It is December 2nd already! That means that in 2 days I will have been in Guatemala for an entire month already.

Things are going good... great family...good food...fantastic climbs..... what to do next. I´ll tell you what!

I am coming to the end of my stay in Xela. My graduation from Proyecto Linguistico Quetzalteco de Español is tomorrow evening. My family here is already telling me to stay for a few more weeks. That makes me feel VERY special. They laughed today at memories of my first day with them and that we can now have conversations. NICE!! I´ve come a long way baby.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here with lots of friends, day trips and weekend adventures. I want to continue to climb to new heights around Guatemala. Some more volcanoes are looking good.

I am excited to get on the road and see some stuff.

Beginning this Saturday I will head to Lago de Atitlan and the small town of Jaibilito. From there I visit San Marcos and an earthship hotel and catch up with some more friends. Then I had to San Pedro, Santiago Atitlan and another small town to visit a finca.

Once I´m done at the lake I will head to Chichicastenango and then to Antigua. From Antigua - Guatemala City I hop a bus to Coban, Semuc Champey, and Laguna Laquin. After all of this I will be in Flores and Tikal!

Those are broad spectrum type of trips and will take up the better part of the next 3 weeks. I´m doing a giant loop thru Guatemala and ending in Copan in Honduras. From there I will catch up with my friends family. Thanks Anjelica!

My last week has been full of suprises though.

I visited with a Mayan deity on Tuesday. His name is San Simon and that was a trip. I bought and lit a red candle that he may bless my life with true love. I also visited a stunning cooperative, Copavic, and got to watch a bunch of mad men blow glass. I could buy the store out they are so fantastic with their art.

Other than just chilling out before hitting the road these have been the events of my stay here for the past week.

I did manage to climb the Santa Maria volcano on the eve of Thanksgiving and that was wonderful. Flipping freezing but wonderful all the same. I gave thanks to everyone and everything in my life. Why?

Because we started this hike, all 38 of us, at midnight under an almost full moon and spent the better part of 5 hours reaching the summit. By the time I reached the top the sun was lighting the sky and the neighboring volcano, Santiaguito, was puffing away.

I stayed long enough to take pictures and to enjoy a few moments of biting cold winds and then began my descent. It was beautiful but hard. A great way to spend the day. While all of my family and friends were feasting I was coming down a volcano and going directly to bed. :)

Friends and strangers did come together for a feast that night though. We all gathered at an Arabian restaurant, El Arabe, for a Thanksgiving dinner in Guatemala. I love that combination! By the time we were all seated and giving a huge round of "cheers" there were 17 people at the table. VERY NICE! I love gatherings like that.

All in all my time in Xela has been fantastic and I am ready to set out on new adventures with a little more experience in the local tongue.

I hope you are having an equal amount of fun and that you keep in touch.