Utah the Beautiful

By: Axel Eduardo Donis Leon (Guatemala) University of Utah

Axel & Amenah - Arches Park 2
Arches National Park

This trip was awesome. We were five friends and went to Arches National Park, Dead Horse State Park, Canyonlands National Park, Corona Arch, Natural Bridges National Monument, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce National Park, Escalante National Monument, and Widstoe ghost town. It was an intense trip where we camped and hiked for 6 days. We even hiked during the night to see some sunrises at beautiful places.

This is now one of my favorite experiences in my life. The group with which I traveled was so amazing and funny, we had such a wonderful time together and we now share lots of memories. At every place we visited, including the supermarket, people instantly knew we were a funny group… the “party of five.”

Axel & Amenah - Canyonlands
“Party of Five” at Canyonlands National Park. Three of five are hidden behind the sign!

I am happy to be able to experience Utah to the maximum. I definitely will do a lot more adventures like this during the short time I will be here, as Utah is the perfect place for these kinds of experiences. The time I have lived here has already changed me. Besides the new people, places, lessons and adventures I have lived through, now I have the goal of when returning home to Guatemala, also to experience it to the maximum. I have wondered why I never did this in the past, perhaps because I think it will always be there, but that is not true. And I hope not to do it by myself, but to take some of the wonderful friends I have met during this time.