Leaving Antigua

Ending my stay in Antigua was momentous for me. The first few days I had been so tense. For the first three or four mornings, I would wake up with a tension in my gut, my anxiety creeping in the face of an alien environment. But soon enough I settled into the adventuring mood and went with it. Leaving Antigua was a subtley triumphant and liberating feeling. It was the first chapter of my trip, and I left feeling satisfied with the time I spent there, despite my lack of excitement for the town itself.

Two things stand out for me from my stay in Antigua. One is Antonio who I've already written about at some length, and look forward to seeing again on my way back to Guatemala City before I leave. The other is the Black Cat hostel. The description I've given of it so far was short in shallow. In truth, I'm grateful for the opportunity it gave me to interact with so many other young, international travelers. Of the gringos staying at the Black Cat, few were American. By far, most of them came from Israel and Australia, as well as a few from Canada, Germany and France. Apparently, it's common for young Israelis to travel for several months, or even a couple years, after their requisite time in the military.

The backpackers in Antigua, and throughout he country in general, share a common spirit of "we're all in this together." They're quick to start conversations with the closest fellow traveler, sharing travel stories and tips. It's new for me to be thrown in special circumstances like this where the openess to new friendships is so heightened. I spent a few days with a French-Canadian girl named Marie with whom I traipsed around town, and for whom I made a lame attempt to console after she sprained a few days before she was going to sky dive (fortunately, i later recieved word she was well enough to jump).