Volunteering

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Roger and I are both volunteering for the most wonderful organization. It's a woman's co-op called TRAMA Textiles. We are officially in charge of photographs (since Roger has the nicest camera) and updating/re-organizing their Etsy page. Since neither of us are very familiar with Etsy, we definitely signed up for a challenge. We have plenty of time though, and all the people we've met so far have been so kind and helpful. There's a mix of English and Spanish being spoken there, although I think among the volunteers, it's usually mostly English.

About TRAMA: It's comprised of over 400 women from 17 different areas of Guatemala. Almost, if not all, of the women are victims of civil wars, or other internal battles that have essentially left them as the sole breadwinner for their family. As a way to make money, these women sell their weavings to TRAMA, who then sells them on to buyers all over the world. All of the money from sales goes directly to the women. It's completely ran by volunteers, and the money needed for rent, internet, other bills, etc all comes from either Fundraising Parties or the weaving school they offer. For like 40 US dollars, they will teach you how they weave (the most basic form, obviously) and you can make a scarf to keep. One of the pictures is of a volunteer, Christi, working on her scarf. She's done volunteering Thursday, so she only has a few days left! Their work is absolutely incredible. It honestly is mindblowing how they do it all by hand. So for all you people out there thinking I'll be making you souvenirs, keep in mind this is something women have been doing for most of their lives and it takes time. Thereby: no one will get a handmade-by-me souvenir haha

We've been laying pretty low lately. Making food, watching all the movies based off Dan Brown books (Angels and Demons, and The Davinci Code are both on Netflix right now), and gradually spending more and more time at TRAMA. We're still studying Spanish on our own (Roger more so than myself). We have included a picture of me standing next to a large, fat tree. There is a reason for that .... On all maps, that large tree is called a park! Seriously! A park! go look at a map of Xela/Quetzaltenango - it's right there called "Parque a Paco Perez" --- IT'S JUST ONE TREE! I am amazed every day I walk past it. Which is every day because it's down the street from our apartment. The graffiti on the wall picture is something else we walk past every day. I like it though 😊

Oh! We have a mailing address too! If anyone wants it - please message me/comment me here or on Facebook and I'll email it to you.

I'll include some pictures of TRAMA and then I'm off the computer. It's looking like another stormy night (we've had a few nights of thunder/lightning storms and power outages) and all I want to do is snuggle up in my pjs with my quilt and a Sherlock Holmes book 😊

Besos a nuestros amigos!!

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Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Love to hear more about this group
Is there a way to make donations?