Travel Extremes

On the final leg of this year's travels, I have seen every extreme of the travel spectrum. From two beautiful boat rides leaving Guatemala for Belize, to a 'puddle jumper' north traveling up Belize overlooking the clear waters of the baby neighbor of Guatemala, the sweet has been just that. But I have also tasted my fair share of the sour. Finishing off the Belizean journey by bus, I was the only passenger forced to stay on foot although I paid full share. That same bus delayed two hours at both the Belizean and Mexican borders, enough so to deny me the opportunity to catch my connection bus to Cancun. From a border town I blog, waiting 10 hours or so until I can take an overnight bus up to meet my parents and sister on Saturday in Cancun. That's just life down here. I'd say the highlight was standing in line at one immigration office, waiting a solid 45 minutes while one customs agent processed our passports. When it seemed the lunch break of his co-workers ended, three other agents returned to their posts and we silently rejoiced thinking the process would be greatly expedited. And it would have been had the woman at the desk not have stared at us, put up a hand to say 'where to you think you're going?' and proceeded to do her make-up and read her magazine. I get that your break might not have ended... but is it necessary to taunt us? Really? I think not.

A week from tomorrow - hopefully after a long resting vacation with the family - I will be back in the States. Regarding posts of late, I have since accepted the job with Ak'Tenamit to oversee the opening of the new education center in Cancuen, Guatemala. The challenge will be great, long (two years,) but made easier by the three month break they have given me. So homeward bound. Three months in the States, most certainly traveling madly from city-to-city trying to see all the family I can. Preliminary itinerary is as follows: stops in Boston, New York, Chicago, Burlington, possibly DC and Atlanta. If you are in one of these cities, please let me know because after this trip home, it'll probably be another two years before opportunity rises again for us to see each other - unless of course you decide you're ready for a break and pop down to Guatemala.

I hope each of you is safe, healthy and well.]

To a better world,
Jesse