I feel enormously grateful that I was able to travel to Guatemala and experience life that is in many ways very different from what I experience here. Just wanted to note a few things that have stuck with me or that I forgot to mention.

1. First of all, I am immensely grateful to God, Maria and my body’s supply of Adrenaline. I was very much afraid that I would be physically unable to take photos and enjoy my stay. I did not have to walk or stand very much most days. I was able to take most of the photos you find in my gallery from a seated position. I did not crash until after we made our truffles on Friday. It was festival day in Antigua, so many streets were blocked. I would have had to do a lot of walking, and knew I wasn’t up to it. I fell asleep at 7:15 I’ll just have to return there some day if I really want to see Antigua. Other than that, there is not much I missed. Every day was full and delightful. It was like a dream. It still feels that way. If I didn’t have the photos, I might believe that it didn’t really happen.

2. Pack dogs: Most of the dogs in Guatemala are pack dogs. I don’t want to use the word “wild” because that brings a sense of danger that I did not encounter. These dogs are calm and do not approach humans. They do not seek attention and affection, nor are they threatening. They don’t bark. They howl on the day the trash collectors come to remove food from the street, other than that, they are quiet and peaceful. They stay near humans because humans leave food behind. I am told that once a year, the town puts out poison to control their populations. That’s kinda sad, but I guess they have no other good options.

3. I encountered poverty at a level I have not seen it in the US. The poor I encounter in the US have a sense of entitlement and a lack of appreciation/respect. While I realize that is not true in all communities, it has been my recent experience. The poor in Guatemala appreciate any help they can get. They are respectful and lack so much more. Our society tries not to let anyone truly go hungry. The poor have food banks and food stamps. The poor in Guatemala can easily starve. They cook on wood stoves, sometimes unvented, creating an unhealthy environment for their children, but what other choice do they have? There are, however, lots of humanitarians who make trips to Guatemala or move there so they can help. They build houses, create foundations that offer food, healthcare, job training, etc, That’s great to see. So much more needs to be done, but at least some folks are there trying to make a difference. Once such foundation is Mayan Familes.

We in the US allow the news media to make us believe that all Central American countries are unsafe. That is so untrue. I can’t imagine a place I felt safer than in Panajachel. There was a police presence, but they were just directing traffic and other normal things. We made truffles with a couple from Israel who told us that Israel is also safe. It’s really hard to know what to believe from our media and even our State Department. So, if you have travel money and time, Guatemala is the place to visit, at least the Lake Atitilan area and Antigua. Can’t say anything about the rest yet.