Camp Finca Ixobel

Hi everyone. First of all, apologies for no pictures today...the internet here is a satalite connection and it's been stormy here, so it is way too slow to upload the pictures. Hopefully tomorrow.

I'm at a place called Finxa Ixobel, and it is utterly amazing. I feel like I'm at an international summer camp. The dormitory I'm staying at is a wooden bunkhouse with bunkbeds and little shelves for all my things, and is exactly like every camp cabin I've stayed at. The only addition is mosquito nets (bless them) hanging over every bed.

The grounds are gorgeous, and include a horse corral, a pond for swimming, and tons of animals hanging out. The only animals I'm not so thrilled about? The tarantulas.

I woke up yesterday morning and headed to the cabin with the bathrooms, and almost stepped on a giant dead tarantula. Thank god it was dead, because I think I would have had a heart attack if it was alive. One of the American guys who is volunteering here for a month showed me where a bunch of tarantula lairs (ok, little holes in the ground) are, and how to make them come out by sticking a twig down the hole so they bite them and then pulling them out. I won't lie, I wasn't exactly close to him while he was doing this. Needless to say, since seeing those my choice of footwear has changed from flipflops to hiking boots.

The food here is amazing. They have little order sheets where you can write down anything you want, hang it on a little peg, and they'll make it for you asap. Dinners are huge buffets full of delicious organic produce and fresh baking, all from the ranch. And in true summer camp style, we're summoned to dinner by a clanging bell.

The dangerous part of this place is that everything you buy or use you have to write down on your own special page in a big binder, and then is tallied up when you check out: food, internet, laundry, drinks at the pondside bar, daytrips, stamps etc. Could easily get out of control. Especially since they have really cool activities here during the day (I'm telling you, it's camp) like horseback riding trips, hiking, swimming through underground caves, tubing on the river. And one of their best activities- lying in a hammock reading a book (in english!) from their lending library. I read 3 entire books yesterday. For those of you who know me, you know this is like heaven.

Today I went on a nice horsebackriding trip through the surrounding pine forest. There's a really cool Austrian girl here with a similar affinity and experienc with horses, and we might do a repeat trip tomorrow! Jill, my frequently commenting friend who was here a few years ago, has strongly recommended a cave trip, so that is on the list as well.

Lest you think I'm at some kind of wimpy resort (if the tarantulas didn't convince you otherwise), I must tell you that I'm still practicing my Spanish, as many people don't speak much english (except the owner who is american and some of the volunteers) and there are actually more Guatemalan people here than foreigners.

A big group of architecture students from Guatemala city was here over the weekend.
Last night I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with one of the guys who spoke good English and we had an amazing conversation about his views on Guatemala and the world. For an 18-year-old, he was remarkably insightful and articulate. Only 2% of Guatemalans attend university, and many of the students spoke of their gratitude for being fortunate enough to attend school (a different story than in Canada for most people!) and the need to give back to their community once they completed their studies. I don't know how many 18-year-old (or 30-year-old for that matter) Canadians could give such a passionate explanation of our place in world politics and the future of the country's economy.

My plan right now is to chill out here at the Finca until Wednesday, when I'll head to Caye Caulker in Belize to spend my last 2 nights before I fly out of Belize City on Friday (thanks for correcting me Dani, it is indeed Friday and not Saturday as per my last post). Some more SCUBA may be on the horizon, or maybe just snorkling and enjoying some sunshine.