I went to Guatemala with my good friend from Maryville College, Hannah. We arrived in Guatemala in mid-October and stayed until mid-November. While we were there we traveled to several places in Guatemala I hadn't been before--Livingston, Rio Dulce, and Copàn Ruinas in Honduras--and we stayed about 10 days in both Antigua and in Xela with my family. It was fun to share and experience Guatemala with Hannah, who had never been and who was seeing everything with new eyes. Hannah is also a very flexible and curious person, which makes her easy and enjoyable to travel with.
It was strange, though, to go back and visit my family as a visitor. I was always and will always be an outsider there, but as a YAV I wasn't a visitor per se, even though we all knew my time there was limited. It was bittersweet, for sure. I was sad to be back and for it not to be the same as it was (and to know that it never will be the same again), but I was also so happy to be with Bethi, Karin, Enrique, Mileni, Carmelina, and all the aunts, uncles, and cousins. And even though I will always be an outsider, it did feel like a homecoming, and lots of people in the town remembered me and came by the house to say hi or sent their greetings through my host mom.
I also got to say "yes" to everything. As a YAV I sometimes said "no" to favors or experiences because I was trying to set boundaries (and because sometimes I was just exhausted), but since I was only there for a few days this time I said yes to everything. We went to a wedding, a funeral, an inauguration of new classrooms at the school where Bethi teaches and Mileni attends, a birthday party, Dìa de los Muertos, made paches, and Hannah and I threw a Halloween party for all the cousins with games and a piñata (we just didn't tell the pastor).
(left) Hannah and I folding paches (right) Hannah and me at a wedding with Karin, my host sister, two aunts, and cousin
Carmelina at her son's grave on Dìa de los Muertos
A woman in the market who makes this delicious pan de quesadilla (sweet corn bread). She remembered me and remembered that I loved her bread :) (This bread is one of the reasons I wanted to visit Guatemala in the fall--it is made right before the corn is harvested in mid-November)
