GUATEMALA

Well, here I am.

flight went well. I spent a night in Guatemala City, and now I'm off in BFE, near a town called san lucas, a few km from guatemala city. i can see no fewer than three volcanoes from outside my room. It's quite gorgeous.

so far the sum total of exciting things that have happened is being shown around the place. all the volunteers seem to be german, or at least speak german. don't ask me why, it just happened. Cedescri (the place i'll be for a month or so) is an organic farming teaching center and appropriate technology place. They've got a bunch of gardens, composting toilets, and KILLER BEES. Apparently they killed the pig last week while the guy who takes care of them was messing around with their hives. Word on the street is, stay away from the "upstairs" when he's doing that.

Yes, upstairs. The place is on the side of a mountain, so i walk up and down a steep hill at least a bajillion times a day. Usually carrying something: yesterday it was the composted toilet stuff (not NEARLY as gross as it sounds) in wheelbarrows. today it was big bags of leaves. Also we're at 7500 feet, so you kind of notice the altitude. If I don't get anything else out of the trip I'll at least be in excellent shape.

This weekend I'm planning to head up to Antigua, the tourists-learning-spanish capital of everywhere, but mildly interesting nonetheless. I'll probably do a lot of travelling on weekends, because san lucas isn't terribly exciting. Whatever.

Point being, I'm having fun getting adjusted here.

and also, I've survived thus far.