Half Way There

Well, I am sitting here in a hostel tonight in Xela and I am a little more than half way to my site. I will get there tomorrow around noon hopefully. Today was a very busy day. It was a long travel day from Antigua, the site of our Swearing In Ceremony, out to Xela. We spent a fun couple of days with the group in Antigua before we all went our separate ways for the next 2 years. We do have reconnect in 3 months and the occasional get together but life will now be very different from training. I am excited and ready for the challenge though. Thank you to everyone for all of your great messages and emails. These really brighten my day and I love hearing from you all.

Antigua was great! These purple trees in the park are in bloom now and Semana Santa is just around the corner. They are having these giant processions with the men and boys all dressed in purple robes, carrying these huge floats down the cobblestone road. It is pretty incredible to watch. Tons of people are in town and last Sunday I waited in a 3 hour cola, line, to get on one of the camionetas out to Guate, for my last week with my host family. Anyway, Antigua is busy now and I got in my one and only night of dancing and now I am off!

I have to give a huge shout out to the ayudantes today. These are my favorite guys in Guatemala. They are the helpers on the buses and they were a huge help to me today as I tried to find my way out to Xela. I had a backpack and two other big bags and they were always there to help every step of the way. As I was waiting, an ayudante was looking for me bus to arrive and then he is like, corrate! corrate! meaning run run your bus is here. They then helped to secure my bags so that they didn't go flying while we rallied around mountain corners at like 50 mph in these pimped out buses, which is another impressive feat in themselves. These buses get totally overhauled, new engine, back 1/3 of the American school bus cut off, inside totally redone and pimped, luggage racks and ladders put on, plus a really sweet paint job, and extra loud horn installed. I really like the transportation system here. It really makes traveling fun and exciting.

Anyway, back to more ayudante props, so they helped me figure out where to change buses, and at these stops buses are going in every direction with ayudantes calling out the names of the places. You basically listen for your town, then starting heading that direction with your stuff. The ayudante will see you coming and will step out into traffic and block traffic for your to cross the street since they are always in a hurry to get the bus back on the road. They will help you across the street at the same time as grabbing your bags and scrambling onto the roof of the bus as it takes off down the road. All of this happens in like 15 sec. - it is an amazing operation. Thank you ayudantes!!!

Anyway, after a long day of traveling I am happy at the hostel tonight. I had my first hot shower in 3 months and it was heaven. I stood under it for like 5 minutes. I felt bad because water is short here, but it just felt sooo good! Plus, we found his Indian restaurant that was awesome too. Needless to say, I am ready for bed and am feeling pretty fat and sassy right now with my wonderful meal and hot shower!

Good night!!
Tara