For those of you who don't know, I am going to Xela, Guatemala for a month to volunteer at the El Nahual Language School with the afternoon's children's program called "Manos de Colores". I have very little details about what I will actually be doing, but I am sure I can give much more detail on that within 48 hours. I leave tomorrow at 4:57 am, so my trip begins with a shuttle to the airport at 1:30 am. I will get into Guatemala City at 9:30 am their time and have a four hour bus ride to Xela. For those of you are aware of my sleep compulsiveness, feel free to hold a personal moment of silence for the death of my sanity.

I titled the blog what I did because I figure I will be saying it a lot once I get to Guatemala. I don't really know any Spanish which of course gives me a bit of anxiety. I've travelled by myself quite a bit but never to an area that wasn't proficient in French or English for more than a few days. However, I am excited to learn. I will be living with a host family and eating with them three times a day, so I think there will be plenty of opportunity to practice some Spanish. I also, of course, have a dictionary just in case my pantomimes and Franish both fail me.

I am really excited to go. Since leaving my solo expedition to southern France, Morocco, and Italy almost exactly a year ago, I have been yearning to get abroad again. I also knew I didn't just want to vacation; I want to be able to interact with the people and the culture of a region a lot different from my own. So here I am, happily satiating myself for a little while, even if the road gets to be a little rough.

Talk to you again from Xela!