Take 2

I spent October through March in Wenatchee living with my sister, taking a Spanish class, and participating in the Gold´s Gym Challenge. I often questioned how I was spending my hard earned time off. It seemed like such a privilege to not have to work that I felt I should be doing something really ´worthwhile´ with the time. Yet I didn´t. Then I beat myself up because I didn´t. Then I thought about the recent post of my friend href="http://gringaenguatemala.blogspot.com", Anna describing how there is no judgement in Mexico as to how you choose to spend your day. It´s such an American value to always be doing something, accomplishing something and I realized that maybe I need to not be so judgemental of myself.

I did get to spend more time with my sister and most of the rest of my family than I have in the past 20 years and that was nice, that was a privilege of having that time off. I was also given the opportunity to get back in shape albeit in a kind of over-the-top-obsessive-type-of-way with the challenge. I can be a little competitive...ok...maybe a lot sometimes. The challenge gave me something to focus on, gave me some structure that I longed for. And through the course of it, I realized once again how important movement is to my life...it is part of who I am and I wondered how I could let something that is such an essential part of who I am just disappear. I never replaced dancing with anything when I quit. We had to write an essay as part of the challenge: ´What did you learn about yourself during this process? and How will you continue?´ and these were ideas I included in that essay.

And now I am back in Guate. Take 2. I flew in last night and caught a bus with Anna to Coban this morning. Here we are sitting in an internet cafe and catching up on email before we head to Semuc Champey tomorrow. Anna has been traveling for the past 6 months. We met on my first day in Guatemala the last time I was here and have kept in contact since. She was going to go home earlier, but extended her ticket once I decided to come. I am thankful for that. Thankful for a travel companion as I was very lonely here last time.

More to come...