Guatemala en breve

I landed in Houston, Texas at 4:15 p.m. on Monday. With one hour to make my connecting flight to Austin I joined the long snaking line of people from absolutely everywhere who were waiting for a stamp of approval from a U.S. customs official. I passed through the first checkpoint with no problems, grabbed my bags from carousel number 7 and would have made it through with no incident except for a canine customs agent who thought my bag smelled interesting. His owner made me wait while the beagle sniffed around my bag. What did he smell? Three months' accumulation of Guatemalan fragrances...wood-fire stoves burning in the hillsides, the incense that filled the cathedral in Chichicastenango, the thick corn tortillas wrapped in colorful cloth and served warm at every meal. Satisfied, too hungry to care?, the dog let me go on to run for my flight. I made my connection to Austin, a short 32 minute flight from Houston. I left Guatemala at 12:45 p.m., scheduled to arrive in Austin at 6:30 p.m. With the time change, I had just under 7 hours of travel to transition from three months in Guatemala and prepare for life back in the U.S. As we began the descent into the Austin airport I wanted to slow the plane down, maybe circle around the city for a little while just to get used to the idea of being in Texas again.
The last week in Guatemala was packed with travels to new sights, reuniting with old friends, saying goodbye to new friends. I met my good friend Holly at the airport in the capital on Monday the 13th. Standing in the crowd of people waiting for arriving friends and family was Jacob Blickenov, a friend from Earlham who has been living in Xela for the past few months. More proof that Earlham produces awesome, adventurous people. I'm not biased.
The week with Holly was packed, beautiful, rainy, brilliantly sunny, all in all wonderful. We spent time in Antigua, had lunch with Jacob and his girlfriend, Kate, wandered around old cathedrals. Next stop was rainy Panajachel, the ride there from Antigua took two victims (Pedro from Portugal and Holly) by means of carsickness. They recovered after some hot tea and the three of us ate dinner by the lake shore. The thatched roof and beach motif seemed out of place as the rain continued to fall. Next day we got out of Pana and headed for Chichicastenango, arriving at dusk as the sun illuminated the enormous clouds over the town. Beautiful, white clouds and no sign of rain. The Thursday market was packed with crafts, weavings, eager vendors and European tourists. We left Chichi for Xela at 1 p.m. We arrived in Xela frighteningly quickly thanks to an expert chicken-bus driver.
Goodbyes...I haven't yet found the words to speak about the last nights spent with friends from Iglesia Emanuel. I left Xela feeling full, more full than I have ever felt in my life. Love, humbling and inspiring.
Where am I now? In culture shock, surrounded by friends in Austin, and more confused than ever about where to call home. I am searching for a way to express the past three months in Guatemala...en breve. How do I answer the question, "How was Guatemala?" How do I translate or interpret what I have seen? How do I adjust my life according to the need in this world? How much will I sacrifice?
Some simple questions to work over in my head as I enjoy the end of the summer before classes start. I am reading an incredible book that Holly passed on to me - "Mountains beyond Mountains" - about Dr. Paul Farmer. Inspirational and proves, once again, that 26 is not too early to start transforming the world...or at least some small piece of it.


The clouds above the cathedral in Chichicastenango.


Jacobo, Kate and I on a "chicken" bus, which, to be exact, held only human passengers and one large turkey.

A photo of Santiaguito, an active volcano near Xela, erupting. This photo proves that Holly and I climbed Volcan Santa Maria (altitude of 12,000 ft....we started at 8,000 ft) and watched Santiaguito erupt during a rare break in the cloud cover. This (sideways) photo also proves that my technological failings are not a symptom of travel in foreign countries...they are universal.


Mi amiga linda, Holly, on our last night in Antigua.

Los jovenes at the going away party. I miss them already...