Xela, Guatemala Travel Blogs

A typical day at the dinner table.
Oct 23, 2004 (3 photos)

So my graduation speech probably won't go down in history, other than for maybe being the shortest ever. I also think I impressed my Spanish teacher the other morning when he asked me.. "¿De donde eres?" (Where are you from?) Where I quickly replied ...

My brain hurts
May 1, 2004 (7 photos)

... of Spanish school is behind me now and I learned one thing. I need a second week of Spanish school. So I´ll be in Xela for another week, minimum, to keep studying and practicing. Tomorrow, I´m going to move in with a different family so I can meet more ...

Back to school.
Oct 19, 2004 (4 photos)

... first proper sentence. Most gringos come to Xela either to attend a Spanish language school or to do volunteer work, and although it's Guatemala's second city there isn't actually much to do or see in the city itself. It's a place to study, drink beer, ...

Why am I always cold?!?!
Sep 26, 2006 (1 photos)

... she´s a law student here, and is very politically aware, which is great. We chatted for a while about the current political regime in Guatemala, and about the past. We also did so much work with verbs! I learned more in two hours than I did in six weeks of ...

Yet ANOTHER bus ride...
Sep 25, 2006

... found one place with the most lovely woman (Celas Maya) and we all decided to do four days of classes. So I´m in Guatemala until Saturday at least! The school is great...the proceeds go to support local indigenous students who otherwise would not be able ...

Above the clouds...
May 9, 2004 (6 photos)

At 3700 meters (about 12,000 feet) Volcan Santa Maria looks down on Xela and offers a tough hike for those willing to take it on. The volcano is inactive but has incredible views from the top. I think the pics from the hike say more than I can write ... ...

I guess it was bound to happen.....
Sep 27, 2006

Last night was pretty rough. I have no idea what it was, but I ate something that didn't agree with me, and ended up throwing up for a good portion of the night. However, this morning I felt tons better, and have been doing okay ever since. Guess it ...

Winter is here
May 18, 2004

... warm temperatures broken up by an afternoon rain. I am trying to figure out where to go next. There are a few more destinations in Guatemala I want to check out. In addition, I need to seek out a reputable clinic in a few weeks in a larger city to get ...

I´m an Uncle!!!
Apr 30, 2004 (1 photos)

Congratulations to my sister Heather and her husband Andrew on the the birth of baby Ethan. I am an uncle for the first time!!!! I can´t wait to buy him lots of candy with red food coloring, teach him swear words, show him how to light fire crackers, and ...

Back to School
Apr 26, 2004 (5 photos)

Today was my first class at spanish school. If spanish is a complex NASA orbital space equation, my brain is an old Radio Shack PC from the early 80's with that stupid hourglass symbol on the screen all the time... computing, computing... still computing ...

The art of being stupid (Vol. 1).
Oct 15, 2004

... history. Today I heard this funny story about a 35 year old Norwegian, possibly from the small town of Elverum, currently in Guatemala (just like me). This very morning, the Norwegian guy was in Panajachel down by Lake Atitlan. He ran out the door and ...

Moving on soon...
May 21, 2004 (1 photos)

... In Mexico, his choice of words would have been fine, but thanks to some different interpretations and slang here in Guatemala, the student told everyone he had sex with a pig over the weekend. Next destination(s) - probably Huehuetenango, Todos Santos ...

Back to cold weather
Apr 23, 2004 (6 photos)

... commonly known as Xela(pronounced Shay-la). I will refer to it as Xela since it's easier to type. Xela is the second largest city in Guatemala and is relatively clean, surprisingly safe, and has all the modern conveniences of any large city including ...

A prisoner in my hotel room.
Sep 29, 2006 (1 photos)

... read was my book (Kerouac) and a Cosmo. I really liked the spanish school (for the short time that I was there) and Xela was a really fun city, although quite cold...and apparently it gets worse in the winter. However, one of the things I will NOT ...

Day trip to Pelmar Viejo
May 2, 2004 (10 photos)

... the glass of the back door and distorted in a way that says "this is painful" and "get me the hell out of here". In Guatemala, however, there´s always room for 2 more. There were 4 of us though and we decided to hitch hike. In minutes, we were in a pick ...

flying spew on an antiquated US school bus
Apr 22, 2006 (8 photos)

... guatemalan currency and the national bird... Tenango literally means "place" chilled first arvo; people place Xela between Antigue (heaps of tourists) and Guatemala city (crazy/violent place) Hit up some food-stand snacks on the southern edge of ...

Yet Another Country!
Jul 20, 2006 (10 photos)

... and went in search of a bus the final 13km's to Xela. Total spent: $37. If our first experience of finding local transport in Guatemala is anything to go by then it's going to be a piece of cake. Local buses seem to run constantly all day and the second ...

Xela and surroundings
Jul 3, 2004 (1 photos)

... so close to death than in this ride having to think about a remark i read in a guidebook which states that on Guatemala's road, "many have gotten their last glimpse of Guatemala" riding a chicken bus on those mountainous roads. But alas, I made it ...

Leaving Xela
Aug 5, 2004 (1 photos)

... half a day in school and the other half visiting several community projects the school is involved in. Since 80% of Guatemala's population are Maya, many community project focus on education and artisan development in the maya communities. All of these ...

Taking Spanish lessons
Jun 2, 2007 (10 photos)

I came to Xela because I heard it was cheap and a cool place to learn Spanish.  After shopping around for an hour I decided to go with the cheapest school.  Later I found out that this was actually a good school too.  ...

Blowin out of town again
Jan 10, 2007 (4 photos)

I've decided it's time to keep movin .... on to the next espanol school and a warmer climate.  It is so cold here that we are dropping out of class like flies!  I knew it was going to be cold here in the mountains but I didn't realize it would ...

The first week of school!
Mar 3, 2006 (8 photos)

... schools on the lake so, we plan on taking another 2 weeks to study spanish before traveling ALL around Guatemala. Jenna and I have been having a GREAT time exploring Xela and meeting new people. It is hard to believe we have only been here for 6 days!

SICK OTRA VEZ y Lago de Atitlan
Mar 21, 2006 (10 photos)

... and I am expected to take a 30min. walk to the doctor´s office!? So I started crying (apparently during my trek to Guatemala I am getting really in touch with my feelings!). I guess he felt bad, called to make sure the doctor was there. Another student I ...

Antigua to Xela
Dec 13, 2007 (10 photos)

... that are needed for the party. Here's how.... Make a donation on compassionfruit's Travelpod site. http://travelpod.com/z/compassionfruit/guatemala/1197485700 The donation button is on the opening page on the top right. It will take you to the PayPal ...

Quetzaltenango
Feb 25, 2006

... in a smaller town right outside the city, Villa Nueva, and the drive to get there was insane. First of driving in Guatemala period is insane. There are lanes but people completely ignore them, there is no use of turn signals, and people are crossing the ...

Finally an update!
Oct 6, 2007 (51 photos)

... in one of the most beautiful hotels any of us had ever frequented), and for the first time, travelled outside of Guatemala to Honduras where we toured an expansive Mayan ruin site that had been excavated by some prestigious schools in the states.  ...

Guatemalan Highlands and Xela
Feb 12, 2007

... We all bought some souvenirs although I was very restrained thinking of the weight of my pack. The fabrics here in Guatemala are amazingly beautiful.  The traditional costumes are breathtaking.  Once we left Antigua we began to see more and more ...

Where are we??
Dec 3, 2005

... been in Guatemala for a about 5 days, after spending 3 days in gringofied Antigua we came to Quetzaltenango yesterday. I like Guatemala and the indigenous culture is beautiful and fascinating, but I am glad that I served in Peace Corps Nicaragua. I think ...

Some thoughts as I go to the finca...
Aug 6, 2006

... to make changes in their lives. Part of the learning here at Celas Maya includes talks about various issues here in Guatemala. We have covered aspects of the history, economic, environment, Mayan culture, life after the peace accords of ´96, indigenous ...

An unassuming mountain city
Mar 11, 2007 (4 photos)

... other direction through construction zones...each time, it was very much like the start of an F1 race. As I arrived in the city, Xela was a bit of a ghost town as I understand that many locals head for the Pacific coast on weekends which is only ...