New Year's celebrations are defined by the abundance of fireworks lighting up the entire town. Fireworks are available at the market during this season, and when the time comes, people all over town eagerly set them off! This is quite different from New York, so you can imagine my surprise at seeing market stores selling them so freely! I decided to indulge and bought some small fireworks to set off with my friend's family. They were the experts, knowing precisely how each one would light up. We spent a few hours setting them off. It made me feel like a kid again!
I picked up an amazing book about the Guatemalan Civil War and how it affected Indigenous communities. What makes it so special is that it's told from the perspective of someone who lived through it--and I actually got to meet him! The author, Ronald Roduel Perez Garcia, is the host dad of a friend who's also volunteering. She invited me over to her host family's place to check out her site, and she introduced me to Ronald. After chatting and asking for book suggestions, he gave me one of his books and even signed it!
This week was filled with hiking adventures! I visited a friend at her site (the town where she volunteers), where she guided me along a trail that led to a stunning waterfall. As we walked, we enjoyed the refreshing air and were treated to some amazing views of volcanoes and spotted sweet potatoes growing.
