I'm the first Guatemalan you've ever met

I know it is not true for my friends and family from Guatemala. But outside the  country I hear it quite  often: "You are the first Guatemalan I've ever met". I have to admit that it makes me feel special. But at the same time is kind of sad. The world is missing to get to know all these amazing Guatemalan people,  and at the same time Guatemalan people are missing to see the world. 

Africa was the continent were less people knew about Guatemala. I was confused with the Thai princess in an Embassy in Kenya and asked if Guatemala was an island near China in Senegal. It's sad that they don't know Guatemala. But I feel glad that at least I can show something new  to the people I met when I travel. In India was a little bit weird since Indians confuse Guatemala with Guantanamo. Was I a political prisoner? Or when I say Guatemala is in America they think it is in the USA. I already know the speech on how to explain that America is a continent and not a country.

Since we tend to create stereotypes in our minds, I believe that is a responsibility to show the people I meet how nice Guatemalans are. Usually people that have heard about Guatemala just know about it because of the news about the violence and dangers of our country. I've met a lot of travelers in hostels that tell me they have heard Guatemala is beautiful,  but they haven't dared to  visit it because it's dangerous.  I have to be honest and admit that our country is not the safest one, but I still encourage them to visit it telling them which are the safest areas.  I love to tell them about how beautiful Guatemala is. I enjoy describing the ruins of Tikal and the beauty of the volcanoes around Atitlan lake. I think I have convinced at least a couple.

I have to make up their mids not just regarding the beauty of our country. But also how kind, hard working and trustworthy we Guatemalans are.  I do my best to be sharp, polite (sometimes they  make fun of me because I'm TOO polite), and always smiley. I met a  Polish  girl that told me: "Just seeing you so happy makes me want to go to Guatemala". I always tell them that even we are in the top countries in criminality and poverty, ironically, we are also in the top countries of happiness.

I strongly believe that we Guatemalans have to go out there and show the world how beautiful people we are. We have to promote our country. The world is missing us and we are missing  the world.
  

The best plan is to don't have a plan

When I started traveling and not just following a tourist group I used to plan my trips for weeks in advance. I spent hours reading about what to do, how to do it and when. I remember a friend of mine even used to create an excel sheet with all the previewed expenses. All these creates many expectations,  so when the place is not as you imagined or the plan doesn't work as you want, it can be very disappointing.

When I decided to go to India, I remember I met a Swedish couple that have been there and asked them for some advice. The girl just answered:  "I don't know if I should tell you, since I don't want to create any idea or fear. I can only say: everything is just unexpected". I think that was the best advice I had. Other people I asked about India filled my mind with so many warnings and fears that I was crying in the plane before landing in Delhi.  And it was incredible! India was, just as she said: unexpected! And I loved it.

Traveling in southern Asian countries for example,  you realise that deals, times and distances have different meanings.  These make making plans almost impossible. They tell you, "five minutes", that can be half an hour. And you need two hours to travel 50 km.  Once in India I took a bus to Manali that arrived to its destination 13 hours late. Therefore, you develop a capacity to deal with frustration and to overcome the habit of controlling things. You realise that you can't change the way they think or live, so or  you change your ways or you will be angry your whole trip. Besides, it pushes you to be  creative  and find fast solutions to the always arising problems. Once I was dropped in the middle of the highway, 20 km from Pushkar at 1 am. I had to call a  random hotel to see if someone could pick me up, so the owner of the hotel arrived on his motorcycle and drove me there.

Now I spend less  time planning and more time traveling. I decide where  to go on the way. I read less travel guides and trust more other travellers to chose my next step. I'm not afraid of changing my plans because I barely have them. And I realized that when you don't expect anything about a place, magical things can happen. For my tip to Myanmar and Vietnam I just had some flight tickets, I didn't have a clue on what to do until I arrived to each country. On Myanmar, I was planning to go to Mandalay, but a Tulsa minute I decided to go on a three day trek to Inle Lake that ended up being a four day trek because we wanted to stay for a funeral festival in one of the villages. This week I was quite sure I was going to Hue for a tour to the Demilitarized zone in Vietnam, but I met an Italian guy who told me about some National Park and ended in the most amazing caves near Dong Hoi. Life has many surprises prepared, but is up to us to be ready to change our plans and be surprised.

People that know me for years might think this is not me. Two years ago, I always had a plan for what to do next and I was eager to make my plans happen as expected.  But as a fortune teller in Khajuraho told me once: I was not this happy two years ago. Being more prone to be surprised has made my life way more exciting. Now I just know I have to be somewhere at a certain time and date, what happens in between I'm not sure. The same way, I know what I want from my life, how I get it and at when I don't know yet, but I'm figuring out on the way. 

Be a traveler, not a tourist

Two weeks ago I went for a very short trip to Nepal. In many ways it changed my way of thinking and made me realise how much I enjoy being a traveler and not  just a tourist.

When I was a little girl, me and my family traveled several times with those huge tourist group packages. I remember being to Disney World following a red sign and a bunch of people. We  were going where they wanted us to and when they wanted us to. We were  just seeing what  they wanted us to see. Years after I went to Miami for shopping without even seeing the beach. And even went to the typical summer break to Cancun. It was good and I enjoyed all these trips. But it was because I didn't know what was it like to be a traveler and not a tourist.

What's the difference? You must be wondering. Being a tourist is going where they are telling you to go, being carried around to and site seeing museums and the must-see landmarks of each city. It is spending heaps of money in fancy hotels  and drinks on the beach.  I'm not saying that's not fun or that I don't like it. I think this is just the perfect vacation. But it is not the way to really know a place and its people. It just depends on what are you traveling for.  I travel to see smiles, I travel  to see people, I travel to see moments.

And all these just strike me in Nepal. Realising that I enjoy way more seeing people than places. I did everything as the locals do. As they say: while in Rome, do like the Romans. I met my American friend Daniel and started our trip walking to the Kathmandu's bus station and  buying a ticket to Pokhara in a public bus for that evening. Then it became more interesting, when we decided to go to Baktarpur in a public bus. It cost less than half a euro,  but it took us 2 hours to travel 30 km. The bus was stopping every 100 meters; picking up and letting people  out. The bus  was packed. It was quite nice to see the faces of people smiling at me and some expressions of amusement. The fact that I have small eyes and dark skin, but don't dress like them nor speak their language always makes them wonder where I am from. Usually that's what triggers the conversation. And if they can't speak  English they try with gestures. I love to say that I'm from Guatemala because everyone always say I'm he first Guatemalan  they have ever met. This  makes me feel special.

Baktarpur  was quite interesting. It seems like the town is frozen on time. We saw many interesting sacrifices due to the  festival of Durja Puja. On the way back we took the  wrong  bus, and reached a different bus station. We could have just hired a taxi and reach the other station, but we wanted to do it the hard way! That's  what makes the trip interesting! That's the  adrenaline, that's the challenge! We had to walk for some blocks because no bus wanted to take us there. Finally we got into a public tuk-tuk. These are bigger tuk-tuks that resemble trucks on the back and can carry up to ten people. This one was driven by a lady, which  was  extraordinary. She took us to a  place where we could take a bus to reach the station. All the trip cost less than one euro and took more than an hour.

In the station we went to have some momos. The other customers were looking at us as if we were Martians. They are no used to see foreigners  eating in local restaurants. Anyway, I had the greasiest and most delicious momos ever.  Sometimes the locals don't let you experience their life. If you ask them about places to eat or visit,  they mention the typical tourist places. It's not because they don't want  to share, its because they expect you  to be more comfortable doing the usual  tourist trips. For example, if I get on a bus, they sit me on special seats near the driver, probably because they see I'm a girl traveling alone. And if I ask for a train they send me to the most fancy cabin, sometimes at the same rate. Until you gain their trust and show them that what you want is a recommendation  based on  what they do, they share the most secret and amazing places. Just  this week I met Koko the guardian of one of the temples in Bagan, Myanmar. We became friends and he took  me  to the ruins  of a monastery. I had the best view of the city from there. Koko even told me I was the first person he had taken there.

I strongly believe that the best way to  know about a country is to hear the story from its people and to try to see and experience their lives. It shows you the same scene from another point  of view. Besides, until  you meet the locals  you are able to destroy stereotypes.

I love to find new paths, not just the one the map shows. I travel to see people, to  see smiles, to see moments. Because those can't be captured on a  photograph or be found  on  Google images. Being a traveler you realise that even the most stunning landscape is not complete without a personal story.