Thursday. The day begins with packing, our usual breakfast (eggs and beans - you know how I feel about that) and a quick jaunt down to the mail square to get more cash. We remember our much earlier trips and traveler's checks. What a difference.

We are picked up by a private van hired through the hotels. It is comfortable, easy and safe. Even so we are diverted off the main road to a muddy dirt high-trafficked and jammed one because of a meeting of the OAS.

When in Malaysia with Carsten the van driver and of course Carsten was part of the whole process of getting the photographs. That made it easy on me. This trip I have to grab shots quickly where ever I can with my travel mates joking about me and my camera. I know there are those that think seeing your trip through the lens of a camera limits one's experience. For me it's the opposite. I remember and re-experience it all over and over again. We all have a lens we look at a new experience through. It's just that mine is a camera.  This trip many of my photos are taken through a windshield  or a side window while moving.

I would wave out the window and try to snap the reaction. I love the look on her face as she waves back at me. 

Caught gym time:

Ok I am not done explaining why we did not end the day at Mystical Yoga Farm.  It was one REALLY funny adventure - a boat ride over - showing us to our rooms and it dawning not so slowly to all of us that we were to leave - in the rain - on a boat driven by 12 year olds.  Later.



Thanks for following......

Genelle, founder of GRACE and tireless advocate for woman's rights here in Guatemala and back home in Ft. Myers suggested I read this book before coming.  So I did!. It is an amazing account from an incredible woman. It helped me understand - from an indigenous persons point of view - what it is to live in a central American county.  I also watched an incredible video available free on line called "When the mountains tremble."

Helping these indigenous - Mayan women to be educated is such an effective way to empower the whole community. It also allows and encourages them to remain in their own home country to study and work and make a difference.  Families who might believe that sending their daughters to the US will give them a better life or a way to support the people back home have a reason to support the idea of them getting an education instead. It's such a win - win

Later this week I'll tell you a story of a woman I want to help go to law school.

My fantasy - with every Mayan woman I see is that I will find this 3 year old. Wouldn't that be incredible!

Need I write anything? Yes it's man in a crepe.

Today was filled with EVERYTHING i came for. First a great night 9 hours of sleep and a breakfast of eggs and BEANS! Then a morning of shopping. But most important the afternoon was training for the locals who will be leading workshops for teachers. Genelle started by handing out Zonta bags (thanks to Nola i think). I got a chance to talk about Zonta and the mission (translated by Genelle of course)

The team consisted of a father and his two daughters and a husband and wife. I'll tell you more about them all in a few days. Very special people!

There was a lot of laughter as we tried to communicate with each other.

Genelle then went through the short curriculum that will be taught which includes such a wide range of really useful topics from :
• simple acupressure techniques for traumatic stress
• four laws that protect women and children from physical abuse, rape and incest
•"family planning" using a condom or fertility bracelet to keep track of a woman's cycle or vasectomy
•how to do a breast self-exam

We will be using this curriculum in the workshops next week.

We then adjourned to Genelle's hotel room where supplies were spread out on the bed. We stuffed envelopes and brightly colored bags that will be given to trainers, teachers and some students.

It was really fun working together and especially seeing all the supplies that I brought down being divided up. To buy just one pen would cost a teacher a day's salary.

The day ended with a great meal and live music. I have a nice glass of wine with me as I write this blog.

I am so glad I came.

After an intense afternoon of working together we were friends. Here Amilcar with his daughters Alejandra and Gabriela. On the right Juan, Genelell, Tyla, Linda and Gini

Oh my what a long and fun day. Started at 3:30 am with Holly picking me up after I had one hour sleep. Thank you Holly.  The bags were 56 and 55 so it was time to take out a few things. Thank you to Liliana at Delta for sending them through at 52 lbs.

Met my travel companion Linda and together with Genelle Grant our fearless leader - off we went. Driver picked us up at the airport and late afternoon we were finally settled in La Antigua in the beautiful San Jorge Hotel.

We walked the town - contrasting riches -  as all over the world.

Tomorrow we get to work - so make sure to check tomorrow night.

Many of you know the story already but I'd like to get it in the record. In 1975, Olly and I travelled by "banana boat" to Honduras and then over land to Guatemala. While in Antigua we took a bus to Aqua Caliente. We came upon "the weaving school."  As i remember it there was a Canadian young man who had been there for a month. His job was to interact with the tour buses when they arrived and to sell the family's weavings. In exchange for that service he was taught to weave. He was to leave the next day and asked if I would like to take over his position. So I did. The teacher and I had no language in common and yet I learned to do back strap weaving.  Tour buses would arrive - I would explain the process as I had been told by the Canadian. After the bus left I would sweep the dirt floor of the garbage and cigarette butts that were dropped and continue my lessons.  

The young girl was only three but sat and learned patiently.  I wonder if she is alive and there.

I think Olly took the pictures but I am not sure why I have the original slides. 

Bag is packed. Too heavy for me to lift with luggage scale. On people scale says 62 pounds. Ugh ! Ten pounds of that is 600! "Fertility" bracelets. My plan is to pack my suitcase lightly and then balance the two at the airport. Big thanks for all the school supplies that people gave me and for the zontians and other friends who help string beads.

Testing out the mobile weebly app to see if I can post from my phone. Yes!!!

Very excited. Working hard to set up this blog, make bracelets, see clients, do Zonta. Timing is running out!

One of the tasks of our trip will be to hand out beaded bracelets that help women keep track of their fertile days. Here are friends at my dining room table stringing beads.