Puedes ayudarme en el camión mañana

Walking down the street this morning, hearing those words took me back to a place that felt so safe and so comfortable and so perfect. I was surprised how easy it was to be transported back to a time, when I felt so, when it had started so foreign and so uncomfortable. There is something about Guatemala, the people, the smells, the music drifting through the air, the noises, And the entire atmosphere.

I don’t know what was my favorite part of the experience. I do know that I walked away with the sincere feeling, that who I am is very small in a world that is very large, and I have a lot to learn. I was humbled, And impressed and in awe, of all of the amazing people that I met. They were so generous with their stories, with their experiences, with sharing their lives, with a group of strangers. And even though I was there to document those experiences and those moments, I couldn’t help but get immersed just like everyone else was.

My first day in Guatemala, the driver had to drive three hours to get me to the village that I was going to be connecting with the college group I was documenting. I was nervous and excited, and ready to start doing my job. When we were arrived in the The village I was brought to where the group was already working. They had purchased materials and were using those materials to help build a house with a community, for a family in need, for a family that didn’t have a house before that.The students were speaking in Spanish to the family to the community members and they were all working in solidarity, a sweet beautiful joint effort, while learning about themselves, and the community at the same time. They only had two short days to work with these groups, before they moved on, But they did the best they could with the time they had. They connected, they learned.

For me, I learned to, I learned how much left I have to learn, I learned how sweet it is to simply walk down the street without a rush, to simply be in the moment and appreciate the beauty of that moment without technology without distraction, just be.

That was the feeling that struck me this morning. It was the feeling of simplicity it was that feeling of comfort in the beauty of what this world is when we are not rushing.

When we left the village, the group moved on to a coffee co-op. The co-op participates in direct coffee sales, as a benefit of being a part of the co-op. And also host groups to explain the process and teach humans about what they are doing growing their coffee under the shade of the palms and the fruit trees. We arrive to very humble abode’s. But they were clean and well-maintained, cinderblocks, no screens on the windows, and they open fire outside of the house for cooking. When they let me know that it was honey harvesting season and asked me I wanted to document the process, I jumped at the opportunity. It was something that I would probably never have a chance to experience again.

Suiting up in my bee suit, their was a sign that said, “Abeja afrieanizanda trabajando no molestar“, I was told that meant that we were working with the Africanized bees and not to disturb. I was also told that these Africanized bee, are also known as the “killer bee,” due to the scent it puts out when it stings, that draws all of the other bees. I forced down a swallow and convinced myself that I was going to be perfectly fine.

With my camera ready, I headed into the bee field and enthusiastically began to document the honey harvesting process. I was on cloud nine, when I felt a sting, I felt my whole body flush in a fight or flight panic, there was a bee inside of my suit. I tried to remain calm as I communicated to the only other English speaking person there, who told the leader of our group. The Spanish leader of the crew came over to me and pulled my suit further down over my shoes. “Solo deja la abeja allí, morirá” translation “just leave the bee in there, it will die.”

I kept my breath calm and nodded. There was more work to be done. I stayed with the bee team for a few more hours, then headed back to the university group I had came with.

-a wanderer