Flores is where my heart longs to be

This past weekend, 4 volunteers and I made the 2 hour chicken bus trip to Flores, Guatemala. Brynne, Dave, Sean and Betsy dove into Guatemala and rocked the karaoke bar, put the "happy" in happy hour, bartered down the prices of dozens of pairs of earrings and entertained the fish in the lake.

Due to "volunteer's day," we got a half day on Thursday and Friday off. By 10am, we were in a taxi to the border of Guate where we could take a 12 passenger non-stop van for Flores for 30 Quetzales. (exchange rate is about 1USD: 7.5Quetzales) The funny thing about a non-stop van is that it stops for every person who needs a ride along the way. At one point, I counted 20 people in our 12 passenger van. I've heard horror stories where there wasn't enough room in the van, so a paying passanger had to hold onto the outside ladder for about 45 minutes. Side note: we also stopped when our van got a flat tire.

It was a relaxing weekend filled with sleep, books and good company. On the way back, we stopped in Melchor, Guatemala to visit one of our students who has been in and our of the hospital for the past week. Luisfredy Contreras was in a motorcycle accident (Motorcycle is the main mode of transportation in Guatemala, especially Melchor)last year and has been in a brace and on crutches since. Last week, his leg got infected (I don't know the medical terminology) and he pretty much went into shock. As he was rushed off campus and into surgery, the whole school stopped to pray a Rosary for him. He's now at home, but not doing so well. He'll get more test results this week. Please keep him in your prayers. We were so fortunate to go to his home and visit with him. As we ate a 5 course meal that his mom whipped up for us, he told us about how lonely and scared he had been while at home all alone and how Christ is really the only one getting him through this time. He is such an inspiration to me and the rest of the volunteers. Please, please pray for Luisfredy.

We're now back in Benque gearing up for our last week of teaching. Next week will be review week, and the following is exam week. Where has the time gone? Oh that's right, into grading over 3,000 assignments, quizzes and tests, planning, and teaching. That's not an exaggeration.

Here are a few photos from the weekend:


Betsy, Luisfredy and Brynne at his house.


Brynne, Sean and me in a tuktuk (Guatemalen taxi) on our way back to Melchor.


Dave and I drinking mojitos and watching the sunset.


The group at dinner, minus Betsy who was taking the picture.


Dave, Betsy and Sean jumping of the pier into the lake that surrounds Flores.