familia."

****

My fourth day at the Project started out perfect with a nice cup of instant Starbucks coffee.  Sadly, we were greeted by bad news over breakfast.  Jose, nicknamed Don Chepe, is one of the regular workers at the project.  He lives in Pachal.  He is a man with kind eyes and a quick smile.  He suffered a tragic loss when his sister killed herself that morning.  She leaves behind four small children and was only 35 years old.  We understand that Don Chepe has been a wreck since the news came, as is understandable.

While the news is tragic, it gave this small pueblito a great sense of community.  Nearly all, if not all, the inhabitants grieved with Don Chepe tonight during a traditional Guatemalan wake.  In much of Central America, it is custom to hold a wake the night of a person's death and bury the deceased the next day.  This was no exception.  The entire pueblito is invited to walk to the cemetery with the family and help bury their loved one.  I attended the church service for the wake.  It was very moving.  It seems almost impossible to describe the sense of community that pervaded the gathering.  These people seemed to band together into one large family to embrace and hold up the grieving family.  Throughout the service, a group of women remained at the back of the church courtyard (the service, by the way, was outside in the cold night air) huddling over large cauldrons.  It soon became apparent what the women were doing when they handed out warm tea and bread.  The tea smelled like corn and tasted sweeter than any tea I'd ever had.  It warmed my belly and the service warmed my heart.  Here I was, a complete stranger to these people, yet I was welcomed into their mourning.  I prayed with them.  Rather, I prayed for them by myself because I couldn't understand most of what the pastor was saying.  I also thanked God for allowing me to witness and be a part of such a special occasion.  Granted, this isn't the best circumstance, but if a person ever felt alone and needed to feel a sense of community, this was it.

****

I had my final Spanish lesson in Pachal on Sunday.  My maestra (teacher) gave me a couple presents.  I never expected that!  She gave me a small, handmade pouch to carry my flashcards in and a skirt traditionally worn my Guatemalan girls and women.  They are so beautiful.  That afternoon, she came to get me at Armando's house to walk to church together (church is in the afternoon around there).  We attended a lovely church.  I didn't understand most of the service, but it was nice to be there.  The people were quite lovely.  The experience was unique and something that I'll cherish because I felt quite peaceful.

****

My last day in Pachal was sort of sad and exciting at the same time.  Saying goodbye to Ronnie and Darren, the two Australians also volunteering with me (Darren came to the Project just two days before I left), was bittersweet.  I had really enjoyed my time with them, and I hope to meet up with one or both of them again somewhere in my journey.  Ronnie and I chatted about wishing to get to Nicaragua and possibly crossing together through El Salvador.  Darren prefers to go through Honduras.  We shall see what the future holds.  I'm headed to Xela for a night and then who knows.

Greetings from Guatemala!

Well, I made it to Guatemala!

First things first.  So, the most important thing I've learned in the short trip from Mexico to Guatemala is that I absolutely MUST shed some of the stuff I have.  My pack is way too heavy.  I hate to leave things behind that I might need later down the road, but I can always buy new if I have to.  The hard part is figuring out what stuff to ditch and what stuff to keep.  All the blogs I read before I left had similar packing lists, and I don't think that I packed too much more than those blogs advised, but I need to cut some weight.  Maybe I can move some stuff around and then send some stuff home, but I already sent some stuff home with the friend that met me in Puerto Vallarta!  Ugh.  So, what do I ditch and when do I ditch it?  I'm thinking I'll ditch some of the "gear" & maybe a few items of clothing.  If I'm going to ditch some clothing, I'd rather give it to someone who needs it.  I just have no idea how to find those in need in the short time I have here.  Please say a little prayer for me so that I can find some guidance on this subject.

I landed this evening at about 7 p.m. local time.  Fortunately I decided to spend the extra money and reserve a car to take me from the airport.  I didn't want to be floundering around a new city with barely any Spanish skills trying to get to my destination.  Never had a guy holding a sign with my name on it before!  The drive to Antigua took about 45 minutes.  I only wish that I could've made that drive in the daytime!  From what I could tell, Guatemala City is pretty big and there is definitely lots of traffic.  After leaving the city lights behind, I could tell that we were surrounded by mountains.  I understand that there are three volcanos that surround Antigua, so I'm not too surprised that it was a winding, hilly drive.  I could see the stars almost the whole way, which was awesome!

Antigua is a rustic town with cobblestone streets.  The streets are lined by solid facades painted in every color.  The doorways are not recessed most of the time, so you're staring at one solid wall of cement with lots of shops, houses, hostels and bars with little distinction from one to the next.  I can't wait to see it in the morning.  Unfortunately, it will be very early in the morning.  My bus to Xela leaves at about 5:30 or 6 a.m.  Ugh.  At least I got some sleep on the plane!  I think I'm going to have to come back here and spend a day or two in the city if I can.

I am staying in a hostel.  This place is great!  The door is locked at all times and you have to ring a bell to be let in.  Then there's a steal gate that you have to go through before you get to reception.  Gotta say, makes this solo traveler feel a bit better.  This is the reception area:

My room is nothing spectacular but it has a bed and a bathroom with hot water.  The place has free WiFi, which was a necessity when I booked.  I have to sit out in this hallway area...outside...to stay logged in, but it's worth it.  I wasn't prepared for the cold, crisp air.  My toes are freezing in my flip flops, but thankfully my fleece jacket wasn't packed too deep and I have that.  I have no idea what the temp will be tomorrow, but I'm thinking I might finally have to bring out the warmer clothes.

So, why Antigua if I'm only heading elsewhere tomorrow?  Well, I just needed a place to rest before my long bus ride.  I expect it will take about 5 hours to get to Xela.  While in Xela, I'm volunteering at a rain forest preservation project and will help plant trees (I think).  I will also be taking some desperately needed Spanish lessons.  After that, I don't know.  I'm still waiting for God's guidance or divine intervention.  Maybe I'll meet some other travelers in Xela and figure it out from there.  Maybe someone will suggest the perfect opportunity for more volunteer time.  I don't really know.  I just know that God will lead me in the right direction and put the right people in my path.

Well, I guess I better get some sleep.  Buenas noches!

The Last Week

I left the orphanage over a week ago and I've had some time to reflect and relax.  This will probably be a long blog because I'm summing up the last week, so bear with me.

I'm currently sitting in the Puerto Vallarta airport waiting for my flight that has already been delayed twice.  Hopefully no further delays.

I feel a bit weird.  I miss those kids!  They brought a light to my life that I hadn't felt in a really long time.  I felt my heart melt when they smiled and just wanted to be held and wanted hugs and wanted to tell me about their day. I miss little Gema running up to me, "Amiga!"  She was actually starting to be able to say my name.  "Heather" is a hard name for a Spanish-speaking person, let alone a small child.  She would usually run up to me with her arms outstretched, waiting for a hug.  Her small high-pitched little girl's voice quietly saying "Hea-thder."  When she says it, the "H" sounds more like the "G" in her name and the "th" has a faint "d" sound in it.  I didn't get to say goodbye to her when I left and I'm saddened by it.

I tried to find as many of the kids as a I could to say goodbye the morning I left.  Rosa came by my dorm to see what I was up to that day and I had to break the news to her that I was leaving.  She cried.  I promised Rosa that I would be back some day.  I WILL make good on that promise.  And maybe when I go back, my Spanish will be good enough to sit and have a really awesome conversation with her.  Little Hector didn't want to say goodbye at all, until Rosa explained to him that I was leaving.  He came and gave me a hug, and then, as I turned around, he decided to leave me with a lasting memory of him...he bit me on the butt.  No lie.  Funniest thing ever!  I can truthfully say that I will not forget that goodbye.  Giovanni gave me a huge hug.  That kid is quite remarkable.  He was pretty shy at first, despite the fact that he speaks really good English.  He warmed up and we became friends just a few days before I left.

I miss the comfort of family that the orphanage gave me.  They aren't my family, but they sure know how to make a person feel like family.  I got teary eyed a few times during my goodbyes, and then I was off.

Looking back, it was the best segue into my new life that God could've given me.  I thanked The Lord for that every day I was there and I've done it every day since.   It's difficult to describe my experience; it's something a person would have to experience on their own to believe the power of the place and the blessings doled out there.

I just spent a week in Puerto Vallarta with a great friend.  We relaxed, got some sun, and met some new friends.  We stayed at a resort, which was a nice change.  I sprawled out in the huge bed like I hadn't seen a real bed in years.  At the orphanage, I was sleeping on a twin-sized bunk bed.  It was fine for me, but my head certainly doesn't miss all the times I smacked it on the upper bunk!  I realize there will likely be more bunk beds in my future, but I'm not gonna lie, it was nice to be in a real bed.

My friend and I volunteered at a ministry in Puerto Vallarta for a day.  It's called New Beginnings.  If you are ever in the PV area or are looking for a great place to dole out some of God's love and share it with like-minded people, check them out at http://www.newbeginningsmexico.org.  The organization was started by a Canadian couple who live in PV most of the year and in Canada a few months of the year.  A retired couple from Texas picked us up at our resort for our day of service.  They volunteer at New Beginnings every year, for several months of the year.  First we went to the store first to buy supplies.  That's where we met Herb.  He is from Ireland and lives in PV and volunteers his time for New Beginnings.  Literally...he volunteers.  The volunteers at New Beginnings are self-sufficient and 100% of the money they receive in donations goes back to the people of PV.  They don't use any of it for administrative costs, which is remarkable and practically unheard of.  After we bought some food, we headed to one of PV's garbage dumps.  The food was for two things: dispenses and a lunch for the people in the dump.

Side Note: **In case you don't know, dispenses are bags of food that are donated to the area's poor.  DoFo handed out dispenses too.  It's a small bag of essential items, usually including some pasta, beans, rice, lentils, sauce, flour and the like.  I'm gathering that it's kind of standard to include five items in each bag, because both DoFo and New Beginnings put five things in each bag.**

As we traveled down the bumpy, winding dirt roads to the dump, the stench began to permeate the air.  The couple from Texas warned us, but it was little preparation for the noxious odor that invaded our senses.  Now THIS was a dump.  You may recall that I volunteered at a dump in Tijuana.  This place was not like the one in Tijuana.  The Tijuana dump is no longer an active dump, whereas the one in PV is active.  Well, sort of.  It's more of a transfer station.  The people who live there have built their homes around the active dump, and most work in the dump, collecting recyclable material for money.  But this is not like a recycling center in the States.  Not even by a long shot.  The people are COVERED in dirt, grime and every foul scent known to man.  There were young adults to elderly people working in the dump, surrounded by vultures that circled and landed amongst the rubbish.

About 50-75 yards from the hill where the trash sorting takes place is a newish building used as a sort of community center.  One of the inhabitants, Rico, helps at the center.  It turns out that Rico is a pretty good painter and he painted the mural above the entrance.  He also paints and sells his wares.  Herb told us that Rico is a reformed drug addict who found God and now helps improve his own little village by helping at the community center.  He works in the dump at night.

At the community center out of which New Beginnings "operates," we assembled the dispenses.  Three of us, plus Rico, drove around to the other side of the dump and handed out about half of the dispenses (the other half were dispersed at the community center).  Wow.  These people have so little!  So little.  Their homes are shanties and nothing more.  Some of their walls are sheets and blankets.  Worse, they live with the stench of the dump every day of their lives.

Back at the community center, the ladies of the community that volunteer there were making soup for us to take to the workers of the dump.  When it was ready, we drove it into the dump (it was such a large pot that there was no way we could carry it).  The day was sweltering hot...probably about 100 degrees...and here we were handing out hot soup!  Those working in the dump saw us coming and began to line up.  Most didn't have anything to clean their hands before they ate, many were missing numerous teeth, some were so old that I wondered how they could possibly still be working...and ALL of them were grateful.  They gobbled down that hot soup and the piece of bread we brought with it like they hadn't had a meal in at least a full day.  It was eye-opening, heart-breaking and inspiring.  My words and pictures can't begin to adequately describe the place or the people there.  I'm thankful for the ability to serve there.

The rest of the week my friend and I relaxed.  We hung out with our new friends from Canada, which I'm sure will be life-long friends.  They took us to Sayulita, a surfing town about 20 minutes north.  I could totally live there for a while.  Honestly, I thought about staying for a couple extra days.  Our friends also took us along for a night out in PV.  That was a kick in the pants!  Good times.  My friend and I went swimming with dolphins one of the days.  That was crazy fun!  We had two dolphins in a group of just six people for about 30 minutes.  The dolphins' names were Mila and Ava.  We learned a lot about dolphins that day and had a lot of fun.  Are you aware that they feel like an inter tube?  They gave us dolphin kisses and a great belly ride.  It was so much fun!

I said goodbye to my friend a little bit ago and now I need to go board my plane.  I'm off to Guatemala next, with a brief visit in Dallas with some friends I met on a vacation a couple years ago.  So excited to be able to catch up!  I'll have to add pictures later!

Planning for the next few stops...

I leave the orphanage in less than a week.  The thought fills me with excitement, sadness and dread all at the same time.  The sadness comes from having to say goodbye to the children here and the wonderful friends I've made here.  However, I knew this would be part of my journey...goodbyes are inevitable when you take a trip like this.

I was really hoping my Spanish would be further along by now.  I need more practice.  Maybe tomorrow I'll hang out in the kitchen and listen to the cooks.  Or maybe I'll walk into town and hangout at a local restaurant or taco stand.  I'm not sure, but I need to do something!  My Spanish absolutely MUST be better by the time I have to cross the border!

I haven't exactly figured out my travel routes and methods.  My next stop is Puerto Vallarta.  I will be flying out of San Diego (cheapest route) after staying a night with an old college roommate.  Yay!!  I can't wait to catch up!  I plan to relax a bit in PV, soak up some sun and spend a day or two volunteering.  Strangely, I really need to unwind and clear my mind -- the first month of this trip has been eye-opening, heart-wrenching, scary, strange, exciting and fulfilling.

I'm uncertain of my next moves after PV.  My "plan" is to take a few buses from Puerto Vallarta to Guatemala, but I can't seem to find any real concrete advice or information on how to exactly do this.  I think I've decided that I will stay overnight in Ixtapa or Zihuatanejo (both are on the Pacific Coast) one night, then take another bus to Puerto Escondito (also on the coast), where I'll stay another night...or two.  After that, I can't figure out whether to travel inland to San Cristobal or stay near the coast and cross from the Mexican city of Tapachula.  I think the best route is inland, but I'm not sure.  And would you believe that I've gotten mixed reviews about the border crossing?!  Some travelers have said that it should take just moments and cost roughly $3 USD.  Other travelers have said it could take hours upon hours and cost $800 USD!  Yikes.  Since I'm an optimistic sort, I'll hope for the cheaper, faster route.  Believe me, when I figure all this out, I will write an entire blog dedicated to this problem so that future travelers might discover my blog and have less trouble than I'm having.  If any of you have suggestions, please share!

I plan to spend a week or maybe a little more in Guatemala.  I will be volunteering at a rain forest preservation and reforestation charity and taking Spanish lessons.  If I can visit all that I want to see during my down time, I'll be there just a week.  If not, I may need a couple extra days.  After Guatemala, I can't decide whether to bypass or great straight through Honduras & El Salvador, or if there's a place I should see while I'm there.  (Maybe my good friends back home will ask Cesar from El Salvador what I should do...hint, hint).  I have some friends working on a connection for me in Nicaragua, which would be awesome.  After that, Costa Rica!  I've found an expat living there who has a lodge for $20/night that I will probably stay in for a night or two, and her good friend runs a charitable organization there that I might serve at.  I expect that I will be in Costa Rica for a little over a week.  I'm hoping that all pans out.  With any luck, I'll be in Panama by December 10th or so.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Any thoughts, suggestions, or connections you'd like to share will be most welcome!