Hola a Todos,
I don't even know if people are still reading this blog because I have already returned home, but I am going to write it anyway. The last blog I wrote just before leaving for Guatemala and now I am writing this after that trip and after almost 3 weeks of being home in California. I will write about the trip (part 1 - One Last Hurrah) and also how being home has been for me (part 2 - Home).
So let's gets started.
There were three of us that started out from Juticalpa on this trip: Mario, myself and our third roommate, Gary aka Gordo, who, if I didn't mention before, is from New Hampshire and is currently on summer break. He wanted to spend his break in Honduras but also travel around Central America. His father is from Guatemala and so he has family there. Here is Gordo and I taking trusty old Tica Bus from Tegus to La Cuidad de Guatemala.
When we got to Guatemala City, Gordo's family was there with open arms to greet us. They're incredibly hospitable people and a lot of fun. We spent a day with them but because we had destinations in mind we quickly headed out on an overnight bus to...
Tikal. Tikal is a national park of ancient Mayan ruins. It is similar to Copan that Mario and I visited last June,
although the buildings are larger. Hola Mario.
This is a view from the top of one of the pyramids that they allow you to climb.
We seemed to have come on a special day because there were a few present-day Mayans making a authentic burnt offering to the gods....que interesante!
This gives a little perspective on the size of some of these buildings!
Mario unable to hold in his enthusiasm.
We didn't have enough money for a guide and so only using a map, we got a little turned around.
However, if you just look up you will likely see Temple 4 - the highest temple in Tikal (230 ft.) and one of the highest structures in the pre-Columbian Americas.
From Temple 4 you can see above the Peten jungle that engulfs Tikal.
After a long, hot day at Tikal we headed back to the nearby city of Flores where our hostel and two friends from Juti were waiting, Bridget and Carrie. Bridget was the 1st grade teacher at Santa Clara and Carrie the 4th. They had been running Guatemala like us to kick off the summer vacation, and so we decided to meet up. Flores is a little island city and so that meant...
plenty of opportunities to swim. Hola vacaciones!
The next day we split ways with Carrie and Bridget and headed to our second Guatemalan destination: Semuc Champey. We had heard that Semuc was one of the most beautiful places in Guatemala, a must-see. For this reason we payed for an expensive bus ticket, well, expensive for Guatemalan standards (150 Quetzales = $19) and endured a day-long bus ride from Flores to Semuc.
Semuc was located far off the main path in the high country of Guatemala, Alta Verapaz.
But finally we arrived,
and it did not disappoint.
Semuc Champey is a series of natural pools in the Rio Cahabón made of piedra de caliza (limestone), which apparently gives it its beautiful turquoise color.
Mario, three German guys and myself were the only ones there (Gordo was with his family in Guatemala City this whole time.) It was amazing.
It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
But we were in a rush because our time in Guatemala was running out and we needed to get back to Guatemala City that same day. We did slow down enough to take notice of the large indigenous population that is still very visible, especially outside of the major cities like near Semuc Champey.
Then, after a long day of traveling back to the capital we met up with Gordo's family again. They fed us, let us shower and gave beds to sleep in; three things we were lacking during the previous few days in Tikal and Semuc. The next day and our last full day in Guatemala we had wanted to check out the historic city of Antigua. To our suerte (luck) Gordo's uncle had to drive there to help a friend move houses. Here's Mario and some of Gordo's family in the back of the moving truck on the way to Anitgua.
Antigua attracts many tourists, and for good reason: the beautiful central park,
the ancient buildings (edificios antiguos), and more.
I liked this building a lot: El Real Palacio de los Capitanes (The Royal Captains' Palace)
Its construction began in 1558 ¡Que Antigua!
Antigua is also known for its cobble-stone streets. Behind the clouds in the background is Volcán de Agua, 12.356 ft high.
Here's Mario trying to contemplate what it must have looked like when all the people of Antigua did their laundry together at these communal pilas. "Hey, who took my sock!?!"
There were beautifully rich markets where we tried foods we have never tried before,
and incredible architecture.
This is Antigua's McDonald's. Not many people know this, but this is also the first McDonald's in the America's. When Columbus first landed in the Americas in 1492 he men set up this restaurant and served McPintas, McNiñas and McSanta Marias!
Guatever!
Ok, but if you really want something that will blow your mind, you have to see a Guatemalan public bus. This is what rolled up when we were waiting at the bus stop in Antigua to go back to Guatemala City.
The buses have names,
are come complete with plasma screen tv, crucifix, roses,
bardershop style wrapped posts,
and chromed-out out driver's instrument panel.
Even the fare-man was cool.
But what really topped it off was the live music. Somewhere along our route, these two fellows boarded in full Mayan atire and proceeded to serenade us with a Mayan version of Simon and Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence." It doesn't get much better than that for me. (I don't know if it works but I put a video of this at the bottom of this blog entry.)Whoo, well after all that sight seeing we headed back to Gordo's house for one more night before heading back to Honduras. But it was not a night of rest...
Gordo's primas (female cousins) insisted that we celebrate on our last night in town. We had no objection...we had the whole next day on the bus to sleep. So here is Gordo's lovely cousin, Jennifer, taking us out on the town.
There just so happened to be a promotion contest for Gallo beer at the restaurant we were at, where you had kick a soccer ball through a hole in a piece of wood from 5 ft away. Although Mario, Gordo and I all pride ourselves on being good athletes, only Jennifer was able to do it....and so she got the hat.
Yes, this is coming to an end... but can you believe everything I have just written about was in the course of 1 week! Anyways, after Mario, Gordo and I consoled ourselves from losing the contest, we summoned enough ganas (will) to party with Gordo's cousins. We laughed, drank wine,
and did a little dancing.
Amamos la familia de Gordo! (We love Gordo's family!)
The next day we set out on the last leg of our journey, the ride back to Tegus. Sadly, this was also probably the last time I would be traveling in Central America, at least for the immediate future.
But, in the spirit of Jeff Foxworthy, "You know you've been traveling in Central America too long when you start becoming friends with the money changers at the country borders."Ok, time for a break.
----------------------------
Part II - Home
We returned from the Guatemala trip on Sunday and my flight for the US was on Tuesday. I spent that time packing my bags, doing last minute school work for Santa Clara and saying goodbye to friends.
Here is some of Mario's extended family from Tegus: (left to right - Fernando, Katy, Karen, Marina, Mario and I). They always let us stay with them when we were passing through Tegus.
I will miss what traffic looks like on the back streets of Juticalpa,
as well Leytissisa, the banana lady out front of my neighborhood, and her grandson, Raul, who will be attending Santa Clara Escolar on a scholarship this coming August. 
This is Michael and his family. Michael is a blind 7th grader who attended IBSC for the first half of the year, but had to leave since we were not able to provide him with the special attention he needed. He and his family are very wonderful people and make me realize how fortunate I am to be leading the life I lead.It didn't really emotionally hit me that I was leaving until I was taking the pictures off my wall bedroom wall on Monday, the day before I left.
But like it or not, Tuesday came and it was time to go. Here is one last shot arriving into Tegus, where I would be flying out of. Notice how the houses are placed.
This is an aerial view of Houston, Texas. What a difference between a 3rd world and a 1st world country! I think there are opportunities for city and regional planners in Honduras.
Backing up a bit, here is Mario, Olman (mis hermanos Hondureños - my Honduran brothers) and myself at the Tegus airport. They were good enough to drive me all the way down from Juticalpa and see me off. I'll miss you guys.
I got a crack out of this walking by security before boarding the plane. It displays all the liquid items you are not allowed to bring a on a plane...only in Central America would you see bean paste.Luckily, another volunteer, Maki, was flying back on the same flight so we had a chance to chat about this returning experience.
And now I'm back in my tierra natal (homeland), where there are vineyards,
cities by the bay,
the Golden Gate,
In-N-Out Burger (had to do it),
and the beaches.
I couldn't have asked for a better homecoming, because the weekend following my return we traveled south from Santa Rosa, my hometown, to Paso Robles, to meet up with family and friends.
We had celebrating to do. We were celebrating my uncle Ed's job promotion (he is not really my uncle, but he might as well be), a birthday, my return,
and my older brother Kevin's engagement to Ed's daughter, Elizabeth.
I had to bring a little of Honduras back with me. This is a Honduran dish called anafre, which was made with Honduran bean paste. (The observant blog follower might be wondering, "How did he get the beans past security?".... I would like to say I picked up the art of smuggling down there, but in reality I just put it in my checked bag).
This is my younger brother, Jeff, making it know that this weekend was also the Fourth of July weekend,
and it was wonderful to be home for that.Like I said, I am writing this almost three weeks after being home and life has been very good to me since being back. The second day after being back my good friend Michael told me of a new high school in Santa Rosa, Sonoma Academy, that was looking for a math teacher. I sent in my resume, had an interview, did a sample teaching lesson, and the next thing I knew I had a job. I can't believe my luck. Living at home and teaching at Sonoma Academy is my plan for this year.
Besides that, I have some exciting summer vacation plans coming up. First, some of us volunteers from the northwestern part of the USA are going to have a little reunion in a week climbing and camping at Mt. Shasta in northern California. Second, the University of Notre Dame is hosting a free conference for volunteers who have recently returned from volunteering. It will be about successfully making the transition from the volunteering world to the working world. Finally, thanks to some extra airline miles my dad had and the hospitality of volunteers I have met over the last two years, I will be traveling to Chicago, Washington D.C. and possibly Philidelphia in a few weeks. After that it will be time to start the new school year at Sonoma Academy.
It is great to be home seeing family and friends, but I do think of Honduras often. I miss how exciting it was to be in a foreign culture speaking a foreign language. People ask me if I am going through culture shock, but I don't think it has been hard to adjust. Actually it has been more amusing than anything. I find myself thinking, "Geeze, this is a really well paved road," or "Wow, this hot shower is really nice. I could stay in here all day."
That is where I am at currently. Thanks for staying tuned in and I will blog about my summer adventures soon.
Hope to see you around!
