Salida

So after 3 months, the first part of my trip has ended... I left Guatemala this morning and flew to Panama. It was really hard to say goodbye to some really cool people and a country that I grew to love wondering if I will ever see either again. And tomorrow morning I will land in Peru and start from scratch again in South America.

New years and my last 10 days in San Pedro were really awesome but I dont really have any new experiences or stories to share with you so instead on the plane this morning I compiled two short lists of things I learned during my 3 months in Guatemala for your reading pleasure. A lot of these things may seem obvious on first glance. I am not sure if that is because I was really dumb when I got here or if I found a much deeper appreciation for some of these things through new experiences.

Things I Learned in Guatemala (in no particular order)-

You can live with just 4 shirts, some boxers, socks and pants for a very long time.
Toilet seats are optional... let's just sit on the rim.
There are a lot of really cool people all over the world;
There are a lot of really annoying people all over the world.
Some of the most interesting people are the ones that know a ton of stuff about things you know nothing about.
A cheap hotel can cost less than 2 dollars a night... all you need is a bed (and having a sheet on it is helpful).
School buses can fit over 90 people safely and minivans can fit over 20.
The internet isnt everywhere yet; many people have no idea what it is.
Some people are very, very poor.
Alcohol is a really big problem in some places.
Not all of Latin America has better soccer than the USA.
Hammocks are highly underrated.
There is no set time for getting up or going to sleep. But waking up near when the sun rises dramatically changes the length of the day.
Strangers are only 5 minutes from being friends and a couple days or a shared life experience from being good friends.
Some people worker a lot hard than I do, are a lot smarter than I am and much more openminded..
The USA is not the only place to live in the world, but living in the USA is damn comfortable.
Having a relaxed meal with your closest friends or family is a gift.
Corruption is a terrible thing and a scourge to the development of countries in the world.
Trash and other pollution is horrible in some places.
Being polite and patient can go a long way.
Most strangers are more than willing to help.
Taking a year off before you go to college to do volunteer work or travel may be a very good idea; taking a year off to travel or do volunteer
work anytime is a luxury that everyone should consider pursuing if they have the means.
I can be very happy not working.
There are a lot of places in the world that it does not take a lot of money to be comfortable for a long time. (thank god for the US$)
It does not take a lot of material posessions to be happy.
Having enough money for food, home, health and travel is a beautiful thing.
Being hastled by the police for the color of your skin is really upsetting.
Some little kids can actually be pretty cute and damn funny.
Race, sex and class differences are prevalent in other countries also and in really dispicable ways.
There are many countries in the world offering fascinating experiences that you may have never heard of or imagined.
You are probably not as openminded as you think you are.

What I Learned Reading in Guatemala -

From Shogun I learned about Japanese (and some European) culture and the colonial ambitions of Spain, Portugal and Northern Europe in the Far East in the 17th Century.
From the Atlantis Blueprint, I learned there is a lot the world does not yet know about its ancient history, the development of modern civilization and the forces of the universe on our planet. And Antartica may have been inhabited in the distant past.
The Unbearable Likeness of Being taught me that some people have some more serious relationship issues than me and that I can appreciate really good fiction.
The Watchers taught me that good writing cant hide a miserable plot and that I am not creative enough for some fiction.
Enders Game confirmed that I dont like science fiction.
In the Heart of the Sea taught me about whaling in the 17th and 18th Centuries and the interminable will of man.
The Elegant Universe confirmed that I am not very smart and that there will always be somethings in the world that I cannot understand. Physicist are amazing and so is the universe and its origens.
The Sun Also Rises reminded me of fun times in Spain last summer and taught me that I wont like all the classics.
And right now, The Source is teaching me about the Middle East, Judaism, Christianity and Islam from 9000 BC to 1974.
And Atlas Shrugged, is waiting in my bag to reacquaint me with conservative philosophies in the face of all the liberal influences I have been around the last 3 months. Recommendations are encouraged.

Thats it. Next time news from Peru.