I appropriated a Guatemalan cell phone that once belonged to Dragons (sorry) a few years back. I decided after one summer to just hold on to it since it had my contacts in it and I figured I'd be leading another course in the future anyway. That was 3 years ago. This little phone is old and simple. Well now the phone is really chock-full of beloved contacts and I realize I use it practically everyday to call my friends all over Guatemala. I get text messages from my students in Concepcion, calls from the family on the beach, and check-ups from the señoras.

A few days ago in Lanquin I lost my phone. I had it one minute, then about 30 minutes later it was missing. I was instantly really heart-broken. I had no phone numbers written down. The Quiñonez family was sure to call and check up on me soon; they'd worry if I never again answered my phone. I had no way of contacting them at least until December. But at our 2 times a week routine, they'd probably worry over the next 2 months. I ran all this through my head. Did I have Nehemias' number somewhere else? Chano's? What about my new numbers of señoras in Xalbal?

Days passed. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach for the loss of my phone numbers. My whole existence here is made up of those phone calls, those check-ups, those connections, those people who are my family here.

Then today one of my students said they heard my ring tone in their dorm room - a rooster crowing. I ran down stairs with my friend Adelaide's phone in my hand frantically dialing and redialing my phone. Sure enough my phone was there - somewhere. It had disappeared and spent 2 days with us in Lanquin, then traveled the 8 hours today to Antigua. Now it was in our hotel, somewhere among the belongings of my female students. I called and called and narrowed it down to one of my students' backpacks. That night in Lanquin it must have fallen out of my hoodie-pocket during the bumpy pickup ride.

Finally I found it in my students' trash bag, with ranch dressing on it.

This evening I made sure to copy each of my numbers into a notebook. 55 numbers from past students to old ladies and a couple of favorite mechanics, bus drivers and boat captains. What a relief to be connected with my friends again.

And here a couple other pictures taken by Adelaide.

Leonel from Venecia. He is the go-to guy for a canoe ride.