Ruin Me

Finding the internet has been hard these past days. I have been going, going, going and haven't had the time or satellite signal to post all of my adventures....trying to remember where I have been...

Went to Semuc Champey for the second time. It was even more amazing this time! The water was bluer, the tour was more extensive and weather was perfect!

semuc champey

amazing

My friend Niki got bed bugs from El Retiro, along with about 3 other people! I also had my first encounter with a scorpion. While we were eating dinner and having a lively conversation one of the girls let out a horrifying scream saying that something had bit her. We all thought that she was paranoid because she had been one of the people bitten by bed bugs. Since there had been a snake sighting earlier, I decided to look under the table and see if there was a snake in our midst...and to my surprise there was a small black scorpion right by her foot! UGH! I immedietly thought she was a goner. We were quickly assured by the locals that scorpion bites are not that big of a deal. They hurt like hell for a while, but that's all that happens. It was a close call, but she made it through just fine!

mmm...scorpion

The next day we made our way up to Flores. It was a long and hot 7 hour shuttle ride, but it was worth the wait because we got to stay at a vegetarian hostel called Los Amigos! It was good food and great accommodations!

Flores is only about an 1.5 hours away from Tikal where all the Mayan ruins are. We caught the bus at 5 am to make it to Tikal nice and early. It was amazing to see all the history and experience the wonder of the temples and architecture. It was a mind blowing experience that I just can't even begin to put into words. The only downside of my experience at Tikal was that I LOST MY HAT!! Yes, my amazing indian jones hat is gone. It was a sad day for me...especially because someone found my hat...told me where it was...and when got there the guy that had it wasn't there...and I was leaving at 5 am the next morning for Belize....I was so close to retrieval...but so far away...I guess I will just have to find an even better hat somewhere else (if that is even possible!)

my impression of apocalypto--pushing the bodies down the stairs! I was the ultimate sacrifice :)

cool, huh? the pictures don't even do it justice

So, now I am in Belize. We are on the island of Caye Caulker. It is a small island in the Caribbean. The water is unbelievably blue. The sand is white. And hammocks are abundant. The prices for rooms and food are ridiculously expensive, but it has been a nice little vacation of doing nothing (I know that sounds like an oxymoron since my life is a vacations...but traveling and sitting on shuttles can really take it out of you!!! so down time to do nothing in great!) It was a shock to come from Guatemala, which is really cheap, to Belize that is way too expensive. 3 days is all that I can afford to spend here.

thanks you very much!

relaxation station

yep...this is the life!

Tomorrow we are off to Tulum, Mexico. There is a hostel there that is supposed to be right on the beach with free beach cruiser rentals. I am very excited to be in Mexico for Halloween and Dia de los muertos! Should be great fun and an interesting experience!

Will be in Mexico until November 24th. Will keep you all updated on what's happening in our neighbor to the south! I am thrilled to be going back to a spanish speaking country...my espanol still needs some work and I am getting no practice in Belize!

Well, more to come soon....until next time amigos...GOODBYE (can't say adios since I am in an english speaking country)

X

North Bound

It's almost 7 a.m. here in Guatemala. I am up, showered, packed and ready to head north to Lanquin. I am going back to the place that Alex and I had gone to a few months ago. The hostel, El Retiro, is perfectly in between Antigua and Tikal and is a fun place to hang my hat for a few days.

Because I am traveling with friends that have never been there I think that I am going to go back to Semuc Champey and do the cave exploration again. The limestone pools were so beautiful and it is worth the 100Q to go back and see them again.

My shuttle leaves in about an hour and it should take about 7 hours to get there! It is going to be a long day of travel...but it will be well worth it!

Here are some pictures from the last time I was in Lanquin/ Semuc Champey

semuc champey

semuc champey (arial view)

El Retiro, Lanquin, Guatemala

Ok guys...I am off. Until next time Amigos...ADIOS

Disappearing Act

Sorry about abandoning you guys these past days. I took a trip to the coast with some friends and the town that we stayed in only had ONE internet cafe that wasn't open all weekend. By the time that I got back to Antigua last night I was too pooped to poop, let alone update the old blog!

So here's the run down of what's been happening in Guatemala!

1.) Went to Monterrico on Saturday to watch them release the baby turtles into the ocean. I actually got to buy a turtle and let him (Squigley...that's what I named him) go be free! I watched him crawl along the black sand beach to freedom. I felt like a proud mother.

2.)We stayed in Monterrico until Tuesday. It was SO HOT AND HUMID there. You literally never stop sweating the whole time you are there. It was grossing me out at first, but then it became natural to me. Becasue it is so hot the mosquitos munch you like crazy. I look like an adult with chicken pox. The first place I stayed at had air-con in the room...which was really nice and it kept the bugs away. The second place had a pool...which was also AWESOME! Another escape from the bugs!

3.) I took my first chicken bus yesterday from Monterrico to Antigua! It wasn't half bad. There was hardly anyone on the bus so I wasn't cramped and it drove really fast which yielded a nice breeze :)

4.) Took a tour of the Mangrove Swamps. Had to get up at 5 am, but the view was unbelievable. Just a quiet boat ride to contemplate life and enjoy nature!

5.) I am back in Antigua at the moment. Staying for one more day. Today I have to get my shuttle ticket back up to Lanquin. I am going back to El Retiro and Semuc Champey again for a few days before I head up to the ruins in Tikal.

6.) Today is football day. We are all just going to sit back, relax and watch the boob tube. The weather is nice and everyone I am hanging with is very Euro and they are trying to get me into football! I am actually enjoying it...still haven't picked a team to root for...USA for now, I suppose!

Everything is going really well. I am feeling good and having fun meeting new people and seeing new things! About 2 more weeks in Guate and then off to Honduras to do some DIVING! WOO HOO!

until next time amigos....ADIOS!

X

New Plan

So, I have met some really great people that I love hanging out with and they are all leaving tomorrow for a place on the pacific coast call Monterrico. Right now there is a big festival happening because all of the turtles are breading and hatching on the shore. It's about 5 hours away...and I think that I am going. This job is just not my style. There is no structure and they are pressuring me to stay for like 3 weeks. When they tell me to come into work I come in and they tell me to leave. And when I stop by to eat with friends they ask me to stay. I can't handle the lack of structure. It give me anxiety and I am over it. I think that I am going to bail on work tomorrow and start moving on.

First I will go to Monterrico until maybe Tuesday or Wednesday. Then off to Antigua for a few days. Then finally up to Lanquin (El Retiro) where I will wait until Saturday or Sunday for Alex to arrive. Then we will go further north, up to Tikal to see the ruins.

I think that I will continue my studies in Antigua or in Lanquin. Maybe do a few days while I am waiting to meet up with Alex. My brain is so full of information right now that I haven't been retaining too much. I absorb it and then I forget it. I need a break to study what I have learned, perfect that, and then continue to build on it.

This is completely opposite of something that I would do, but in my heart I know that it is best that I move on, because I will be miserable when my friends leave...thinking of what they are doing...and that distraction will really take away from my studies.

So tomorrow I think that I will say Adios to San Pedro la Laguna for a week or so...and move on my merry way. Gotta do what your heart tells you to. I am on the search for my "personal legend" and I ain't finding it here :)

So I will keep you guys in the loop as to what's happening next....until next time.....ADIOS AMIGOS!

X

Local Living

I feel like I am a part of this town now. I work, go to school, and say hi to all the familiar faces. San Pedro is feeling more and more like home. I can understand how people can get stuck here.

School is always a challenge for me, but I am enjoying learning new things. My teacher told me today that my legs look like I have the chicken pox. ugh. The one downside of lakeside studying is that you get eaten ALIVE by all the mosquitos.

Today I think that it's time for me to finally go for a swim in the lake! I have been here almost 2 weeks and haven't been in the water. I think that a friend and I are going to go rent kayaks and go diving off some cliffs in another town (San Marcos la Laguna).

I am still having a blast but and getting ready to move on! I can't wait to see and do new things.

I will try and go out today and take some more pictures!

Until next time amigos...Adio

X

Working woman

So Alex and I had a blast this weekend. Because the buses don't run to Xela on Sunday we got to extend the fun for one more day! We didn't end up doing too much, which was fine because it was like a mini vacation.

The only real news is that I GOT A JOB! Yeah, that's right...I can never NOT WORK! Actually, there is this really cool hostel/resturant called Zoola where I frequent to do my homework. I guess that the owner found out that I was in Spanish school for a while and thought that I would be a good fit for his place. I start work today as a waitress (which you are asking yourselves...Rachel, have you EVER waited tables??). This job is not like anything in the states. It's really laid back and there is no pressure...I'm really not sure that I am going to be able to adjust to a relaxing work situation. We'll see.

Sorry that I haven't updated my blog in a while. There has been a lot going on and the time just seems to be flying by. I am making tons of new friends and am having a great time!

I will try and get some pictures of Zoola and my new friends up here soon!

Until next time...Adios amigos

X

Las chicas locas

Alex arrived in San Pedro safely. To my surprise she WAS NOT on a chicken bus. Every chicken bus that drove by that didn’t have her on it made my heart sink…I thought that maybe she had taken the wrong one, or she got off at the wrong spot?! Finally she showed up in a giant, luxury (for Guatemala) shuttle. I was so relieved.

The only time I wish that I had a cell phone was in situations when you kinda need to know where someone is and what the plan is. But then I am reminded that things always manage to work themselves out, and that life existed before technology and people CAN get by without it…

After we got settled in to the hostel we had to take care of some serious business. We had to get Alex a Brahva Extra, pronto (they don’t have Brahva Extra in Xela)….and some chips and guac.

We went out last night. It was invigorating (in the sense that it lifted my spirits and was just the medicine I needed). We laughed. Spoke way too much English (actually we did make the transition to espanol after a few Brahva Extras!). Made new friends. Discovered new places and reunited with familiar ones.

To say the least, it was an awesome night and a much needed reunion. I am very lucky to have such an awesome travel buddy!

Here is a little taste of the action! (click on the facebook link for more pictures!)

Until next time amigios…ADIOS!

X

P.S. did not write this post last night…back to writing my posts the day of…

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2105312&id=35800645&l=7bf337c5d

Learning Espanol from gringos

el resturante la playa-I guess my new hang out

I had a really good day today. Went to school as usual. Elena and I watched youtube videos of her favorite artists (she said that I needed a little Latin musica in my life!). Came home and had some rice and beans for lunch. They were ok. A little bland, but the 10 tortillas that I ate with it made up for the lack of flavor.

After lunch I started reading my book (The Alchemist—pretty much the best book to ready while you are traveling) and took a siesta for about 3 hours. When I woke up I was debating whether or not to go to school and go online and do some homework, or try and find my friends that I had met the day before. So, being the horrible student that I am, I headed down the road to the bar/restaurant that I figured my new friends would be at!

And as I suspected, they were there! So I hung out at the bar from about 5:00-8:40 doing my homework with the gringo bar tender, Tyler, from Missouri. He has been in San Pedro for a while now and his espanol (although in a VERY southern accent) is much better than mine.

I had a lot of fun with them hanging out and meeting other gringo locals. Tonight was the most fun that I have had since I’ve been here. Tomorrow Alex arrives and I am sure that the fun will continue!

Add un litro mas to my total of Brahvas J

Until next time…Adios amigos!!!

this is my teachers favorite song! It was too cute to see her dance and sing along with the video :)

No match...Lo siento

Today was muy interesante to say the least! I had class as usual, went back to my home-stay to eat lunch (which wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t amazing and my host mom insisted that I FINISH my plate…I almost barfed! She says that I am too skinny and that my parents will be very upset with her if I go back to the states weighing less than when I arrive.) and then walked around town for a bit. While I was walking I overheard a guy telling some people that he was from the states. So, being the nosey, lonely person that I am I quickly jumped into their conversation!

Turns out he is originally from Ohio (a buckeye…GO BUCKEYES!) and he moved to Alaska to work as a kayak instructor during the tourist season. He (Brian) and his friend got into Guatemala the same time that we arrived and they are kinda doing the same thing that Alex and I are attempting to do. They aren’t going as far as us, but they are doing the one-way ticket dealy-o.

Hung out with him for a few hours. He pretty much has met every person in San Pedro; which was cool because he introduced me to some nice people around town and showed me a cool bar that is closer to my home-stay than the rest of the bars that I know of. He also introduced me to the owner, Nick, who is from Scotland (I think?!?!) and I got to sit with him and talk a little about San Pedro and diving in Honduras (he has wifi in his bar which is AWESOME…which makes him worth knowing!).

So after we were done talking, they went swimming and I decided to be responsible and go back to school to check my emails, do some homework and pay for my classes this week.

Here’s where my day took a bit of a turn L I paid the girl, Lucy, at the front counter for my first week of class and home-stay with travelers checks. Lucy’s English is not very good and my espanol es no bueno either. Apparently she was asking me if I got the checks okayed with the director and I was saying that my checks were ok. There was a bit of confusions and to make A LONG STORY short, my school doesn’t accept traveler’s checks. UGH. I found this out AFTER I had written them to the school and Lucy gave me my receipt.

So, because they wouldn’t take the checks, one of the directors had to walk with me (up an ENORMOUS hill) to the bank to see if they would cash the checks that I had already filled out to the school. When we asked the bank manager if this was ok, he said (en espanol) “ah, yes it would be no problem except these checks are fraudulent! The signatures no match!”

Apparently the gap between my first and last name on the first line of my travelers checks was bigger than the gap between my first and last name on the second line and therefore he couldn’t cash the checks for me. They looked too fraudulent because of a FREAKING centimeter gap?!?!? The signatures themselves look the same, but because the gap was bigger he said they were fraud…WHAT? Only in Guatemala…

It took everything inside of me not to bitch slap the crap out of the bank manager! If I hadn’t had $300 more in traveler’s checks that I needed him to cash, then I probably would have exploded!

So, in the end, I am going to spend tomorrow getting my travelers checks replaced/canceled so that I can pay for the rest of school…if they are lucky enough to keep me here. If it wasn’t for my awesome teacher, I think that I would have left by now!

The adventure NEVER ends with me. I think that the saying “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is what I am having to learn in San Pedro. I am going to be a really tough broad by the time I get back to the states (I thought I already was, but I guess I was wrong).

At the end of the day I did get some checks cashed. I still haven’t done my tarea (homework) and my family is calling me for another meal fulllllll of tortillas!

Here’s an idea of what else is up…

Bug Bites on my body: 13

Tortillas eaten: 33 (I think 35 is my limit for the week)

Pounds lost: I am thinking about 4 or 5. I have gone down a belt loop…almost 2…

Brahvas Drunk: 7 (these are the small bottles—not the litros—I haven’t quite picked up a drinking problem yet…but I have been pretty bored, so who knows!)

Spanish words spoken: about 10,000 (200 of which have been correcto)

Money spent: 545.87Q (total in Guatemala)

1745.87Q (including my first week of class and homestay)

$218.23 (Quetzels converted to US dollars—total spent)

Rolls of toilet paper I’ve gone through: about 6 (not sure if I just use a lot, if I blow my nose a lot or if I have just had my limit of black beans!?!)

My new mission: find the best mustaches in Central and South America and document them for a flipbook. I think that it will keep me entertained and should be a good read for others! I just have to learn how to say, “You have a nice mustache. Can I take a photo of it?” without sounding like una chica loca! Let me know if this flipbook already exists, or is already in the works J oh, and I need to make some good friends—that aren’t complete weirdoes!

Also, here are also some more pictures per the request of my father!

this is schooooollllll.....

this is my classroom...

view from my "classroom"

my papusa lunch. only 3Q. very tasty!

me enjoying some cominda!

Until next time amigos…ADIOS!!

One more day down!

So I have one more day of school under my belt. I am learning quickly (not anywhere near being fluent…but it HAS only been 2 days!) and am really enjoy spending my mornings with my teacher. Today, when I was wrote the word ano (“year” in Spanish) I forgot the accent over the “n”. Elena (my teacher) started cracking up! I was trying to ask her how many students she taught in one year. I couldn’t figure out why that question was so funny. So, I asked Elena “why are you laughing at me?” She quickly showed me in my Spanish/English dictionary that ano without the accent means anus. I had asked her how many students she teaches in one anus. Oops!

I am learning that there are so many subtle differences in words and pronunciations that you have to be really careful how you say something or you can get yourself I a lot of trouble!

I also met some other students today that filled me in about a free 45 minute session at night where you can sit with other students and an instructors and basically (excuse my expression dad) shoot the shit in Spanish. It is just a cool way to practice with other beginners. Everyone in my little group is leaving at the end of the week. They are all in their late 30’s and 40’s and have no interest in hanging out with me outside of class. So basically I am still having no luck finding cool people to do stuff with.

However, I was invited to go to this bar and watch this Australian guy play the guitar at 9, but it is PITCH BLACK outside and I would have to walk about 15 minutes to get there…call me afraid, but I have had at least 10 Guatemalan men ask me to live with them, or be their girlfriend in the last 3 days… don’t worry Dave…I just laugh and say “lo siento…you tengo un novio…el esta muy guapo!” which roughly means “I’m sorry…I have a boyfriends…he is very handsome!”

So until I move into a hostel I think that I will continue going to bed at 8 p.m…spending my afternoons doing homework and napping…eating the strange food that my host family makes me…and being the loner that I am! I keep telling myself that I will be very well rested!

I will try and take some more pictures of school and the lake…I still haven’t gone for a swim. It has been raining during the day here, so there isn’t much to do. Hopefully it will clear up for Alex so that we can do some fun stuff while she visits!

So sorry for the downer blog post. I am trying to see the upside of it all. Most of the people that I meet tell me that the first week is always the hardest. There isn’t much to do and you are very limited with a homestay! So I am keeping my head up J Until next time amigos…ADIOS!

AH—P.S.—I ate a really odd vegetable today called a Pacaya. It is grown at Volcan Pacaya…it was oddly satisfying. I ate it with a tortilla (duh…that’s all I eat here) and an avocado! Look it up…pretty cool! I will definitely try and find it in the states!

P.S.S. I am writing my blog posts the night before I post them…so if they seem a day off, well, they are! It’s one of the only things that keeps me occupied at night…so pretend that it’s yesterday!

X

San Pedro (not as I remembered it)

When I left Antigua I was under the impression that it was only a two hour shuttle ride to San Pedro la Laguna! So when I booked my ticket (boleto) for 2 p.m. I figured that I would have loads of time to make it to the school, be able to select a family for my homestay and still have time for cena (dinner). As I was quickly reminded, there are NO kept schedules in Guatemala. I wasn’t picked up until 2:30 and I didn’t arrive at the lake until 5:45 p.m.

I felt awful for my shuttle mates as they had to listen to me panic about making it to school before 6 p.m. or Ramon, the school director, would leave without me and I would be stranded with no place to stay (which isn’t totally true…I could get a hostel very easily…I just have a huge American stick up my ass!)

But to my rescue, Moses, a local tour guide in San Pedro, greeted me when I arrived and got me to my final destination very quickly! He led me to Ramon who then took me to my host family (I didn’t get to choose a family like he had originally told me!) I am living with the Gonzelzes—Cecilia (the mother), Maria Elena (the middle daughter 12) and Hannah (the baby 2)—in my very big room with two beds! Unfortunately my toilet is not big—it is actually outside with nothing but a small curtain separating me and the outside world. And the shower that is by my room only has cold water. The one that they let me use downstairs is supposed to be warm, but I have not yet felt that warmth. I was also told today that the students buy the toilet paper (not too sure how I feel about that!)

my two beds :)

My family is very nice and is very patient with me and my lack of Spanish. Unfortunately, there are very few things that we can say to each other because of the language barrier and we tend to end up staring at each other very awkwardly.

maria elena--the middle child

my bathroom and shower--only curtains to separate me and the world!

the view from my balcony

I am not too sure how long I will last in this homestay. I am very lonely and they have not been feeding me very well. It is very hard for people in San Pedro, and in Guatemala for that matter, to make any money. I think that they try to get by giving me as little as possible so that they can come away with something for themselves. I can’t say that I blame them.

I had my first day of school yesterday. My teacher, Elana (I think that is her name—I am usually REALLY good with names and I just cannot seem to keep her’s in my head), is very sweet. She is only 2 years older than me and is married with 2 kids! She was telling me all about marriage in San Pedro, how it is totally normal for a girl to marry when she is 15. She has a great sense of humor and will joke with me about everything. I am excited that she is my teacher. I think that I will stick with her! Hopefully she will get me understanding Spanish better in the next 3 weeks. It was all coming back to me as the hours of school went on. I think that I might actually have a good chance of being fluent by the time I return home. Who knows?! It could be wishful thinking! Seeing as I am bored out of my mind I have lots of time to study.

my teacher Elena! she's the best!

As far as staying with my family goes, I am going to give it a week and see how I feel. I am really longing to see Alexandra’s face (I MISS YOU FRIEND)!! She is coming to visit me on Friday. Depending on how the weekend goes I will either stay with my family or I will check into a hostel.

The rain is poring outside as I type. It is low season for tourism in San Pedro so there is not much to do and there are not many people to mingle with. There are a few other students in my language school, but so far the ones that I have met are realllllllllllly odd. I haven’t quite found any that I would fancy to hang out with! So I guess you can say “Raquel es una perdedora” which means “Rachel is a loser”.

So, after one long and drawn out blog post later…if you see me online…talk to me…I’m bored J Until next time…ADIOS AMIGOS!

Magma!

Alex and I woke our butts up at 6 a.m. this morning and hiked Volcan Pecaya! The first half of the trail was mud and then the next part was lava rocks. Although the terrain was not ideal, it was really beautiful! At the top we turned our horse poop walking sticks around and roasted marshmallows! Of course I was the fat kid that ate 5, while everyone stuck with one! You can check out the rest of the pictures on my facebook (click the link below). Tomorrow Alex and I part ways...she's off to Xela and I am off to the lake! Until next time...ADIOS AMIGOs

Here's a little look at what we saw :)

http://www.facebook.com/album.phpaid=2104747&id=35800645&l=50b9fd573b

El Gato Negro

Pretty much one of the coolest places to stay in Antigua. Free breakfast that could feed an entire family...and the most import thing...

The Brahva...we have waited too long! This has been a great pre-school relaxation time of meeting awesome new friends and catching up on our siestas! Tomorrow we will attempt to hike Volcan Pecaya....until next time amigos :)

Act like you've been there before, and act like you're going back!

We MADE IT! It was a long and slightly tumultuous airplane ride (Alex might argue with the "slightly" part). But we are here. Got a cab to Antigua and are currently relaxing at The Black Cat Hostel. Phone service is obsolete, but we do have the internet!