Blogs from Quetzaltenango, Western Highlands, Guatemala, Central America Caribbean

So. This week couldn´t be much different from last. I ended last week sat on a derserted tropical island with some of my favourite people, sipping drinks in the shallows and snorkelling in the sea. I ended this one sat in my rain mac and my prettiest dress in an internet cafe sheltering from the tremendous thunderstorm illuminating the mountains that surround Xela. I was supposed to be going out with my fellow students from El Nahual language school, but the thunderstorm and rain got the better of them and they bailed. My journey here was pretty tough. Hannah and I left Utila on Tuesday.We´d made plans with a camp Brazillian cigar salesman called Alejandro (no, really) to travel with him as far as Copan Ruinas and stay overnight at his place, but that all went ... read more

The last day of building stoves is here, it seems like just yesterday we were stepping off the plane in Guatemala City. We are a smaller group but still have 3 groups building stoves. Marvin is training a new mason and that is interesting for us to see. Keith and Lisa worked with them while Paul and George worked with Oneisimo and Jim, Dana and I were with Don Juan. The spaces were very small so really assisting the masons was almost impossible, we mainly wondered about interacting with the families and taking pictures. The families today were probably to poorest we have worked with so far and along with that a number of the members were deaf mute. One of the younger boys was absolutely besotted with Lisa as she was able to sign to ... read more

Well here it is Monday afternoon and I am now certain that I am going to live. I went to bed on Saturday night and that was it at 1AM I was up and very ill. I spent all of Sunday in bed not really sleeping but not feeling well enough to be awake either. I am not sure where the past 48 hours have gone but I am thankful they are now behind me. Lisa, Jim and Dana worked magic looking after me. So here I am sipping on gingerale and eating rice crackers.... life can't get much better. The rest of the group have gone out to the building sites and will build stoves again today, I hope to be able to join them tomorrow. I understand from Dana that the hot springs were ... read more

A quick breakfast and onto the vans with Clara heading to Panamaquim and the School. The views as we drove through the mountians were just amazing. The volcano Santa Maria was a highlight in the distance as the clouds surrounded it. The village and the school were waiting for us, with the yearly celebration. I found it interesting to see the children two years later and to observe the difference the nutrition program has made for them. Miguel was there in his wheel chair with his mother, both with great smiles. After much celebration and dancing we were served a lunch of egg and beans, very similar to what the children have been receiving through the chicken house program. We saw the chicken house full of chickens they all looked healthy and are laying eggs at ... read more

Feb 6,2011 Today was the first day of building stoves; we broke into 4 groups with 3 masons. The day started with breakfast just down the road from our hotel, a variety of foods were offered from pancakes to fried chicken. What wasn’t eaten we packed up and it was given to the families where we were building stoves, they were very grateful for what they received. Jim, Dana and I were working in a very small room with a new mason Onesima, he was very efficient and knew what he was doing. The family we built for was very young, a mother Estephanie who was 19 years old with a young son Salvador who was 18 months and her husband who was 22, once the stove was build we had a picture taken with them ... read more

After spending last year in Asia I decided it was time to return to Latin America. I wanted to study Spanish and visit some friends in Colombia, so I decided to study in Guatemala, and then make my way through Central America to Colombia. I would be traveling of ground inland but I had plenty of time for those bus rides. I left Chicago on October 12th with a flight into Guatemala via Houston. It all started with plane problems in Houston and having to reboard a new plane. Then we get close to Guatelmala City and they are having big storms so we can't land there and need to go to Honduras to refuel. Instead of arriving at 10:40 as scheduled, I arrived around 4:30. I arrived in Antigua and spent 1 night before leaving ... read more

February 5th we have been here for not quite 24 hours. Dana (my 14yr old niece) is seeing everything with eyes of amazement. We arrived mid afternoon and met Keith and Lisa at the airport to catch a shuttle to Posada La Merced in Antiqua. Before we were out of the airport Lisa had been pick pocketed, a quick reminder to us all that we need to take care. The drive out of Guatemala city was hot and smelly but uneventful. Upon arrival at the posada, we took luggage to rooms and then set out for a walk about the town. A celebration of some sort was taking place and there were jugglers and partiers everywhere. We noticed a number of pet dogs on leads which seemed unusual as this has not been the case in ... read more