My Love Story: Guatemala {chapter 7}
This is the story of how my crush became my husband. Each Wednesday I’m sharing another piece of the puzzle. Need to catch up? Here is last week’s post: The Moment I Knew
Recap from last week: Nate and I started dating the end of September and I was scheduled to leave in January for a semester long cross-cultural program. We fell in love quickly, but were dreading my departure.
Eventually our big goodbye came and our long distance relationship started. It was time for my semester in Central America to begin while Nate stayed on campus to finish his senior year. I’ll never forget the look of complete sadness that filled Nate’s eyes when the bus taking my group to the airport pulled away from campus.
I loved my semester studying in Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico, but every highlight was sandwiched between moments of missing Nate, long hand-written letters, highly anticipated phone calls, rushed typing in computer labs & internet cafes, and desperate prayers for mail from home.
I ached for Nate, but I wouldn’t give up the experience I had. It was amazing.
I lived with a host family.
I taught English in an orphanage.
I played an insane amount of Uno.
I cured my fear of spiders. (Don’t ask. It was awful.)
I cried over my Spanish language homework.
I discovered that my hair is curly.
I got my butt pinched on a crowded bus.
I was sooooo skinny.
I hand washed my laundry.
I slept under mosquito nets.
I climbed a volcano and hated it.
I held a shark.
I discovered that sailboats and I do not mix. I’ve never been more motion sick in my life.
I stood in Mexico and reached my hand across the boarder into the USA.
I lived in the rain forest.
I struggled with feelings of insecurities and loneliness.
I got a strange illness that had me convinced I had cancer. (I didn’t.)
I climbed Mayan ruins.
I traveled by bus, boat, cattle truck, and airplanes of all sizes.
I learned a lot about myself, the world, and what is really important in life. That trip still has an impact on how I live my daily life today.
While I was studying overseas, Nate was embracing his final semester of college and making plans for his future. I wasn’t pleased with what he had in mind.
Tell me your love story! Have you ever had to endure a long distance relationship?
Read Chapter 8: Jamaica.
Top Image by Amanda Faye Photography