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.

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

Hola Todos
This week has been extremely frustrating in many ways, but i am going to talk about the good stuff first. Let me see. First of all i am so happy it is wednesday and i get to come back to the hotel and have a shower and dance and have fun!!! Also I have found my favourite kidlet. Her name is Andrea. She is 6 years old and sooo incredibly sweet. She tucked me into bed the other day. I am also going to start teaching Gym classes wich is going to be awesome. I can´t think of any more good, wich kind of sucks. Now on to the mild rant. Our boss, who we call jeffe (boss in spanish) has been such a moron this week. We are in final steps of building the clinic. We installed ceiling all last week, and this week we have been sanding and varnishing the floor. Stupid Jeffe comes in and is pushing us to finish it by tomorrow for when angie, the director, comes for the kids birthdays. The workers have been working overtime, and doing a crappy job. They sanded the floor last night and it looks like asolute crap. Then jeffe varnished it so sloppily and e cant fix it with a second coat. I dont know maybe I have just been really tired and frustrated, but it is hard when our name is on thsi project and we cant even spend the time to make it look good. Now on to swollen fingers... There isnt much to say other than that i am been using the electric sander, that is probably 20 years old and vibrates like crazy, for 3 days now, and my fingers are so swollen i cannot make a fist. On the other hand I ahve really eally enjoyed getting back into the woodworking side of my life. I think i forgot just how much I loved it. I am also good at it. I have become the power tool queen and can operate some of the tools better than some of the volunteers.Angie who is the director of the orphanage, is coming up to teh childrens village from the head offices in Guatemala City. It is going to be an exciting time for two reasons. One it is a big party to celebrate the birthdays f the kids that month. And two, we get to sit down and talk to her about finances. We are going to create a long term plan as to where all the money we have fundraised is going and all that jazz. It will be a good conversation and will hopefully give us a peace of mind. Hope all is well on the homefront

Carlotta

So today was a a day to remember, but let me start from the begining. Last time I wrote It was a wednesday and We were in town for bar night at Backpackers. All I can say is that those nights where we get to come into town and just get a change in scenery have become so important. They are a time that we can recharge our batteries for the remainder of the week. Fortunatly we got to recharge for a short week, and had an amazing weekend away from the kids. Yesterday (friday) was Catherines Birthday (happy 25th chica) and for it we went to a little hostel called Casa Paradico. This place was one of the msot amazing places i have ever been to. Unfortunatly my battery in my camera died and i didnt get many pics, but the place was built all on docks over a jungle floor. It kind of reminded me of a ewok village. The Hostel is down this long gorgeous canal and I dont think words can even describe it. I made a mini movie on my camera this morning when we were leaving. We all got our own provate rooms (well three people in each) and had a marvelous buffet dinner that did not consist of rice bean or totillas. Then this morning wqe got up and just got to lie around in hammocks. I am half way through my Neil Gaiman Book which is fantastic. In the Afternoon we went to this place called el Cacadas de Finca Paraiso. They are a hot spring waterfall, and were amazing. It was the perfect end to the weekend. We ended up missing the last bus back to Rio Dulce and ended up having to hitch hike home (dont freak out mom) This bus full or crazy americans from New York picked us up and they sing songed them all the way to Rio Dulce, and we didnt even have to pay. Now we are at Backpacker for the night and it is the fiesta for Cat with all the other volunteers. Anywhoo My time is almost up, but I have a few more things to say. First Congrats Jo... we are going to be school buddies next year. And second I have some prayer requests.

-My innards to settle down for a bit
-Pateince to deal with group conflict
-a toilet seat (yes I really really really want to go to the bathroom and actaully be able to sit down!)

anyway love everyone
Char