We just turned the corner and went from cobblestone roads to a smooth, paved highway.  There’s something so symbolic about those cobblestones for me.  You know you’ve arrived in Antigua when the cobblestone roads start, but sadly, you also know when you’ve crossed over back into reality.  I don’t think I’ve ever once in the 4 years I’ve been coming been ready to leave Antigua. We have quite a bit of adventure ahead of us still,  and while I am excited to watch everyone experience all that’s to come, but I would have loved another week in our house.  Hopefully, we will be back soon in some combination of people.  I’ve left half my wardrobe at the house, so I sure hope I’ll be back. Hasta la proxima vez “Encanto”

In an Uber today, with way to many of us crammed into the back seat so I went to “roll down the window” to let some air in.  Kayla quickly yelled out “wait let me do it” and it was in that very moment that I realized she’s never used a mechanical window in a car before.  Oh, how that shift in life is hard… when a whole generation of children have no idea what things are because they have simply never existed for them. Makes me now understand why nostalgia and longing for simpler times are so real for older people. Antigua represents simpliar times for me and i am grateful for the pause. It also makes me realize that regardless of progress, this will happen for every generation to come. 

In Guatemala, everyone is always trying to figure out how we are all connected. People I have known here since the beginning remember Kianna from 6 years ago, at which time I think I introduced her as my God Daughter, which quickly transitioned to neice. So with Luca/Nicole and Kayla/Kianna being the only blood related people in the bunch,  sometimes it’s just easier to say I am here with “my best friend and my neices and nephew.” It’s not wrong.  We’ve become this little traveling family.  Nicole and are much like sisters (the older version of Kianna and kayla). Here, Tias aren’t just blood related.  They are the helpers of the children, they are the older women in the community, and they are the helpers in the home.  I align much more with the title of Tia here.

Just as we get onto our Antigua routine and flow of life we are already preparing for the next phase of our trip. Nothing in life is constant and change can be  hard but it’s part of the good in life.  It’s a guarantee that nothing that is bad will remain forever and that even the best of times transition too.

Dinner table talk included the run down for the next upcoming days.  The LT40C “less that 40yo crew”… (feels wrong to call them kids since two of them are capable adults) finish their last day of school tomorrow and then we will enjoy our last weekend in Antigua.  I jokingly said to the LT40C that next year I am getting a white board like they have at the hostels to put checks next to the daily activists they are interested in.  It’s easy to lose track of everything when we are trying to throw so much into such a short time. 

Today I hung back a little and it felt so nice.  When I say we just got in our routine I mean the LT40C are now oriented to the city enough to lead the way, they have assimilated enough that I don’t have to be “as in charge” so today I hung back intentionally.  I am no one’s parent but when we travel with this group it’s hard for me not to worry about everyone’s needs and expectations. I am well aware it’s my worry not theirs, but I worry regardless. I worry about everything from safe choices to ensuring they feel like they have gotten out of this trip whatever it is they expected for themselves.   So I work on balancing that.  So sometimes I need to remind myself to adjust and step back.  A no decision situation does not mean I have to figure it out. I finally get to enjoy bringing up the rear.

Do you now there’s a difference between blind snakes and earth worms… well there is and I am still trying to figure out what it is. Luca said there is and I believe him.  This quote tonight made me think of Luca and all the great that fades as children age.  How these moments of looking at rocks, worms, and rolly pollies with wonder, awe, and excitement won’t last forever.  That soon they will make way for harder less simple things in life.  My hope, though, remains that he will be exposed to so much goodness in life that the hard stuff simply makes him appreciate the good and simple things even more. 

Monday was a recovery day and we were back to our normal routine of school and afternoon activities.  Today was filled with school and salsa lessons at Selina hostel where even Luca participated.  Nicole and I then  stole Elissa and Kianna away to experience our favorite secret bar for a drink before bed.  No one is a stranger for long in Antigua and it’s easy to become part of the community. I love that about being here.  It’s like being at “Cheers” everywhere you go everyone knows your name.  It’s familiar and comfortable. People here are just so kind.  That’s probably the hardest thing to express about being here.  I have zero issues going to the tienda and practicing my bad Spanish without embarrassment. My favorite people include the mango lady on the corner of our street who smiles (without teeth) so big when she sees us every day and having conversations with strangers from all over the world. You never know the people you will meet. 

Our first week in Antigua flew by and there hasn’t been much time for pause. So let me catch you all up.  Cheryl arrived on Thursday with a friend,  her daughter,  and her friend’s coworker. I think it is very special that Cheryl was able to come to the school and see where the girls have been learning. Also it was a special bonus that she happened to be here during our presentations, and she was able to see the girls progress. It was a fast and full weekend. Volcanos, horses,  ruins, cerro, etc.  My favorite was the dinner and a show put on by the kids,  a glimpse into the best parts of being in Antigua. 

If you know about Bob (first horse I ever rode who was specifically trained for the blind), then you know. But today, Bob was left in the dust like all the other horses (and friends) literally. Pepe was a pistel. He took off running the minute I got on.  I was miles ahead of the entire pack on the climb up the mountain…. and on the way down, thankfully, my horse found a competitor in Elissa’s horse, so I had a friend to go down the mountain with.  Our 🐎 horses didn’t let up, causing my newly dawned hat to fly off and Elissa’s water bottles to fly out of her backpack.  Let’s just say we made it down the mountain in record time and long before the others. As Elissa mentioned in her blog, prayers for my butt are welcomed.  Circling back to my amazing hat. So this is my 3rd time doing Pizza 🍕  on Pacaya and when we arrived, the owner of the business asked my group where I was by name, and so I went over to say hello.  He gave me a free hat and said how happy he was to see us.  It’s kinda nice to know people everywhere you go.  I am sure you’re wondering if going up the same volcano 3x is worth it,  well I can tell you it’s a whole new experience going up one with a Geologist (be jealous). Elissa is a Geologists so it was very cool to have her with us explaining the rocks that we were walking on and what we were seeing and how things happen.  It definitely shed a whole new light on the experience for me.  At the volcano there’s a little shop where local artisans take the volcanic rock and create jewelry with it. Here’s a “did you know” fact about Pacaya: In 2021, the Pacaya volcano in Guatemala erupted in a series of explosive and effusive events that began in February and continued into March. The eruption also occurred during Tropical Storm Agatha, which brought heavy rainfall that caused landslides, lahars, and widespread flooding. They called it the perfect storm in the ring of fire. I am not one for buying souvenirs but at the lava store Nicole and I both drawn to purchase earrings made from the lava during that storm and eruption and coconut shells.

Our first year in the house Nicole named our house Encanto, and every year since, the moment I walk through the door, it feels like coming home. We oddly all have naturally fallen into our roles in the house, and I couldn’t love my role any more than I do.  Doña Sed had returned to her kitchen.

The first week of being in Antigua has flown by and school came to an end for me before I even realized it began.  This year I had Kianna’s teacher from last year.  She was a stark contrast to my last teacher.  I have loved all my teachers for different reasons, but my teacher this year was so kind and so sweet and so patient.  She’s exactly what I needed this year and I am grateful.  La Unión also feels like home.  Everyone remembers us and our stories and we pick up right where we left off a year ago.  I  promised Luca that if he presented on presentation day i I too would present…. so he made me make good on my promise.  I was so proud to watch him on last day of school present for the first time. He’s always been too shy to present and I always opt out. So in the end, I guess we’ve both grown.  I made/presented on Pina and made licuados. I made the ones for the adults with rum. They were obviously a hit to say the least.  I love that the “kids” have favorite things to do at school. I love that learning can be so fun. Thankful for another year….. and now it’s time to play.