January 16, 2012
What a crazy week! It’s Monday, and I’m in Guatemala, which is still kind of surreal. Some things are different; others are not. The weather is amazing! It is a warm, spring day. Every day. I survived my first flight, which was good. It was incredible looking out the window and seeing the clouds create a seascape, and seeing Cuba!

Once in Guatemala City, a bus from CASAS (Central America Study and Service) came to pick us up. Our group will have language classes there for the next 8 weeks. Some new sights along the way: police with rifles, barbed wire on top of every fence, plants and flowers growing on the barbed wire, and crazy driving where no one wears seat belts.

The people are very welcoming. My host dad played music in English in the car for me and my host mom, brother and I watched The Hangover Part 2 with Spanish subtitles.  Oh, yes. It feels like spring!

-Mary Sodano