Usually by the time I make it back to the states the blog goes by the wayside and I neglect talking about the reentry. 

Coming back to the states is this weird out of body experience. It leaves you feeling discombobulated. I found myself wandering about my house last night feeling out of place and as if it wasn’t mine. 

Just for perspective I hadn’t driven a car in 23 days until yesterday. Aside from weekend trips in Guatemala, commuting was no more than a 10 minute walk anywhere in town.

I hated going to the grocery store last night.  Produce options are terrible here,  prices are insane,  and I don’t understand why I can’t negotiate cost based on the quality I am finding.  I also don’t understand why I can’t just buy one of something and not an entire package.

Having so many clothing options is something I no longer value.  Driving me to wonder why I own so many things.  I loved living for 23 days with only 10 items of clothing on rotation.  I spent zero time worried about what I was going to wear and worried very little about how I looked.  People’s kindness outshined their outfits in Guatemala and most woman wore traditional clothing.

I miss having my laundry done for me (courtesy of Nicole,  I never managed to have more then 2 things in the hamper at a time), and having my house cleaned 3x a week.  I miss having a garden to sit in that is up kept by someone else.  I miss living in community.  I miss morning walks to school.  I miss cool mornings and weather that makes you wanna be outside.  I miss kind friendly people everywhere you go.  I have yet to have a negative interaction with someone in Guatemala. Everyone is kind and helpful.  One of the most bizarre things I miss are the bathrooms.  While it seems odd to mention it is really one of the things I appreciate the most.  I have never been in a country that has the level of clean bathrooms as Guatemala. While you may not be able to flush the toilet paper, even in the most remote of places the bathrooms are always impeccable. I think it’s a combination of others being courteous of eachother and and just a value for taking care of what you do have when you have so little. 

Coming home is always harder than one would think it would be.  Modern conveniences seem less important when the pace of life is slower.  I am grateful to get to live in both worlds,  and understand that I exists in both with great privilege.

I am pretty sure I write the same thing each year at the end of my time in Antigua….I am not ready.    This is the only vacation that I’ve ever taken where I don’t get that feeling of being ready to be home.  I think it’s mainly because this place feels so much like home.  I am going to miss these cobblestone roads that by the very nature of them and not wanting to fall,  force me to slow down. They force me to be present in the moment,  not looking at my phone or distracted.  Things are slower here but the days have flown by.  I am thankful for another year of spending my days walking the city, sitting outside,  rooftop coffee breaks and card games, language school,  living in community, and so much more.  Till next year Guatemala 🇬🇹….

So for the second time on this trip a little girl named Bianca has stolen my heart.

While I won’t share a photo of her… for many reasons, I will share about this little girl whom we met that was seeking nothing else then connection and someone to play with. 

In Guatemala it’s hard not to judge things based on our own culture.  Here you will find kids left to their own accord often,  or tiny children sent it to “work” selling things that that mother’s have made.  By all accounts it seems awful, neglectful, and scary. Things that would never be allowed in the US, are just simply a way of life here.

I won’t go into all the things that I worried for Bianca about,  but rather I’ll just share how precious of a child she is. Alone down at the thermal waters she climbed rocks as if they were solid flat land. She dressed and undressed (to swim) in her traditional clothing all on her own,  asking for only a little help from myself or Nicole to get her shirt on and off. She took our hands with ease for help and chatted away with Nicole and I. telling me flatly when she didn’t understand what I was saying and making me work hard to communicate with her.  She never once tried to sell us anything from the basket she was carrying,  she never asked for money, she simply asked to swim with us and show us the tiny shells you can find in the thermal waters on the edge of the lake.  When Nicole asked about her family,  she said she wasn’t ready to tell her yet,  but she maybe she would later.  She was smart enough to not fully disclose but trusting enough to spend time with us.  I thought of all the million fears that I had for a tiny girl like her left all alone.  Then I thought about this being her life.  This is where she spends her days. When we all thought it was going to rain… she looked up at the storm clouds above us and said nope it’s not going to rain you can just tell.  And in case you’re wondering, no it did not rain.  That little tiny girl had all the wisdom and innocence you could hope for from someone so tiny.  She crosses my mind often since we’ve parted and makes me wonder about the things she’s already seen and what the rest of her life has in store for her. 

The more you leave your bubble of daily life the smaller the world becomes.  Not just in terms of familiarity, and commonalitiies which are both very true,  but also in terms of connections. 

While making papusas in the school community kitchen, and in forcing myself to practice my Spanish I met another student from Florida. Turned out he’s from Westen went to Cypress Bay and goes to UF also his mom used to work at my school.  The broader your circle gets the smaller the world becomes. 

Speaking of a small world,  my neice who lives in Chicago is in Guatemala for the same 3 weeks we are with her school doing language school in Panajachel. We were lucky enough to get to host her and get classmates for lunch when they were in Antigua last week.  To top that when we arrived in Pana yesterday she was able to join us and spend the night in this ridiculously beautiful house in Santa Cruz.

Though I’ve gotten to travel with Maggie before it was nice to have her to myself without her parents or siblings around. I’ve seen her more in Guatemala than I did the past year in the states.  While it might have been far less time than I hoped I am thankful none the less.  I hope we get a chance for more trips like this in the future. The world is smaller then you think. 

One of the things I try to do when planning a trip is to find different things that would interest someone in the group.  The good that comes with living in community is getting to trying things that interest others that you typically would NEVER do otherwise.

I found a really cool place close to Antigua yet far enough out to feel like you were in the mountains and jungle. I knew Nicole would love the yoga they had to offer and I would love the view. So we set out to explore. Upon arriving we got dropped of by our Uber at a sign that said 300 meters to the lodge, with an arrow down.  Imagine a step decline into the woods. Halfway down I told everyone to look back and remember that somehow we have to get back up this.  The trip down was far more doable then the hike back up.  As we got to the entrance of the lodge it opened up to the most beautiful property. 

We rushed to make it to our class and let’s just say I am far from being a yogi…. in my mind it should be so lovely… in practice not so much. I failed to take a picture of our view from the yoga studio but as I sat there in pain moving my body in ways it clearly hated me for, all that kept coming to my mind was how much privilege there was in this experience. The privilege to have two jobs that afford me opportunities to travel.  The privilege to travel the world with my best friend and experience new things everyday. The privilege of being born into a family that by all accounts provided a stable loving environment. And lastly the privilege to be in a place more beautiful than you can imagine.  So as I sat downward facing dog hoping the physical torture would soon end, I gave thanks for all that I’ve been given; by luck,  by chance, by my own hard work, and by the grace of others. 

I haven’t had a chance to blog because honestly our days here are just so busy.  From sun up to sunset there has been very little down time for me. 

Though life is simplier here and seemingly slower, time is flying by.  Our days seem to end as fast as they begin. But our days are not just busy they are full.  Full of learning,  of preparing, full of walking,  full of experiences, full of community. 

Carla and the girls left Wednesday and Christine arrived.  So our house transitioned from little learners to adult learners. Though it all looks much the same.  Carla and the girls brought so much fun to our house.  I miss having my kitchen side kick Bianca around who while she may have appeared ever resistant (much like myself) to learning Spanish,  she was learning.  I miss watching Brianna fully engage is learning and picking it up with ease.  I miss the noise of the kids playing. I am so thankful for the time we had.

Christine has transitioned in with ease and is for sure the most eager of any learner that has ever been in this house lol.  I fully believe she will leave here speaking Spanish. 

My learning has been… well exhausting to say the least. I’ve learned lots about my teacher and her life. I am learning to ask questions that give me answers to my ever curious self.  When,  Where, How, Who, Why.  My learning looks different then others.  But it’s learning just the same. My teacher is sweet and kind. She is far more independent and educated then most woman in this area. Though her and I are similar in so many ways her life has been far more challenging then mine.  From the outside her and I both present as strong, independent, self sufficient woman. However her means of becoming that person were far more challenging then mine,  and far more atypical in her culture than it is for me in the United States. She is by no means typical here. It’s always a challenge to put your own privilege aside and be able to hear someone’s story thru their own voice.  To take in their hard and not judge it by your standards. To honor someone else’s hard in its totality. This is where empathy not sympathy comes into play.  There isn’t one single story my teacher has told that has been a woe is me story. Not once has she ever indicated she felt bad for herself and all that she has endured (and boy has she endured). It’s been quite the opposite. Her mentality is this is life and she lives every minute she is given.  Once again this place has me thinking of resilience and why some have it and others don’t.

I also continuously come back to the fact that education is the only thing that can change a community, a culture,  and improve people’s lives. This is true no matter where you live or travel to.  The more educated people you encounter the kinder the interactions become.  There’s far more humanity that exists when people are educated.  Living with isolated views and little exposure makes a person far scarier to me then probably anything else.  I’ve tried to disconnect as much as possible from all of the awful that has been happening in the US. I needed to for my own mental health.  But there have been moments where no matter how hard I try I can’t completely avoid.  I hate that the perception of the US has changed so drastically and so quickly. Last year people here viewed the US as a power house.  As the leader in the world.  This year their views are so different. They feel sorry for us,  they think we are allowing one man to destroy everything the US has stood for.  They literally have said how are you letting this happen to you. My only response is…I wonder the same thing.  

Carla writes…..
Traveling to Guatemala was such an awesome experience, but taking my girls on their first international trip? That was next-level magical. And a little chaotic. But mostly magical. Watching them take it all in — from the moment we landed to their 100th “Wait… they do what here?” — was like seeing the world for the first time, all over again.
Let’s just say, Guatemala didn’t know what was coming… and neither did we.

The Cousin Bond & the Auntie Squad
One of the absolute highlights? The girls finally got to spend quality time with their cousin, Luca — aka their personal tour guide, giggle partner, and chaos coordinator. They adore him. Like, “can we pack him in our suitcase” adore him.
And then there were the real MVPs of this trip: Auntie Nicole and Michelle. These two amazing women didn’t just guide us — they elevated the whole experience. Think: adventure coordinators, snack suppliers, Spanish class cheerleaders, and loving aunties all rolled into one. With them, the girls thrived. Seriously — it was like having the Wonder Women of Guatemala travel at our side.

Spanish School & the Surprise Win
Now, I’ll admit — when we first told the girls they’d be going to school on vacation, I braced for the “Are you kidding me?” stares. But surprise! The Spanish school ended up being one of their favorite parts. They loved learning the language and getting to know their fun teachers. It was part classroom, part cultural exchange, and part me wondering if they’d come home correcting my Spanish.

Adjustments, Curiosity, and Growth
Living in Guatemala meant doing things a little differently than we do back home. The WiFi wasn’t always strong, showers were… creative, and we are now professional walkers. But what amazed me most was how open the girls were — even when things felt strange or challenging. They stayed curious. They asked questions. They tried new things. Sometimes reluctantly, sometimes fearlessly, and always with open hearts.
They noticed everything — how people got around, how they lived day to day, how they hustled everyday . And let’s just say they think some things are more fun here 🤣

Leaving With Full Hearts
The girls came back from Guatemala with more than souvenirs and mosquito bites. They came back with new words, new bonds, and a new sense of the world around them. And I came back with even more pride (and maybe a slightly new coffee and chocolate addiction…thanks Nicole 🤣).
Guatemala gave us adventure, but more importantly, it gave us connection — to each other and to a place we’ll always carry with us.
Till next time Antigua!

When your city has no water and your cisterna runs dry you call in the bomberos.

Sooo here I sit on the porch while the moms put their babies to bed, awaiting the arrival of the fire fighters to fill our 300 gallon cistern and save the day. 

Our house mom arrived to manage the situation for us. It took her trying 3 fire departments before she was able to get one who could send someone. 

While we were waiting she said to me,  each year something is wrong when you come I am so sorry.  I said back to her what my language school teacher my very first year said to me over and over again “Es la Vida.” Inconveniences make for great stories in the years to come (if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown… go to the fountain and fill a bucket and flush it down).

Prior to the announcement that we had no water the best part of the trip for me was taking place.  All of the little were blogging. One of my greatest joys is to hear, in their own words, their stories of their time here.  Thru the eyes and mouths of the littles the greatest of stories get told. 

Luca has grown so much since his very first trip to Guatemala. Sitting in school I have a direct view into the new kids classroom, and more specifically on Luca.  Although my ADD struggles with this being my vantage point I love watching him learn and seeing how excited he is.  I get 👍🏼 from him all day long, or the kids run out to show me something that is just to great to not share it right away.  Luca has grown into a great leader for his cousin and an excellent example of being a great traveler/learner.

Luca’s cousins Brianna and Bianca have added so much to our little crew. The two of them are full of sweetness and enough sass to keep you on your toes. They are for sure my kind of girls.  They know what they want,  and are excited about everything. Luca has been in Guatemala 3 times with older girls in the house with this being his first time with younger ones around. There dynamic, while different for sure, was just as fun. 

I am gonna miss having my kitchen helpers. I also am for sure gonna miss having someone around who ask just as many “why” questions as I do.  Though it may have only been 5 days it feels like we had so many memories packed into such a short time.  Grateful for them all. 

Update…our water didn’t get fixed we broke the bump by allowing the cisterna to get to low….hopefully tomorrow we get have it fixed.

Michele writes:

Sometimes being brave goes unnoticed because everyone’s brave looks different. What comes easy for me might be hard for others and vice versa. One of my favorite parts of traveling is forcing myself to be outside of my comfort zone.  It’s not something that comes easily for me. I, like most people, like familiar, safe, comfortable things. But I have a strong belief that sitting in discomfort until it no longer feels as distressing is the only way to learn and grow.  Familiar only become familiar by doing. But this takes courage. Sometimes small amounts and other times it takes every ounce we’ve got. 

Luca has been big brave our first two days in Guatemala. He used an airplane bathroom for the first time. Something I thought was a simple ask of him took a lot of courage for him to do.  I had no idea he was afraid to use the airplane bathroom.

He made me think about all the times people don’t do and we don’t understand the reasoning behind it.  Also, it made me think about how infrequently we are brave enough to just say “I am scared” or “this makes me nervous.” Not only does it leave us feeling isolated in our own fear,  but we rob those we love of the opportunity to help us through hard things.

The second time Luca was brave, he asked me to be brave first.  Yesterday we had the chance to swing on a pretty big swing at Hobbetenango. Due to weight, age, height and all the things,only Luca, Carla, and I qualified to go.  Luca asked me to go first.  Now this was big brave for me. I don’t necessarily have a fear of heights,  but I do have the fear that comes with aging. I have far out grown the stage of life of being invincible.  The knowledge that a broken bone or even a simple injury could ruin an entire trip, not just for me but those around me.  This is the fear that stops me.  But Luca asked me to be brave and go first, so I did as he asked.  I flew through the air with all the espresso filled adrenaline rushing through my body and I loved every minute of it (though the coffee right before might have been a bad idea). Those moments were thrilling and freeing.  No time to hesitate, analyze, or talk myself out of it.  Just moments of pure joy. 

My excitement continued as I got to watch Luca conquer his fear.  For two years he has wanted to do this and backed out each time.  This time he told us he was nervous, he voiced wanting to do and then decided he was gonna be brave and try it. Afterwards he told me while he was on the platform he was so nervous he wanted to cry.  I told him that there’s lots of times in life that he will feel this way. We were all so proud of him,  but most importantly he was proud of himself. Shoot, even I was proud of myself lol.  Not gonna lie,  my legs trembled for a good 15 minutes even after I was back on solid ground, but it was worth every minute. 

So be brave,  tell others when you aren’t feeling so brave.  Do the hard things till they don’t feel so hard.  It reminds your brain that you are capable of tough stuff and not as fragile as the voice in our head tells us we are.

Tell others when your proud of them and create safe spaces for them to tell you when they aren’t feeling so brave.   Today I am proud of Luca for being big brave. 

Michele writes:

I’ve only known since the last day of our last trip last year to Guatemala that we would be leaving tomorrow to return.. but as it goes I will always be a last minute kind of girl. 

Funny thing is packing this year, while I may have put it off to the very last minute, was a breeze.  I texted Nicole asking what was missing because with only a carry on backpack, and a personal bag, I have far too much extra space. Antigua has taught me a lot,  including that we actually require very little in life when the focus of life is on experiences not what we looked like while we were living them.

Also as always, you can plan and prep and then… life happens. Depending on what report,  or what local group chat I am in the estimation varies on the number of earthquakes Guatemala has had in the last 3 days ( I am talking numbers like 150) with two significant ones being 5.4 and 5.7 ratings. The 5.7 was in a town 25 minutes from us. Thankfully Antigua is fine with minimal damage and the roads are all reopened.  Santa Maria hasn’t been as lucky. I’ve learned a lot about earthquakes in the last few days.  Mainly I’ve learned that there are far more happening around us than anyone realizes.  Unless it’s a 4 or higher no one gives it much notice. Sooo are we crazy to be going to an area that is so heavily active at the moment? Maybe,  but I truly feel like there is risk in life always.  Some risk are more calculated than others. There’s many times in life that fear of the unknown has stopped me from doing exactly what I knew I wanted to do. So I choose to stay informed and proceed on the be exactly where I wanna be.  I can’t wait to return.  #year5

Follow along if you’d like.  This year we have a few new additions to our Encanto house.  I’ll let Luca introduce our first set of guest.  T – 12 hours.