Two Months In

*This post is about a month late as I just completed Month Three a couple days ago. There were some unexpected delays, but that is travel. I will be catching up this week with lots of photos and posts. Get excited!

So Month Two of my trip is officially complete! This month was quite the whirlwind! At the beginning of the month, I celebrated my 28th birthday in San Pedro; surrounded by my road friends and family and more joy than I ever expected. I finished out my month of Spanish lessons and homestay and moved on to Antigua for Semana Santa (Easter Week). After a week full of Easter processions, Monopoly, great hangout time with some new friends, and a very special visit from Stephy and Santiago, I left Guatemala and traveled to Nicaragua via El Salvador.

This month was still a transition month for me (and I am starting to believe that every month will be some new transition). After my month in San Pedro, I found myself traveling to Antigua and once again solo. The feelings of loneliness came back, but because my life in San Pedro was extremely social, my loneliness was compounded in Antigua. So I spent my first two days in Antigua watching movies in bed or hanging around the hostel; not interacting with my fellow travelers.

And then I met Jing, Alex, and Reto. The four of us were in the same 10-person dorm from the beginning of my stay, and we ended up spending the rest the week together. All three of them are experienced travelers and I loved hearing their stories and plans. We shared jokes and drinks and Monopoly games. There was such an ease and comfort that was created within that week. At some point during the week, I was chatting with Jing and telling her about how much I was struggling when it came to meeting new people each time that I moved on. I told her that I was lucky to have met my three Antigua friends. Jing was so surprised by this and explained to me that it was not luck that I had met the right people. I had just needed to speak up and stop holding myself back. Her words were so sincere that it became a moment of realization for me and my trip significantly changed after.

From that discussion on, I have made it a point to make the first move and talk to others and to stop being so self-conscious. This caused me to meet Gabriel and Alli on the shuttle from Antigua to El Tunco, El Salvador, and then from El Tunco to Leon, Nicaragua. It gave me the confidence to talk with Guillermo and Raphael in Granada (also Nicaragua). And here I am, at the beginning of Month Three, and the loneliness and fear is becoming more and more foreign to me. Consequently, Month Two has been filled with more awesome people and memories and experiences than I ever expected.

And now on the Month Three! I am so excited because I will be spending a majority of this month reconnecting and traveling with friends that I met earlier in my trip. I have not intentionally traveled with others so I am looking forward to this change in travel style. Hasta luego, amigos!

Beyond Words: Antigua and Semana Santa

"Beyond Words" is a post that is mainly a collection of photos. A short description is provided but the visual experience is the main purpose. Enjoy!

Antigua, Guatemala is one of my favorite cities that I have visited during my trip. The city is romantic and historical and modern. It was a thrilling mix that fed every type of travel craving from roaming cobblestoned streets to visiting 200-year-old churches to enjoying the best brownie of my life in an ex-pat French bakery. I was there during Semana Santa, or the week before Easter. There were beautiful alfombras in the street, round-the-clock processions, extravagantly decorated churches, and LOTS of people. I spent the week enjoying the city, taking in the culture, making some amazing new friends, and visiting with an old friend. A special week, indeed!

Grateful for San Pedro

I spent a month in San Pedro, Guatemala learning Spanish, living with a family, hanging out with friends, hiking, and having an unforgettable experience. I tried in vain to capture my time in this pueblo on the edge of Lake Atitlan, but that type of post would go on for pages and pages. My trip changed from scary to exhilarating during my month here, and the only word to properly sums up my feelings is: grateful. In that spirit, here is a listing of some of the experiences that I am most grateful for during my month in San Pedro La Laguna.

My family. Their openness and generosity and humor and love was the most wonderful gift. They are the reason that I stayed for a month rather than a week. I know that I will always have family in San Pedro, and that we will see each other again in the future.

Mi Familia! - Marina, Clemente, Clemen, Rachel, Junior (asleep), Esteban, and me

My school and teacher. San Pedro Spanish School was the absolute correct choice for me. I learned so much in a month – about Spanish and the culture of San Pedro. Teresa, my teacher, was the right fit for me as well. I could feel my daily progress, and she made class so much fun. She taught me so well that I was able to joke with her during my last week and we were in stitches half the time.

The people of San Pedro. They were so kind and beautiful and proud and welcoming. Learning some of their history and their culture has made me appreciate and respect Guatemala in a different way.

My birthday! I thought this would be the loneliest birthday since I would be away from my family and friends. Instead, it was a birthday like no other and filled with more love and friendship and family than I could ever have imagined. My family had a wonderful fiesta with extended family and my friends from school. They went all out – decorations, tamales, gifts, games. I was laughing so hard that I was crying.

Zara, me, Anna, and Rachel making tamales for my fiesta!

My Saturdays at home. Here is what I did every Saturday morning – ate breakfast, went to the market with Marina, hand washed my clothes, cleaned my room and bathroom, and then ate lunch with the family. I enjoyed being a part of the family and having chores (I am sure that this is only a temporary development).

Rachel. I have never had a sister, and, dang, this girl is awesome! I am so glad that she lives in Seattle so that we can visit often.

Laughing at dinner with Clemente, Marina, and Rachael. Going on runs with Marina. Sitting around and talking with Marina and Clemente’s extended family. The sound of Tz'utujil, the Mayan language of San Pedro. These moments were the norm and the foundation of my family time.

All of the new and old friends. You know who you are and I will never forget you.

Buddha Bar. There were so many great times of splitting a liter of Gallo with friends, meeting fellow travelers, playing pool, and listening to a live band.

Getting my nose pierced with Sian, Anna, and Rachel.

Saying “hola” to everyone. Teresa explained to me that according to the Mayan culture of San Pedro, it is extremely rude to pass by someone in the streets and not greet the person. In her words, “You are considered a street dog. Those dogs just walk by with no acknowledgment of a person.” So I greeted everyone when I walked past them and they returned the gesture as if I was one of the community rather than a tourist.

Climbing mountains. San Pedro (and Guatemala) is filled with natural beauty unlike anything I have seen. I am thankful that I got out and experienced it – even if one of those days was incredibly tough.

Standing at the top of Volcan San Pedro

Salsa dancing. Every Thursday night, my school had salsa class. That is where I met Rachael. It is also where I remembered how much I LOVE dancing. I went out salsa dancing one Wednesday night. When I got home, my checks hurt and I realized that I had been smiling the whole time I was dancing.

Living so close to the lake. Visiting San Marcos for the day. Kayaking, swimming, the beach – I have always loved the water and being near it as part of daily life made my soul happy.

So, thank you, San Pedro! My time around the lake will always be near to my heart and an integral part of my trip.

From there, I have moved on to Antigua for Semana Santa, or Easter week. The festivities are supposed to be beautiful, symbolic, and unique. I can’t wait!

Beyond Words: Semuc Champey

"Beyond Words" is a post that is mainly a collection of photos. A short description is provided but the visual experience is the main purpose. Enjoy!

If I had to sum up my day in Semuc Champey, I'd say that it was like doing an obstacle course through the most unbelievable scenery I have ever seen. Full disclosure: I am in no way an athlete or in top physical condition. I knew my day spent at Semuc Champey would be extremely physical, but during some of the toughest parts of the day, I would just pause to look around me and stand in disbelief of the incredible beauty surrounding me. To start our day, our group was gathered together to get into the back of a pickup truck for the rocky and winding 30-minute ride from our hostel to Semuc Champey. Once we got to the river, we began with a rope swing into the river, followed by a candlelight tour of a cave river (it sounds romantic but it was more like climbing through a cave by candlelight – tough but super fun), and then we had the opportunity to jump from a bridge into the river. After a lunch buffet cooked by local women, we did an arduous 25-minute hike up to the top of the mountain for a spectacular view of the natural pools in the valley below, and then a hike down the mountain to spend the rest of the afternoon swimming, diving, and exploring the natural pools and waterfalls. At the end of the day, I was in complete awe of both myself and the extraordinary day I had just experienced.

I belly flopped into the water, so this is Sian gracefully flying off the swing.

The river that we had been swimming in earlier in the day flows UNDER (rather than into) the pools that we swam in. Super cool to see!

But we made it! Cheers to unforgettable day!

Lessons Learned in Flores

I am not sure how to sum up what my time in Flores meant to me. I arrived at my hostel around six in the evening, watched a beautiful sunset while I ate my dinner, went to my dorm room, and proceeded to bawl for a solid 30 minutes. As in, shoulders heaving, could-not-catch-my-breath, loud cries, eyes-swollen-in-the-morning breakdown session. There were numerous factors that lead to this, but in summary, traveling solo is HARD sometimes. Needless to say, I did not sleep much that evening, but I got up in the morning with a renewed intention of conquering my time in Flores. And conquer it, I did! Though I had booked four nights, I stayed for a week because Flores ended up being exactly what I needed at that point in my travels.

Flores was the first time that I was completely on my own without any clue as to my next move. When I arrived at my hostel, everyone was in a couple and no one was speaking English. A few of the nights, I was the only one assigned to my dorm room. Fact: when you are traveling solo, your dorm room is a fantastic place to meet others, except when you are staying in a dorm room by yourself.  So I had to venture out of my hostel to meet people. I had met a woman from Canada on the bus and, once I got up my first morning, I made a point to set up lunch with her. We ended up spending the next few days exploring Flores and Tikal, meeting other travelers, and relaxing at my hostel. During these days, I learned that everyone else is feeling just as intimated as me. Eventually, I had wonderful conversations with those couples at my hostel and they ended up sharing some great stories and recommendations based on their travels. They had been in my shoes before and reassured me that I was on the right track to fully enjoying my time on the road. Relief had never felt so good!

Another challenge that I encountered in Flores was the pressure I put on myself to have a plan – what is my next destination, where am I staying, how will I get there, when will I leave, what am I going to do in my next place. Here’s what I have found: figuring out my next move and traveling to a city solo and then finding my hostel and deciding what to do from there has been the MOST STRESSFUL part of my trip. To the point that I cannot sleep the night before I travel and my stomach is in knots and I cannot eat. This is how I exhibit stress in my everyday life so these symptoms were not new to me, but I knew this kind of stress could ruin my trip. (As I am writing this, I am 3 weeks into my trip. I am used to traveling and no longer feel the stress. Morale of the story: it gets better!) In Flores, I purposely stayed extra nights for a few reasons – I very much enjoyed my hostel and the city, I had not come up with a plan of where to go next, and my friends were arriving in Flores the day I was originally set to leave. I learned these are all excellent reasons to stay in a place! This is MY trip; therefore, the only pressure to move on is the pressure that I put on myself. With that realization, the anxiety to spend my nights scouring travel guides rather than being captivated by my surroundings dissipated.

So what did I do in Flores besides learn some vital lessons? I visited Tikal. I talked with several fascinating people. I met up with Anna and Sian, and we decided to travel more or less than same path for the subsequent 6 weeks. I wrote and blogged and chatted with friends and family. I took photos and went canoeing. I explored Flores and became familiar with its narrow streets and boat system. I left Flores a better traveler than when I arrived. For all of this, I am grateful and content.

And so from Flores, I moved on to Lanquin and Semuc Champey, one of the most beautiful areas in Guatemala. You better believe I took some amazing pictures! Until next time, friends…

Beyond Words: Tikal

"Beyond Words" is a post that is mainly a collection of photos. A short description is provided but the visual experience is the main purpose. Enjoy!

During my pre-trip planning, Tikal was the first “attraction” that I knew I HAD to experience. When it came to booking my tour, I discovered there was the option to watch the sunrise over the jungle and temples of Tikal. I have never seen a sunrise before and decided this was the perfect opportunity to witness my first one. So I got up at 3 am, traveled by bus to the Tikal National Park, hiked 30 minutes into the jungle, and climbed 196 steps to the top of the highest of the ancient temples. There, I sat in complete silence to watch the sun bloom over the horizon as the sound of howler monkeys awakening in the trees below provided the most surreal background music. It was a breathtaking and awe-inspiring moment. One that I will never forget.

Pathway leading to one of the dwelling areas.

The panoramic view of the main center from the dwelling area.

Busing to Guatemala

My bus was scheduled to leave at 11:40 pm from the bus station in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Anna and Sian, two Welsh girls that I had met at my hostel, walked me to the station. We chatted and laughed. Though my bus would be overnight and my journey would take several hours, I was in good spirits as I bade farewell to my friends and got on the bus. I settled in my seat and set my iPod to my Spanish playlist. I thought to myself, “This is comfortable! I am just fine. This is going to be fun.” Soon, l feel asleep to the lull of the bus.

About an hour later, I slowly awakened to the realization that I was extremely cold and shivering. Once fully awake, I noted that the AC had been turned on full blast. All the other passengers were bundled up in jackets, hats, and blankets. Boy, did I miss the memo! I was wearing yoga pants, sneakers, and a long sleeve shirt, but nothing substantial. I dug my scarf out of my bag, wrapped it around my body, and pined for my fleece jacket securely tucked away in my backpack in the under carriage of the bus. For the next two hours, I went through a mind-numbing cycle of nodding off for 20 minutes, waking up due to the cold and my uncomfortable positioning, shifting into yet another awkward position, nodding off again only to reawaken 20 minutes later.

By 3:30 am, we had reached the border of Mexico and Belize. All passengers left the bus to go through immigration and customs. Excited to stretch my legs and leave the freezing bus, I stepped outside and was shocked. Not only was it cold, but it was colder than the bus! Where did the warm Playa temperatures go? So half asleep and fully cold, I spent the next 15 minutes standing outside to wait my turn to go through customs. Then, sadly, got back on to the bus to continue the cycle of falling asleep and waking up all the way to Belize City.

Around 7 in the morning, we arrived in Belize City. Prior to our arrival, I was expecting lush nature and sparkling water and a pang of jealousy that I would not be stopping over in this paradise. What I got was dull colored buildings, very few people (and no tourists) around, bars on the windows and barbed wire atop fences. Obviously I did not do proper (or any) research on Belize because I was in disbelief. (Please note: there are amazing places to visit in Belize, but I was not in one of those places. Again, this was due to my lack of research.) As a traveler, you are supposed to trust your gut instinct. Mine was telling me that Belize City was not a place I wanted to hang around. Nervously, I exited the bus, asked around to where I could get my next bus, and found a taxi. Thankfully, my taxi driver was a kind man who took me to the terminal and even walked me to the store from which I was to buy my next bus ticket to Flores, Guatemala. By 7:30, I had purchased my ticket and was sitting in the front of the store to wait for my 10 am bus to arrive; weary but content.

My bus did not arrive until 10:45, but it arrived nonetheless. It was comfortable and did not blast the AC. I was so happy that I opened the widow curtain to feel the sun on me as I settled in for a solid nap. Two and a half hours later, we were crossing the border from Belize to Guatemala, and I instantly felt better. Since I felt really connected to Guatemala during my planning, it was a relief to finally arrive in the country that I will be calling “home” for the next few weeks. The border crossing occurred without incident (thanks to the bus owner who gave very specific instructions for the fees and process of crossing this border – it is not a straight forward process). Two hours later, we had arrived at Santa Elena. We switched to a smaller shuttle to get to the island of Flores. When the passengers and I saw the van, we all thought it was a joke. It ended up being fine, but for a moment, we were not sure whether we should get into the van or not. From there, I took a water taxi for the five-minute ride from Flores to San Miguel. Then took a tuk tuk up the hill to my hostel. I arrived in time to watch the sunset while enjoying a bowl of spaghetti carbonara made by the cook.

And that was my first major experience traveling through Central America. It was not a complete disaster and I know I will probably have much worse experiences during my travels. Yesterday, Anna and Sian arrived in Flores and I found out that they had to pay fake fees at both border crossings. A woman at my hostel came from a different area of Mexico. Due to a landslide that caused the road to be blocked, she had to exit the bus and walk her two heavy suitcases a mile and a half in the midday sun to the next town. So it seems that I lucked out in my first bus experience, but, still, here’s to good travel vibes for the next year! Cheers, friends!