Semana Santa/Semuc Champey

We went to Semuc Champey in Alta Verapaz for Easter break.  It is a man made bridge made of limestone.  It has many different pools with crystal clear water.  Absolutely beautiful.  We decided to take the hike up the mountain so we could get the full view before jumping in the water.  It was harder than I imagined.  The hike was basically straight up, no railings (welcome to guate), and dead heat.  After a sweaty hike up, and 45 minutes later, we were at the top.  It was an incredible view and def worth getting dehydrated. After that we basically ran down the mountain to jump in that beautiful water.  Its worth going if you travel to Guatemala.

Alta Verapaz is absolutely amazing. It is green and lush.  The mosquitos are a little ridiculous though.  We stayed in a hostel, El Retiro Lodge.  It's located on a river and has huts and hammocks.  I ended the trip with 57 mosquito bites. The hostel had a tour to swim and walk through these beautiful caves off of the river.  We signed up for the 1 pm tour and had no idea what to expect... We arived and were given a long white candle.  We were with a Guatemalan family and the tour guide.  Within 5 minutes we realized that we were with an obnoxious family and only hoped for the best.  We lit our candles and entered the cave.  It was beautifuly lit by the candles but soon we could see nothing.  The candles didn't help much and we were in darkness, unable to see anything around us.  We had to swim through parts of the cave with one hand in the air carrying our candles and the other hand trying to keep a float (don't forget our heavy chacos pulling us down).  There were latters we had to climb that were sucured with duct tape. After two hours we arrive at the end of the tour.  By this point half the people's candles had gone out and we were losing light, quickly.  People (not me of course...) were jumping off part of the cave into a pool of water.  We were having a good time despite the circumstances.  After this was done we were GOING to return back to civilization.  BUT NOPE, the Guatemalan family wanted to continue through the cave.  Needless to say, we ended up in the middle of a cave, nowhere near civilization or light, fighting with this family for 30 MINUTES!  We were screaming back and forth while peoples candles were dripping to nothing.  There were three of us and we were only had one candle.  We finally convinced the family we had to return or we would be stuck in that cave in complete darkness.  At this point we started to freak out a bit.  The family took forever to get off their asses and leave, and we had half the light we had before.  I was leading the way, behind the tour guide, and I was all of the sudden in a small crevas about to jump down into a pool in complete darkness with no people and no light.  I jumped and realized I was alone, in a cave, with no light, in deep water.  I would like to state here that I have never had a panic attack, but at this point I could not hold it in any longer.  This was not what we paid 50 Q for and I was ready to get the fuck out.  After a few long minutes my friends joined me with a candle.  A few minutes later we safely arrived to day light.  This is just one example of how Guatemala amazes me.  It amazes me that this was legal, that this was a tour that people went on every day.  What would have happened if someone would have gotten hurt?  What would have happened if our candles would have gone out in that cave? In the United States this tour would never be legal due to regulations and laws...apparently such things don't exist here.

All in all, the trip to Semuc was amazing.  We met some amazing people and saw a bit of paradise.  We are back in site now and spending our Easter afternoon in an internet café.  Its a bit depressing.  The strike is over and were starting work on Tuesday!! I have never been so excited to start work.  We have so much work to do and I'm ready to get goin'.   I can't wait to start meeting the teachers and seeing our schools. 

The rainy season started a few days ago.  I have already learned a valuable lesson.  Last night I was watching Friends in my room while it was raining.  I had the door open because Bear had walked in and there was a nice breeze.  I got up to look for something and I saw this dark figure fly through the air, I immediately started screaming.  I then realized that there was a huge frog in my room.  I frantically got a broom and swept it away and slammed the door.  I imagine this is just the beginning to the crazyness that comes with the rainy season. 

I hope everyone is having a happy Easter!  I cannot believe its almost May.  Time is flying by.  I'm starting to paint my new home and move stuff in in the next few weeks.  I'm very excited to start my life here and get things going.  I'm expecting things to get easier and when they do, I presume I will love it here.

Love you all so very much, and thanks for reading!!!

10 Step Process

I have now been in site for 2 weeks!!  After our first day of work we were told that the teachers were going on strike.  They have been on strike since.  We are trying to keep ourselves busy but there is not much to do.  We have introduced ourselves to everyone in town, even though they didn´t really want to meet us.  We introduced ourselves to the workers at the mini clinic and they litterally just looked at us and continued to watch TV.  We are the first volunteers in San Miguel Chicaj for about 20 years.  The men never stop yelling at us and continue to say ¨i love you¨ in horrible, creepy accents. The women are starting to come around.  Some of the women even say ¨buenos tardes¨ first! Which is a huge improvement.  I learned that the Indiginous women are more timid, but they are the kindest women.

I just want things to get easier.  I want the strike to be over.  And I want to take a shower, without mosquitos. Yesterday, Kata and I went out to grab coffee with my host dad.  Which was kind of weird because Guatemalans don´t grab coffee.  My family is a bit more modern and young.  My host mom (this word is used lightly considering she just turned 26) went down to protest in Guatemala City, without her husband.  Crazyness.  So my ¨dad¨ took us to a HUGE store where they had everything.  Kata and I were so excited becuase we didn´t know that these kinds of things existed in small town Guate.  I bought a green fan that I could not wait to plug in. Roney´s friend carried it to the bus terminal for me.  Kata said, ´Im so jealous of your fan maggie!  Its going to be so cool in your room!¨.  Right as she said that the guy dropped my fan and it broke.  This is just one example of how Kata and I have had no luck, whatsoever. Everything we do seems to either fail, break, or it creates another problem.  I never imagined PC to be this hard.  I know it will all change once we start working, but Kata and I could really use some luck.

Last week I found out that my host mom is 3 months pregnant! I`m so excited to see the baby. I have gotten extremely close with this family in the last two weeks.  If it weren´t for them I think I would be back in the states, sitting on your couch mom and dad. Today I hung out with them in the backyard, ate fruit from the trees, and sat with their daughter in the blow up pool.  (This sounds like paradise but don´t forget where I am).  They are really good people and I´m pretty sure they adore me.

I´m moving to my own place sometime in June.  I love my family but I can´t be around when there is a new born baby on the other side of my wall.  I found the house already, its beautiful.  It has two big rooms, a little patio area, a small dirt backyard, and a pilla/latrine. You guys will have to come visit!

I´m sorry if this was a depressing blog.  Things will get better, hopefully soon.  My site is beautiful, there is great food, and I love my family.  Once work starts things will get better.

I love you all,

Margarita