Hola

Mis amigos y los parientes. (Friends and relatives)

Sorry we didn't send any blogs but we decided to wait until we had time to do a good job of describing Guatemala. We are still not quite home. We are staying an extra day in Seattle with Pam and Stu.

We have decided to break down the blogs by the places we saw.

I will start by saying, for all those people that consider Mexico a destination, spread your wings a little further south and visit Guatemala.

We have over 500 photos to go through edit and attach to the blog.

This by far has been the most interesting, informative, and emotional journey we have ever been on. It has left us very optimistic as to our future journeys starting in Aug.

The northernmost of the Central American nations, Guatemala is the size of Tennessee. Its neighbours are Mexico on the north and west, and Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador on the east. The country consists of three main regions—the cool highlands with the heaviest population, the tropical area along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, and the tropical jungle in the northern lowlands (known as the Petén).

We managed to visit them all.

The heart beat of the country is its culture and traditions. The people of this country live their lives engulfed by these two themes. In Guatemala, 75% of the population lives in severe poverty. In Chiapas, where again, three quarters of the population live in poverty, 70% live in poverty so extreme that they are not able to acquire the food, water or shelter needed for basic survival. Two-thirds of the shacks in which poor people lived lacked electricity, drinking water and drainage. They do however have something we do not have. A very strong family stucture based on their beliefs. They appear happy.

We spent 4 weeks in Spanish school 7 1/2 hrs a day. I learnt a lot and can have a limited converstion. Understanding a conversation is easier than speaking. Ken learnt a lot but sells himself short to how much he has learnt. His "Spanglish" and hand gestures have definately improved. We lived with a wonderful family and were invited into their lives as one of their own. In meeting them we now have nuestro familia a de Guatemala. (Our family from Guatemala) A picture of them will be added when we get home.