Hola! I have had a very relaxed week, so I really have no excuse for not posting. Normally I have work at the clinic in the morning, go home for a quick lunch, and then go to class until 6:30pm. I never really have time to do anything because once I´ve eaten dinner and done my Spanish homework (or watch Guate television with my family, which is kind of like Spanish homework), I just want to relax and go to bed. But this week I´m not taking class, so I have the afternoons free. It has been great to be able to explore Xela more - which I never feel comfortable doing at night - and study, read and see Harry Potter, which was a tad confusing in Spanish, but I think I understood it for the most part. And I have had an extra relaxing week because I also haven´t had work, due to a protest/strike blockading the road for the last few days - what about I have no idea. Last weekend I went to Lago Atitlan, which is a gorgeous lake surrounded by little towns and three large (dormant) volcanoes. I traveled with my work friend Jessica, and her two friends from school, Joelle and Lisa. We had an amazing time and didnt want to leave! After a three hour chicken bus ride, we found a cheap hotel (Q25 = $3) for Friday night in San Pedro. The hotel was basic but lovely, and had a great view of the lake. We went to dinner at an Israeli restaurant that was all floor seating, meaning you sat in a semicircle floor space with a million pillows and a small coffee table to eat on. It was beautiful and perfect for a quick nap while we waited for our food, which probably took about an hour. It was so pretty (of course we all forgot our cameras), with paper machete globe lamps over every table and a lush jungle-looking area in the back. It was definitely the most relaxing meal of my life! The next day we wandered around town a bit and took kayaks out on the lake, which was gorgeous! We then took a boat to San Marcos, which was very crunchy - lots of meditation retreats and massage places etc. Our friends who were there before us told us to look for the ¨Chocolate Shaman¨who is a gringo named Keith that makes and sells chocolate. After a lot of wrong turns, we finally stumbled upon a small wooden door with a laminated sign reading ¨Cacao Ceremony & Intensives.¨ After a few knocks, Keith the Chocolate Shaman comes rushing to the door, apologizing for leaving it locked, and ushers us onto his porch. Once we tell him that we were advised to visit him by friends, but know nothing about him except that he sells chocolate, he launches into a long winded story which includes his journey of shamanism, his encounter with the chocolate shaman goddess, who tells him how to make and where to find cacao beans (used to make chocolate), his opinion on the lack of antioxidants in conventional chocolate, a brief rant on American society, a meditation exercise and step by step instructions on how to harvest and make chocolate. Of course, at the end of all this, we bought some chocolate, which I am excited to experiment with. One thing I loved about this excursion, besides that it makes a good story, is that I got to see every step it takes to make a bar of chocolate, something that is nearly impossible to do with any food item in the states.
This coming weekend I would like to go to Fuentes Georginas, which are natural hot springs outside of Xela which is apparently crawling with tourists but very fun and relaxing. I also want to hike Volcan Santa Maria on Sunday, which is supposed to be very difficult, so Im a little nervous. All hiking here is very difficult because of the altitude, and Santa Maria is very steep, but I want to do it eventually so I might as well do it now! Wish me luck!!
I am planning to post again very soon about my experience with the clinic and how it has effected my outlook on Public Health, and the accounts of the Civil War and genocide that I have gathered from my host family and teachers.
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