Many doctors in Belize are taking vacation in the upcoming weeks, and because I need these doctors’ participation for my work, I have decided to use these weeks to learn as much Spanish as I can in a language school in Antigua, Guatemala. Being able to communicate with Spanish-speaking patients and doctors will be a great asset in Belize, as well as in the U.S. Although English is the official language in Belize, many Belizeans who live close to the borders of Guatemala and Honduras do not speak English. Also, most of the Cuban doctors who practice in Belize speak very little English.

So far, I've learned a lot of Spanish in several days, and Antigua is truly a delightful and charming town. The streets are all very similar, in Spanish colonial style and cobblestone streets (see photo, above).

Over the weekend I hiked up a nearby active volcano, Volcan de Pacaya (see photo, below). A challenging hike up, it satisfied my life-long desire to see flowing molten lava!