From now on

It has been 7 weeks now since I've been back from Guatemala. But despite the uncommon character of this trip, I haven't felt different or changed at my return like I thought I would. One big reason for this must have been the intense situation that I was going through here with my personal life and this must have take over my recent experience of doing volunteer work in this third world country. In fact, it was so intense that it has even tinted my entire trip while I was there.

So when André, one of my trip companion, called to invite me to a post-trip gathering in Québec city, I hesitated and said that I would call him back. First, to go there I would have to make a three hour drive and that just for a lunch! I also knew that the organism that brought us there organize every year in Spring an official reunion for all the members who I've done the trip so why go there now if we will see each other again in 7 months.

There was also the fact that 90% of my trip companions were over 55 and retired. And even if I had a lot of fun with them and have created great friendships during the trip, I wondered if it was more due to the fact that we were all in a completely different environment and if the North American reality would transform these special bonds in simple respectful relationships.

But nevertheless, I had an inexplicable feeling inside that was pushing me to go. Maybe it came from the great response I have received after posting my first photo albums by almost everyone of them. So I called back my 71 years old friend André and told him that I would be there.

I woke up early yesterday morning knowing that the road would be difficult with the snow storm hitting Québec during the last 12 hours. I left at 7:00 to be sure to be there on time. After a few miles rolling at 30 km/h max. on an icy and dangerous highway, I told myself that it was completely stupid to go on and the wise thing to do would be to turn around and get back home. But I kept on rolling. 2 hours later with only the third of the road done, a big van pass me in the left lane creating a huge cloud of blowing snow. I lost complete visibility instantly and had no choice but to release the gas pedal and hope to stay in my line and that the cars following me would do the same. After the second identical experience I really thought that I should turn around. But I had already made 1/3 of the road and it could have been as much dangerous to drive back. The only encouraging point was that I was going to sleep at my sister's house 15 minutes away from where the meeting was taking place so I didn't have to drive all the way back on the same day.

After 5 ½ hours of hell, I finally safely parked my car in front of the restaurant where the reunion was held. Being the only guest not living in the Quebec city region, I was of course the last to arrive. But when I entered the dinning room and heard everyone's reaction when they saw me, I understood why I have made all this horrible road. One after another got up to give me a warm and sincere embrace and I realized that I have missed everyone of them as sincerely. We all talked during lunch about each others lives, how the return home went, what was their next projects, etc. and a the end of the meal, André the one who has organized the reunion, got up and said: “the reason why I've organized this reunion was to find a way to come back to Canada because my body is here but my head is still there and I thought that if we all talked about our experience, we could all come back home entirely. So without any particular order, everyone began to speak about how they felt while they were there, what has stroke them the most, What they feel they have accomplished and how they are feeling now.


I was surprised to hear the long improvised speeches from each one. Even the shiest people had a long story to tell and while I was waiting to speak, I realized that I have buried many emotions inside since my return. And like every one of them I still had a part of my mind left in Guatemala. And the 20 persons in the room were more than trip buddies, we have lived through a very special human experience together and yes, I realized it at this moment, we all have changed a little after it. A few of them explained how they have start to cry just by looking at my photo albums that I have sent them by email. 4 of them have contributed to buy me a bottle of Porto just to thank me! François one of the man with whom I have spent a lot of time with in Guatemala present me to his wife by saying this is Louis the exceptional man I talked you about. She told me that he always talks about me.

And I could start to tell you(and maybe I will in future posts) how it was wonderful to see Andre reach the Pacaya summit at his age, how François who had all kinds of diseases has managed to go to work each day, how Herman a 70 years old man father of 16 children felt through the ceiling of a convent and broke his pelvis while doing volunteer work for a third world country and after having spent a month at the hospital he was there at the meeting and still smiling!!

I don't know if it's that kind of trip who creates such nice people or it's nice people who do that kind of trips but I can tell that the group I went with were very special and even if I must sound less credible, I think we were a special group among all the groups who go to Guatemala with this organization because we are the only one who has organized this kind of intimate debriefing meeting after. and André even had the courtesy to invite the Guatemalan who gave us our pre-departure orientation. It was amazing to see him speak after we all did our speeches. Even if he has not made the trip with us, he had tears in his eyes just by hearing our stories.

I didn't thought I would put a link to my second photo album on the OC because it's only composed of photos of the people who has travelled with me but after this meeting, I have changed my mind. So if you want to take a look at all those wonderful persons who have shared this great experience with me you can by clicking here.

Oh and BTW, I'm back!

Hi everyone,

A quick update from Guatemala. I'm back at the main “casa” for the weekend after a week in Antigua where I learned Spanish with a personal teacher for 5 days. I was living in a Guatemalan family: A woman living with her mother and I ate there and sleep there everyday of that week.

But I have to admit that it was a tough week due to the food that was very different from what I'm used to eat and also because I was living in Spanish 24/24 and having to respect and understand other CUSTOMS. I'll talk about it more in my future posts when I'll be back home.

Yesterday we had an amazing day because we went climbing an active volcano call Pacaya. It has been one of the best experience I have done so far in my life! Being able to play with flowing extremely hot lava was wonderful. I suggest to everyone to do it one time in your life.

Tomorrow I will leave for an agricultural co-op. I will be there for the next 2 weeks. With temperatures reaching 35-38C it will be an interesting experience too. After my two weeks I will come back here and I will have one week left of work to do. But until then, every weekends we are going to visit the main tourist attractions of Guatemala like Tikal and Lake Atitlan.

For now, I leave you with more photos

take care

Louis

And Dalexia: “le sais-tu?”