Trip: Dalama Round the World Journey 2007-2008
There are [381] stories from my trip: Dalama Round the World Journey 2007-2008
GUATEMALA | Monday, 8 Oct 2007 | Views [918]
Naya, our fabulous cook, is also a comedian. Half of what she says I can't fully understand, because I don't have an expansive set of vocabulary words committed to memory. She has, however, taken a special liking to Darrin, probably because he's spent ... Read more >
Tags: People
GUATEMALA | Sunday, 7 Oct 2007 | Views [3656]
"Poke your walking sticks firmly into the hardened lava, and step carefully," says our guide, in Spanish, as he guides us across the hot, crisp, hardened lava fields. Black shards crackle under the weight of our feet. There's somebody's ... Read more >
Tags: Adrenaline
GUATEMALA | Sunday, 7 Oct 2007 | Views [2132]
We are non-practicing Catholics - CEO's (Christmas and Easter Only), the types my Mom would rip on (well, I must admit the entire family would join in with Mom) at church during the holidays when all the good parking spots and front row pews were taken ... Read more >
Tags: Culture
GUATEMALA | Thursday, 4 Oct 2007 | Views [1748]
Not sure if the water for coffee wasn't boiled long enough, or if I'm relapsing from the sickness I had in Xela from the bad meal, but whatever it was hit me like a train. Up all night and in bed all day. Marta found me a local doctor and I muster up ... Read more >
Tags: Doctors, hospitals & health
GUATEMALA | Wednesday, 3 Oct 2007 | Views [1861]
Guatemala is not a real safe place. It's evident from the number of armed men everywhere. Some look professional, others seem like your every day parking lot rent-a-cop, and some look like kids; all with big guns. There are armed guards in front of ... Read more >
Tags: Culture
GUATEMALA | Tuesday, 2 Oct 2007 | Views [2739]
I'm twelve feet off the ground, straddling a shaky wood fence, wedged in between some local girls who lured me up to this prime viewing spot to watch the bulls with them. The bulls, about to be converted into plato típico this evening, stand dumb-foundedly ... Read more >
Tags: Adrenaline
GUATEMALA | Monday, 1 Oct 2007 | Views [1002]
After an amazing breakfast of big fluffy pancakes, fresh tropical fruit, fresh squeezed orange juice and coffee, Naya takes me by the hand to walk me to school. I already feel like I'm part of their family. The school director and owner, Juan Carlos, ... Read more >
Tags: Adventures
GUATEMALA | Sunday, 30 Sep 2007 | Views [4287]
After bussing it back to Antigua today, we are finally "home sweet home." We were able to get our homestay of choice, Marta Julia, who was recommended to us by our friend Karen who we met in Vietnam. We have our own private room with bathroom ... Read more >
Tags: Family
GUATEMALA | Saturday, 29 Sep 2007 | Views [1228]
Our last night in our family's home, it was transformed into a tattoo parlor. William, a friend of the family, is here with his family, traveling the "feria (fair) circuit" practicing his art and trade on active clients. Last night he showcased ... Read more >
Tags: Family
GUATEMALA | Saturday, 29 Sep 2007 | Views [2520]
We took a half day adventure to a little highland town called San Miguel Totonicapán for their big annual festival, Feria Titular de San Miguel Arcángel. Most little towns in Guatemala have a special saint that's revered by the town, and we're lucky ... Read more >
Tags: Culture
GUATEMALA | Friday, 28 Sep 2007 | Views [1296]
La Virgen stands tall, above the crowds, and she sways as she rounds the corner. Darrin and I wonder if she'll make it the entire way around Parque Central, without being pitched from her wooden platform. Rest assured, she's in the good hands of about ... Read more >
Tags: Culture
GUATEMALA | Thursday, 27 Sep 2007 | Views [1652]
George W. Bush is known down here as "Diablo Bush" or The Devil. If his antics in the middle east haven't pissed off most people we meet along the way, an even bigger point of contention here in Guatemala, with all spectrum of people from the ... Read more >
Tags: Culture
GUATEMALA | Wednesday, 26 Sep 2007 | Views [1201]
A rough night it was... the soup we ate for lunch must not have been boiled long enough to be free from bacteria and parasites. I haven't been this sick, even in India. At first I thought it might have been all the spinning in tonight's salsa lesson, ... Read more >
Tags: Misadventures
GUATEMALA | Tuesday, 25 Sep 2007 | Views [1865]
Every day here is like that movie "Ground Hog Day," with respect to our meals. We wake up and by 7:00 a.m. our nasty breakfast of a hard bread roll smeared with a layer of leftover refried beans (which have been sitting on the counter in a ... Read more >
Tags: Food & eating
GUATEMALA | Monday, 24 Sep 2007 | Views [1393]
One of the reasons I selected Xela and this particular Spanish program with ICA, was to be able to volunteer with the special program they have with the women's prison. They were looking for me to teach yoga, and now with my Yoga Alliance Certification, ... Read more >
Tags: Work
GUATEMALA | Sunday, 23 Sep 2007 | Views [969]
Brilliant colors abound everywhere, the streets are crawling with woven textiles, leather, produce and a ton of interesting handicrafts from traditional clothing, to carved masks, to dolls to musical instruments. There's a small white church at the far ... Read more >
Tags: Sightseeing
GUATEMALA | Saturday, 22 Sep 2007 | Views [1062]
We're in Lago Atitlán, an amazing little town surrounding a dormant and now flooded crater lake. The vistas surrounding the lago are stunning, and local culture is alive and thriving here. Looking out over the lake we can see three other volcanoes: ... Read more >
Tags: Culture
GUATEMALA | Friday, 21 Sep 2007 | Views [823]
It's been five straight days of class, five hours a day, one hour lunch break and then hours of study at the local cafe, another hour break for dinner, and more studying, review of flash cards and finishing up homework before we drop into a sound sleep ... Read more >
Tags: Culture
GUATEMALA | Thursday, 20 Sep 2007 | Views [1012]
After four days of intense study, we are rewarded with a trip to Fuentes Georginas after class for today's cultural activity. It takes us nearly an hour by car to wind up the mountain side, taking in the gorgeous views of the volcanos and steaming ... Read more >
Tags: Mountains
GUATEMALA | Wednesday, 19 Sep 2007 | Views [1434]
It's been four days and we now realize our living situation is not going to get better. And when we hear stories from other students about how great their home stays are, we realize what "could be." Our situation continues to rapidly deteriorate.... Read more >
Tags: Misadventures
GUATEMALA | Tuesday, 18 Sep 2007 | Views [792]
A benefit of the Spanish program here is the chance to participate in all types of cultural activities each day. Tonight's big activity is salsa dance lessons at a local salsa bar. One of the Spanish teachers is also a salsa teacher. One of my goals ... Read more >
Tags: Laughter
GUATEMALA | Monday, 17 Sep 2007 | Views [719]
We wake up at 5:30 a.m. to the sound of fireworks. We thought the fireworks in the morning in Antigua were more for the Independence Day celebration, but as we learn, in Guatemala every birthday is celebrated early in the morning by firing off rounds ... Read more >
Tags: Culture
GUATEMALA | Sunday, 16 Sep 2007 | Views [917]
Our new mom is in her mid 40's and has three kids, two teenage daughters, and a son in University. The house is pretty big, with two open courtyards in between what we believe to be 6 bedrooms. We learn that the only shower with hot water has just broken, ... Read more >
Tags: Family
GUATEMALA | Sunday, 16 Sep 2007 | Views [1349]
We're en route to Quetzaltenango or Xela as the local Maya call it. The bus rides during our travels thus far have provided the most adventure, entertaining stories and insight into local life and culture. Guatemala is no exception. There are various ... Read more >
Tags: On the Road
GUATEMALA | Saturday, 15 Sep 2007 | Views [807]
The streets were transformed this morning, into musical masses of young students marching through town with their school bands proudly displaying school flags and Guatemala country flags. The streets are packed with marching bands, students dressed in ... Read more >
Tags: Culture
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