Guatemala – The Low Down Adventure
EVERYTHING about the Guatemala sourcing trip stressed me out until the very moment I got on the plane. Like some magic that suddenly covered me in a stress-repelling cloak, all my worries were wiped away. And from that moment on, everything just worked. I mean – EVERYTHING.
The crazy thing? All the choices I made during the trip were high risk. Instead of the honking big Guatemala City, I opted for the small and touristy town of Antigua for our homebase. Small towns are always risky – add touristy to the mix, and it’s like I’m beggin’ for shit to go wrong, for failure to knock me out of my game. But everything turned out amazing. From the flight attendants boozin’ me up on the flight, down to scorin’ all the STMT Kit goods in one afternoon! The entire trip, minus two days, were full-on vacation mode (this never happens!!).
On the first day, after a red-eye flight where I got no sleep, my sleep-deprived ass wandered into a market and left minutes later with a honkin’ big bag full of worry dolls. Went back to the hotel, passed the fuck out. Didn’t matter that I only had half the number of days it usually takes to secure goods… I needed sleep.
On the second day, with no time to stress it, got up and got right to it. Grabbed a map and tore apart the town, block by block. Walked into the first shop and within minutes an employee gave me full reign of their stock room. But it was a bust. Nothing grabbed me, nothing was bootyclappin’ worthy. Was about to make my exit when I spied ‘em… the beautiful memo books behind a counter. Seconds later, I secured their entire inventory of vintage letterpress awesomeness.
Later that same day, I entered a grocery shop minutes before an intense tropical storm moved in. The shop had an entire floor dedicated to all things office supplies and stationery. I began drooling as soon as I saw the rows and rows housing a massive selection of writing instruments. First I grabbed dope pencils with black wood and gold foil-stamp job – then packs of colored pencils that scream the bright colors of the locally-made textiles. Next I secured black ballpoint pens. Is it crazy for me to be stupid excited whenever I see the country stamped on the barrel of a pen?! And I swear the ink gives off a faint grape smell.
Normally the goods for the badge is the last thing we secure. This time, it was the first. The mad stash of worry dolls totally worked their magic and made the Guatemala sourcing trip so fuckin’ awesome and easy despite me constantly pushin’ our luck. I mean – what other reason could it be? So stoked to pass on the good juju to RAHtrs! And remember… don’t worry – be rad.
oxxo, Hen
