Rocking that *International* Paradise

It’s the first weekend of our spring break, and Annette dreamed up the idea of a day trip to Volcan Ipala, an extinct volcano with a lake in the crater.  With very little planning, five of us were on our way Sunday morning.   Internet research told us to expect an easy, well-marked hike from the parking lot to the crater at the top of the volcano.  The hike was predicted to take 1-2 hours, and at the top there were camping areas and green space to relax.  The internet also said the temperature is warm all year round, but the crater and lake stay breezy and cooler.  We still decided to pack bathing suits in the hopes of a swim.  Annette’s friend who recently went to Ipala told her that it was possible to drive all the way to the top and skip hiking altogether.  We opted for this plan since Carrie is still not really supposed to be walking much or climbing things at the moment per doctor’s orders.  The drive was easy and straightforward...

Last week was definitely one of “those weeks.” I feel like I tried to take on everything. And, I sort of accomplished it…but some days it didn’t quite seem worth the effort (and some days it did). Last week, I: -Organized and ran3 days of bake sales and pizza sales to raise money for a young girls’ orphanage in Guatemala with a group of amazing 7th grade girls. We raised a whopping Q2975 (about $400) so that was definitely worth it. -Supervised 8 hours of DI practices after school as our team got ready for the National competition, which was on Saturday. -Hosted a dinner party at my house, went out to eat, attended book club, picked up my race packet for the City 10K Night Run, went to the movies, and spent one night baking for those bake sales I mentioned. (You do the math…I was busy). -Ran a total of 10 miles over the course of 3 days in order to prepare for aforementioned race. -Visited a Children’s Hospital with a few other teachers. -Submitted my application to grad...

Last week while I was grocery shopping, I noted with glee that the plantains on sale were green.  This weekend, a few were still green, and I bought them. These looked greener in the store.  They were a tiny bit too ripe, actually.   What’s the big deal with green plantains?  Plantains are a staple of Guatemalan cuisine.  However, here they sell and eat them exclusively ripe.  I have seen nothing but bright yellow/black plantains in stores and at markets since I moved here.  Ripe (yellow) plantains are great for making sweet fried plantains, which are very popular here.  But to make my Puerto Rican favorites—namely mofongo and tostones—one needs green, unripe plantains.  They need to be starchy (almost like a potato) rather than sweet.  So, back to this past weekend.  A plan formed in my head, and along with the plantains, I picked up red beans and mentally verified that at home I had Sazon, Sofrito, garlic, tomat...

If you read this blog at all, you know I tend to put a positive spin on just about everything in my life.  Getting lost is an adventure.  A punctured gas filter is a chance to get to know a part of Guatemala I would normally never have stopped in.  A stormy day makes it that much easier to enjoy the company of those around you.  It’s strange, then, that I have been having such a hard time finding the positive side to my hike up Volcan Santa Maria last weekend.  It was a pretty epic plan that Amy and I had.  After school on Thursday, we hopped on a bus bound for Xela, arriving there at around 8pm.  After a meal, we were to meet at the Quetzaltrekkers office by 10:00pm.  The plan was to start hiking the volcano at around midnight, under the luminous glow of the full moon.  We would summit shortly before sunrise and make a temporary camp at the top of the volcano to await an awe-inspiring view as the sun poked out, turning the sky into...