It was an interesting group that were waiting for us. While all seemed pleasant enough, they struck me as very free spirited. They carried an assortment of hula hoops, drums, instruments etc and sported feathers in ears, beads, some with shoes, some without…ah, well, to eaches own. Right? This group made us 14 so I was now squished in front with a girl from Israel. Very pleasant, and we passed the next hour speaking between English and Spanish. “What do you do for a job” she asked……”ummmm, I am an administrator” I replied. “Oh” was her response and then after a moment “what does your husband do”…… “ummmm, he is an accountant”. “Oh” she replied again and then “those are very ordinary jobs for someone that travels around Central America”…… “they are yes” I said, and left it at that. There is a time and place to share with others what we do for a living. In Central America I am very reserved as to who I tell what I do for a living. I am used to telling people that I am an administrator, as usually it sounds boring and nobody has ever asked me what I administrate. That being said, I couldn’t think fast enough to give Brent an exciting, dynamic career, so Accountant is was!
Leaving San Marcos, we steadily climbed up the Nariz de Indio (Nose of the Indian). The views were spectacular but our van had seen better days and looking down the sheer drops was both exhilarating and a little nerve racking especially taking in to consideration the way they drive and the traffic condition of the roads. But we bumped and jostled our way for another hour until we stopped to pick up one other passenger. This made us 15 plus driver, in a van for 12. It was cosy to say the least and I was glad that I was upfront now with a girl from Argentina. Of course, I maintained my hold on the seat by the window.
We made one pit stop to allow a final photo op of the valley leading down to San Pedro. The light was against me to get a decent shot of the village and it was a little hazy;
Driving back to Antigua, we passed a wack of cyclists on high end road bikes. The driver was telling us that every year there is a cycling competition over about 10 to 12 days. The cyclists ride about 5000 kilometers during this time, I can vouch that the route they were on this particular day is not for the faint of heart. It made me itch to be on my road bike although not cycling up these crazy hills!!
We arrived in Anitgua and after a little confusion, picked up the shuttle to Guatemala City. There was no issue getting dropped off at my B&B. The bed and breakfast, found again thanks to Trip Advisor, is in gated community with armed guards at the entrance. This city is not one to be traping around in, especially after dark. As expected, the B&B is welcoming and clean. They have a nice garden and I have had all afternoon to relax before my early morning flight back to Canada.
So, it’s been a great trip. First, my Spanish. Where is it at? Probably it has surpassed my expectations. I have really been able to talk, but no it’s been more than that. I can be part of a conversation now. I can express thoughts and opinions and not feel like I am not an outsider. Ellen says my Spanish has improved unbelievably and I agree with her. I have to just make sure that I keep plugging away at it. I will keep up with my weekly Skype classes and make more of an effort to be a better student. I want to start reading more so have bought a book while I’ve been here which I never got to read in school…The Diary of Anne Frank. I always wanted to read it, but now it will be in Spanish rather than English.
My time in San Pedro La Laguna was mixed but did improve as the time passed. SPLL just didn’t captivate me. While the lake was beautiful and the views from parts, quite stunning, the town itself wasn’t for me. It’s hard to really describe why. The older part of town was more traditional but unlike Copan I felt no connection to it. Perhaps it didn’t help that I was a little disappointed with my school. It came with such amazing reviews that my expectations were unrealistic, or perhaps an intermediate to advanced is not their thing. I don’t regret my time there as I can cross it off the list. Any travel experience (within reason) is still a great experience, there just happens to be experiences that are better than others. My homestay family were exceptionally kind and i enjoyed my time with them. I was able to grab a picture of Maria (my house “Mum” and her son Felix) before I left;
Perhaps, SPLL never stood a chance against Copan. This year my time in Copan was made so much more special as I stayed with Dunia and her family. I was a part of the family. Everywhere they went, I went. I fell in love with her kids and was genuinely sad to leave. Dunia wrote to me and said she had forgotten I had left and set a place at the table for me on the Friday night after I had gone. Dunia is also a great teacher. She is a good balance between fun and strict and she knows her stuff! And this year, I had 5 teachers…..two adults and three kids, all under one roof. It was awesome. Ellen, from Project School Supplies, who continues to work tirelessly, has become a dear friend. We shall keep in touch and I shall continue to try to support PSS as best I can. A thank you to my coworkers who sent me with a pocketful of cash so we could make the lives of so many more children more enjoyable.
A quick update on the old couple that I wrote about and have had several inquiries about, such as “what will happen to them now”. Thanks to a generous donation already, Ellen has some extra funds to assist them with food. She has already stocked them up again and will go visit again soon. But theirs is not a story in isolation. I didn’t write about them to depress anyone. Their story is simply the story of so many in Honduras, whether it be an old couple or a single mother struggling with 6 children and no food. Ellen did send me a few photos of them taken when she had originally gone to see the house;
I hope you have all enjoyed my journey. Will there be another trip in 2013. Who knows. There will be many more, of that I am sure, but timing is everything. My friends in Copan have shown me that it doesn't matter what you have or don't have. Good friendship comes from many sources and is found in many places if only you are open to it. I would like to share this experience and these frienships with Brent. I will leave you all with my favorite picture of the trip taken just this morning form top of Nariz de Indio.
As we had pulled up in the van, I saw an old gentleman, his chin resting in the palm of his hand and his elbow on his bent knee. With the light behind him I loved the shot and got what I think is a beautiful picture;
We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. Jawaharlal Nehru
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