May 31, 2025 by Cassandra Johnson
I plan to go back to Guatemala.
Although, I left the country for Mexico about a month ago and I really enjoy myself here, the Central American country stays on my mind. 15 days was not enough to do all I wanted to do, which also would include a lot of days, just being there not having to do anything, freelance work or otherwise. The capital city specifically lingers with me, and I just want to linger there.
Can a person instantly adopt another comfort zone? Is it possible for a person to feel like she stands out while feeling welcomed at the same time? Yes. Apparently. Both.
People were not too prying, just nicely curious and not so much in circumstances where you are also just a passer-by, a shopper, dining in, strolling. They are just notably kind and receiving.
Being a nomad in a lot of Latin America has generally felt similar, mixed with hanging out with travelers and locals between work and volunteering and my own preferred sight-seeing.
I cannot detach myself from the high relaxed vibe I feel wandering around Guatemala City (Ciudad de Guatemala) for a couple of hours, working from a coffee shop and even exchanging pleasantries and jokes in the grocery store. I can easily get used to working from this capital city, and of course, you know, I am already more than okay with not having a boss. Just mere deadlines.
I love the city of people who are native to the place. I loved how accessible many of the stores and restaurants were to my neighborhood. I was in Zone 1, but in consideration of Zone 4 for next time. I enjoyed hanging out there. I Ubered to Zone 9, to a more touristy area one day and loved that it still wasn’t touristy, just ritzier. Btw, the flirtation is welcome as well.😉
Most likely, I see myself returning to Guatemala City. It was the sleeper hit I was not expecting because I really enjoyed Panama and Colombia among new places I had never been as well as my familiar Peru where I have been planning to stay.
I simply did not know what to expect from a city and country I had not yet considered among the stops. I had heard good things on YouTube mainly. The visitors were not wrong, and I now have more of a sense of how stress-free and productive I could be there.
I still must be vigilant, especially now as a solo traveler. I remind myself to be discerning and I guess at my more mature age and with more experience, I enjoy myself while deferring to my instincts. Even being somewhere twice now, like Colombia, I have faced a familiar scam of being overcharged.
Yet again, Guatemala? There is so much more to eat (both cooking at home and eating out). There is a lot more ideal weather to sit in. There are more libations and cappuccinos to sip on, and I need a lot more time to hang out with the local people and expats.
I may not go back immediately but, as I mentioned, I am quite enjoying myself in Mexico again. I just got back to my accommodations from VEGAMO restaurant in Mexico City and once again, I am just reminded of all the unique places, hospitality and conversations each country has to offer. This is my first time in the capital, and I want to stay at least a third of the time I stayed in Merida. Time to take my time.
