When I got to the LA airport I had to switch planes, and terminals, and had to walk through this freaky white-walled tunnel with signs everywhere saying "stell curtain tunnel, exit immediately when alarm sounds--room will fill with carbon dioxide." Not the most comfortable long walk of my life, but I survived. I got to the Guatemala airport and had to flee to a corner and rearrange my stuff since my suitcase had been too heavy and so I had taken out a spare backpack to check the extra weight so I got a few funny stares from the workers seeing me dump out my stuff and tie on my sleeping bag as I hunched over my bloated purple suitcase in the corner of the baggage claim area. I got a little nervous since I was the last passenger left, but it turned out just fine. Then, bargaining for a way overpriced taxi blamed on high gas prices and a trip to the bus station to find out I was 5 minutes late for the 6:30 bus and would have to wait for the 7:30. It was so strange seeing things that were completely familiar and yet strange to me all at once. The first thing that hit me was the smell--I still have clothes that smell like Guate... But the bus went nice and slow around the curvy highway and we had to wait for more than an hour since they were only letting one direction go at a time down the highway since they are repairing it... I don't understand why they are repairing it NOW when the rainy season is starting and they won't be able to do much about it or finish up their work while it's all muddy...but I'm not in charge. I got to where I was meeting with some old friends more than 2 hours late, but they stuck it out and waited for me. It was great to see them in their home country after we had met in the States and became friends. They took me down to the beautiful Lake Atitlan where I am staying for the next couple days as we finalize housing and get the students set up. It really took a lot of worry off my mind to have them ride me down so tha
We went down to the lake and lamented that it was too cloudy to see the volcanoes and how sad that they are still cleaning up from last Fall's Hurricane disasters. I bought a cell phone and reacquainted myself with the no-toilet paper in the toilet bathrooms, and otherwise have gotten settled in. I love being able to see the textiles again, the green mountainsides zigzagged by slouchy dirt roads and cozy adobe homes, and the recently sown cornfields as they start to pop up in all random corners of the landscape.
So, basically, I'm here! I'm still trying to adjust for my now obtrusive Argentine accent and the awkwardness of not being able to blend in AT ALL again, but otherwise excited to get going and dig my heels in. My K'ichee' is rusty but improving and with stronger Spanish I will hopefully be able to make up for a lot of what I couldn't in the past and keep conversations going, ask better questions, and respond better to the inevitable suprises that are undoubtedbly headed my way (so stay tuned same blog space same blog channel!) Thanks for all your support, talk soon
Cristina
5 comments:
Welcome to Lake Atitlan. The reason they were repairing the road from Guatemala City is that the work has been going on for over 3 years. It may be done one day, if we don't get another hurricane. Hope you enjoy your stay.
Hey Kristine,
This is a great way to keep people posted about all your aventuras! Do you have a specific research project you will be doing in Guate? Are you a facilitator again? I didn't realize you were going to Guatemala right after you got back from Argentina! Haha. Well, best of luck with everything!
Megan
I dig your buddies' UT and BYU hats. Alma Mater and hometown team, REPRESENT!
HOLA CRIS :QUE ALEGRIA SABER DE VOS Y VER TU PAGINA SABES ADMIRO TU SOLIDARIDAD Y AMISTAD CON TODOS ERES MARAVILLOSA DESEO QUE DISFRUTES TU ESTADIA EN GUATEMALA TE QUIEE DESDE AQUI SANDRA ARGENTINA
HOLA CRIS: COMO ESTAS ESTAN TAN LINDAS LAS FOTOS QUE PUSISTE, COMO ESTA EL SOL POR ALLA? AQUI HACE MUCHO FRIO... PERO ESPERO QUE SALGA ESTE FRIO POR QUE ESTA MUY MAL.TAKE CARE SANDRA
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