Eliza,
This is a photo-message from your parents and Iris just wanting you to know how much they love you and are appreciative that you were born ... I'm so sorry though, my understanding is that there's no birthday cake left!
:-)
Monday, September 27, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Stoked
So I know that this is our first blog and everything and that whoever reads this probably wants to hear about how amazing everything is and how nothing bad has happened and how we're loving every aspect of Central America, but I wanted to start off on a more honest note. Now, obviously I can't speak for everyone, but I was straight up dreading this week. After arriving in Guatemala last Wednesday following a grueling night of travel, we were herded into two minibuses and taken to EarthLodge, a retreat in the hills overlooking Antigua. To say that EarthLodge was beautiful would be an understatement. Our cabins sat on a ridge nestled between three volcanos, high above the bustle of the city. Pictures do not do justice to the view from our dining room. For three days we ate delicious food, explored Antigua, got to know EarthLodge, and most importantly, got to know each other. For me, it was one of those places you end up calling home. So, you can imagine my horror when we were dragged away from EarthLodge on Sunday and taken to Pasac, a small, indigenous village in the Sololá region where we would begin our first homestays.
Everyone seemed excited to experience everything that Pasac had to offer, but even though the activities that our guides Manuel and Juan had planned sounded fun, I couldn't help but wonder how I would survive for a week in a house with a dirt floor and no running water. And I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that my family wouldn't speak Spanish. English seemed like a joke at this point. Not gonna lie, I was nervous.
Well, it's the morning of our third day in Pasac, and I can't remember why I felt that in the first place. My house doesn't have a dirt floor (though some do), and my host father speaks not only Spanish, but English too. I even got lucky enough to have Kelley, the best gringo roomate ever, staying with me. Running water is a luxury I've learned to live without, but that's only because the village is currently in the midst of a massive drainage project.
However, even if I was sleeping on a dirt floor without anyone to talk to, I would still feel the same way about Pasac as I do now, because the greatest thing about this village is the people that call it home. Every day an entourage of children follow us wherever we go, and even though they laugh at us and call us gringos, I know they've had as much fun playing games with us as we have with them. Our host mother, Catalina, was kind enough to let Kelley and I wear her clothes, and proudly proclaimed "gorda es guapa" when we had to cut the sleeves of one of the blouses to make it fit. We're all discovering little things about Pasac that make us happier than a flushing toilet ever could: papas fritas at the tienda, pan con azucar, showering in the river, the way the air smells like smoke, and a million other novelties that make this village what it is. So, you can imagine my horror that, come Saturday, we have to leave again for Xela. Because as Joe said to me yesterday, "I could live here."
-Emily
Everyone seemed excited to experience everything that Pasac had to offer, but even though the activities that our guides Manuel and Juan had planned sounded fun, I couldn't help but wonder how I would survive for a week in a house with a dirt floor and no running water. And I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that my family wouldn't speak Spanish. English seemed like a joke at this point. Not gonna lie, I was nervous.
Well, it's the morning of our third day in Pasac, and I can't remember why I felt that in the first place. My house doesn't have a dirt floor (though some do), and my host father speaks not only Spanish, but English too. I even got lucky enough to have Kelley, the best gringo roomate ever, staying with me. Running water is a luxury I've learned to live without, but that's only because the village is currently in the midst of a massive drainage project.
However, even if I was sleeping on a dirt floor without anyone to talk to, I would still feel the same way about Pasac as I do now, because the greatest thing about this village is the people that call it home. Every day an entourage of children follow us wherever we go, and even though they laugh at us and call us gringos, I know they've had as much fun playing games with us as we have with them. Our host mother, Catalina, was kind enough to let Kelley and I wear her clothes, and proudly proclaimed "gorda es guapa" when we had to cut the sleeves of one of the blouses to make it fit. We're all discovering little things about Pasac that make us happier than a flushing toilet ever could: papas fritas at the tienda, pan con azucar, showering in the river, the way the air smells like smoke, and a million other novelties that make this village what it is. So, you can imagine my horror that, come Saturday, we have to leave again for Xela. Because as Joe said to me yesterday, "I could live here."
-Emily
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
"Itza" Whole Group!
After a minor hiccup with Kelley's bags being sent by her airline to somewhere she wasn't going (now fixed) the ITZA group is all together and through security. In a short time they will be on their way to Guatemala to begin their adventure.
Look for more from them in a couple days!
Look for more from them in a couple days!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Stop...Hammer Time!
Hola Todos!
Bienvenidos a nuestra blog! We are so excited to be leading your semester in Central America. We’ve now talked to all of you on the phone and in addition to hammering home some important points about the semester we’ve gotten a brief glimpse into the make up of the group. From our short conversations with each of you, we know that we will be a fantastic team and can’t wait to embark on this journey with you all. Please don’t hesitate to call or e-mail us if you think of any questions between now and September 15th. We will be working hard this weekend and next week to finalize the details of our trip and can’t wait to see you all at 10pm at the TACA counter of the San Francisco airport September 15th!
Please take some time in the next few days to look over our blog. This is where all of our friends and family back home can keep up with our adventures. Each week one of you will be our official "blogger" and will get to write our travel tales for our dedicated followers around the globe. We encourage you to peruse past blogs to get an idea of what they might look like. Also, please inform your family and friends of this site and make sure your parents know how to use it! This way they can follow along with us and read about all of the amazing and authentic experiences we will have!
Nos Vemos Pronto!
Ari & Meghan
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