After 35 years in Santa Cruz, California, my wonderful husband Waldon and I divested ourselves of at least 90% of all we owned, packed ourselves up, and moved to Antigua Guatemala!
First Impressions - March 2026
"And suddenly you know: It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings."
- Meister Eckhart
We have indeed started something new! Antigua is colorful, bustling, vibrant, humming with life. It is beautiful - situated in the Panchoy Valley, dramatically ringed by mountains and volcanoes. History feels present - cobblestone streets, sumptuous colonial cathedrals, ruins and preserved buildings. It's old world: open-air markets, street venders in traditional Mayan garb, their wares carried aloft on their heads, their babies swaddled in vivid fabrics on their backs. It's also high-end modern: world class restaurants, high-tech stores, ubiquitous cell-phones, and the newly constructed, state-of-the-art Plaza Telares, Antigua's first shopping mall.
We are doing wonderfully well! This was not the case from the start. Exhaustion from our chaotic departure. The enormity of having completely upended our lives. Everything so new and different. It didn't help that we were both miserably sick for two weeks. And December is crazy here. Tourists FLOOD in for the holidays. Traffic was beyond insane. Firecrackers and "bombas" (huge fireworks) - an integral part of Guatemala celebrations - exploded constantly, day and night (no pesky legal restrictions here ). Our first AirBnb was on one of the busiest streets in town. Honestly, there were tears and fears, a sinking feeling that we had made a huge mistake. Anguished longing for the home that was no more.. "OMG what have we done?" refrained in my mind.
But that is well behind us. We got our health back. We discovered that if we made a left out of AirBnb #1, crossed the street and went straight for a couple of short blocks, we could escape the crowds and noise. In January, the holidays over, Antigua cleared out and quieted down some. We moved to a sweet street in a quieter, much less touristy neighborhood where we will stay for at least a year. Our tiny apartment is clean, airy, bright, and cheerful. Sunlight streams in through the windows and skylight.
Guatemala is affectionately nicknamed "The Land of Eternal Springtime" and this is no idle boast. BEAUTIFUL weather. With few exceptions, it's been sunny day after sunny day, blue skies, interesting puffy white cloud formations, gentle breezes, mid-seventies by day, low fifties at night. Car-free (and loving it) we walk for hours - exploring, learning the city. The streets are safe, we can walk without worry day and evening. We know our way around now, where to go for what, and the best way to get there. Such an interesting journey, from bewildering and a bit scary, through the first buds of familiarity, to ease, confidence, and delight. So quickly that it's taken us by surprise, Antigua has become our home.
Most extraordinary are the people. Everyone is so warm, friendly, and welcoming! Not for one moment have we felt lonely, isolated, or excluded. All day long, smiling strangers greet us: "¡Hola!" "¡Buenos Dias!" "¡Buenas Noches!". Directions and other assistance are given generously. People seem to take genuine interest, it's easy to meet people and make friends. And our Spanish is getting better! Last week, I received two compliments on my Spanish. I was VERY proud of myself.
For many locals, life is far from easy. People work hard, long hours. For many, making ends meet is a daily struggle. The economic, social, environmental, and political challenges are vast and complex. (As they are everywhere in this tumultuous world of ours.) Yet people are joyful and of good cheer. They seem to appreciate what they have. There is music and laughter in the streets and it is not unusual to hear people singing as they work. Family, extended family, and community ties are strong and close-knit. The community feels like an extension of family.
August 2026
Eight months have flown by! We find ourselves happily settled, and we flatter ourselves that we are becoming authentic Guatamaltecos. We live on the second floor of a 12-unit apartment house on a quiet street at the southern end of Antigua. Our neighborhood is a microcosm of Guatemala writ large, where the venerable old exists side by side with state-of-the-art modern. To our right, around the corner and not ten minutes’ walk from our apartment is a high-end mall, complete with shops, restaurants, and a family-friendly central courtyard with a play area that keeps children squealing with delight. You can find most anything at the mall, from gourmet food to home accessories to electronics to spa treatments (for both people and pets) to diamond rings. Just a short walk farther up the main drag and you are in the heart of Antigua, where a panoply of restaurants, hotels, and luxury homes cater to well-heeled expats and tourists from across the globe.
In stark contrast, down the block to our left, we find ourselves in an old-time barrio --- winding streets, obscure alleys, dwellings that range from modest to sub-standard. Street dogs roam and mix freely with the human residents, many of whom are “hijo(a)s del pueblos” (sons and daughters of the village) going back generations. Faces that illustrate a resolute lifetime of subsistence work. We buy fruits, vegetables, and fresh, hand-made tortillas from three lovely sisters clad in colorful, Mayan attire. Manuel, 3rd generation coffee farmer, delivers to us bags of his wonderful, rich, home-roasted coffee. Paco, working out of his small, modest shop, is a master craftsman, and has built for us several items that have made our sweet little apartment that much homier.
