Homeward Bound

     Amidst our travel back to Guatemala City, we made a couple stops. Below are some pictures from our adventures.

Mayan ceremony being performed during our visit to the ruins

From our stop at the Mayan Ruins...

Though this is a very blurry picture, it accurately portrays our trek through a mud slide (you can see the rushing river of mud out the bus window) on our way to Guatemala City.  

   
     And a final anecdote as told by La Profesora (Mary Grant). As we departed from Hotel Chalet Suizo, we had two vehicles provided for us, a 15-passenger van and a pick-up truck for the luggage. Mary rode with Amadeo in the pick-up. As she entered the pick-up, Amadeo (Piloto de la Paroquia de San Lucas) said "Me permite" and then put his arm across Mary's lap and safely tied her in with a make shift seat belt with a 2 foot piece of rope. She asked Amadeo what had happened. He explained that the buckles were stolen while the truck being re-painted. The owner of the "taller" (repair shop) claimed that the truck had no seat belt buckles when it was left for the paint job! This is a perfect picture of the culture we have been a part of for the last three weeks. We have developed an awareness of the poverty even amidst the beauty of this country and the humble people we have met. The people here are faced with hardships that many of us couldn't imagine, but they retain a passion and a drive for life that has left a significant impact on us.
     So as we sit here in the airport, we are reminded of all that we have learned and how thankful we are to be headed home!