A Rough Beginning

I’ve been in Guatemala for just over a week now, and to be honest, it wasn’t the smoothest of beginnings. Thankfully, I am now much more settled in, but if you are interested in learning more about my discombobulation upon arrival, and what on earth I’ve been doing here, read on, dear reader. Read on.

I arrived in Antigua after a challenging flight (I actually quite dislike flying) and was greeted at the hostel by my new friend, Liv. We are both volunteering here in exchange for a free bed (and free breakfast!). Yayyyyy! Beans, eggs, bread and coffee. Yum-o.

Why am I volunteering, you ask? Generally, when one volunteers at a hostel, you get to stay for free. That’s a $9/night savings for me (more to come on my travel finances in the future). Also, for those of you who know me, I’m kind of a workhorse, so I was looking for some kind of structure and responsibility on this trip. I know – I sound so grown up, right? (I can actually hear my father’s disbelief across a few national borders…)

The responsibilities are pretty easy. A volunteer needs to be available for check ins from 5-10pm M-F, and 3-10pm on the weekends, and supposedly, as well as a morning shift from 7:30-10:30 (to be honest, that shift is not really being covered. Yup, we’re slackers). We keep the place somewhat tidy, well lit, and when there aren’t guests around, we watch far too much Netflix (I’ve been binge watching Breaking Bad and Suits during my evening shifts, in case you’re wondering).

As volunteers, we have access to the kitchen facilities in addition to the free breakfast (!), and Liv is a fabulous cook. She has hosted many a “family dinner” so far, and I have certainly reaped the benefits (apologies for the blurry photo. These are my new Dutch friends – from Didam! and Arnhem!).

This all sounds pretty good, right? So, why was I feeling so discombobulated? To be fair, being discombobulated upon arrival in a new place is generally a good thing, so I sat with it for awhile. And sat with it. And sat with it. But the feeling stayed with me for close to a week, so I sat down and thought about the points below.

Was it –

The hostel responsibilities? Meh. Pretty laid back and chill. I don’t love it here, but it’s not too bad. My only complaint is that it doesn’t allow for many free evenings, even with two volunteers.
The lack of sleep? Maybe. Hostel life usually allows around 5 hours of sleep each night, and I’m a solid 8-10 hour/night girl (I know. I’m really just Rose Nylund in a 32 year old’s body). Therefore, I’m usually pretty cranky and hankering for an iced coffee by noon. Thankfully, there’s a plethora of coffee available here in Antigua.
Money? Somewhat. Although I’m getting some free essentials, it’s a bit pricier than I anticipated. Not ideal, but not terrible either.
My non-existent language skills? Likely. Not knowing more than two words of Spanish was quite disconcerting at first. Liv hooked me up with her Spanish speaking (only!) tutor, and I did about 12 hours of private lessons last week. Thank goodness for that mini bootcamp. Now I can go into stores without feeling like a total idiot. Whoohoo!
The coldish weather? Most definitely. I had prepared for sunny days and colder nights in Antigua, but I wasn’t prepared to be wearing every piece of warm clothing I had packed those first few days. Days are warm, but nights are cold, and I’m longing for some HEAT.

With that said, I had initially meant to stay in Antigua for four weeks, but after reviewing the points above, I have decided to volunteer for just two weeks instead. At first, I felt guilty about leaving, but now I feel great about it. I’ve got plans to head to the beach and then onwards to Lake Atitlán, and then, who knows.

I’ve got me some itchy feet, and I’m ready to scratch ’em. Scratch with me, will you?

[Check out my little pod in my six bed dorm room. Cozy. It’s almost like sleeping in Blue (my Chevy van). With five other people.]