This past week has been pretty crazy. Most of my friends have left this weekend, which involved lots of dinners and going away parties, but Im almost looking foward to some alone time to think, study Spanish and workd on all the school stuff that I have been neglecting. I have been having a truly amazing summer working with Primeros Pasos and through that, learning of the coexistance of the rewarding and very difficult aspects surrounding Public Health.
Two weekends ago I hiked Tajumulco, the highest pount in Central America at 4,220 meters. The hike was an incredible adventure, in spite of initial concerns. I had heard horror stories before I left: severe altiude sickness, insufferable rain and too much fog to even see the view from the top. However, we really lucked out with no rain, no one getting sick and the view with pretty great! In addition, I can now say that I was the tallest person in Central America for about 30 seconds, when I was standing on the highest rock on the top of the volcano. I went with a group of friends, which really made the four hour hike fly by. The walk was gorgeous - much more like a New England forest than a volcano and the food was amazing. This weekend I relaxed and stayed in Xela, did lots of shopping at the local market, and caught up on some reading. With only two more weeks left in Xela, I have accumulated a list of last-minute things I have to do such as: going to the local Zoo, the cementary, the local Indian restaurant and a Super Chivos (Xela team) futbol game. I am sarting to feel weird about leaving, now that I feel so at home here, but at the same time, I am so excited to come home to my family and start school (more so to see my friends than to do work).
This coming weekend I am planning my final day trip to Huehuetenango, a Mayan ruins site. I am also planning to spend my last couple of days in Guatemala jumping from Lago Atitlan to Antigua and then off to the airport. If everything works out, it should be the perfect end to a fantastic Guatemalan summer. =)
