In my own little world I now have some medals. I finished the "lago" trek, for the 2nd time! I like hiking and camping but I'm no every-weekend know-the-trails hike-machine. But through my summer courses these last few years with Dragons I have now done the "lago" trek 2 times, climbed the highest point in Central America, volcano Tajumulco, 2 times and trekked from Todos Santos to Nebaj 2 times. It feels good to have this little list of mountain accomplishments.

We find ourselves now in San Lucas Toliman, in the house of a friend of my co-instructor. The house is a Guatemalan family's "summer house" or whatever, and is complete with weird beach knick knacks like a Sea World visor and a blow-up giant Chiquita banana. Although a rather humble house by Western standards, it's in a "yacht club" - which is weird beyond weird considering for the last several weeks we've been staying with families who use latrines, cook openly over fires and have never even been to Lake Atitlan. For the final days of the trip we look for a quiet, comfortable space to digest and process our experience... so I guess we have that... it's just so weird to now stay in the digs in easily the top 5% of rich folks. That's just the kind of stuff I think about.

Today we are going to a beloved rock jumping lake spot and then starting our final activities, students will be presenting their independent study projects and we'll be meeting with students individually to have special goodbye talks. Aaww.

PS Happy birthday MOM!