One of the first things you realize traveling is that some well intentioned recommendations are simply ludicrous. Many of these revolve around food. Don't eat peeled fruit or cut vegetables, always drink with a straw and don't even think of partaking of the food from street vendors. If you succeed in this manner, congratulations, you've managed to travel without leaving home. People have actually suggested I bring a spray bottle of bleach to disinfect every meal. Probably the

Arriving in Xela, we settle in for a couple weeks of Spanish classes. The non-profit school provides one on one instruction for 5 hours per day. Living with a local Guatemalan family is also a large part of the education as mine didn't speak a drop of English. This definitely creates an inspiring atmosphere as you stumble through dinner using more charades than vocabulary. Before fully appreciating the new sedentary lifestyle we head off to the capital to replace our pathetic

Volunteer opportunities abound in Xela, a product of the large influx of language school students. Projects range from medical and nutrition to farming and reforestation. We visited Chico Mendez, an ambitious reforestation program that planted 10,000 trees last year. Created and operated by Armando, a native Guatemalan, the grassroots campaign is driven by a handful of dedicated volunteers and a shoestring budget. Fueled by a simple concern for the environment, their attitude

It is an odd quirk of traveling but conversing in a foreign language allows touchy subjects to become more approachable. Either the culture is just more open or they figure your ten words of Spanish provide the perfect backdrop for spilling their guts. Regardless, tales of mistresses, war and shattered childhoods have all been spilled on me through painfully slow conversations. Possessing a very limited vocabulary somehow forces a very blunt honesty. Simply because you can't

The boarder between Guatemala and Mexico marks drastic changes both in the geography and the people. Lush, rugged mountains rise up quickly as if God himself paid credence to the future political boundaries. Much of the terrain is too steep for walking let alone farming. Though where the land is accessible, carrot, beats, bananas, corn and some of the world’s best coffee can be found. Oddly most the locals can't afford to drink their own harvest opting instead for the cheaper

In between spoonfuls of spinach soup and the ever present maize I inquire about the local school system. While the government calls it 'free', after one factors in uniforms, books, supplies, etc. the cost is out of reach for many Guatemaltecos. This could account for the 37% rate of illiteracy. Through deeper probing I discover Mariah could attend a private school for about the price of one lift ticket per month. Obviously a very good student, it is painful to contemplate the