Antigua 23

October 15, 2023.

After around 10 hours of travel I arrived in Guatemala without incident, customs officers welcoming as usual and protesters cheering at the sight of tourists

Someone was supposed to meet my flight which was exactly on time. Unfortunately no one showed up. So after 45 minutes of standing around I got in a cab. Cabs are great for practicing Spanish. We drove for about two hours in the dark (on a one hour trip) avoiding protesters who were blocking the roads. Got to Antigua after midnight hammering on hostal doors to get a bed for the night.

I’m very tired, but at least it’s over and tomorrow a new life begins.

Maximo Nivel, later in the day

There were a couple of disappointments today. I like what the program is doing with volunteers; they stress the importance of assessing the local conditions with repect and trying to understand what is motivating the people. Today I took a test for my level in Spanish, which of course came out as Intermediate; however the real test will come tomorrow when I meet the kids. I had hoped to be working with adults. The second disappointment was that my room in the homestay is very small with a tiny spiral staircase for access. On top of that the lights keep going out. This could be the result of the demonstrations, or could be becausee of the thunderstorm and torrential rain going on outside. Anyway, enough complaining.

This year I am so far from my usual hedonistic approach to tourism. I’ve put myself here with the ambition to do something useful, instead of just prioritizing my own benefit and amusement. There are voices within me that constantly ask, ‘What’s in it for me?’ Then there are other voices which tell me to think more of the needs of others. It’s fine to have a grand idea about how we’re all one and we should care for one another. In fact when a person in front of me is confronting a real trauma I really do want to help them. I do take joy in helping others to feel better. Nevertheless it remains a struggle. I’m confident about one morning at a public school in a small Guatemala town, but can I do it every day for a month?

Hopefully this journal will continue to record the journey as it unfolds.