1st day in the highlands- another world

The 4 ½ hour bus ride to Quetzaltenango- known by locals as Xela- was much better than expected, considering that I expected up to a 7 hour ride of inhaling smoke and dust because of all the massive work on the roads.

Along the way, I noticed that I was becoming increasingly tired the higher we rode up into the mountains. By the time we arrived in Xela, I was feeling dizzy and short of breath- rather common symptoms for those not accustomed to the altitude of 7,775 feet.

Xela, the second largest city in Guatemala with a population of 300,000, is the center of the K’iche Mayan people, who make up approximately half of the city’s population.

My first day in Xela was straight to work. There’s no time to waste- setting up workshops, meeting with local organizations and planning benefit parties. It’s going to be a busy next few months.