And then one month happened...

After Atitlan I got just so sick, and it was the worst ever. I made my second trip to the doctor with Gloria and Savannah, it was so fun. A series of exciting events led us to understand that we had an infection, possibly from the water of lake Atitlan and were prescribed antibiotic....little did I know that this would lead to a toxic cocktail of all the medication I've been on: Antihistamine for the bed bugs, malaria pills, medication for nausea, and a strong antibiotic for my stomach. Severe anxiety ensued. Two nights of no sleep followed by 2 panic attacks...things I have never experienced in my life. Late into the second night, my dad sat on the phone with me offering support in any way he could and in that moment he did something I will hold with me forever...I am almost 21 years old and while I lay in Guatemala and he in Minnesota, he sang me to sleep.

The next day I made my third trip to the doctor with Gloria and Ruth to get some happy pills. After a couple days of recuperating and a change of scenery I am doing great now, and I never want to go back to that icky dark place. I'm so lucky for the people around me that helped me climb back out and am forever grateful.

Last Sunday we departed for Chizabal, a rural community just 30 minutes outside of Xela. This place was incredible. It was nice to be out of the city and in a much more relaxed space. We spent 4 nights there. Savannah and were paired and lived with a great family. A husband and wife who were in there twenties, and Kimberli, their daughter who is turning 8 two days before I turn 21. My Spanish might not be very good, but the compassion of the people in this town crossed all language barriers. We spent time playing with the children, hiking down the mountain right behind our house, and connecting with our host mom, Doris. I did not want to leave.

We also had our last 4 days of Spanish in Cantell and did fun activities each afternoon: a cooking class where a woman taught us how to make a traditional meal, the natural hot springs that blew my fricken mind, and we met with a natural doctor who taught us all sorts of fun things. Showering also was a thing that didn't happen which is cool.

Another fun thing that's been happening is the level of bonding between the group over discussions about the fun bodily things happening to us all. It's the best.

I loved this town and I will really miss it. We made our way to Xela yesterday afternoon for one night and are now in Antigua for one night...and tomorrow morning we head back to Guatemala City to hop on a plane to Costa Rica!!! I can't believe it's already been a month. I really cannot wrap my head around it. 

Meanwhile, Zo is stomping through Paris and Emma is drinking her way through Italy. The adventures are SO REAL.

One thing that I have been struggling with is the empty goodbyes. When I left my home I said goodbye to my people and it was so hard, but I left knowing I would see them in 4 shorts months. In the past week I have had to say goodbye to many people and places that I'm not sure I will ever see again, and that is painfully difficult for me to wrap my head around. Gloria, Doña Maria Teresa, Paty, Fidel, Doris, Kimberli, Cantel, Xela and so many other people and places that have touched my heart. I feel like I am leaving little pieces of me everywhere I go and picking up little treasures for my soul along the way.


"Happiness keeps you sweet. Trials keep you strong. Sorrow keeps you human. Failure keeps you humble. And god keeps you human."

   At the natural hotsprings. Fuentes Georgina. Hot water comes down from the volcano and                      there were 3 different pools that were different temperatures. Amazing!

   Our favorite mode of transportation

   Kimberli and I!

   Our lovely family in Cantel

   Our friends that we met at our favorite Cafe, La Luna!

Dirty-hair, Sun-kissed cheeks

So I was planning on starting out this blog post telling about the absolutely horrific adventure getting to Lake Atitlan, practically everything that could have gone wrong, did. But the second I got off the final chicken bus and on a little boat during the sunset, the trip their was forgotten instantly, and my soul was filled with fresh air instead. As Lisa would say, the hardest situations in life result in the most miraculous surprises…like giving birth, right mama?

            It is hard to find words to describe my weekend, it was nothing short of perfect. Myself, along with 7 others from my group, spent two nights at La Iguana Perdida, a hostel right on the shore of Lake Atitlan. This place functions as it’s own tiny village of people constantly coming and going. Taking care of one another and building relationships in the short time they encounter each other in life. Multiple different sleeping quarters, a restaurant/bar, along with everything else you would ever need for a relaxing break from the real world.

            I felt like I was in the middle of a scene in Portlandia. Rianne was one of the woman who worked their as a waitress, bartender, and day-maker. She had dirty blonde hair and braids that reached her hips. We met many other friends that were old and young, who stretched to every corner of the globe, and for a moment I forgot that I was still in Guatemala.

On Friday night I impulsively jumped into the dark waters of the lake not knowing what was beneath me. It was exactly what I needed after our crazy day. My friends and I sat on the dock for a long time, the full moon lighting up everyone’s faces. Two dogs visited with us, it was nice to actually be able to pet and snuggle a cute puppy…there are stray dogs here like there are squirrels on a college campus. These dogs had collars, so we knew…assumed it was okay.

On Saturday, Savannah and I spent the day by the water, swimming and sharing stories. It was in this moment that I realized I was through culture shock and in that moment what I felt was real true happiness. Blissed out as f*ck.

Accents. Guitars. Swimming. Books. Friends. Dancing. Flame Throwing. Water. Music. Dancing. A full moon. Drinks for 10 quetzalles. And zero wi-fi. My mind just kept going back to… “Where am I? What is this magical land?”

I met many people, by only their first name, and I will probably never see them again, unable to follow them on Facebook or Instagram. It went by in the blink of an eye and I wish every one of them the best. While we may have been surrounded by too many PT’s (Pretentious travelers), I am sure they all have a story that I wish I could know. Except for that British brat, I don’t care about her story she was just plain mean.

I’m so sad to say that the first night back home myself along with a couple other girls in our group got very very sick, apparently the water of Lake Atitlan isn’t the safest around…but I still think it was worth it!

            We are in Xela for one more week, and then I have to say goodbye to my  doña Maria Theresa, and move on to Cantel, a rural community outside for Xela where we will live for about a week…and then we will take our adventure to Costa Rica! Time is going too fast.

Thirsty heart,

Hannah

How sweet it is

Many believe Valentine's day is very over-rated, but I am such a sucker for this Hallmark holiday. So if you want to stay away from the romance and sappy gushy love stuff today then I recommend you stop reading now...

The things I would give to see my Michael today. I think of you always. This time apart is so hard, but I know it will only strengthen our relationship. I picture the moment I get off the plane in Minneapolis on May 17th and get to see your face waiting anxiously for me about 80 times every day. 

You keep me grounded. You tell me when I'm being completely irrational...which is every day always.  You love me harder than anyone has ever loved me. And I know it's cliché, but I feel like the luckiest girl in the whole word. You have taught me so much. To let my ego go and let humility in. To communicate through my anger and frustration. To talk. To laugh. To breathe. To love deeper than I ever imagined possible.

I can't wait to hug you again in 3 short months. I crave your presence, your touch. I miss you.

To my best friend, you light up my life and I can't wait to continue creating memories with you.

To be loved by you.

Your chicken pock

 

Me duele el estomago

Soooo our trip this past weekend was very interesting. We went to Chichicastenango, a highlands of Guatemala. Chichi has the biggest artisan market in all of Central America. It was so overwhelming, and very easy to get lost in. Luckily, Caroline has an amazing sense of direction, and I followed her like a lost puppy all day. I bought so many fun textiles, many gifts for my family that I'm very excited about. 

Chichi, while the market was beautiful, the town itself was incredibly depressed and in severe poverty. It was a hard situation for us all. Confusion and guilt set in when I took out quite a bit of money to spend at this market, and the people around me had little to nothing. Even the stray dogs were skinnier. 

Before Chichi we stopped at a women's cooperative, and that was incredible, my favorite thing that we've done this far. This group of women are all widows from the war, their stories were powerful and very sad. They were such strong women and to this day have to face the people who killed their husbands, unable to say or do anything about the horrible crimes they committed. This weekend was very hard, but I'm glad it happened. I learned a lot.

I also got very sick! Yay. On the ride back yesterday I could tell my body was not happy with me, and this morning it fought against me with all its might. I went to school and left within 10 minutes. Today has made me realize how many amazing people I have already met on my journey. My mamá mixed up a drink of warm water, alka-seltzer, lime, and salt...it was gross but maybe it helped? Who knows. She has been checking up on me often, and put together a lunch that is also supposed to make me feel better. My professora came to my house to bring me hand written notes of what we were going to do today as well as another drink that's supposed to help my tummy. Which is just hard for me to wrap my head around, wow. And Gloria came and checked on me also. The kind nature of this culture and these incredible women make me never want to leave. I am so lucky. 

Hannah 

Here are some pictures from this weekend. The colors will make your eyeballs the happiest ever. 

Spanglish para días

I got home from school today around 1:15. I walked into the kitchen to meet mi mamá, su amiga, y su hermano! It is her sister's cumpleaño hoy. Her sister's name is Estella and I gave her a big hug and then went to the back of the house where mi dormitorio is to put away mi trabajo de escuela. I walked back to the kitchen as lunch is at 1:30. They were all standing there waiting for me...to take a shot with them! I like it here. Shots at 1 in the afternoon to celebrate my mom's sister's birthday. I am in. Los tres mujeres said/did a series of words and gestures with their drinks and then all looked at me...looks like I am going first. (Side note: my mom is close to 65 years old and her sister turned 56 today. So soak in that visual) Gulp. Quetzalteca yum yum! We proceeded to all sit at the kitchen table. Cuatro women at a table that is muy pequeña. It was muy interesante. I thought I had a huge appetite, pero I'm learning that here I can only eat half of what most people eat. Pero hoy, I was determined to keep up. Seconds? Sí, gracias! Once I was done my mom looked at me with surprise in her eyes, and proceeded to clap for me. I did it! I was so full I felt sick, pero I was able to finish and that's all that matters. Comida is an important part of the culture here and I LOVE that. 

Tonight we are going out, it is one of the students in our groups birthday on Sunday. Michael is turning 21 so naturally we are making it a big deal, even though the drinking año aqui is dieciocho. Tomorrow we are going to Chichicastenango, which has the biggest artisan market in all of Guatemala. I am going to buy allllll of the things!!!

Adios. Hasta luego!

Hannah 

El hogar es donde está el corazón

Three days ago I was placed all of the students I'm traveling with and myself were placed with our host families for the next three weeks. We went to the school where we will be studying Spanish while we are here to meet them. It was all women who came to pick us up. I got placed with an older woman who dresses in traditional clothing every day. Her name is María Theresa and she rocks. At first I was very intimidated by her, as it was very clear she speaks no English...and I speak barely any Spanish. It makes communicating a task that I never found to be too difficult until now. We are slowly creating a language all our own. We act out a lot of what we're trying to say and then laugh together. And every day I come home from Spanish class I proudly spew out a whole bunch of new words I learned that day. 

This is an experience that I will never forget. She absolutely spoils me, which is common in this culture. Everyone is incredibly kind to their guests. She never let's me help her do dishes and my room is the biggest in the house. She also has a dog named Fido (pronounced fee-doh), he is so cute and loves to snuggle, and a little chickadee named Juanita. Right outside my room is a garden, in the middle of the house! There tends to be at least one room that is without a ceiling, it's so fun. And most places also have a roof terrace where you can see the entire city and the mountains surrounding Xela. The style of the homes here are so interesting. 

Yesterday afternoon my friends and I went to one of the bakeries in the city. The bakeries here are just too good to be true, even though I can't eat the bread the smells are good enough for me. I bought a pan de tortuga for Maria Theresa. In other words, a loaf of bread in the shape of/decorated as a turtle. I walked into my home before dinner and proudly presented my gift, "Un regalo para ti, es tortuga!!!" She laughed hysterically and gave me a big hug. It was so good.

I am finally starting to feel settled and I couldn't be happier. This place is starting to feel more and more like my home every day, which 3 short days ago was something I never thought I would feel. I know my host mom has an amazing story and I can't wait to learn more Spanish so I can ask about/understand it!

Home is where the heart is.
Hannah

Si se puede!

So I hiked a volcano yesterday….A VOLCANO. It was without a doubt the most physically rigorous thing I have ever done. One of my close friends in the group, Savannah, and I stuck together for most of the time, we kind of thought our hearts might just burst out of our throats the majority of the time. Xela is a city that is in the highlands of Guatemala, so we are already in high altitude and it typically takes 2 weeks to fully adjust, we’ve been here about three days. So why not hike a volcano that goes straight up and the altitude increases drastically by the minute?

They warned us that it was going to be kind of difficult and that it goes straight up, but the leaders talked about it soooo much more casually than it actually was. I could hear my heart beat pulsating through out my entire body. It was a great time though I swear. My weak right ankle only gave out like 10 times.

I compared the hike of Chicabal (Name of the volcano) to our 4 month long trip many times. One step at a time. I had to literally tell myself that I was okay and could make it to the top and I was going to survive, “I think I can I think I can” came out of my mouth an abnormal amount, I owe Thomas the Train Engine a big one for those words of advice.

The fact that I won’t be home until May 17^th and that I will be traveling to two more countries is so daunting; it feels like such a long time. I have already had one or two mental breakdowns, but I swear I am usually super mentally stable…….One step at a time.

In the crater of the volcano was a lagoon. This lagoon is looked at as sacred among the Mayan culture. The water was so calm, so clear, and so peaceful. There were 22 locations surrounding the body of water that indigenous Mayan people will go to for special ceremonies. We listened to stories of the men who lead our hike, one man actively participated in the war and was a guerilla. Groups of these men used to have to silently hike through this volcano with everything they owned on their backs during the war, always being aware of the army that bombed the volcano daily. Their stories were mind blowing.

Another woman we hiked with carried a hiking backpack full of large boulders and full water bottles. She is a firewoman and was training for when she starts in a month. And here I am panting like a dog in the middle of summer with just my camera bag. Show off.

Going down the mountain was also surprisingly difficult. This mountain was so steep. Like I’m talking straight up, straight down. Toe jam central. I only had one major wipe out. Damn lanky ankles. One step at a time.

Once we were back in the van I felt so proud of myself and the people I traveled this short journey with.  We are in this together. Step by step, when I thought I was going to keel over and let the group go on without me, I struggled on. When one of us needed a break, we all stopped. Leave nobody behind. This trip is going to be very difficult at times and I will want to give up. But if I travel one step at a time I know I will find the lagoon: my peaceful, happy place, my home.  

Yes we can!

Hannah

I just spent a long time trying to add pictures to this and it just doesn't look like it's going to happen. But I will post a lot on Facebook, so check them out there!