Hope for Guatemala!

Many of my friends are aware of the organization that I have fallen in love with here in Guatemala City. I feel like I can never say enough about the wonderful things that Hope for Guatemala does for the families in Zone 18. This was my second trip to the ministry to visit and learn more about the children from this impoverished part of the city. In Zone 18 most children quit school by the age of twelve to go work to help support their families. The area has very high gang activity and crime including murder and robbery. Many of the children have seen someone close to them die. Jose Armas grew up in the neighborhood and heard a calling from God to help educate and spread the Gospel. So in 2004 he began Hope as a vacation bible school which quickly grew into a an after school program that now feeds over two hundred children five days a week. They also provide fresh fruits and vegetables to the families of these kids. Every child enrolled in Hope must attend school. And this year they had their first young lady graduate from high school. Vanessa is now working as a secretary and earning a salary three times more than if she had not completed her schooling. She wants to continue on to college.

Elvis and I baked over two hundred cookies to take to the ministry. We served our cookies with the meal for the day. It is a very special treat for them to get anything like chocolate chip cookies. We were thanked with many hugs and kisses, the greatest reward a person receive from another.

After returning from my trip in May this year I immediately signed up to sponsor a teenage girl named Veronica. Her story, like the rest of the children, has so much tragedy and heart break in it. In spite of all of the obstacles and sorrow in her life, she has managed to return to school and will enter the 8th grade this year. In her world gangs, drugs, alcohol, and abuse threaten to pull her into the cycle of life in Zone 18. What has drawn me to her is that in spite of everything going on around her she knows the difference between right and wrong and she chooses the right path.

Elvis and I were invited to her house so see what a typical home was like. She and her mother have a two room cinder block home with a sheet metal roof. There is no running water therefore no kitchen sink or bathroom. They do not have a refrigerator and the stove is a gas stove and rarely is there enough money to fill the tank. I also find out from Jose that she and her mother are at risk of losing their home to the government. I take the opportunity for the first time to ask Veronica what she wants for her life. Her first answer is simple. I want peace in my family. This, I know is beyond me. So I ask her what it is she wants for herself, what are her dreams? She tells me that she is studying to be a secretary in school, but what she really wants is to be a fashion designer. Immediately an idea comes to me.

Elvis and Jamie are good friends with Edwardo Figueroa who is a successful fashion designer from Guatemala City. We immediately call Edwardo and make plans to take Veronica to his shop to meet him. Saturday afternoon we take her to the Oakland Mall to look in all of the designer shops. We tour the VIP Cineopolis Theater. And we take her to lunch at a nice restaurant. Even though she speaks no English and my Spanish is limited, we manage to learn a little about each other. Veronica has never been to Zone 10, which is the wealthy part of town, and she has never seen anything like the Oakland Mall. After lunch we go to Edwardo's studio where he inspired all of us with his drawings turned to dresses. He talks to Veronica about his education, the process of making his designs into clothes, and even invites her to come spend a day in his shop.

I hope that I have helped this incredible girl realize that education is the key to her dreams. And I hope that her dreams can keep her on the right path. There are many other children in the ministry that need sponsors. If sponsorship is not within your means I encourage you to make a donation. And should you ever find your way to Guatemala City, the children of Hope would love for you to come visit them.



Please read more about Hope for Guatemala please visit http://www.hope4guatemala.org

Dia de pavo!

Thanksgiving in Guatemala was like Thanksgiving in the States, but slightly different. It took us multiple trips to five different grocery stores over the course of four days to find all of the ingredients we needed. The menu included holiday favorites like Turkey (duh!), macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and Gallo beer. We invited some of our Guatemalan friends over for the festivities and explained to them that it's not Thanksgiving unless they eat to complete gluttony and then go back for seconds. They obliged. But what really made my Thanksgiving complete was the kick ass Rock Band marathon followed by the Thriller Dance instructional video that we all mastered in spite of our full bellies.

Thank you Elvis, Jamie, John, Carlos, Edwardo, and Luis for being my family this Thanksgiving. Along with so many other things, I'm thankful that we can all still rock on!

Monkey Love

I fell in love in Guatemala City. His name is Poncho. And in spite of the fact that he completely violated me through the course of a day, I can't help but want to see him again. I've done some monkeying around. I've even gone ape over some big brown eyes, but never have I held such a furry beast. By the way, that furry beast pee'd on me and pooped on me. He also bit me. Twice. And I can't even count how many times he put his hand down my shirt. Oh how I'll miss that little spider monkey.

Black Sand Beaches and Shooting Stars!

The decision was made after many Friday night shots that we wouldn't leave quite so early Saturday morning for the volcanic sand beaches of Guatemala. But like a kid at Christmas I still woke up at 6:30 the next morning. Slight headache, check. Bikini, check. Stripper heels, check. Gucci sunglasses, check.



Elvis, Jamie, Carlos, and I finally leave the city at about 10 AM. Our destination is the Cayman Suites in Monterrico, Guatemala. BUT FIRST! It's a car safari! That's right my friends, who needs to go to Africa to see leons, monos, and jirafas? Just head down to Escuintla Guatemala which is on the way to the beach and you can drive through a preserve and see lots of wonderful animals uncaged! I felt like Dora the Explorer.


Upon arrival at the hotel we immediately hit the pool, ordered drinks, and stalked our own prey. The evening took us a few kilometers down the road for dinner at a fantastic restaurant, El Pelicano. There was actually a pelican that wondered around the restaurant scaring the patrons. How did he get out of the preserve? Then over to a famous local motel called Johnny's to hit the beach bar. Johnny's is a really hippie chic motel that had more of a hostel feel with foreigners from all over the world. It was right on the beach and there were all kinds of people walking up and down the beach back and forth to the bars next door. And the view of la estrellas from la playa negra was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. I saw three shooting stars and made a wish on every single one of them. The same wish, in case you are wondering, because wishes are like the lottery, if you always choose the same number the odds of yours getting pulled are more likely. Sunday brought more pool and beach time, and then discovering a local restaurant in San Jose on the way home.


I slept in the car on the drive back. Sun, fun, and friends may be the death of me. But at least I'll die a happy girl.





For information about the following adventures click on the hyperlink!
Auto Safari Chapin
Cayman Suites
El Pelicano
Johnny's Place Hotel

I accidentally signed up for a couples massage with Elvis...

Thursday of last week my animated friend Elvis and I decided to check out Pacaya Volcano. This is an active volcano about thirty minutes south of Guatemala City. Driving there took us out of the smog of the city of 2.5 million people and through the valleys of cielo azul and arbols cafe. There are four "volcans" visible from the city but only two are active. Pacaya is the most active of those two and also the most traveled for tourism. Once there we hired a local guide at the bottom of the mountain and then rented a couple of horses to make the hour hike to the base of the crater. Our guide Felix was awesome. He showed us indigenous plants, pointed out landmarks of the valley from the overlooks, and helped guide us through the volcanic rock once we had to dismount our horses and climb the crater. We watched lava flowing and sending volcanic rock down the hills. We stuck sticks in hot molten rocks and ooh'd and aah'd as they caught fire and just generally appreciated the majesty of it all. What an "increible" sight!

To combat our saddle sore behinds and aching legs from Thursday's adventure Elvis and I called a local spa on Friday and made appointments for the "Spa Treatment". For $60 USD you get three hours of pampering including a full body sugar scrub, massage, sauna and jacuzzi soaking, and a pedicure. What Elvis and I didn't realize when we made these appointments is that we were signing up for our first romantic experience. Wait, make that our second since the day before Felix asked Elvis if it was ok to put his arm around me when posing for a picture. We each were taken to a massage room off a private jacuzzi room. Once my sugar scrub was finished my therapist (who only speaks Spanish, so I'm doing my best to understand instructions exactly) took me to a door which she explained was the shower. It is at this point that in my confusion, because someone is CLEARLY in the shower in the door on the left, that I attempt to enter the door on the right. No! No! No! Not that door she explains, the shower is in here. Segundo que? I decide that she must be telling me to go to the second shower stall in the shower room, but once in there I realize there is only one shower stall, and I'm quite sure my friend is the one in it. "Elvis, is that you in there?" "Yes. Are you outside?" "Um, no! They put me in here!!" Then, while laughing hysterically, we were ladies about switching out the shower. After the massage we meet again in the sauna, then hopped into the jacuzzi. Now, the shower incident made the whole situation clear to me, but I had to point out the obvious to Elvis. He's too gay for his own good sometimes. "Elvis, we were put in a private section of the spa with only two massage rooms and one shower, sauna, and jacuzzi. And! the therapists are scarce. Not to mention that the windows (which overlook a beautiful garden) and the door into the jacuzzi room have one way glass. Elvis!! You're totally my bitch!!" Does that make me the butch?

To check out Pacaya Volcano visit www.volcanolive.com/pacaya.html

To contact Felix, our wonderful tour guide for Pacaya Volcano, give him a call. He would be happy to schedule a tour for you. 502-5386-2861

For information on Le Petit Spa go to www.lepetitspa.com/index.php?showPage=183

Fact or Fiction?

I'm almost two weeks into my trip. My how time flies! Now that I've been south of the border for some time, I would like to share a little game that Oscar started in Guadalajara. I would now like to play the game with you regarding some of the common concerns that people from the U.S. have about traveling in Central and South America. Here goes.... Fact or Fiction?

1) Fact or fiction? You can not use the sink water to brush your teeth.

2) Fact or fiction? It is not safe to eat the vegetables grown by local farmers because they water the crops with unclean water. (Ahem Jamie!)

3) Fact or fiction? There is a high kidnapping rate in Cabo San Lucas.

4) Fact or fiction? If you speak louder English to someone who speaks Spanish, they will understand you.

5) Fact or fiction? If you get water in your mouth while taking a shower you will get violently ill.

6) Fact or fiction? Marijuana is legal south of the boarder.

7) Fact or fiction? It is cheap to vacation in Mexico.

8) Fact or fiction? You must carry your passport on you at all times.

9) Fact or fiction? It is far to difficult and dangerous to drive your own car to Central America.

10) Fact or fiction? You can not put ice in you drink at a restaurant.

Ok mi amigos, I want you all to answer these questions then grade your score. Feel free to address any other concerns that you may have and I will happily continue the game with you. By the way, the answer to all of these questions is fiction.

Cooking in Guatemala City

Since arriving in Guatemala City I have been exploring my culinary side. Jamie and Elvis have a beautiful home that they have kindly allowed me to move into (and by move into, I mean take over) for two whole weeks! The kitchen is calling my name.

Elvis and I went to the market the first day I was here. I could not believe that after being here for over a year that they had not been to the local farmer's market! Jamie "worries" that the veggies are no good because the water used for the crops is unclean. Seriously? All it took was a devious grin and a little nudge for me to convince Elvis to sneak off to the market for fresh veggies! For those of you who don't know Elvis, this is all it ever takes for me to convince him to do things. Like the time I convinced him that having a margarita and waxing party in my tiny kitchen in Denver was a GREAT idea.

Anyway, back to the cooking. I started small, with making some fantastic (if I do say so myself) asparagus to go with the rest of the left over meal. Tuesday morning I chopped and sliced fresh pina, manzanas, uvas, papayas, kiwis, and naranjas to mix with yogurt, miel, and granola for breakfast. Magically delicious. Then last night, fried plantains for dessert. Thank you Jamie for your assistance, sorry that you still haven't figured out that we are using market fruits and veggies. And tonight I'm kicking it up a notch. I am currently marinading salmon in a honey, lime, pineapple, and whiskey glaze that I made. We will have spinach and ayote with the salmon. Though I have to admit that Elena, our cleaning lady and fearless Guatemalan cultural leader, prepared the ayote. What can I say? I've never seen the gourd in my life before. But now I know how it's done. And with Elena's guidance Elvis and I will make papillon (I'm sure I've spelled this wrong, forgive me) this week as well. I can only assume that this will turn out other worldly.

Oh how I LOVE to eat!! Stay tuned for details of next week's Thanksgiving in Guatemala feast!!

1,200 Tequilas, more taco stands, and a Mexican wedding!

I arrived at the airport in Guadalajara Wednesday evening. I was invited to hang out with the one and only Oscar Torres in his home town. Now, I've been to Mexico several times before, but this is the real deal. Oscar and I never made specific plans about meeting at the airport, he was flying in from his home in Austin, Texas. My travels over the years have accustomed me to finding people in airports. But it didn't occur to me until standing on the airport curb in a city I've never been, where they speak a language I am desperately trying to learn (Donde esta el terminal internacional?) that it may suck not having a phone. Faith in my friend prevailed over panic, and forty-five minutes later Oscar finds me. People, before phones, we just sat on the curb and waited.

Straight to the neighborhood taco stand.

The Torres-Ramirez family opened their home to me and treated me like a long lost prima! Oscar is one of eight children and he has sixty-four cousins on his mother's side alone. Most of them are bilingual, but they only speak in English when the gringa starts to get a glazed over look in her eyes. What I quickly came to realize is that first, the nice employees at the hotels in Cabo speak spanish slowly for the tourists that are trying their hardest to order a pina colada and charge it to their room in terrible spanish. In the Torres casa, I used "que?" and "despacio!" a lot. The second thing that became immediately apparent is that learning everyone's name may take me days.

Thursday morning, taco stand.

Thursday we toured Guadalajara on a bus. Cathedrals, statues, government buildings, and my personal favorite of the day.... a four room display of 1,200 tequilas. "What do you mean we can't take pictures in here?"

Thursday afternoon, lunch at Sandra's. Yeah, it was home cooked. Thursday night dinner and dancing with some of the family. The beauty of Mexico is that you just order entire bottles of tequila and if you don't drink it all (which we did) you can just take it home with you. They will even give you a to go cup if you need one!

Friday morning, taco stand. Then off to ride the Tequila Express! This, mi amigos, is an hour and a half train ride where you are served beer and tequila. The train travels to the Casa Herradura to tour the Herradura Tequila distillery, eat (noticing a theme here?), enjoy a Mariachi band, dance, and of course drink tequila (also a theme). The train ride back continues the fiesta.

Friday night, taco stand at the Torres house and MORE familia!

Saturday morning, taco stand. I'm not even kidding here folks. Hiking La Barranca with Papi (this is my personal nickname for Oscar's dad, he's a stud), Oscar, and Aldo. Then off to the hacienda to get ready for the wedding! We were about fifteen minutes late for the ceremony, but I should note here that this was a Catholic wedding, so there was still another hour left in the ceremony. This is only the second time I've even been in a Catholic church, so to watch the mass was interesting enough, but add that the whole thing was obviously in spanish put my cultural curiousity was on overload. And then there was the reception at the beautiful Hacienda La Magdalena. A fantastic dinner, more tequila, a live band - which I would like to note started the wedding off with Madonna's "Like a virgin", I'm telling you I can't make this stuff up! - do wop dancers, fire show, a drum line, and carnival stilt walkers! I was told by Oscar, that the only thing typically Mexican about this wedding was the latin music and dancing. And of course the tequila!

I was sad to leave on Sunday. I truly felt like one of the family. The Torres family has left an open invitation for me to come back anytime. One day they may get tired of my showing up at their doorstep like you all know I tend to do.

For more information on the Tequila Express train visit www.tequilaexpress.com.mx
And please check out Hacienda La Magdalena! www.haciendalamagdalena.com

The only thing kidnapped in Cabo were my flip flops.

On my drive to the airport last Thursday morning, I made small talk with Foxy. Which I am sure was difficult for him since I got him out of bed at 6:30 in the morning to see me off. Not so much that it was 6:30 in the morning, but because he may be slightly jealous of my three month departure. Anyway, I was trying to imagine that these will be the last steps on U.S. soil for me until February. I did not feel anxious, or nervous, just calm and excited. After fourty-two texts from Jill and Duane on Wednesday, I was ready to get the Cabo show on the road!

The first four days in Cabo were at an all inclusive resort called Dreams with about fifty of my (now) closest friends. We all gathered there from all over the U.S. Chicago, Denver, Hawaii, California just to name a few spots. The occasion was the Holler-Jones wedding.

Evan and Erika are a couple that I had the pleasure of meeting at puppy school. In the fall of 2006 we spent about six weeks of Friday nights teaching Ludo and Otis how to act like gentlemen. If only our boys could see how we do not always practice what we preach. Especially in Mexico.

So about fifty of us spent our days by the pool jumping off the infinity edge into the pool below, trying to convince each other that "naked time" was in two minutes, and ordering booze like we may run out at any minute. This is a sprint, not a marathon my friends. Wait, who am I trying to kid? But the highlight of this trip, was Erika. Beautiful and poised in her gorgeous gown. Her make up perfectly applied (fine work Jill) and her hair beautifully pulled back so that you could see the absolute joy on her face. And Evan, so proud to be waiting there for her on the gazebo over the sea. I am proud to call them my friends, and I am glad that I was able to start my trip celebrating such a joyous occasion.

Some side adventures? Oh yes, we had a few of those. There was the inpromptu trip into Cabo San Lucas on Sunday with Evan, Decker, Megan, and Duane where we found the most wonderful pesco taco resturante off the beaten path and encouraged Evan to make the Denver Broncos luchdora mask purchase. Monday and Tuesday by the pool and the ocean at the Hilton with an amazing friend. Monday night adventure on the local bus with D into San Jose del Cabo for another fantastic taco stand find and miniadventure through the locals part of town. "The longer we stay here, the more likely we are to get mugged." And Tuesday night another improptu trip to San Lucas, yet another taco joint, and dancing with the new couple.

Alas, as much as I wish we could all stay for another week, the lap of luxury has come to an end. I may be the last one to the airport today, but I am not leaving Mexico yet. Guadalajara, here I come!! (Maybe my flip flops will meet me there)

Wednesday November 4th!

Tomorrow is November 5th. I have spent thirty-two of them oblivious to how significant this day would become to me in 2009. You see, it's not the birthday of anyone I know (I should really double check that before I upset someone), nor is it a holiday. Maybe it's someone's anniversary, but I have never celebrated it. But this year, it is a milestone for me.

For those of you that I have not had the chance to call personally, I want to introduce you to my next big adventure. I have begun calling it my "Epic Trip". It is the kind of adventure that any person would be lucky to experience. Tomorrow I leave DIA for Cabo, Mexico. This is the first stop on my travels through Central and South America for the next three months. And this blog is my way to share with you all my stories along the way.

"Why are you going on this trip?" someone asked me the other day. The best answer to sum it all up is "Because I can!" Because I can experience. Because I can learn. Because I can grow. Because I can help. All of which are things I am very passionate about. The other thing I am passionate about is you. Not only am I lucky because I get to take this trip of a lifetime, but I am lucky because I have you to share it with. I know every day that I am blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people. I want to thank each and every one of you for your love and support in my life.

Now, let's take a trip together.......