Well, I'm back. Back to the fashion show. I haven't been able to get online since I've been home. How does that work? I go to a developing country and it's easier to log on there than in SLC ( Read more... )

I can't believe it's my last full week day here in Pana. I'm not sure if I'm sad to leave Guat or to go back to reality in the States. Prob'ly some of both ( Read more... )

When we were in Santiago last Thursday we all decided to get our fortunes. I've seen it a couple places here around the lake - fortune telling parakeets. They are kept in a little cage until someone comes along and pays 1Q. I paid my money and the smart bird picked out a fortune for "Señorita Bonita: Señorita su fuerza de voluntad, se pondra a ( Read more... )

The closest hospital to Panajachel is in Sololá, about 15 minutes up the mountain. Tuesday morning a 13 year old girl was going to market on her bike to buy food for her mother. She was crossing one of the bridges and fell through a giant hole caused by the latest rains - she didn't see it in time to stop. I don't know how high the bridge is but ( Read more... )

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There is a belief that runs through the Mayan villages here that if people go to the doctor, they will die in the doctor's care. Most people put it off until they absolutely have to seek medical attention. Many times - most of the time - it's too late and they do in fact die when they finally make it to the doctor. So, a lot of people here ( Read more... )

Since I've been here in Guatemala I've seen a lot. The extreme poverty, the distress caused by natural disasters, the lack of education, the empty eyes and the hungry eyes. But nothing affected me as much as a visit to Santa Catarina yesterday ( Read more... )

I really love the days when Sharon sends me out to the villages. On Thursday I went to Tierra Linda for the first time. It's on the Pana side of the lake, farther up the river. Beautiful. We had to drive through Solala and (I think) over the ridge of a mountain. All the kids came running when we drove into the community. They all know we ( Read more... )