We arrived at Guatemala City Airport and were taken to a hostel in Antigua – a very beautiful city up in the mountains. We decided not to stay long in Antigua and went to San Pedro La Laguna, a small village at the shores of a beautiful lake surrounded by volcanoes. We found a small hostel called “Kolibri” and got a penthouse apartment for US$ 6 a night (for the both of us) and numerous beds. The view was amazing as well as the family owning the hostel. We signed up for Spanish classes at the San Pedro Spanish school and were taught one-on-one five hours a day in small huts.
We actually wanted to stay for three weeks in order to learn a great deal of Spanish, but after a week hurricane Stan paid Guatemala a visit. We lost all electricity and had not communication with the outside world for days. We thought it was the rainy season and that the 30-40 cm of water in the streets was normal for the season. After several days of heavy rain the small villages in the area went into the lake because of mud slides and many people were buried along with them. It took several days for Julie and I to understand the seriousness of the situation because we didn’t speak the language and a teacher helps us borrow a phone to call hour worried parents back in Denmark. A rumour about the spreading of cholera speeds up the evacuation of all tourists in the area by helicopter. We were hoping to stay, but were evacuated by jeep, police, tourist police etc. We decided to save Guatemala and left the country because it was greatly affected by the hurricane and much of the land was impassable due to the heavy downpour.

Guatemala is very beautiful, corrupt and poor. There are indians with different culture, customs and languages, there's arts and crafts, violence and love, hope and hopelessness. When you travel in Guatemala I believe to be extremly important to show interest to the people. They have been, and still are, very much used by foreign interests and therefore they have little faith in the intentions of visitors/foreigners. Despite mass tourism the people today are still surpresed by a corrupt government more or less controlled by the United States. Show a little interest and see a whole other side of Guatemala than most people do!

Guatemala City
Antigua
San Pedro La Laguna
Any kind of Finca (farm), who won their land legally
Lago Izabal
Lago Atitlan

There are countless opportunities to do volunteer work or to study Spanish in Angigua, Xela or other smaller cities like San Pedro. Do it!