Casa Guatemala 2007

So we have four days left in our trip, which both excites me and also saddens me. I have had such an amazing time in guatemala, and can really see myself coming back here in a few years to work at casa guatemala or another similar organization. We met back up with Lindsay yesterday. Both Kaya and I found ourselves really excited to see her. Lindsay also brought with her a friend of ours from Casa Guatemala, Chandler. We have run into many characters here n the hippy town of San Pedro. San Pedro, across the lake from Panajachel has become quite a hub in the backpacking scene. Many people find themselves staying here for a while becasue it is extremely cheap to live. We have also found that it is cheaper to eat out than to make our own food! (Yes, I know I sound like the Lonely Planet book) But truth be told we love it here. We are staying in a little Hospedaje that costs us 15Q a night (2 Dollars) It is a descent room with hot water and a nice view of the lake. There is also a little restaurant slash hang out area called zoola´s where we have been spending lots of time. It has mats and cushions on the floor and serves excelent mediteranian food (we are sick of rice and beans what can I say). I Think we chose a great place to spend our last couple of days. Today was amazing. I spent most of it sitting on a rock overlooking the water, and just having time by myself (for one of the first times this trip) to reflect on my experiences. In a typical Guatemalan fashion I was caught in a sudden downpour, and was soaked to the bone within minutes. It is moments like that that make me not want to leave this country. Not to say taht I dont want to come home because I do and I miss all of you to pieces! I am excited to come home and see eeryone and I am really excited to head up to keats next week (yes NEXT WEEK!) As my trip is winding down, I still ahve moments to be excited for. We are spending Saturday morning back in Pana, so we can finish our shopping, and then heading to Antigua for last last minute shopping and a nice place to spend the night before heading to the airport and yucky Guat City. Antigua was described to me by Danielle as a mixture of Europe and Latin America. I am excited to see it! Anywhoo love everyone and I will see you in a few short days

Char

Hello lovelies
I am exhausted!!! We left placencia at 6 yesterday morning to head for tikal, which was an adventure in itself. It is such a difference between belize buses and guatemala buses. Lets first do a itinerary fçof the past few days

Placencia to Mango Creek (15 minute boat ride)
Mango Creek to Belmopan (3 hours)
Belmopan to Benque Viejo del Carmen (2 hours)
Cross Guatemalan Border
Melchor to Tikal (3 Hours)
Tikal To Santa Elena (1 1/2 Hours)
Santa Elena to Guatemala City (11 hours)
Guatemala City to Panajachel (4 hours)

We were meant to spend some time in Tikal ( or atleast the night) but there was no affordable rooms left by the time we got there. We paid for a really expensive room, and after going up the pyramids we decided it wasnt worth staying. Do not get me wrong Tikal was AMAZING. The pyramids were awe inspiring. We ended up going back and asking for our money back and leaving to take the night bus to Guate from santa Elena. This bus ride was the most uncomfortable bus ride I have ever been on. There was a fairly large man that was sitting in front of me, who put his chair back to the point that my knees were supporting his whole entire body weight. Then he proceeded to put his child on his lap. I could not move my legs for eleven hours. When we got off the bus I had such a bad muscle cramp. Though it fully sucked, it was an experience to say the least. From Guate we took a chicken bus to Panajachel (the market town on Lago de Atitlan) So I am now sitting here in Pana looking forward to tomorrow and the day of shopping. Email me with present specifications (wink wink GREG) Anywhoo I will be home in 7 days. Love everyone

char

BIG PRAYER REQUEST
can you keep my family in your prayers as Glen´s mother lillian just passed away.

Sorry all for not writing for so long. It has been an action packed week.

Wednesday was our last day at Casa Guatemala. It was kind of sad to leave, but I also felt that since our project was done it was time to go. I have decided that I am for sure coming back to Casa at some point in the near future though. It was hard to leave the kids. Kaya had a really hard time leaving lisa, one of the girls she had a great bond with. Lisa is an older girl, who has a mild disability. She is contantly tormented by the other kids and called loca (crazy) Lisa retalliation to this is an attention seeking one where she calls everyone names. On our last day lisa just was huggin kaya and gave her kisses. After some of the volunteers came ver and said they have never seen Lisa that way. After our goodbye with the kids it was volunteer night at the hotel, so we had our goodbye party. It was also really hard to leave the volunteers. We bacame very close to them as well. I do not think one month is enough time to spend at casa, because you are just getting to know everyone when you leave.

This morning we woke up bright and early to say goodbye to Emily Lindsay and Danielle. It was a mildly tearful goodbye, but happy too. Kaya and I took a 2 hour minibus (the size of christy adams van) filled with 16 people to Puerto Barrios, and from Puerto Barrios we crossed the belize border into punta gorda by boat. It was one of the most uncomfortable boat ride ever!!! From Punta Gorda we took a 2 hour bus to Independance and from Independance a 15 minute boat ride to Placencia. After a long day of travelling we finally made it to this small creolle penninsula of Belize. It is amazing. The way people speak is crazy. It is like english but not. One of the signs on the beach reads

sho yur luv fo' di bare foot dem no throw trash in a fo' we sand

The people of belize seem much friendlier and it is more of a relaxed attitude. I love it. Anywhoo my time is up again. You will hear from me next in Tikal, Guatemala

Peace out
Char

Hello Everyone
So I have gotten lot of emails (especially from mom) worrying about me from what I have written. I would just like to point out that I am completly FINE. I did not sketchily hitch hike I sat on the side of the road with the 6 other girls until the next BUS came not any random car. We are fine and that is not how we are traveling.
As to kidnapped orphans, my internet cut off, so I did not get to finish this entry. We have not heard any reports of kidnappings, we just know it is something that has happened and could happen. And I am not going to get kidnapped and have my organs sold on the black market. Though the kids worry about this, it is more an idea they are scared of instead. Kind of like how kids are scared of the boogey monster. Anywhoo Pray for their safety still, and I will also ask for people to be prayign for their health, because many kids are sick right now, as it is te rainy season and colds are coming around (yes it is so incredibly cold....)

On to happier subjects. I just had one of the most amazing weekends of my life (thanks Lennox McKneely our Casa Guatemala Sponser) We went to Denny´s Beach, a touristy area on lago izabel. It was gorgeous. We stayed in Lennox´s amazing house, ate amazing food and got to wakeboard! I am in paradise right now. I would also like to add that everything is worked out with Angie at this point, and Jeffe as well. We finished work on the Clinic on Friday. This is exciting news because the clinic is now almost finished. All that is left to do is plumbing. We have another 3 days at Casa Guatemala in which I am hoping to attend some classes. Upcoming schedual includes a trip to Placencia, Belize on thursday which should be amazing. I love you all and miss you.

Char
ps Welcome Home Nik

Wow... The time has flown by. We only have one more week left at the orphanage. It is exciting becasue I will get to travel and see this beiutiful country I am in soon, but I will also miss being at Casa. We are only finally becomeing really close with the kids, so it will be hard to leave them so soon.
I was talking t one of the ordinatadors (people who live with the kids) and she was telling me about the kids being scared at night that they are going to get kidnapped. The group ended up haveing a late ngiht discussion about this last night, and we realized how big a concern this is. There have been many rumours of children being kidnapped and their organs being sold. The orphanage is such a prime target for this, and what could they do. We have grandpa the ngiht guard with his machete. It broke my heart to think that these kids live in a world where being kidnapped out of their beds is a reality. anywhoo times up. pray for the kids safety

Char