Xela

Our trip from San Pedro to Quetzaltenango (Known as Xela, pronounced Shay-la) was by Chicken Bus. We first had to catch a bus headed toward Guatemala City and get out at "148" or some number. The location is just a mile marker on the main highway. We were assured that a bus headed toward Xela would be along shortly. We waited about 10 min. and sure enough, a very full Chicken Bus with "Xela" written in the front window stopped and picked us up.

I'm just shy of 6'=0" tall and a little over 200 lbs. I'm not huge by US standards but when sitting 3 to a seat on an old school bus, things get really tight. I had to remind myself that the trip was only a couple of hours.

One reason for our trip to Xela was to go to language school. We chose Celas Maya online and were very happy with the school, the teachers and facilities. Their main program consists of 5 hours of one on one Spanish every morning and living with a Guatemalan family so you have to practice your Spanish at meal times and in your daily interactions with your host family.

I wish I had a photo of our family (single mom with kids moved out), but the last day when I planned on taking photos, a new father and daughter from the US. overlapped with us and I missed out. If anyone out there has a photo of Doris, (I will add her last name), she is the only Doris family that is connected with Celas Maya school - if you could please forward me her photo I would appreciate it very much.

Thanks in advance,

Next: More on things to do while in Xela.