Volcano:Pacaya

All I have to say is sleep is underrated. Boy did I need a good night of sleep. I wonder how many straight hours I was up for.

Well, I guess it is about time weather has caught up to me in all my years of traveling. The weather report today for Antigua: RAIN WITH MORE OF A CHANCE FOR RAIN LATER. TOMORROW RAIN. THE NEXT DAY RAIN. You get the picture.

Today I visited a volcano called Pacaya. It is about an hour and a half away so I had to be up very early. Let me just say this about my experience, INCREDIBLE! I am so happy for another amazing experience. I also had a great time talking to the fellow members of my group. I met two ex Israeli soldiers, a family from Australia and just a boring American who has traveled the world and offered advice for future travels.  Students you know just how much I love traveling and days like today reinforces it. Not only seeing and doing amazing things but meeting so many interesting people adds so much to my life. Traveling has expanded my horizons in so many critical ways.

I just got back from a great lunch and I am looking forward to chilling out tonight and getting ready for my next adventure tomorrow to visit some waterfalls, lagoons and underwater caves at Semuc Champey.

Alright I said I would write less. Check out the pictures and videos below. Internet is a little slow so videos are not loading. I will try later in the week. I really wanted to share the videos too because it got pretty intense up there with wind and sleet. REALLY COOL EXPERIENCE!

                                                   Another volcano in the distance

                                                           Yum! let me eat on this nutritionally enriching POOH! Well not me, but you get the picture. Beetle was huge!

Check out this crater lake. PRETTY AWESOME, with rare forms of fish.

Yeah, I was struggling at this point. Warm, sweaty and sticky. That was about to change as the weather came in AGAIN!

Look at how dark the terrain or soil is. Weather about to get crazy

How do you do Mr.?

Who knew there were gangs of  dogs in Pacaya? Thankfully they didnt rob me or rough me up.

Antigua: historic colonial city for the Spanish

I have arrived in Guatemala safely. Already having a fantastic time and meeting so many new people. In fact I am getting ready to go out to dinner with a local I met. The people have been amazing, friendly and patient. For my Spanish needs a lot of work. I am currently in Antigua, which is a 45 minute drive from the capital Guatemala City. Tomorrow I am getting up very early to climb a volcanic mountain. On Tuesday I have setup an excursion to some blue lagoons and waterfalls.

I am going to try very hard to keep these posts short. I know I have a tendency to blabber on. I get excited what can I say. Anywho if you have any questions please holla back. Oh and videos will be up some other time. Gotta Run!

                                            Courtyard outside my room. Very nice hotel!

Merced Church (look at the detail!)

My students wouldn´t be surprised but I just had to sing along. I had to show them what a contestant on American Idol sounds like

Pretty cool picture

Facts and Figures on Guatemala

Well, I thought some of you may need some background info on Guatemala just like I did. So here are some facts about Guatemala. I esepcially found the fact that most Guatemalans live on less than $2 a day sad.

Size: Guatemala is about the size of Tennessee


Terrrain: Mountainous, fertile coastal plain


Population: 14.36 million


Literacy: 70.6%


Workforce: 50% of people work in some form of Agriculture


Gov't: President with a one house legislature


Goods: Oil, Coffee, Sugar, Bananas


Population: More than half Native Americans (Mayans)


Language: Spanish


Money: 51% of Population lives on less than $2 a day


Guatemala gained independence from Spain in 1821


Infant Mortality, Child Malnutrition and illiteracy among the worst in Western Hemisphere


Deforestation of the Rainforest by Drug Farmers and Cattle Ranchers


Currency: Quetzal


More birds than the U.S and Canada combined!

Summer is on the way!

Hello! This will be my third installment thus far in my blog chronology. I will be traveling to Guatemala and Mexico this summer from June 25-July 14th. I am super excited to be visiting my friend Cheryl and learning more about a beautiful region of the world. I have many things that I look forward to observing and researching. Fun, Fun!


I would really like for this blog to be interactive so please feel free to ask questions or make comments. I look forward to my next adventure. Check back for more : )