So, it has been 7 months, over
40,000 miles and an additional 14 country stamps but I’m back. Can’t say this
was a part of the plan but it’s nice to be back in the land of black sand,
tortillas and traje, aka home. The infamous Allie Stote and I hit the ground
here in Guatemala one week ago. And in the days that followed we criss-crossed
this small funny shaped country by Tuc-tuc, Micro, Pullman, and Chicken bus. We
visited Antigua and Operation Groundswell’s amazing partner As Green as it Gets. This coffee
cooperative made up of Guatemalan campesinos and one very loveable, albeit
pessimistic, ex-pat, continues to forge sustainable livelihoods for its members
through creative agricultural practices and a variety of innovative development
programs. We then travelled north to Xela where Quetzaltrekkers keeps
on trucking ready and willing trekkers to the Guatemala’s highest volcanic and
non- volcanic points while supporting some of the country’s most
underprivileged children through the Escuela
de la Calle (EDELAC) and El Hogar. This year, Quetzaltrekkers will help our
crew get on tops of things and in return OGG will be establishing a scholarship
fund for QT’ kids. Before skippin’ town we had to stop in a say “hola” to the
equally amazing Escuela La Paz
where OGG 2012 will be studying Spanish alongside an incredible group of
indigenous women.
1½ hours north
of Xela near the small city of Colomba ex-guerilla fighters have traded their
tools of war for tools of trade, the coffee trade that is. After arranging some
sweet digs with the local coffee farmers and families of Santa Anita La Union,
Allie and I turned back south eventually reaching the warm shores of Lago
Atitlan and the open arms of San Juan la Laguna and Rupalaj Kistalin. This indigenous
Tzitsujil community is increasingly turning its small artisanal and eco-industries
into income generating tourist attractions while maintaining its rich cultural
and linguistic heritage. But despite the temptations of this laid-back lakeside
paradise we journeyed on. First south to Guate then east to Alta Verapaz and
the tiny town of Tzibal. There OGG past and present will collide in a crazy
construction project called La Cancha (The “Court”). This innovative community
centre and basketball/soccer court features a water catching roof, composting
toilettes, and organic garden (complete with 20lb radishes!). But after
meetings with the COCODE (Development council), on-site coordinator, community
teachers, and a night’s rest in a lawn chair we retraced our steps to Guate and
the cozy casita of friends Luchy & Fam. And here we waited for OGG 2012 to
begin…
