The day before I left for my weekend adventure was perfect. It was the first day in a week that I have been able to rise whenever I pleased and have no itinerary. I almost forgot how incredibly amazing that feels. Around 9 am I left the house without a worry or a care on my mind. I found a cute breakfast cafe called "y tu piña tambien" and got completely lost in my book for about two hours. I can't remember the last time that I have just read and read with no sense of time wasted or impending obligations. It is these little moments of traveling that are my favorite. The ones that remind me what it is to really live in the moment. To walk down the street and really experience every sound, sight, and feeling. I spent the day getting lost in the market. Rows and rows of handmade goods, second hand clothes and shoes, vegetables,and hanging meat. It is incredible how absolutely gigantic their markets are!
That night I was lucky to be invited to experience church with Maryelsa, my homestay mom. She is jehovits witness. I have to admit that at home I have some preconceived notions about the religion, and un rightly so since I really don't know anything about it. Therefore, it was even more interesting for me to be part of their church service. It was much different than any service than I have experienced. After the normal sermon it became question and answer time. The congregation gets an article to read before the service to prepare. This one was about forgiveness. How we will all feel better if we forgive the people around us and that when we do not forgive it will just make us feel sick inside. It was a really great message for me to take in and think about because I often allow things to bother me and eat me up inside.
The next morning I left for the jungle. I didn't really know much about my trip, only that I was headed to samuc champey and it was said to be a really beautiful place. When I arrived it was better than I could have imagined. Nestled in the middle of the jungle, my hostel was right next to a beautiful river. The bunk that I stayed in was on the top floor of a small tree house with windows open to the outside air. From my bed I could see the clouds, the stars, the river, and hear nothing but the birds chirping. This was the perfect relaxing time to put a nice close to my trip. While I was there I walked through a long dark cave with only candles to light our way, swimming/waiting through water, climbing up small waterfalls, viewing amazing stalactites and stalagmites. I hiked in the jungle and swam in beautiful turquoise natural pools. Finally I ended the day with a relaxing tubing down the river.
Now it is my last full day in Guatemala and I am back in Antigua. I have decided to return to the preschool and have one last morning with my cute 2 and 3 year olds and then head to school to watch a documentary about the civil war since I don't know very much about it but it was a huge atrocity in Guatemala's past. After that I plan to walk around the city and take in as many sights, sounds, and smells as my senses will allow!
This has been an amazing two weeks full of adventure, culture, and knowledge!
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