Xela, mi corazón

---

As I said in my previous blog....I´m in Xela!!!!!!!!!
As much as I love the adventure of traveling around the country (amazing), it feels so nice to be in a place I am familiar with and catch up with old friends. It's like they say... home (even though San Jose is my 1st home, don't worry mom and dad) is where the heart is. My friends are here, of all the places in Guatemala, my heart is here. Meeting people along the way is great, but you can only get to know someone so much on a few hour busride or cave tour. There is nothing like being able to spend worthy amounts of time with people here and making true, lifelong friends.
It is so great to be back. Surprisingly, I actually remember where a lot of things are (considering my infamous bad sense of direction). Probably because I have been dreaming of Xela throughout this entire past year. Literally. The night before we arrived in fact, I barely got any sleep because I was so excited, and when I finally did fall asleep I dreamt about walking through the streets of Xela, and I could remember the smallest details of the most random streets.
Yes, this year does feel a bit different. One, because I don´t have any of my SJSU friends here with me (I wish you guys were here!). Two, because at the moment I am staying at a hostel versus a family stay. Three, because I´m not taking Spanish classes, and at the moment (before I start working for Habitat next Monday) I have a LOT of free time, which so far I have mainly spent walking around the city, finding lavanderias, bookstores, and hanging out in Parque Central reading.
I got a bit too comfortable the night we arrived and rinsed my toothbrush with the tap water, of whose effects I horribly felt all yesterday afternoon and night. I´m taking medicine now, and after a long nights sleep, I feel much better, but I´m still taking it easy on the food, having only toast for breakfast and soup for lunch...nothing too fancy.
Oh....and you know what I did the night we arrived? You got it...I went salsa dancing!!!! My friends Luis Fernando and Carlos came along, as well as a really cool girl I met on the bus, and we danced the night away. I´m surpised how many songs I know here...I was singing the lyrics to every song they played, with a gigantic smile on my face.
Today Pat and I leave for Lago Atitlan, for some horse back riding, scuba diving and salsa dancing with our friend Emily (who we met earlier on in the trip and who lives in Panajachel). Then back to Xela to start training and working on the GPS project!

(side note for Grandma and Grandpa)...I am very aware of the history of the civil war here in Guatemala; don't worry too much...we are being very careful and taking necessary precautions and talking to locals and hotel owners to feel out what should and should not be done)

Love you all! Besos y abrazos!

---