Weekend in Antigua
I was sick most of the week with the flu so spent 2 days in bed. The rest of the week was really quiet. On Friday night, I got an invitation for the opening of a new Black Cat in Antigua on Saturday. And I didn't know!! So time to reorganize my schedule and on Saturday after work at 2pm i jumped in a bus to Antigua. The new place is named The Black Cat Inn and is a beautiful place! There are only private rooms with private bathroom and TV. But the must is the terasse on the roof where you can have a drink while looking at the city. The opening night was a success, lots of people showed up and it didn't rain! The Black Cat has a new kid!
I was back yesterday afternoon at Xela to work. But today I have a day off so i can relax :o)
[updated September 22nd]
Study, work and projects
I haven't writen anything for a long time but I had been really busy the last 10 days. On the 15th September it was the Independance Day and we got really busy at the hostel. We were fully booked on Friday and Saturday night, which was the first time in 6 months. And on Friday night came a big group for diner so we were runing all night. So it was really good but we got robbed! 1600 Quetzales (about 160 euros).
This week has been crazy for me. I studied a 4 day course on how to be a good manager and development of your company. It was a really good course but really intense (8 hours a day) plus a lot of homework and workshops after classe. And I had to work too at the hostel!But I learnt a lot and it gave me new ideas for my private and professional life.
Talking about my projects, I'm flying out of Mexico on January 3rd, 2008 to Peru. And then will travel down to Argentina where I'm going to meet a friend. Then I'm not sur yet what I'm going to do. On Monday I'm going to Guatemala city to visit my boss and talk to her about her plans for the Black Cat. I know they want to open 2 new hostel, on in Lago Atitlan and one in Guatemala city. If they plan it to open by March 2008, then i can come back after my travel and help them to open their new hostel.
Roisin, my friend from Ireland left on the 12th of September. Here are some pictures of her leaving party.
[updated September 10th]
Election in Guatemala
Yesterday was the first round of the Presidential election. From Saturday 12 pm to this morning we couldn't sell alcohol in public places. It's the first time i see a alcohol ban for the election! but well when you know the Guatemalan and see how people drink here... they wanted people to come sober to vote...
Came in first place Alvaro Colom of the UNE party with 28.33% of the vote, then Otto Perez Molina of the Partido Patriota with 23.78% of the vote. They are going for the 2nd round on November 4th. Only 52.92% of the population voted, which is quite low i think but I'm not surprised.
I have finaly decided that it's time for me to leave Guatemala and see a bit more of the world! I'm planing a trip to Peru, Bolivia and Argentina in January. An Argentinian friend who is living in Dublin is going home for 2 months in December and January. So it's the opportunity for me to go there! I have now 3 months so save as much money as I can...
[updated September 4th]
Bad Luck
For the last 9 months I have been living in Xela and never got any problem with violence. On Friday night, I left work at 10:00 pm and head home to get changed before going out with friends. Two blocks from my house, a young teenagers of 12 or 13 years old stoped me to ask for a quetzale. I told him i didn't have any money but then he took a knife from his jaket and asked me for my money and my phone! My street is always busy even at night but suddenly there was nobody! Luckily, some people apeared walking toward us and the kid left. I went home shaking and telling myself i got really lucky this time! Because I had my computer, and money from the hostel.
Then later we went out to a discotheque to dance with friends. I had my beautiful traditional jaket i bought for my birthday. At 2 am when we were heading home, i couldn't found it! after looking around i had to accept that some onestole it! But the worst is that I had my glasses in my pocket! So now I have been without glasses for 4 days but will have a new one tomorrow. I haven't been planing to spend money buying new glasses but it could had been worst... Just all in one night!
I put some pictures of the trips I did in Lago Atitlan and the North of Guatemala in January to visit indigene communities. |
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