¡Vamonos!

Right now, I'm on the plane on my way to Atlanta from Detroit. From Atlanta, I will be flying (with the 21 others on my team) to Guatemala City. From there, we'll be headed to Antigua, Guatemala-- one of my most favorite cities in the world. We're staying there tonight and then headed to San Marcos (near the western side of the country, in the mountains, just west of Quetzaltenango [another one of my favorite cities] ). In San Marcos, we'll be conducting an eyeglass clinic for the locals, as well as doing some kind of construction. This trip will be my 9th mission trip. I began doing these trips when I was 15 (2002), and have quickly become addicted to them. Over the years, I've traveled to Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mississippi, Latvia, and the Dominican Republic for various types of trips. I get so excited and a bit nervous when I leave for these trips... definitely a good nervous. It's always a gamble, traveling to a third-world country; you never know exactly what to expect upon arrival. Lucky for me, I'm very relaxed when traveling, and I don't mind a wee bit of chaos and disorder-- a trait that has definitely served me well in the past, especially when traveling for these trips. So although I'm on my way to Guatemala (and this will be my 4th trip to the country), I still don't know exactly what to expect. I'm unsure of what the next week has in store for me, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Chaos, confusion? Late starts, early departures? 5-hour bus rides (with no A/C) through the mountains? Lack of plumbing? Lack of water? I love adventures. I've got my Dramamine and my hand sanitizer. Bring it on :)