Friday, February 1, 2013

Paying Rent To Jesus

The first thing that happened to me this morning was Jesus asking me to do the dishes.

It's been a long while since you last heard from me, but rest assured I've been writing. This last year has been a very pivotal year for me because not only have I figured out my life path, but I've actually been working towards it as well. The form this path has chosen is a book, and since I don't have a clue how to write one, it's been a very interesting year of challenges. The book will undoubtedly be called something like "100 Ways How Not To Write A Book" but I'm damn well going to try. I've also been working on video editing and a website, which my amazing friend Riccardo has been helping me with.

I have two free months before I'm heading back to Austin to be in my best friend's wedding, so I decided on a little journey back to Guatemala. Guatemala has always been special to me, it's one of my favorite countries and I constantly think of returning. When my good friend Styx told me he was down here with his girlfriend Lo-Arna, I didn't need to think twice. So here I sit on my balcony, staring out at the calm blue water of Lake Atitlan and breathe a deep sigh of happiness and joy.

We have rented a house here in San Pedro, and I couldn't have asked for a better one. We live above the Coffee Baron of the town, so below us they roast coffee all day long. Above us is a panaderia, and the smell of fresh baked bread fills our patio like sunshine. Basically we live in Heaven, which is probably why we pay rent to Jesus. Sounds like a country song. All of this, plus the most stunning view of the lake for 1,600 Quetzales a month, roughly $200 for the three of us.

Jesus is our landlady, the mother of the Coffee Baron. She's a sweet little Mayan lady who putters around her side of the house, weaves on a loom at least ten feet long, and rules the roost with an iron fist. Everyday she wears traditional Mayan clothing: a bright, lacy top with puffy sleeves, a thick embroidered skirt of the local fabric, and a long, hand-made belt she wraps many times around her waist. All are different colors, all are beautiful, and she consistently reminds me of a walking flower.

Styx you might have heard of before. We met teaching English in Vietnam four years ago. He stayed with me in Christchurch, New Zealand right before the earthquake, came for a visit on my boat in Puerto Rico, and we meet up again here is sunny, tranquil Guatemala. Another traveling kindred spirit, this time he has bought what can only be referred to as a tank and has decided to drive it from California to Argentina. Styx's truck, "El Nino" is a retired Discovery Channel storm chaser. With this beast, they have set out on a journey mixing business and pleasure known as "El Vagabundo Mundial" which is Spanish for The Worldwide Vagabond. I have teamed up with them for the time being and it has been a whirlwind of fun. They sell jewelry, clothes and coffee, teach yoga, do massage, reiki and many other odd assortments. You can keep up with us online, follow along with the journey, see pictures and maybe even meet up later in the world at http://www.facebook.com/groups/elvagabundomundial/.

For the time being though, I'll satisfy Jesus and get started on those dishes.