Pausing Here and There

According to PADI this is what I am now certified to do. Thanks to many ridiculous videos and several wonderful dives.

Diving: When you scuba dive it feels nothing at all like the delicious nakedness of swimming. Instead of letting yourself move freely through the water you are encased in a thick suit and hindered by some 50 pounds of equipment which requires that you move very slowly through the water and give over all sense of control of movement to three things: your bcd or inflatable live vest which connects to a steel tank and helps you go up and down, your flippers which give you some sense of being able to slowly, astronautically control your direction, move right or left up or down, and the ocean currents themselves, which seem to stay in your body for days afterwards making you feel like you are constantly swaying whenever you find yourself sitting still. Regardless, you do see incredible things..brilliantly colored fish, fan coral as big as your fins waving hello in the water, a spotted eagle ray majestic and giant drifting across what looks like a crater in the coral, hence the name of the dive site Moon Hole.

Sand Fleas: As a child I was occaisionally fascinated by a big green medical reference book that my mother kept in the spare room. It had pictures of all kinds of diseases, but particularly repulsive were the skin diseases. Having visited the land of sand flees (cursed jejenes) and jellyfish (wicked medusas) and other insects that Im sure have just as repulsive monikers, I think I am now a good candidate to appear in that book. My calves and hands are covered with itching red welts that drive me wild in the heat. While leaving Utila is a bit sad, (we met some really great people including a certain Britt named Giddeon who did a wicked American accent), I will not miss the evening dosage of flea bites.

Jake and I managed our way to San Pedro on Lake Atitlan and enjoyed a few days relaxing, taking hikes through the hills, and observing the vistas. It was so delightful to spend quality time with the brother boy, and hilarious to see the same little tiffs weve had since children resurface through travel. No worries, we overcame them.

I am now back in Xela and it certainly seems like a return to home! It was so nice to walk into yoga house, abuzz with activity and cooking and feel like I have a place here. I have already done my shopping and am ready to cook up a delicious veggie curry tonight. I have a month more here of Spanish study and who knows what else, before heading to Costa Rica in February. From there it is Ecuador and then who knows.