Back in Guatemala June 2010

the pan american highway this is the road into San Lucas that some of you may remember......

Xela=Quetzaltenango

On my fourth day in guatemala and all is familiar and all is strange at the same time.

Julio met me well in the capital, we stayed in a modest and very old hotel in the centro ($15 for two) then the first morning took the bus to Xela, the second largest city in guatemala which will be my base for the next 4 weeks and i seriously study.

Hurricane Agatha did so much damage here, it wasn't evident in the capital but on the Pan American highway to Xela (5 hours) there were alot of detours, water on the road and walls of mud. There is a huge relief effort happening here, yesterday they had a big drive in the square for people to drop off items for the victims.

On the bus ride here we passed by the highest elevation on the road 3,030 meters, about 9,000 feet, pretty much the top of the world. I felt the altitude on the first two days, with a pounding head and really tired, emotional, overwhelmed. I've acclimatized well and today looks so much better. Weeping in a cemetary on Julio's shoulder helped. It's also the process of culture shift. I've never been to this city before and it really belongs to the guatemalans, there are few tourists and it's easy to feel like the outsider here. Staring school will help too. I head there today at 2 pm to meet my host family and get settled. Then class starts tomorrow at 8 am.

I'll be studying from 8 am - 1 pm, then a break and afternoon activities with the school. We will no doubt be doing some work with the restoration after the storm. I'm open to helping and doing anything that needs to be done.

My spanish is already getting stronger and that feels excellent. I'm looking forward to knowing more and being a part of something bigger at the school.

Be well wherever you are.

I'll keep you posted.

Dor