Saturday, December 4, 2010

Guatemala Part 1

I know I haven't blogged in a month (exactly a month, actually) but I was doing nanowrimo! I was traveling! I am now going to distract you with lavish imagery about my trip to Guatemala to distract you from being mad at me!

I didn't have Internet during my visit to Central America, so this blog is a few days behind reality. I hope you enjoy hearing about my trip! :)

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Dec 1, 2010

I am currently sitting in the Dallas Fort Worth airport, about to get on a plane to Guatemala City. I literally have no idea what to expect for the next three days of my life, despite this trip itinerary I have sitting beside me that just sounds like words as I look over it at this point.

But first, let me back up a little bit.

I haven't blogged in over a month, which I feel terrible about, but I had legitimate reasons. First I was at Wrockstock from November 5-8 (which was amazing, as usual) and then I found myself in LA for another five days or so. When I finally got home I was so behind on NaNoWriMo that I pretty much spent the remainder of the month balancing writing my novel and keeping my sanity in check.

I had a lovely Thanksgiving at home with my family and some of their old friends from North Dakota, Justin and I bought a Wii for our house and set it up, and I hit 50,000 words on my novel on November 30th around 2:30 in the afternoon. After the hectic nature of November and touring with ALL CAPS in October, I was kind of really looking forward to a semi-quiet December at home, but as I'm sure you've all realized by reading my blog, such is not the nature of my life.

I got a call from my contacts at Save the Children about a week ago (the same organization I went to Washington DC with earlier this year for Advocacy Day at the Senate) asking if I would be interested in going on a trip with them to Guatemala to film from my perspective what they're doing down there and to vlog about the experience. I figured it would be sometime in the distance future, with plenty of time to prepare physically and mentally for visiting another country with such a different style of living. However, the trip they were inviting me on was not in fact in the distant future but instead only a week in the future.

Nervous as I was, how could I possibly say so? I couldn't, that's how. The excitement I felt at such an amazing opportunity vastly outweighed the slight apprehension I felt about how little notice I had to get ready.

So… now I am about to leave for what I am assuming is going to be one of the coolest things I have ever done. I will be sure to blog about everything. This is an experience I want to remember in rich, vivid colors, and not let any of the details slip through the cracks of my memory. :)

10 comments:

TwitchLazuli said...

Kristina, I can't believe you get such amazing opportunies! Good luck and I'm sure you will have an amzing time.

Crazy Girl said...

Wow, I can't wait to see your vlogs on the subject.

Kari Kristine said...

Missed you this month! I can't wait for the blogs and vids from Guatemala:) You are really lucky, that's for sure!

MegsChronicles said...

Incidentally, the day you tweeted about your opportunity to go to Guatemala was the day that I had just sent my resume to potentially go teach in Guatemala for a year!

Rosanna said...

I hope you have an amazing time :) I can't believe you only had a week to prepare! I visited Zambia with a charity for 10 days last easter and I had months to get ready but still felt terrified the night before. I spent the whole week previous watching movies with my siblings and helping my mum just trying to make the most of everything before I left xxx

Sam said...

Great to have another blog from you! That's so exciting - it's an amazing opportunity, and I'm super excited to hear all about it next blog.

Anonymous said...

enjoyed reading about your adventures

Amy said...

I am excited to hear about your adventure! I would love to do something like that someday. Glad to have you back blogging!

M3LF4C3 said...

Sounds like an awesome opportunity! And I'm sure no one is really mad at you for being so busy :) November is a hectic month anyway and you are an active person. I'll look forward to an update on your trip ;)

ThisGirlBlogs said...

Wow you are soo lucky! Your life is so interesting :)