Blogs from Eastern Highlands, Guatemala, Central America Caribbean

The who, the what and the why of Assajo & Bethania and our help I've been asked to write about a typical day at work as an AFID accountancy volunteer. As soon as I heard that, I wondered what on earth a typical day was. I can only think of atypical days: they seem more common, and are surely much more interesting. But I suppose there is a pattern to some of our days, and so I'll write about it soon, but for it to make any sense it will help to talk about why we are here, what's being done by Assajo, and what we are helping with. Get ready to dive in to the backstory. This will be less of an aside and more of a full guided tour..... We're here to help an ... read more

A little after 3pm on the Wednesday before Easter.... This was the scene. As I write this I'm swaying from side to side in the hamaca down next to the kitchen. Don Ricardo the Canadian is digging something in the garden, Sister Paulita has just walked past on her way to the shops and Virginia the cook has just finished knocking mangoes from the tree. Before to long you won't need to knock them off, but for now, they need a little tempting. It's Guatemala the day before the Semana Santa (Holy Week) holiday begins, it's a half day and such activity as there is seems very relaxed. There's that pre-Christmas air around the compound. Everyone is winding down for the biggest holiday of the year. Thankfully the music pumping out of the church has wound ... read more

Our 4th day here was a Thursday like no other. Breakfast, as has become our routine, was at 6:30am in the casita of the nuns, Sisters Gloria, Paulita and Mirtala. The nuns are great. They like an occasional beer, will try whisky, add copious amounts of sugar to their coffee and are cheery and mostly full of jokes. They also put salt on their fruit, but apparently that's normal here. At 7:30 we had an appointment with Padre Juan Maria (early 70s, Belgian) down at the church. Instead we met Padre Rogelio (late 70s, Belgian, tall, spindly, wise but unsteady), and Padre Juan Gerardo (40s, Guatemalan, greying, cheeky and lively). They pick up a battered bag each and off we go in the pick-up to a mass they're giving in the hills. At the edge of ... read more

Tikal is one of the greatest archaological sites in Central America, most people put it in the top three on the American continents altogether, along with Chichen Itza in Mexico and Machu Picchu in Peru. Our time there was certainly memorable. After spending another night in San Ignacio, we packed our bags, said our goodbyes to the new friends, and got a cab for the border. Turns out the money-changers are lying when they tell you that you get a better rate in town than at the border, and an even better one once you're in the next country. I ended up sacrificing about 7 American dollars on that particular altar of experience. Belize owes me a beer now. We did the stampy stamp thing at the border station and got a collectivo bus (private shuttle) ... read more

Tim Version: * Entered Guatemala through Anguiatu, beautiful easy crossing, and bussed to Chiquimula. * Checked out the Copan ruins with its incredible inscriptions, and Esquipulas. The version that already misses El Salvador: I entered Guatemala from El Salvador (A country that I miss already!) from the Anguiatu border crossing, near where Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala meet, and it was a beautiful easy crossing. Very early, 7am so no-one around to hassle and the border officials all quite happy and unjaded. Its a pretty border crossing over a short bridge, and it has mountain views on either side. Once again though it is El Salvador that has the nicer buildings and more helpful workers. Today I knew was going to be a hectic day, so I enjoyed the slower bus ride from the border to ... read more