Seeing the waterfall was one of my many highlights from the Maymester! It was the first waterfall I had ever seen, and it absolutely took my breath away! After taking pictures and marveling at the site, I could not believe we were not supposed to stop there. However, I am ever so glad we did. By seeing it, I feel like I could better grasp how the Maya see their environment as animate. It was a multi-sensorial experience. I could see the enormous downpour, hear the whooshes of the water, and feel the mist when I stepped closer. Being so close to it, I was reminded not only of nature’s enormities but also of the world’s. However, our group standing alongside others who stopped to marvel at the water felt like we were all a community. Additionally, it reinvigorated my desire to protect the land from corporations or others who mine it or seek to commit similar acts. It reminded me of what Dolores and Kawoq said about mountains either having a heart or being like family and I could feel that same strong energy radiating from the area. Looking back, it is nice to see the beautiful waterfall as a metaphor. Even though we may have driven down a few windy roads, there was something spectacular just around the corner!
