Here & Back Again

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…