xela who?

first full day in Xela (by the way, it's pronounced shay-la. like the aussie girl). on the map it's technically quetzaltenengo, but everyone calls it xela, which is actually short for its mayan name, xelaju. got it? the bus ride up here was absolutely gorgeous. winding through the guatemalan highlands, i was so capitvated by the verdant green hills and distant volcanos partly shrouded by clouds that i hardly noticed how precariously close the driver liked to get to the edge of the road. we passed through some small pueblos and roadside stands peddling multicolored bolsas and sombreros, but for the most part it was mile after mile of nothing but green.

it is MUCH more frio in xela than other parts of guatemala. when they call it the highlands, it's true. 2300 meter high, to be exact. like i don't already stick out enough, i was wandering around town last night with a huge pack on my back, a smaller one in front and in shorts and flip-flops when everyone else was bundled up with scarves and gloves. can we say gringo?

xela is nothing like antigua. it's kind of hard to describe, but xela just feels alot more "guatemalan," if you will. i know that doesn't exactly paint the brightest picture for you guys, but i'm trying to find the words and they are just not coming (probably because my brain is dead from 4 straight hours of spanish school) but i think i'm going to really like it here.

last night, as i was eating dinner with my family, i was trying to explain how i really like nachos, especially with guacamole, but i couldnt eat them too often because i would get fat (dont ask me how i got on that topic). the little boy looked at his mom and said "all i understood was nachos and fat." needless to say, i've got my work cut out for me.

photos and more to come!