Goin' to Guat -- Part 1

Well, we did it. Short version: We went, we saw, we loved it. Fabulous trip.
Now, for those of you who might like a little more detail, here's the long version:

First, a little background. Parents of foreign born children know that more than likely they will travel back to their child's birth country. The hard part is figuring out the best time to do that and how that might go. We had always heard that middle school age is the best time to attempt such a trip, so we had always assumed that this is when we would go to Guatemala with him. However, after bringing home the youngers from Ethiopia, the need for J to connect with his heritage became great. Waiting until middle school got thrown out the window, and instead we realized it was time to take him at the age of 9. So, the planning began.

Because of S and E, we decided that this would be a short trip for J and his mama. I started researching and planning back in the summer and had tickets booked by fall. We would fly into Guatemala City, have a driver pick us up, and spend our time in the colonial city of Antigua. On the one hand, it wouldn't give him a clear picture of where he came from, but on the other hand it would be safe and at least give him a taste of it all.

So, very early on Thursday, January 15, 2009, we set out for the airport. Our flight left Columbus a little after 7:00 a.m. after being thoroughly de-iced. We landed in Atlanta, and I had hoped for the chance to get something to eat and go to the bathroom. Nope. We were running to our next gate and managed to get there with just a few minutes to spare. Our 3.5 hour flight to Guatemala City was highlighted with an in-flight movie, and our choice of a $7 sandwich or a $6 cheese plate. We stuck with our own snacks and free peanuts and cookies.

As we circled around GC preparing to land, we took in the scene out of our window. Incredibly beautiful mountains, volcanoes and lakes mixed with the not-so-beautiful cement and metal of the city. Looking closely, you could see the packed neighborhoods of little houses spreading out far and wide. As we taxied to our gate, I had to smile a bit at the sight of airport workers in short-sleeved shirts and not bundled up like those in Columbus. Good sign! We made our way off the plane, through immigration, and found our one checked bag. As we stood outside the airport waiting for our driver to bring his van around, I noticed something unusual for me. As we stood near a family of Guatemalans, my 5 feet 4.5 inches seemed quite tall. J was almost as tall as the adult men. Finally, our driver came around with his van and loaded us in. Off we went.

As we drove away from the airport, I found myself comparing Guatemala with Ethiopia. I was surprised at how nice everything seemed to be: Nicely paved streets with lines and traffic lights! New cars! Beautiful palm trees! Not as much smog and pollution! We laughed at seeing the American favorites -- Burger King, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and, unfortunately, a Hooters. Gas appeared to be about $3.00 a gallon at the Shell station. Once I got used to seeing the typical sights, I started looking past them. This is when I started really seeing things as they actually are. No, I probably wouldn't want to walk most of these streets on my own. The poverty became more apparent as you looked down the side streets and looked more closely at the store fronts and the people out and about. We drove on, and I soon realized that we were driving through Mixco. J's birth place. We didn't see much of it, but we saw enough for me to imagine what life would be like for his mother. You know, they say that poverty alone is not sufficient reason for adoption, and I agree. But I also know that women in this country and in others often have many compelling reasons for giving up their babes. So, while I had a moment of wondering if J really needed to be taken from his home country, I also reminded myself that I had not walked in his mother's shoes and should not judge or feel guilty. I continued watching the sights as the van rolled on out of the city and toward Antigua. J fell asleep.

The drive to Antigua is beautiful. A well-paved road winds its way through some gorgeous country -- green, hilly, beautiful. Lots of stuff being sold off the road. Need some furniture? Paintings? Other decor? It took maybe 45 minutes to get to our destination. It became obvious that we were there when we saw the cobblestones and the old buildings. Our driver took us right to our hotel: Casa Concepcion. They call it a boutique hotel, but we would call it a bed and breakfast. Behind a high wall and thick wooden door, we were led to a beautiful house with lovely grounds. There were four regular rooms, each with its own bathroom, and there apparently is also an apartment available. We had a living room (with access to a laptop with internet!) that we could use, a dining room for our breakfast, and a patio for lounging. All I can say is that it was all simply beautiful. Decorated in a traditional fashion, everything seemed to be of high quality and done with style. Somebody hired a great decorator! J kept saying that he wanted to take it all back with us.

After winding down a bit, we decided to head out for some food -- we were both starving. We walked around the corner from the hotel and found a pizza and pasta place. So, our first night in Guatemala we had pepperoni pizza and 7-Up. Yeah, not the traditional black beans and tortillas, but I was ok with that. Soon we headed back to crash in our room. Great idea, but I soon learned not to expect quiet evenings -- noisy birds, sounds of cars on the cobblestones, and booming fireworks made sleeping a challenge.

Here's some pics of Casa Concepcion:



And that was day 1. Day 2 to be blogged when I have the chance.
:)