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Why on earth are you going to Guatemala?-Pre-trip
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I first thought of going to study Spanish in an immersion school when I graduated from college. As with most of my "outlandish" ideas, I can trace the inspiration back to my brother, Tim. Tim backpacked through Europe after he graduated from college, about 5 years before. Then I heard about his travels through Nicaragua as a law student. Even though the civil unrest of the time cancelled the formal law program he was to attend, Tim went to the county anyway. Though he seems to be a fairly conservative family man now, he was the most adventurous of us and I always wanted to be a bit more like Tim.
However, at the time I graduated, I was too eager to get into the "real world" and too intimidated by the cost to really make a go of it. So, I shelved the idea then, and the subsequent idea to join the Peace Corps when I graduated from an MA program 5 years later. But, the idea of travel never totally left my mind.
About 2 years ago, I started looking into immersion schools in Central America. This renewed interest corresponded with my year as a high school teacher. Suddenly, the idea of taking a month to go overseas seemed like a viable option once I knew that I'd have 2 months of well-deserved summer vacation. I had spent my first summer off resting up from taking the plunge into teaching part-time while keeping a part-time corporate job. I knew that the next summer, I would be better able to take advantage of my time off.
Initially, I settled on Costa Rica as a destination. My internet research indicated that it was much safer than other Central American countries that hosted language schools--the State Department's travel advisories hinted that kidnapping, robbery, and rape would be significant risks in any other Central American country. However, I also found that Costa Rica's comfortable, safe-sounding schools came at a higher price. So, with the support of my husband, I started saving money with the understanding that I would try to go to Costa Rica this summer. However, at the New Year, it seemed that Costa Rica would still be out of reach.
At about that time, I ran across a weblog of someone who had studied in Guatemala. Though I have no idea how to find that blog again, I did have a new thought to ponder--maybe Guatemala would be a good place to go after all. Unlike the accounts on the State Department's site, this blog seemed to paint Guatemala as a both safe and economical. The language schools offered one on one teaching, as opposed to Costa Rica's group classes, at a much cheaper rate than in other countries. The rates also included homestays with local families. When I looked into the idea further, I found many more accounts of happy travelers to Guatemala. Places like Thorn Tree and Xelapages provided pages of forums to read about language schools and travel ideas. Most of the regulars on these forums seemed like reasonable people, too. Yes, there were reports of robbery from time to time, but when put into perspective, the crime issue seemed to pose no more of a threat than I had faced in my travels to and living in major American cities. With this new perspective, suddenly, Guatemala seemed like a viable option.
Once I looked around a bit and talked to my husband Eric, we decided that I would be able to afford Guatemala if I used our tax refund. In March, I bought my ticket--I leave on July 14 and return on August 11. Once I was committed, I had to figure out where I was going and what school I would attend when I got there.
Then, I began obsessively investigating on the Internet. I regularly read the Thorn Tree and Xelapages forums. Later, I discovered Bootsnall's forums, and between the three, I've learned quite a bit about traveling in general and Guatemala in particular. Most of the frequent travelers to Guatemala advise against reserving at all because most schools charge a reservation fee, but won't charge you if you sign up in person. But, I decided that I wanted to have the extra security of knowing I had a place to go. Eventually, I settled on reserving for a week's classes in Quetzaltenango (Xela) at Celas Maya, based on the recommendations and reports that I found online. Because I have kept the rest of my itinerary open, I have continued following the forums and getting even more ideas.
As I mentioned before, one of my primary sources of information has been accounts from other travelers. I have been amazed at the number of blogs out there and have read several--some good and some, well, not quite my style of writing. A couple of blogs that I've run across deserve special mention. First is Simon Gandolfi's blog. While Simon didn't spend a whole lot of time in Guatemala per se, I've enjoyed reading about his motorcycle trip from the US to South America. He's a hoot. I also enjoyed Frank and Kay's 5 month trip around Central America. Their packing list has been particularly helpful to me. Though those two are ones I distinctly remember, there are literally dozens that I have read, in total or in part. All of them have made me more eager to go on my first big trip.
So, that's the rather roundabout beginning to this travelblog. As I get closer to my July 14 departure, I'm starting to pull together my stuff and realizing that I've been slacking on the Spanish since my first semester of conversational Spanish ended in early May. Time to revisit my notes and make sure that I can get from the airport to my school using as little "caveman speak" as possible!
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