Shelter Updates

Building relationships with people is a beautiful thing and has always been the reason I have stayed in a country longer, and why I always go back. The countries I have the fondest feelings for are the places that I have the strongest connections with people, like Nepal, Peru and India.

Each time I go to the shelter it feels like relationships are building with the people that stay there and it is this that I love the most.

My favourite, Maria (many call her Esperanza which is fitting because it means Hope and she certainly has that), continues to collect her recyclables from dusk till dawn, although that is probably an understatement as she is quite a hard worker. It's been colder so I haven't seen her "I love NYC" t-shirt lately, but she continues to wear a long skirt which I can't imagine is very warm in the park. The strength of that woman is incredible. I just love her.

The other girl who comes is Blanca, who is in her 20s and I think a bit delayed as she seems fairly childlike. She laughs shyly and covers her face if you are talking about something, like a guy for example Yet other times she presents as bold and dramatic like when she tells stories. The staff told me that Blanca grew up in a hogar as she had no family. So she is very much alone as an adult. Despite the huge age difference she and Maria are pretty tight, sleeping together in the park, and watching eachother's back, literally.

I had talked with Blanca a bit at the shelter but had found her pretty closed. Yesterday as I was on my way home though I noticed her sitting in the park and sat down with her for awhile. She opened up a lot and cried at one point talking about her aunt, who lives in Guatemala City, but whom she can't see. It seems that, and this is an example of where she got animated as she told me, that there are people there whom she has had some trouble with and who have told her that if she comes back, they will kill her.

Now, this could be very possible as the capital is very rough in places, especially in gang territory. But, it could also be one of Blanca's stories, as I've heard that she can be quite the storyteller. And sharing that you can't see a family member for safety reasons may be easier than verbalizing that you have nobody in this world that cares about you.

Another story she told was of being pregnant a few months back and having some kind of accident which caused her to lose the baby. When I first met her she told me that she was pregnant again; however, has since admitted that she really isn't. It seems to be an attention thing. After our chat I left her to spend the cold night in the park. Thankfully she at least has some warm clothes.

I like the fact that when I am out and about in Antigua I run into some of the people that stay in the shelter and that they now know me as well. Yesterday as well I noticed one of the elderly men from the shelter sitting on a bench sleeping. Hopefully I can talk with him another day as he seems very sweet. He shakes my hand when he comes through the gate.

Henry (after being encouraged to smile). His grin kills me :)

Today as I was waiting for the shelter to open I noticed that across the street a younger guy who stays in the shelter was sitting waiting for it to open. I went to chat with him (Henry) but wasn't quite sure how it would go as he is a really quiet guy who doesn't talk to anyone, keeps to himself and present as perhaps having some mental health issues. I got him talking a bit after which he told me that he has been sick for months and that he is having tests done, although I doubt this is the case. It was really hard to hear him as he talks really soft and perhaps has a stutter. Plus I was having a frustrating Spanish day, GRRR. Well, he went on to tell me that he actually used to live in Canada, in Kitchener, and that his family was still there. Then he started to speak in English which shocked me, and it was actually pretty darn good so we continued in English which seemed to open him up more than when he was talking in Spanish. What I could gather is that he was deported when he was 22, and he is now 31. He didn't say why although when I kinda bashed our government for being so difficult, he commented that Canada wasn't to blame so I gather that he may have got in some trouble. He said he could go back after 2 years, and it's been 9, but that sounds a bit odd. He is now here, has no work and lives on the streets. I asked him if he used drugs which he admitted to once in a while, and apparently he rarely drinks. He spoke of how his family doesn't understand his life here, and that they do nothing to help him. Just as I was about to walk over to the shelter, and I pretty much had to cut him off as he wouldn't stop talking, he started to talk about wanting to go back to Canada, as he has a girlfriend and a son there. He more jokingly talked about me helping him go back as well. After that conversation I noticed a real change in him. He actually sought me out in the shelter to continue the conversation and seemed to be more "present" while there, but still avoiding contact with the others at all costs. Alex told me Henry rarely talks so they don't know much of his story, just that they suspect that he has been affected by drugs or some mental health issues. Well, it seems as if English was what brought him out of his shell, and perhaps the Canada connection, so I look forward to talking to him more.

The other Henry, the one who was attacked by a machete, was back tonight. Thankfully one of the words in my trusty little book of new Spanish words includes "stitches" so I was able to ask him how his wound was. He kindly showed me (yuck) but thankfully they are healing really well which was good to see. He's a really sweet guy and likes to seek out conversation with me. Neither of us have kids nor want them.

Many of the men were trying to incorporate some English while in the food line tonight, such as saying thank you. They're a great bunch, very respectful and kind...

My nose served me better as I manned the gate tonight. One guy arrived and he had never been there before. I learnt that every day he travels to and from Esquintla, which is on the coast, 1.5 hours away. He works in Antigua selling cookies. I'm not sure why people don't like cookies in Esquintla as it would save him a lot of travel time, but that is his job. Well he missed his bus apparently, for the first time, after which someone told him about the shelter. When I first started talking to him he seemed fine, but when I asked him if he had been drinking, I noticed that he started to put his hands up to his mouth to cover it. Eventually I caught some whiffs of alcohol, although he had probably only had 1-2 as he was sober. So I called Alex over to make the call as to whether he could stay, following which he showed us a massive growth on his neck, a hernia, that he has had for 3 years. It is extremely painful apparently which could be why the poor guy wanted to have a couple drinks (can relate with the ol' sciatic issue)! He was let in as he didn't smell a lot and was sober, for which he was grateful, but clearly apprehensive about staying in the shelter. He talked to me a lot about his family; his 24 year old wife, who according to him he has never cheated on :), and his 2 daughters who he got choked up talking about being away from him that night. As he stood in line for his pizza and atol, I asked him how the shelter was and he responded "lindo" which is like saying really nice. So I was glad that he found us.

Bad news on the hot water front..they had someone come in for an estimate and it is going to cost much more than they thought as the cables need to be replaced. So it is going to be almost $600! Yikes, that is a bit steep so I was really disappointed to hear that. A foreigner who lives in Antigua had heard about the hot water issue before Xmas, and showed up tonight to donate $200 which is awesome. I am going to donate the same, so little by little hopefully they can get save enough. In Guatemala, like in many other countries, people are used to showering in cold water, so even Marcos didn't seem to have much compassion for the homeless only having cold water. I would say that perhaps cold water is more bearable when you have at least a rood over your head, warm meals etc. If a hot shower can make life just a tad easier for those without those comforts, or basic needs I should say, then isn't it worth it? I would say so.

A taste of danger

It's Monday, the start of a new week. I showed up to the project as expected at 8:20 a.m. but like always waited awhile for the day's plan. It's hard to believe this is my third week with the project. It sure doesn't feel like it because of the many wasted days with no outreach.

Because of this slow start I expected yet again to be told we weren't going out, but this time Debbie Downer was wrong, as Marcos arrived and away we went. This time to Parramos, a little town about 20 minutes from Antigua. The plan was to scope out more families in need of houses.

Marcos shared a little about himself on the way which always gives you a better perspective on someone. I had thought he was a bit of an odd duck on our first day together, but now my take on him has changed completely.

He shared that his mother suffered a lot at the hands of his father and that as a result she fled with him to Mexico when he was quite young. Three months later they returned to Guatemala but it seems that his mother wasn't able to care for him as he then lived in a "hogar" which is like an orphanage or permanent foster home. After a year there he returned to live with his mother, but continued to spend time at the hogar with the kids that were not as lucky to return home. It seems that he eventually started working there, for years I believe, but left once he got a job with Nuestros Ahijados. He said that the kids had a hard time when he left and didn't want him to go as he had been with them for so long through their childhood. He tries to go and visit them every Sunday despite working for the project 6.5 days a week and studying Law 5 nights a week after work. That is true dedication I tell you..

Sadly his mother died a couple years ago and he now lives with his sister. He is only 22. I asked about his dad, and he lives in Antigua, but I suspect given his mother's history with him, that they are not so close. So Marcos may be a bit awkward, but he's young, and his heart is clearly in the right place.

We arrived in Parramos and simply walked around looking for houses in bad shape. We knocked on the doors of a couple places, typically those made of corn stalks, but there were none suitable, either because there were no children in the family, or they didn't own the property. This town seemed to be in pretty good shape to me, and to Marcos as well, so we left for another town called Nuevo Pueblo.

Have I mentioned what the buses are like here? They are literally old school buses from the US, which are now pimped up on the outside with bright colours and designs. On the inside they are built for small children, so needless to say there's barely room for one's legs, never mind aisle space. The Guatemalans are quite skilled at manoeuvring but for a Canadian girl twice their size it is more than difficult. Every trip is a real feat and I am pretty sure that I am quite the show for the Guatemalans to enjoy!

Anyway, once in Nuevo Pueblo we went to visit a family whose house was made of shiny new lamina (think tin grain shed). Inside the one room house was a mother and her 3 boys. My first impression was that they seemed rich (by Guatemalan standards) with an actual stove, TV and bunkbeds. It was clean, they had a bottle of bought drinking water (which you never see), and one of the kids was wearing an Old Navy sweatshirt! Now, perhaps the sweatshirt doesn't say much as there are many factories making brand name clothing here and apparently you can buy the clothes secondhand or defective for really cheap. But still, this family seemed to be doing pretty well. So I was surprised when Marcos started taking an application as I wouldn't have thought they would qualify. I asked him after and he told me that no, they wouldn't qualify, but he still needed to get data from families. Perhaps it's a way for them to prove they are actually working. So I was relieved about that as I was sure there were tons more families in much greater need. Once again Marcos didn't tell the family that they wouldn't qualify though. Avoidance is commonly used here it seems.

After that we went to visit a couple of families involved in the project, and I was pumped as I wanted to see what those meetings would be about. It was quite a jaunt to get to the first house, through the countryside, down roads and paths. The first family wasn't home though so on to the next we went. Lots of exercise here I tell you!

Thankfully the mother of the second family was home so we sat and chatted with her for awhile, just getting a sense of what was going on for the family and how the kids were liking school, as they had just started again in the New Year. Like many others here, it seemed that times were tough for this family. Three kids and two parents with the father being the sole income earner as the mother can't find work. The house and yard were pretty messy and they just looked poor unlike some of the other houses I had seen so far. They couldn't afford all that the children needed for school such as shoes and uniforms, but the kids were going anyway which is great. I have noticed at the project's school that some kids are in uniforms and others are not, so I am assuming that uniforms are not mandatory. Otherwise I am sure that they would probably have few students.

There had been another couple hardships for the family lately; some water issues due to their property being on the edge of a mountain, and as well the mother had been very sick recently and had almost died. She used the term "Gracias a Dios" a lot so I take it she has a strong faith and that is what gets them through some tough times.

I was feeling a bit frustrated with my Spanish today so only got the gist of the conversation rather than it all. As we were leaving Marcos reminded the mother for the second time that he wants to see the place cleaner the next time he comes. A tad awkward.

After this visit we continued walking through the beautiful countryside with the Fuego volcano in this distance. The plan was to look for more houses in a more remote area. Not far into the search we came across a man coming in the opposite direction and telling us not to continue farther as someone had just robbed him of his motorcycle. I didn't notice at the time but he wasn't wearing shoes. Marcos scored a point with his stellar observation skills on that one. So we turned around after which I asked Marcos what had happened. He was clearly nervous and told me in English (he rarely talks in English as he can't really), that we should walk faster and that he would tell me later.

So we booted it out of there, and shortly after the guy, who had perhaps stopped for help but didn't get any, caught up to us again, wearing only socks as he walked briskly up the hill with us into the town. We learnt that he had stopped at a store in Antigua, and that as he was getting on his motorbike, a guy came up to him, put a gun to his side and told him to drive. He had to drive to this little town with a gun held to him, but eventually ran out of gas just down the road from where we had met him. At that point he ran for his life, abandoning his beloved motorcycle, which he was clearly upset about losing. As we walked together back into the town, he was crying while telling the story and was in a lot of pain as he had apparently been kicked in the side. He stopped at one point grabbing his side but Marcos encouraged him to get up and keep going in case the guy came back. Marcos also told him that we could help him once in the town as he had nothing, not even shoes. Marcos wasn't sure what had happened to those.

Marcos kept looking back as we walked but nobody came from that direction. We eventually arrived in the town where the guy was waiting at a little store. Marcos let him use his phone to call someone, and as he told the person what had happened he continued crying.

This guy was in his late 20s probably, was pretty good looking and stylish with his Addidas hat and ripped jeans (purposely rather than plain old worn out). You're probably thinking that I was hot for the guy, but no, I'm describing him because you wouldn't typically see a man like him crying in public like that. It was hard to see, I felt so bad for him. I can imagine that it is not only extremely difficult to afford a motorcycle here, and that as well that it would make life so much easier. He works in a factory and uses his motorbike to go everywhere. He also has a 3 year old son. Marcos was really good with him and tried to emphasize that his life was more important than his bike. Afterwards Marcos explained to me that in that area, which is pretty hilly, that there would have been ample opportunity for him to be pushed off the side and been left for dead, so he made a smart decision to run. We left the poor guy sitting in front of a store waiting for someone to pick him up :(

In my earlier post I was almost mocking Marcos' comment about the work being too hard and dangerous for women. After today I got a taste of how it can be for the people of Guatemala. Everyday there are countless robberies and murders, not in every area, but it is certainly a reality that they have to live with on a daily basis.

After that experience Marcos was ready to call it a day, poor guy! Me, well, after years of working in the hood in Winnipeg, it didn't really phase me much. I just felt bad for the guy. Otherwise I loved the whole experience :)

Adults Need Help Too

The weather is very strange here; one minute it's sunny and warm, and the next it's cloudy and cool. Like today, it was lovely until late day when the wind picked up as I was walking to the shelter. Normally we hang out outside to let people in as they come, but tonight all 3 of us were chilled from the wind so waited inside.

Well we got talking about hot water and how important it is for me to have hot showers. I admit that I'm a princess in that regard as I just can't do cold water showers. They make me miserable. It was then I learnt  that they don't have hot water at the shelter, which didn't really surprise me, but at the same time on a reallly cold night, where everyone coming in was commenting on how cold they were, I couldn't imagine having to get into a cold shower, which as I've mentioned, is something they are expected to do. One poor new guy (and there were many new people tonight because of the cold) was told that there was hot water, I think as a joke, and I guess he was pretty happy until he got in and got a blast of the cold stuff which apparently made him screech a fair bit.

I learnt that they had the parts for the electric showers, but no cables to connect them. It would cost about 1500 quetzales (around $200) for the cables and installation. I questioned whether the project was trying to raise these funds and was told no, that it was up to them, the staff. Alex and Telma said that there were lots of donations going directly to Casa Jackson (the hospital for sick children) as an example, because everyone wants to help children. But that nobody wants to help adults, whom the staff pointed out, need help too. This translates to the shelter only being open 3 nights a week and without some basic things like hot water, which would be so appreciated especially in the cold months. I still questioned why the project wouldn't pool its resources and share them with the shelter, but the communication barrier didn't aid in my process of understanding unfortunately.

I was freezing, which I know may not mean much given that I am always cold, but it really was chilly. People were able to take two ponchos because of the cold, and they filled up on "atol" a hot drink made of different cereals. A mother and her 13 year old son had come in, and had been laying on their mats, wrapped in their ponchos since they had arrived. Just before I was leaving the mother asked me if there were any clothes, as she was in shorts and sandals and must have been freezing. Plus her son needed clean clothes. We checked but there was nothing for them. Yet the day before I had participated in a clothing drive where a group of us volunteers distributed clothing to women and children. There must have been over a couple hundred people there and tons of clothes that had been donated from the US. But yet there was nothing for the people at the shelter. My favourite lady, Maria came in her usual skirt, others had short sleeved shirts etc., clearly insufficient for the weather. So once again my mind was racing, thinking about getting them some basics, even just long socks to have at the shelter for when people really needed them.

I've also decided to pay for the hot water to be hooked up. It's really a no brainer as it's not a ton of money, yet it will make a huge difference for many needy people. Plus, I didn't end up paying an administrative fee to the project, I'm not sure why, but I would rather my money go directly to the shelter anyway. It's actually quite fitting that I will be contributing to something that is so important in my own life.

I can recall being quite young and wanting to be the director of a homeless shelter, so clearly this group has meant something to me for a long time. Well this shelter in Antigua is going to be my special project while here, and once I am back home as well. I've decided that for sure. The message I hope to pass on is to not forget those who have it rough, young or old. Adults need help too!

Outreach...finally!!!!

Well, I can sure tell that the people of this country are going to pull at my heartstrings. There is so much need here, and it makes you want to help everybody. But of course it's just not possible..

I am happy to report that I was finally able to go out with the social workers today. Those of you who know how excited I can get about something can imagine the big smile on my face as we headed out :)

There are 3 social workers with the project, all male, which caught me by surprise, as back home most social workers are women, so I expected the same here in Guatemala. As I headed out with one of them, Marcos, I commented on this difference, to which he responded that in Guatemala most social workers are male, because the work is "duro" (hard). As you can imagine, I bit my tongue reaaaal hard after that comment. He went on to explain that a big part of their job is outreach and that it can be dangerous. They can be assaulted or robbed, and some places they go are quite remote so it would be very dangerous for women, especially given that they do outreach on their own. Marcos shared this information as we were about to head out and I'm pretty sure the other volunteer with us was pretty freaked out after hearing what could happen. Me rather? I was like "right on, let's go!!" I know, I know, I'm crazy....

We caught a bus for Alotenango, about 20 minutes from Antigua. On the way I asked Marcos questions about the work, the families, issues etc. Incredibly, he has 216 families on his caseload, and whom he has to visit twice every 3 months. Well I'm pretty sure the Manitoba government set the standards here as well, because there is no way these social workers can see all those families as often as they are supposed to, especially given they live all over God's Green Acre!

Just like we often do at CFS, they conduct "surprise visits" with there being a real focus on ensuring that families keep their homes clean. He explained that there is a mentality here that when you are poor, you are also unclean, and that the project is trying to change that thought. Apart from just checking in they often end up trying to help families with the various problems they are struggling with as well.

The purpose of the visits today though was to look for families who are in desperate need of houses. As I have mentioned the project builds lots of houses, over a thousand so far. There are at least two teams here right now who have built about 7 houses this week alone. Any volunteers I have talked to have spoken very highly of their experience. The families, including the children, help build the house, and are extremely grateful. Despite the fact that I am lazy and can't imagine the physical labour of it, it does sound like an amazing and rewarding experience. Who knows I may try one day.

We arrived in the beautiful town of Alotenango where there is a perfect view of 2 out of 3 of the volcanoes that overlook the area. It always seems that the most beautiful places have the poorest people. And from what I am told, this town is one of the poorest around Antigua as it is primarily indigenous, which translates to people with less education and as a result fewer work opportunities.

Upon our arrival two families were waiting for us at the church. They had come to the project in Antigua to enquire about a house and as a result we were there to see where they lived and if they truly needed a house. The first was a single mother with 3 young children. Although I didn't ask her too many questions I was curious about her situation as her father in law was accompanying her, and lived on the same land, yet she was single parenting. Her house was very basic (walls and roof made of tin with a dirt floor), but it looked clean, organized and was actually pretty nice. As I looked around I was thinking that this family didn't really need a house and so was happy to hear Marcos say after that he felt the same. It became obvious though that he didn't have the ability to give people the bad news and rather would tell them that there was an issue with the land and that an engineer would come and let them know for sure.

After that visit, people kept coming out of nowhere, and we developed quite a crowd, everyone wanting us to come and see their house in hopes of getting a new one. I'm sure Marcos feels like quite a King when he is in this situation as he holds a lot of power over the destinies of these people.

We then went to see another house, which was a compound of several houses for one big family. The grandparents were in one house, while their adult sons/daughters were in others with their children. The project focuses on those with the greatest need such as families living in houses made of cardboard, as an example. They also have to have small children. So the grandparents' home was not an option, but one of the daughter's homes was. This house was made of maize (corn) branches, all different lengths and so there was quite a gap between the walls and the tin roof. So you can imagine what it would be like when it rains, or for keeping out the cold. It was one big room, with a dirt floor, a couple beds, dressers, a table, and just "stuff." There are 5 children and 2 adults in this family. Given the number of people and how primitive it was, Marcos took an application with the help of the 13 year old, as her parents were both working. This girl said that they were likely not going to start school next week as there was no money for the things they needed to attend. In Guatemala there are "free" public schools but parents still have to pay for school supplies, uniforms etc. and many cannot afford them, which means that the children don't go to school. This of course just contributes to the poverty issue as the cycle repeats itself.

There had been a lady with us from the beginning, carrying an infant in a traditional blanket which all the indigenous women have tied around them. They use them to carry their young children, or anything else they need to carry. She walked with us to the other houses, patiently waiting her turn. As we eventually walked to her place I was able to ask her come questions during which she shared that she was a widow with 5 children. I didn't ask what happened to her husband, despite really wanting to know. Given the baby was so young, I suspected that her husband's death was not long ago. She was pretty closed but did tell me that her parents were deceased and that she pretty much had no family except her aunt whom she lived with, along with her 5 children (ranging from 6th grade to the infant). Because the baby was so young she couldn't work full time yet, but was able to do a bit of ironing for people which provided enough for them to eat at least. After the baby is a bit older she plans to look for work, likely in one of the coffee plantations, as the area is a big coffee area. So life is pretty tough for her to say the least. She had seen the project's blue houses in town and had come to Antigua to get more information. Her hope was that the project could build her a house on a plot of land that she had inherited from her parents. Well we walked, and we walked, and it was so far to reach. She was apologetic for it being such a long walk and was worried that because it was so far that the project wouldn't help her.

As soon as we arrived, we could hear that that there was a river nearby. And just like that her hopes were dashed, as Marcos explained that they couldn't build houses close to a river as the material they used (which sounds like fibreglass), is not strong enough to stop a house from sliding downhill when there is a lot of precipitation. In rainy season this is a real possibility. So due to the risky location it was not possible. Well the look on her face was heartbreaking. You could tell that she was so hopeful and to realize that there would be no house..well, it was clearly devastating. Marcos seemed uncomfortable with her reaction and again tried to avoid the inevitable by saying he would see what the engineer said. He had explained that it was his job to ensure the need was there and to get the family's information, after which an engineer would come to ensure there was enough space, it was safe to build etc. Judging from her expression I don't think the lady really believed that it may still be possible though. She walked back with us, and looked so sad, it was hard to see. I felt someone needed to be the social worker in the situation and show her some empathy so acknowledged that she must be disappointed. She responded that she was sad and was fighting back tears. I told her that I felt bad for her and was fighting back tears as well. I suggested other options (different material, selling etc) to which she explained that a house made of stone, which would be more secure, would cost 10 million quetzales ($1200). There is clearly no way she would ever have that kind of money. She said as well that she couldn't sell the property as she would get almost nothing for it. So I don't know what she will do. My mind was racing on how I could help get her a house, but the sad thing is that there are so many more like her...We continued on, and she stopped to talk to some others. I didn't get a chance to even say take care and good luck but sure hope for the best for her and her children.

The people from the first houses continued walking with us and when we went into someone else's house, they came in with us which I found strange and intrusive. My guess is that they were checking out their competition :) There was also a German volunteer with us for the day, and all she did was take pictures, which annoyed me, as I thought that was really intrusive as well. But I imagine that there have been tons of volunteers before me, and tons after, that will do the same. I myself, am not here for the photo opps, but rather to learn about the people, try and talk with them and understand as much as possible. I was so thankful that I was having a good Spanish day (as there are good and bad days) as I could understand a lot, as well as communicate well with the people. It makes such a difference!

As we were walking (and by this time it was hours!) in the hot sun, along dusty roads, people continued to come up to us asking questions and wanting us to come and see their houses. As well Marcos asked us to keep our eyes out for homes in bad shape. There were a few that he just knocked at, and that we checked, but none were that bad.

The last house we saw though was a very needy family. It was a two parent family with 5 children in a one room house, the walls were made of the maize with there being a big gap to the outside. There was one bed for the parents and one double bed for the 5 children, which was not in great shape. Compared to the others, which by no means were stellar, this one was the most impoverished. While the mother completed the application she shared that her husband works in Guatemala City and earns 700 quetzales per month, which is $80. For 7 people. My goodness. I imagine those kids are not going to school either as how can 7 people live on that?

Finally we finished, later than we were supposed to, and having to put people off until the next time. I was so dirty and exhausted but exhilarated by the experience. This is exactly what I was hoping for in coming to work for this project. And tomorrow will be a new day visiting more families, learning and experiencing even more. I can't wait!!

Early volunteer experiences-Guatemala

I think I understand the feeling writers, musicians, or artists get when something inspires them to create. When the urge comes, everything flows so easily.

My first post was a summary of my Central America G Adventures tour, which to be honest was more of a chore to write, rather than something that came naturally. I'm glad I did it though, as it will be great to read in the future. Plus I hope at least some of you enjoyed it! But tonight, I have a true urge to share my experience from this very evening. Before I start though, I will share a bit of background on the volunteer project and my experience so far.

A couple years ago I found an organization in Antigua, Guatemala, called Nuestros Ahijados. They work with the poorest of children and families, taking a holistic approach of providing not only education, but as well housing, medical/dental care, social work/psychological support etc. In addition, they have a children's hospital, homeless shelter, food bank and probably more that I don't even know about yet. I almost came to Guatemala at that time as the project really interested me, but I chose to go to India instead. Well this year I revisited the project again and decided to give it a try. I was most interested in doing outreach with the social workers as well as working in the homeless shelter. I applied, got cleared, and that was the plan; social work outreach and the homeless shelter. I was also told that given my social work skills, and depending on my Spanish level, I could perhaps get involved in other ways once there.

The first day of volunteering I thought I would get an orientation, but the staff were in meetings so instead I got a tour of Casa Jackson, the project's hospital for sick children. My guide, Gladys, suggested that I help out there until she was free that afternoon. Those of you who know me well could probably guess what I was thinking about that idea! So I bravely told her that I don't like kids, after which I am sure she thought I was a real piece of work! But she simply responded that I could clean or help out in the kitchen instead. Great.

It was a pretty simple "hospital" with 13 children, mostly infants to perhaps 3 years old. It was explained that most were there due to malnutrition, at times being due to the parents not being able to provide for them, and other times due to medical problems. Some had been there before with the same issues, some were healthy and ready to go home but the parents had not come back to get them, and others had parents there diligently caring for them. So it was a real mixed bag, but the commonality seemed to be the issue of malnutrition, and health/development issues as a result. We got to see all of the children, and the littlest ones, the sickest, looked much younger than they actually were. After the tour I left the children with the other volunteers and nurses, and was put to work washing down the kitchen cabinets, sweeping etc. I'm sure my Mother will laugh reading this part as she knows I hate cleaning...well that's what a stellar volunteer I am :) Although not a place I would be interested in volunteering, I think it was important to see the impact of the social issues here, poverty being a major one. The lady that I currently live with explained that the cost of living in Guatemala has gone up but the salaries have not, which has made life very expensive and difficult for Guatemalans. Milk in particular is very expensive as they don't produce much here. As a result parents can't afford to give it to their children which of course does not aid in their development. Especially in the poorer, rural areas, parents will give children rice instead of milk, which doesn't offer much for nutrition. Hence the need for Casa Jackson.

After a morning there, I went back to my homestay for lunch and then back again for my orientation. Well it turns out Gladys had a meeting in the afternoon as well so she asked me if I would mind doing some translating. "Padrinos" (meaning Godparent but for the project it means sponsor), had sent Xmas cards to the children they are sponsoring and they needed to be translated to Spanish so they could be read to the children. I'm not sure what Gladys was hearing from my Spanish but I certainly didn't feel confident enough to translate..who knows what those poor, innocent children would have been read if so! Instead I went through a big Fedex box of Xmas cards and made a list of the padrinos and children, and blocked out their addresses in the US (to prevent stalking I suppose). Flipping through the cards was interesting; the padrinos are clearly very religious people. Lots of religious themed cards and messages like "we're praying for you," "it's because of Jesus that there is Christmas" yada yada. One 74 year old man told his child about the poor Indian children living on reserves in the US and how they too get education provided. He asked his child to pray for them. Good Lord! These Americans are clearly generous to be sponsoring these children and they make many things possible for them and their families (free schooling, houses built, free medical care, food bank etc) but I couldn't help but think that these kids would have probably preferred getting a colourful, child oriented Xmas card rather than something my Grandma would have sent me. Anyway, it was an interesting side of the organization to see. So far it is looking like the project is pretty straight up. I have unfortunately been tainted from other volunteer experiences so am always on the lookout for fishy things. Hopefully I won't find anything of the sort this time.

Later in the day I finally got a tour around the project, which I have to admit based on what I just said, got me wondering a bit as the site is huge, and the buildings massive with incredibly landscaped grounds. There are vines growing on everything, fountains, lots of greenery..really beautiful. It was explained that because of the issues that many of the children face at home, that they want to give them an escape from that..and it truly is at that, as it's like a Garden of Eden.

The project has a medical clinic where involved families get to see a doctor for free. It is also open to non-participants for 15 quetzales ($2), half of what the public clinics cost and with probably half the wait time. There is also a dental clinic, a cold storage where they keep donations, and from which food hampers are given to the mothers every Friday.

The school is an elegant building with a big staircase and pillars. It's well maintained and nicely equipped with a library, as well as a computer lab which is new this year. It runs from kindergarten to grade 6 or 7 after which kids move on to another school or training. It was explained that the parents are given 150 quetzales ($19) for school supplies, uniforms etc at the beginning of the year and that they pay nothing for the children to attend. The education provided is also better than the public schools as apparently in Guatemala teachers often strike which leads to there being no school. Class sizes are also about 20, half of what the public schools have. If children finish school and go on to college, the project will pay for them, as long as they get good grades. The whole set up is very impressive.

I also got to see a little house on the premises, which is one of over 1000 houses that the project has built for families who prior to that lived in something much worse. To the average person the houses that they build would look like a small, blue shack but Gladys explained that to the families they work with, it is something huge. Many volunteer groups come from the US to build these houses which cost 3-5 thousand quetzales ($400-600) and can be built in 3 days if you can believe it. So great to see....

The following day the plan was for me to arrive at 8:00 a.m. in order to do outreach with the social workers for the morning. This would involve lots of walking and perhaps some local buses to reach some of the families. The purpose of the visits is to assess their needs, try and connect them to the project's programs (or outside resources/advocacy) and check on how things are going within the project. I was so pumped!!!

So the next day I arrived (first one there), and waited, and waited. Finally I found Gladys, who explained that the social workers had to clean their offices as well as do some paperwork and as a result they weren't going out on outreach that day. After my volunteer experiences in other countries I shouldn't have been surprised by this news, as that's just the way it is..it's a different world that you have to adjust to. I was still disappointed though, and yes I did have a Cuba Libre that afternoon instead of my usual coffee..so someone should probably get me some inf on AFM for me, haha! Gladys, I'm sure feeling bad, suggested that I could go to Casa Jackson again, but I was like "no gracias!" So we made a plan to meet the following day for an introduction to the homeless shelter. My fingers were crossed that things would improve.

The following evening I half expected Gladys to not show up at 6:00 p.m. to take me to the homeless shelter as planned. But thankfully she did. We arrived and I immediately loved it!

The shelter is in a strategic location next to the market, and is gated. Each person needs to be let in, after which it is padlocked. Inside there is one side for men, consisting of a shower room, toilets and washing area, followed by an open space where they sleep on mats. On the other side is the same set up for women and children but their sleeping area is closed off by a linked partition and tarps covering it for privacy. In the middle is an elevated area where the 2 staff work, and from which they can see what is going on. It is all concrete and so looks more prison-ish, but it is clean and pretty nice actually.

I was quickly given a key and showed the process for the people entering. Once we notice someone at the door, we greet them (here, you greet almost everyone with good morning, good afternoon or good evening (in Spanish of course). Apart from just letting them in we have to do a quick assessment of whether they have been drinking, as they can't be under the influence to stay. Most are regulars so the staff pretty much know who to watch out for, but I was told to keep my nose on alert, and to ask people, in a nice way of course, if they had been drinking. Right up my alley!!! So I manned the gate and let the crowd in, about 20 people (apparently some people come a bit later after they are done working i.e. street vendors).

After they get past the gate one of the staff pats them down and looks through their things. Anything resembling a weapon is taken from them and returned the next morning. One of the staff, Alex, explained that it is common for people to have knives for protection on the street, so they are often taking away various things. Once inside they have to bathe, and then they sit, chat and wait for dinner.

I observed and made small talk with some of the men, one of which who showed me a scar across most of his belly that he explained was from a machete attack. Yuck it looked awful. He was very friendly and remembered my name later so I suspect that he and I are going to have some more chats :)

Then Manuelito shuffled in; the tiniest old man of 75 years! I could smell alcohol right away as did Alex so he wasn't going to be able to stay. He and Alex clearly had a relationship and Alex was so good with him, getting him some juice boxes and joking with him for a bit. Manuelito didn't want to go though and so they literally had to push him out. Alex told me that he had been a soldier for a long time and that he often has flashbacks to that time. While we were standing there, trying to convince him to go, he did a soldier's salute more than once and used the word "commandante" (commander). It is no wonder he drinks as from what I am reading about the war here in Guatemala, it was brutal. So poor Manuelito went on his way, probably to sleep on the street.

The only woman, Maria, arrived early. She is a short, tiny woman of 57 years with short, dishevelled hair, and was wearing an "I love New York" t-shirt, long skirt and some jewelry that she had proudly found. Well I immediately loved her. She has such a sweet face, smiling up at you almost always and is simply a gentle soul. She arrived with 2 big garbage bags full of recyclables, which she collects and sells in order to survive. Doing so she earns about 35 quetzales per day (about $3). I found her somewhat difficult to understand as she is so soft spoken but I understood enough to share her story.

Maria's mother lived to be in her 80s but her father died of alcoholism. She has 3 siblings but doesn't have much to do with them. When her mother died I believe her sister took over the family house and wanted to charge Maria an exorbitant amount of money to rent it (1200 quetzales which is $150 and super expensive). She has one son in Antigua and 3 grandchildren but it doesn't sound like there is much of a connection there either. Alex explained that when the parents have issues they are often abandoned by their adult children. And Maria has her issues. She gets attacks which make her suddenly black out and fall. One day she fell on Alex! If she takes her medication, 3 pills a day, she does pretty well I think, but of course when you live on the street and are scrounging to survive, you can't always buy the medicine you need. I asked her if she ever sees a doctor and she told me no, that she just asks to God (the best way I can translate).

Maria came to Antigua about 22 years ago after discovering that her husband was involved with her cousin, who was pregnant. From what I could gather Maria was not able to have children at that time so the revelation was a double whammy for her. It was at that time that her attacks started, she feels as a result of the "colera" (anger, rage) from the situation. I'm not sure for how many years now, but Maria sleeps in the park on the nights that she cannot stay in the shelter (as it is only open 3 nights a week due to funding constraints). She said she is used to sleeping in the park now, but that she only sleeps for about 2-3 hours. Now I have to say, it is really cold right now..not anything like Canada, but for Guatemalans it has been particularly cold this season and some have been dying from being on the street overnight. Alex also told me that people aren't supposed to sleep in the park and that the police will hit or throw water on them if the mood strikes. I couldn't imagine her sleeping outside in what she was wearing and so asked her if she had gloves, or warmer clothes. She doesn't though and said that if she does get something warm people just rob her of it. The other day she went to sleep with a scarf and when she woke up it was gone. I have some mini gloves here and I will certainly give them to her. I just hope she can hold on to them.

It was really quite unreal how at peace Maria seemed with her existence, and how happy and appreciative she is of things like the shelter, the people who give her a little money on the street, or of the things she has found, like the necklaces around her neck. She and I are going to be fast friends and I already want to give her the world. There will always be some people that will make a mark on your heart. For those of you who have read my previous posts, Teo and Proscovia are examples of that, and on my very first day at the homeless shelter, my guess is that Maria is probably going to be another one :)

5 countries, 17 days

Well, I'm finally blogging again, which I'm excited about, although I'm not sure this post will be super interesting for most of you as it pretty much just chronicles the start of my travels in Central America (more for when the Alzheimer's kicks in).

Once again I quit my job and rented out my condo in order to do some volunteer travel for some months (for the winter of course). It killed me to not go back to India/Nepal this year, but for once I took the advice of some of my peeps and decided to try something new.

I almost didn't choose Central America as the travel reports weren't so great (lots of murders, rapes, kidnappings-you know, the kinds of things you really want to worry about when you are a single female traveller), plus it didn't help that 2 of my good friends, both from Central/South America, had told me that Guatemala (where I planned to stay for awhile to volunteer), was pretty dangerous.

But there is always another side and after reading great travel reports from tourists, I decided to give it a go. Probably the best decision I made though, was to take a short group tour first. The reasoning was threefold; to develop some comfort in Central America within the safety of a group, to see other countries which I wouldn't go to on my own, and in order to know where I might want to go after Guatemala.

So I chose a G Adventures (formally Gap Adventures) tour called The Backroads of Central America, which started in San Jose, Costa Rica, and ended in Antigua, Guatemala where I planned to volunteer. So 5 countries in 17 days!

On November 26, 2013 I flew to San Jose which was smooth sailing despite the usual attempts by taxi drivers to rip you off at the airport. Thank goodness for my (limited) Spanish! I'm embarrassed to say that I saw little of San Jose as my goal was to hit the mall for some basics that I forgot, although that turned out to be a bust. Let's just say it wasn't exactly Polo Park.

I met the group the evening of November 27th and it was pretty United Nations which I love! 7 countries represented in total..several Canadians (Dani, Bobbi, Mike and Kevin (although Kevin is a special case as he is a Chinese guy who grew up in India, who now is Canadian but he lives in Texas). Can you imagine his Customs forms, Geez Louise! One American (Rachel), an Australian (Hussain aka Shelley), Robin from Wales, Alicia from Sweden and...our tour guide Ernyk from Costa Rica. A final member, Avi from Bangalore, India (woot woot) didn't make it until later due to some visa issues :(

We left early the next morning (after Robin's big breakfast) for adventure central La Fortuna, where there is supposedly a volcano overlooking the town, but which we never saw as it was rainy and covered in clouds. We couldn't do much that afternoon because of the weather so walked to town in the rain (rather than taking a very cheap taxi AKA bad decision #1). That night we decided to forgo the free hot springs on the river which the locals frequented, for a hoity toity resort which had many different hot spring fed pools, a waterslide etc. It was all lit up in different coloured lights, there was music, a swim up bar...beautiful! The only problem is how do you get drinks at the swim up bar when you can't keep your money dry? Well, leave it to Ernyk (AKA Rico as in Rico Suave as I soon named him for his calm, cool Rasta vibe), as he hooked us up with a bottle of rum that we mixed on the down low straight up high school style yo. So a couple Cuba Libres whilst soaking in some beautifully lit hot spring fed pools wasn't too shabby.

The next day we all split up to do separate activities. Kevin, Alicia and I went off whitewater rafting AKA my death wish. Now I have to preface this by saying that I have whitewater rafted several times and have NEVER fallen out. Perhaps I was a little cocky in a boat full of newbies, who knows. After our safety briefing, which I think I was only half listening to given what happened minutes later, we took off with our fearless leader Fabio. Well we barely started down the river when we hit our first rapid, which Fabio had told us was an 'Oh Shit" rapid, which meant that on his command we all needed to jump into the middle of the boat with our paddles up. Well, I doubt the next part was part of the plan as the ol' boat hit a big rock and we were almost vertical with Kevin and I on the bottom end. In the water we went (although I had no idea until much later that Kevin fell in with me), and all I remember is hitting the cold water, being swept away fast, underwater of course, and slamming against rocks. At the same time I remember thinking OMG when will I be able to come up for air!? It was soooo scary!! Then I remember someone saying "I got you" and being scooped up into the boat. And that my friends, is the moment when Fabio became the hottest guy in the world :) Once in the boat I remember whining "I don't wanna do this anymore!" so scared that it was going to happen again..shite! But of course it was just the beginning so I had no choice but to continue. How traumatic I tell you!!!

So we continued and I swear I hung on to that rope like no tomorrow!!! Luckily I have a play by play picture library to remind me of the trauma. Thankfully, now it is hilarious to watch especially given that every picture after, no matter what, the rope and I are ONE. Fabio had a great time watching my facial expressions for the rest of the journey as my look of fear was pretty funny apparently. At one point he said "yes I'm still here" as I must have been looking back for some reassurance that my hero was still there.

The pain worsened as the minutes went on, as I had clearly pulled some muscles while the river was playing with my life. I couldn't paddle backwards after awhile but the story ends well as we made it back safely (after what seemed like hours). I could barely walk by this point. But hey. as they say in Costa Rica, "pura vida!!" I'm still alive and it's all good! Not sure I will be rafting anytime soon, however.

The next day we went on to Monteverde which is THE place for ziplining, a great activity when one is in major pain. But when in Costa Rica as they say..I just had to do it. I didn't find it scary although I have to admit that while doing the Superman (I don't think I need to explain) on a couple of the longest lines in Latin America I couldn't help but image the cable breaking and the splat that my body would be on the ground. Well that was nothing really because at the end was the Tarzan Swing. Although it wasn't really rocket science as to what it would involve, we couldn't really visualize what would happen and nobody would tell us anything which was probably good or I may not have done it. They clearly know this as they barely give you a chance to say whether you want to go, or to explain what you need to do. The gate opens and they push you out holding on to a rope free falling until the rope starts swinging. Holy crap, so scary!!!!! Costa Rica will now be forever remembered as the country where I had 2 of the scariest experiences of my life!

That night we went on a night hike, ideally to see sloths, which Robin was most excited for after his stuffed sloth purchase which will either be a hit with the ladies, or cause for them to run for the hills..hard to say. It was a really cool hike with a very knowledgeable guide, and thankfully we saw around 7 sloths, some super close including a mom carrying her baby which was the best sight. We also saw a tarantula in a hole which was super freaky, AND, the best part, a really cute cat followed us the whole time and I loved her :)

After cool weather, lots of rain, everyone and everything smelling like wet dogs, we left for Nicaragua. Well it turned out that the government had instituted a new tax system that day (lucky us) and that due to a problem at the border you had to pay in the closest city about 1.5 hours away. Many found this out the hard way by arriving at the border and being turned away which meant an additional 3 hours in travel alone. Thankfully we found out while we were in the city so lined up to pay. There were tons of people in front of us, and at first I was pretty pumped to be apart of the experience, especially when the locals started to get irritated with the lack of movement yelling FILA FILA, ATRAS ATRAS (which essentially meant they were trying to call attention to the line). Oh yessss I was all up in there like Forrest Gump trying to be apart of that group! Well as the HOURS passed and with the scorching heat, I started to get a bit more aggressive so we could get into that bank! It was a crazy scene with people paying others to process their documents for them (meaning some were going in with oodles of passports). People were also passing off children to women who were able to get into a special women and children's line. Did I mention that Rico, our fearless leader, is the most laidback, calm guy you'll ever meet, a true Rasta (you know, the ya maaan type)..well he was just going with the flow. So I had to take matters in my own hands...there was no way anyone was getting past me! Just as we were getting close some chick tried to budge, and she was like "no hay fila" which means "there is no line" and I was all up in her grill saying "Si hay!!" which means "yes there is!!!" hahahaha I loved it...So finally I inched my way in to first place, and then when I was next I let Rico take over. We ended up being very late that day but it was an experience none of us will forget. It's all about the memories you know..

After a border crossing, a couples buses, and a 'luxurious' ferry where we sat on the deck floor amongst all the other wares, we arrived in Ometepe, a beautiful island on Lake Nicaragua, also the site of a massive volcano. Once there, the group was disbursed amongst families for a 2 day homestay experience. As it turned out, Dani, me, Alicia and Rachel ended up in a Big Pimpin house, probably the biggest and nicest around. The family was so cute (Roman Sr., Sandra and their 3 kids; Roman Jr. Jilma and Steven. They hadn't been with the homestay program very long and it was obvious that they aimed to please. Like for instance we made the mistake of taking their offer of eating outside where it was cooler, after which Sr. and Jr. carried out the dining room table! For dinner we had an interesting typical dish of crispy tortillas topped with shredded mozza cheese, splats of ketchup and something else, perhaps mayo. It sounds kinda gross but it was actually pretty good. The family didn't speak English so needless to say I had to be on my A game as the others didn't speak Spanish.

Our time with them was lovely, apart from there not being full walls resulting in absolutely no privacy, and the herd of 36 cows outside my bedroom. No, really, we had the best food (i.e. the best scrambled eggs of my life), and the family was absolutely lovely. In this area there are about 18 families who work with this homestay program and it appears to be a highly coveted program to belong to. There is a certain criteria that you have to meet, including not being in any trouble with the police..well too bad for that..wouldn't that make for a great time!

The next day only one of us in the group was energetic enough to do 10 hour hike up/down the volcano. God Forbid, in my nightmares! Instead a group of us decided to rent some scooters and tour around the island at our leisure. Sounded like a grand idea to a girl who had never driven a scooter, especially one that thought she would be a passenger. But after a couple of the other girls elected not to drive, I had no choice. I was freaked out after getting some basic instructions in Spanish/poor English, plus the roads were initially sandy which freaked me out even more. As well my helmet was busted and so was falling off all the time, which I am sure looked very attractive, so I was playing with it constantly thereby creating some difficulty. I eventually lightened up a bit, apparently more so after a Cuba Libre stop, and the gang with our hogs, as we preferred to refer to them (yes, the scooters), toured around the island. The countryside was beautiful and the people clearly don't see many hog gangs around as they were very curious and friendly. We checked out a beach but otherwise just toured around like badass gangstas. Needless to say driving a hog is not my strength and so I had a few "incidents." In my defence I did get the most crappy scooter (which in some ways was good as the owner shouldn't notice the damage as much, haha), although had I not had such a crappy scooter perhaps I wouldn't have wiped out..2, perhaps 3, times. I'm killing myself laughing as I write this as it's funny now but at the time, not so much. Between the whitewater rafting and the scooter driving I could have needed that travel insurance after all (which thankfully I did remember to get this time Mother). Instead I just ended up with a stellar bruise on my leg which lasted a good 3-4 weeks.

That night we met a the local meeting place where the families made dinner for us. I didn't like that so much as I would have liked to eat with our family rather than being served. We also tried the infamous Flor de Cana rum of Nicaragua which I had tried before, but which is waaaay better in the country! Sugarcane is growing everywhere so there is plenty of it for the rum.

The next day after another ferry ride and chicken bus (the bus the locals travel in which could have chickens or anything else under the sun, and which I was very much looking forward to) we arrived in Granada. I really loved Granada as it is very colonial and the buildings are all in vibrant colours. There are patios everywhere in the street and with its infamous hot weather it's like summer in Winnipeg :) Thankfully G Adventures hooked us up with a hotel with a pool which provided great relief from the heat. That night after walking around we ordered in and had a pizza party around the pool with me as DJ, (a role I always seem to end up in and let me tell you this was a tough crowd to play for!). We checked out the local nightlife a bit later which was a great time..but I'm pretty sure the other guests didn't appreciate us so much.

The next day we just strolled around and it was lovely..I could definitely see myself going back. That night some of us did a tour of an active volcano/bat caves. I had never seen a volcano up close before, never mind one that was smoking with some visible lava once it was dark. So that was pretty cool. I was pretty freaked out by the potential for bats flying at my face in the cave (and I put my jacket on despite it being 100 degrees just so they couldn't touch me) but there were only like 3, so it was pretty tame.

The next day we were off to Poneloya, an isolated little place on the coast of Nicaragua. After a long bus ride, a boat to get us and our bags across a little stream, and then what seemed like a forever walk to the lodge..we arrived. It was a hostel-ish environment with our group sharing an upstairs dorm with a beautiful view of the ocean. And there was nothing else around except for the lodge. We laid around, swam, at night listened to music around a fire, and watched drunk tourists dance. Unfortunately the beach was not the cleanest, particularly after the drunk girls proceeded to puke on it. Thankfully we had Bobbi though, as she has a talent for identifying uncleanly things such as used condoms in the sand. Gross me green!

The next day was to be a long day as we made our way to El Salvador. I was super excited as it's not the most touristy place and is a country that I wouldn't have gone by myself due to its reputation. After a long bus ride we arrived at a remote border crossing where we were to catch a ferry. In preparation for our 4 hour boat ride I of course wanted to hit the bathroom. Well instead of the bush Rico told me that sometimes they let people use the bathroom in Immigration. So our driver took it upon himself to usher me to a bathroom, and quite proudly as if it was his house. Well, after my many travels all over the world, including India, which has a bad rap for bathroom issues, this was by far the worst! There was no running water and the toilet had clearly been used, a lot, with there being some good, kolbassa type logs in there. The smell was so bad that I gagged 3 times before getting out, and my eyes were watering like crazy. As I walked out in this shape, the good ol' driver was right there, I guess wanting to check how I made out. My God, how horrible...

As luck would have it our boat didn't show up and we couldn't get any information as to when it was coming. While we waited the Customs guy asked us to bring our packs out for him to check. And he proceeded to eye us all up, clearly using high tech assessment skills to decide who may be smuggling (who knows what) out of the country. Clearly a make work project, he casually checked a few bags (Wales and India represented for sure, I can't remember who else) and all he came up with was Robin's prized stuffed animal, the Sloth.

Eventually we left to find a restaurant as it was turning into a long wait with no end in sight. Several hours after arriving our boat finally showed up, well actually, a faster, more luxurious boat showed up, it seemed perhaps to make up for the long wait. What was to be a 4 hour trip with no seats, took 1.5 hours with plenty of room. Well some things happen for a reason, because the trip to El Salvador ended up taking place later in the day around sunset and the ride was absolutely breathtaking. We travelled through the Gulf with Nicaragua behind us, Honduras to the right, and El Salvador to the left. Beautiful volcanoes and rolling hills, the sun going down, and the water like glass. It was absolutely amazing. So despite a very long day and some bad luck with the boat, we arrived in El Salvador grinning from ear to ear from the spectacular ride.

After many more hours in a bus we arrived in Suchitoto, a small, sleepy town in El Salvador. On the way we stopped at a store, something like a 7-11 mid evening (which I found out after the driver was quite concerned about as apparently it was a dangerous area and this was the safest place for us to stop). Outside of the store, a guard with an automatic rifle, and inside, the same. That was a bit disconcerting. After getting my snack of course I had to seize the opportunity to chat with the guard outside to find out what this was all about. Apparently around the area it was quite rough so they pretty much need armed guards so people feel safe to even come in. Welcome to El Salvador!

The next morning we strolled around town and to the market to get some pupusas, an El Salvadorian speciality, a grilled tortilla of rice and corn with beans, meat and/or cheese inside. I wasn't too excited as I had had them before, like at Folklarama, and didn't overly like them. We went to the park and ate our breakfast and they were delicious though! After that I was on the pupusa hunt and this town did not disappoint for delicious pupusas. That day we basically just strolled around and it was lovely. I found the people super friendly, there were almost no tourists and the town was very quaint. I was loving El Salvador!

The next day we travelled to Concepcion de Ataco, another small town; this one noted for its colourful murals, which were beautiful. It is also noted for its coffee so we went on a highly anticipated coffee tour, which turned out to be fantastic. On the way we saw the coffee bushes with their red berries. The tour though, involved the actual production of coffee, from the time the berries arrive, to the point the packages are filled for the store. It was incredible to see how many steps go into it, how many different types of machines are involved, plus human labour. We saw an assembly line of women who during the process hand sort beans, taking out the undesirable ones. Had no idea...This processing plant turned out to be a major supplier of Starbucks, so let me tell you, I now have a much greater appreciation for why my latte costs so much!! At the end of the tour we tasted their coffee on the beautiful grounds. It was made simply by pouring hot water through a mesh filter and was fantastic!

That night we had a nice dinner, with an armed guard at the door of the restaurant. It seemed strange as the town was so small and innocent looking. I hope someone can explain to me one day what goes on there and why there is a need for such high security.

I was sad to leave El Salvador, feeling the need to see more. But on a 17 day tour of 5 countries, time is precious. So before the sun came up we were off once again, this time to Honduras. Interestingly enough, to get there, we crossed into Guatemala then came back through into Honduras, meaning 3 countries in one day. We arrived in Copan, the home of the famous ruins, and here I had the best food I had had in Central America. Honduras is the home of the Baleada, which is basically a soft tortilla with whatever you want in it. But this one tasted like the chapati I used to have in Mysore, India so I was in heaven. As you can tell, for me it's all about the food! I may not always remember what I did somewhere I've been, a place I have been, but I will always remember what I ate!!

So we toured Copan, and I'm kind of ashamed to say that I didn't really enjoy it. But hey, I try and tell myself that we all like different things and ruins are just not my thing, especially after seeing so many in Cambodia and Peru, and as well after being up since 5:30 am and travelling across 3 countries. But Copan itself was a nice town which we got a chance to just stroll around in. It was here that a little boy ventured into our hotel selling Xmas ornaments made of corn husk dolls. He was the cutest little guy and so I was determined to clean him out of his stock! He was a smart kid though, because when he realized this, he ran off to his mom to get more, and then doubled the price :) Shelley begrudgingly bought a big ornament but I hear now that the recipient was pretty happy with it, plus with the story as well.

There are so many little kids working in Central America, selling everything from gum to cornhusk dolls, shining shoes etc. It is hard to see when you think of the life kids have in "the developed countries." Coming from child protection, it also made me think of how easy it is for kids to get trafficked or hurt. This little guy (maybe 6 years old) came right into our hotel, with a group of adults and sat with us for a bit without any worry for what could happen. Scary stuff...

The following day was our final travel day, to Antigua. Guatemala, which would be my home for awhile. My first impression was as expected..very colonial and colourful and with volcanoes surrounding it. It reminded me of Cuzco, Peru with its colonial look, spring-like temperature, tons of people selling things and many tourists. We basically just toured around and that night had a farewell dinner followed by a a little dancing in a jam packed bar, followed by a little swimming (by some) in the pilas (pools of water meant for washing for those who don't have water). Pretty sure somebody, who will remain nameless, will have Hepatitis after that excursion :)

Sadly, most people were off early the next morning to their various countries. I knew in advance this would be a hard transition for me, losing not only the security of a group, but also friends that had become like family in such a short time. But the whole experience was so great, and as I tried to tell myself, as one door closes, another opens, so who knew what was yet in store! Wait and see!