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!

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!

One Month In

As of yesterday, I am officially a month into my trip. I cannot believe it. I arrived in Mexico, bused through Belize, and am now in Guatemala. So how did this month go?

In all honesty, my first month was wonderful and difficult and incredible and lonely and beautiful and scary. I can still place myself in those first couple of weeks – everyday was spent searching for a few hours of happiness and comfort. I was trying to escape the loneliness that was brought on by my new surroundings and uncertainty about my trip. I enjoyed my time, but I considered completing the day a success and consistently asked myself, “When am I going to start enjoying this? When does the amazingness begin?” I wanted my trip to be more than it was at that moment and I just was not getting to that point. Looking back, it all trickled down to fear. I began my trip a fearful traveler and now I see the way that it impacted each day. I did not want to talk to others in a different language or venture out of my room. I did not want to be without internet because then I could not talk with those at home. I did not want to jump off of a bridge and into the water below. I wanted to be out of my comfort zone but only to the point that made me comfortable. Ironic, right?

And then my trip started to get good. I finally began to accept the rhythm of the road. I was less and less fazed by unexpected challenges or lack of a definite plan. Since the beginning of my trip, my mantra had been, “I can handle it,” but that was more of a saying to keep me going and ease my anxiety. Now it is a true mantra and one that I carry almost subconsciously. Each day is an improvement on the one before. Saying yes is easier and wanting a new challenge is becoming second nature. That underlying fear has been replaced with an underlying peace and joy; a comfort in my trip as well as who I am.

As I reflect on my first month, I know that my days were not ideal and smooth sailing. The thing is, that is okay. I did not decide to do a solo trip around the world because it is the easy or comfortable choice. I wanted to struggle and surpass the edges of my comfort zone and continually impress myself with new accomplishments. I would not want any other beginning. If I had not had these trials, I could not appreciate the happiness that I feel today.

This past weekend, I shared pizza and beer with fellow travelers from Wales, England, New Zealand, Denmark, and Holland. I felt no fear or loneliness. Only excitement and curiosity and contentment. We shared bits of our backgrounds and swapped stories and added new places to our travel bucket lists. Before we ate, I stood back, took a picture, and smiled because I am finally beginning to experience the amazingness.

And with that, bring on Month 2! To celebrate the end of Month 1 and the beginning of my birthday week, I will be climbing a volcano on Saturday, and then spending the day swimming and exploring Panajachal (a city on the shore of Lake Atitlan) with friends on Sunday. Have a blessed day, mis amigos!