Coming to Guatemala, I didn’t know exactly what to expect, and to be completely honest, I was nervous about this new experience, but in just a few days I’ve had such an incredible time with the new amazing fiends I’ve made and experienced things I never thought I would.
We started our first weekend off with a bang by going to hike the volcano Pacaya and staying at the beautiful black sand beach in Monterrico. The early morning hike was definitely an ordeal that was pretty difficult, but the forest was gorgeous and the view at the top made it all worth it; it was breathtaking.
Then, we continued our adventure into Monterrico where we stayed at a beach house on the coast. The beach was unique with its black sand, and the waves, while brutal, were incredibly fun to swim in.
Finally, returning to Antigua we learned of the eruption from Fuego that caused so much devastation, and we were reminded that the environment we were in, while beautiful, is still volatile and alive. While Antigua was not affected drastically, we couldn’t help but feel some pain for those affected, and seeing the community come together to help the victims of the eruption was a testament to the strength of Guatemala and its people.