This week we started out on a treacherous trek through cloud forest about an hour outside of Xela. After about 10 minutes of walking the wind picked up and the mist begin. The trails became very slick as we began to climb the steep hills ahead of us. Even though we were assured that the trail was flat by our guide, we quickly figured out that wasn’t what we should expect for the rest of the trek. The were some steep down hills, mud puddles for step going up the hill, and some mini streams to walk through on the flat parts. After about 6 hours on the first day we finally made it to the hardest part of the hike which just happened to be where we were setting up camp for the night. Then we indulged in some ham and cheese sandwiches topped with cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions. We attempted to stay dry and warm but most of us quickly found out that our tents had leaks and still tried to take naps. Dinner time arrived and Bria ever so sweetly brought each one of us a giant plate of spaghetti with some tasty sauce. The next morning we started out of the easiest part of the trek to lunch. Then we entered a mud slip ‘n slide. Many of us stopped keeping count of how many times we fell at about 15. After 2-3 hours of this torture we finally made it to the hot springs. This meant dry clothes, warm beds, and relaxing in the springs.
After the hot springs we took a quick stop back in Xela and then drove 5 hours to Passac, where we would be introduced to our Mayan host families we would be living with for the next week and also getting situated with the small village we got to call home to. On Tuesday we got a tour of the coffee co-op, which exports coffee to the United States. We saw the community’s cementary, library, and the catholic church. We experienced picking coffee and watch it go through the whole process from bean on a tree to the crunch in the mouth. We created light lanturns, that you light and set free in the night sky, with tissue paper and elmers glue. And we finished off the week by dressing up in traditional Mayan clothing and eating a hearty meal of fried chicken, beans, potatoes, and of course tortillas on the side. This morning we said our goodbyes and off we went to the mystical yoga farm on lake Atitilan.
-Gaby
