Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church Trip, Day 1

Introducing the newest Rolling Hills Guatemalan Mother/Daughter Blogging Duo!  Just kidding – not that exciting but we will do our best to keep you update on the happenings of this group’s amazing adventures here in San Lucas Tolíman.  Our 10 day journey started yesterday, Friday, June 20^th.   I write this entry at the end of the day on Saturday, for day 1 consisted pretty much of sitting in the airport with a flight thrown in here and there.  Then throw in some (a lot of) lost luggage and you would have summed up our day.  Our lovely TJ leader, Candace, arranged for us to spend Friday night in Antigua so we would have a shorter van ride following a lot of airport/plane sitting.  We arrived at our posada and crashed – literally.

Since we were already in Antigua, we took advantage of the sights and shopping for the majority of the day.  While it was unfortunate that we could not get some work started at our site in San Gregorio, we were able to tack on to the front end of the trip what would normally be tacked on to the end, hopefully enabling us to spend additional time in the community where our school is being built.  The final Saturday will most likely be inauguration day so this may have worked out well – been meant to be – thanks United Airlines!  Antigua was beautiful and fun to explore.  We met for a delicious desayuno tipíca (traditional breakfast) in a darling restaurant and then split up to experience Antigua.  My mom and I bought some awesome clothes and ceramics and the others, too, had an enjoyable time looking around.  Ted and Gabe especially liked the meat market (?).

We were picked up from the hotel by our fabulous van driver and left for San Lucas Tolíman , home base until Saturday.  The drive was fascinating.  We saw an active volcano, beautiful scenery and sights of communities that certainly do not exist in the United States.  One in the U.S. cannot imagine the impoverished conditions these families live in unless they have driven through them first hand.  I mean, “wow.”  We stopped at a pineapple stand where a young woman chopped the heck out of the most delicious pineapple I have ever had the pleasure of tasting and our leader purchased 3 for $1.50.  Again, wow.  We saw coffee fincas, corn crops and miles and miles of pineapple plants.  So cool.

We were welcomed to our hotel by the greatest smiles and laughter of our hosts Marbila , her husband Felipe, and Mary.  We had a delicious fried chicken dinner, complete with fried potatoes, rice and tortillas.  We also have the pleasure of listening to the celebratory music from a school-opening Anniversary.  Apparently each year, on the day a school was opened, they have an anniversary celebration.  Perhaps San Gregorio will be having their own next year.

Anyhow, luggage or no luggage, delayed flights or not, I know that I am one lucky chica and my mom is one lucky mamá and am incredibly grateful for all that I have - it is so much more than I need.