Hola from Guatemala City!

Well here I am...in Guatemala City in an internet cafe.

This city is OVERWHELMING! It's scary just to cross the street. There is tons of traffic, people, vendors, smog...I've probably already developed black lung in the one day I've been here.

You may be thinking, "Wait a minute! I thought she was going to be relaxing on the beach first."

So did I.

I discovered en route to Chicago where I changed planes for Guatemala that good ol' Lonely Planet was not entirely clear on how to get to Monterrico. There were several vague options to choose from and not many details on how to get there from the airport, for example which bus terminal to go to to find the bus company that goes there. At at 2:00 a.m. in Chicago O'Hare, I decided a change of plans was in order. Suddenly, a 3 or 4 hour bus ride (depending on which page of Lonely Planet I was looking at), and a ferry ride after being up for a full 24 hours no longer sounded so appealing.

So I took a taxi to a hotel in Guatemala City's Zona 1.

The hotel is okay...probably not the best deal for the money ($20 for a private room with bath and cable TV).

For my friends at James C. Karo Associates, there was also an "infestation" of roaches or beetles (2 bugs to be exact). I did not closely examine them to determine if they were cockroaches or beetles. To me, a "bug" is better than a "cockroach." I did consider sleeping with the lights on so they wouldn't come out at night and crawl in bed with me. We'll see what tonight has to offer. I am changing hotels, by the way. I scoped out a new one today, but I have a feeling the bugs may be unavoidable. But as my friends at James C. Karo Associates know, bugs I can handle. And just for the record, I am not fond of bugs in my room.

Last night for dinner I decided to eat at the hotel's cafe since I had slept most of the day and it was already dark. I ordered two chile rellenos. They were not crispy like the rellenos I've had in Colorado...probably because they were microwaved. The breading was soggy. This may have been a commerically made and frozen relleno, who knows. But much to my dismay, when I cut into it cheese did not come oozing out of it like I had expected. Oh no. It was some kind of meat. Major bummer. So I disected the small little chile from the meat and put in a tortilla with a tiny bit of salsa. I had two small corn tortillas with my chile creation and two with liquified black beans - maybe they were instant? And that was my first meal in Guatemala.

Today I sought out a vegetarian restaurant for lunch.

Tonight it's dinner again at the hotel, but I think I'll try the eggs and beans.

I've stayed pretty close to my hotel so far, but tomorrow maybe there will be more in store for me. There is a Day of the Dead celebration that I'd like to go to if I can find out more about it, like where it is exactly.

I think I'll be here one more day, then head to Antigua, then to Monterrico (my original destination).

It's nice to just take it easy, rest, people watch, watch CNN election stuff - go Obama! I figure I have plenty of time to see it all, so I'm letting myself relax at the hotel while I acclimate to this fast pace. The scene just outside my hotel makes Colfax and Marion seem like a nice suburban neighborhood.

I am happy to be here, and while it takes some self-coaxing and nerve to just jump out there alone into the chaos of "Guate," I know this is just the beginning and my confidence should grow the longer I am here.

Gotta get back to the hotel before dark now for eggs and beans for dinner!

B U T T E R F L I E S

It's Saturday. I leave on Wednesday.

I'm trying to get my apartment packed up today...every last morsel. I picking up a UHaul truck shortly to deliver my oh-too-many possessions to my sister tomorrow.

My family is having a little send off lunch tomorrow for me.

Monday, my mom and I are making a quick trip to Idaho Springs for a short get away.

Tuesday - anxiety.

Wednesday - adios!

The nervousness has begun. I think it started to set in last night or today for sure. Almost everything is in boxes or in my little backpack.

On Friday I got a dose of Guatemalan Spanish and oh how I failed! I tried to make a hotel reservation for my first couple of nights in Guatemala. Just getting a good phone connection was a challenge. Then the call didn't go through. Then the person who answered hung up on me. I didn't know if I had reached the hotel or a private residence.

When I finally got through, and was informed that I would have to speak Spanish, I gave it my best - un person, cuanto cuesta?, por favor, un dormitorio...and although I think this Guatemalan understood me, I could not understand him.

I couldn't understand the price. I didn't know how to say "October." And I knew I was unsuccessfull at making the reservation when the gentlemen never took my name...even though I asked if he needed it.

And when I hung up - reservation-less - I knew I was in deep shit. I am so screwed. And that's probably when the butterflies set in.

In any case, my boyfriend called the next and made the reservation for me. He struggled with it a little, but the gentlemen did ask for a name.

So needless to say, it's gonna be tricky.

Thank you again to all of you for your constant support and encouragement as I worked to pull this off. Thank you for your continued thoughts, prayers, ideas, contacts.

I will do my best to stay in touch and update my blog regularly.

"The trick is not to rid your stomach of butterflies, but to make them fly in formation."

Pacific Crest Outward Bound School, Book of Readings