Wanderlust Strikes

I was scheduled for a six week stay in language school, but I never made it to week six.

 It was my first international travel.  The schedule called for six weeks of summer language immersion in Guatemala. It was the era after the war but before the current violence set in. 

On the recommendation of a friend I went to Quetzaltenango - or Xela to locals. It is the less touristy country cousin to Guatemala City and Antigua Guatemala. The indigenous influence there is strong along with the Latin culture. There was an abundance of language schools and easy bus transit to other cities even farther of the beaten track. 

My teacher Mateo told me about how he grew up and what is was like for him to study and teach spanish. He spoke quechua in addition to Spanish and English. We bought books to practice my spanish, reconstructed the basketball hoop at the school, and generally found ourselves beyond the school walls whenever possible.

 Being outside school provided opportunities to get to know the people and the place. The idea to do a trip around the whole country began to take shape in my mind. After some research I settled on a circuit around the country  using my language school tuition for travel, food, and entrance to the ancient ruins on my route.

This was my itenarary.

Xela -> Guatemala City     chicken bus

Guatemala City_> Flores       coach bus

Flores -> Rio Dulce      chicken bus

Rio Dulce to Livingston     river taxi

Livingston to Chiquimuila      chicken bus

Chiquimula with border crossing to Copan and Quirigua ruins in Honduras.       

        Chicken bus and walking through banana plantations.

Back in to Guatemala To Antigua to reunite with my original group before departure.       chicken bus

The trip involved many "chicken buses", countless discussions with curious locals, walking along the rotting rail tracks of banana plantations, three visits to ancient ruins, a lengthy water taxi ride, a ride on a "passenger coach" bus where I met a local cattle rancher, and the desertion of one hotel due cautious avoidance of some english speaking kids trying to score some drugs.

It was an amazing adventure. Often on the trip there was not another "gringo" in sight. That was not and still is not a common experience for me! Travel was the bridge that took me beyond my own experiences to see the world from another perspective. It opened my eyes and changed my life. There was no going back.