Guatemala...our last country

Guatemala....what to say...we went to the Guatemala City Dump. It was an organized tour by Semester At Sea. The tour guide was perplexed...and wary...why would these Americans go to the dump, she wondered?

We saw poverty at its worst, survival in the rawest form. People live in the Guatemala City Dump, making a living, finding food in the rotting trash. Hundreds of vultures circled overhead. There are children who live on the perimeter. There is a place for them now, a place called Camino Seguro. Its only goal is to teach them life skills to to get out of the dump, but more importantly...to give them hope.

Hope is the most treasured possession of mankind (not sure who said that, I wish I could attribute that properly).

Guatemala is beautiful, a study in contrasts.

Ah, Nicaragua....

I went to Nicaragua in 1995 with some Jesuits priests and other college students. We lived with Sandinistas for a month, it was my first exposure to poverty, to hunger...the struggle between the Contras and the Sandinistas was fading (somewhat) but lingered like a very fresh, pink scar. One of my most vivid memories was when we were all driving back from the beach (San Juan del Sur) and we got pulled over. We were 3 gringos...white American females...in a beat up truck of probably 10 other Nicaraguan Sandinistas. The soldiers held their guns at us, me and my friend Sarah. We had been asleep, so it was very surreal, under a beautiful starry night. I never felt fear looking into that teenage soldier's face. But I felt the very humble beginnings of understanding their struggle. In the end, it all passed with a few dollars exchanging hands.

Anyway, these days, ten years later, Nicaragua is one of the (if not the) safest countries in Central America. It is stunningly beautiful.

Costa Rica...Rainforests, Soccer, Heartbreak and Beach Towel

Costa Rica, the "Rich Coast" is the most Americanized country we have been to I think. As evidenced by the helmets and proper gear at the zip lines ...all very safe in that American litigation-wary way.

I got my favorite souvenir here...a beach towel with the Last Supper on it (modeled here by a friend). Is one supposed to lay out on this beach towel...in a bikini...?

One of the 7 World Wonders

No words needed for Machu Picchu...

Teenage Mothers in Peru

We went to a home for young mothers and their children, staying for a while and playing with the babies, helping the young mothers with their English homework....

Enchanted Chile

Chile is completely, utterly enchanted. Wandering through the impossibly winding streets of Valparaiso was like falling into a painting. Everything is in bright color, artists have decorated every nook and cranny. It's a very European country in many ways. I saw very little overt American influence here.

Amazing Amazon

Went to the Amazon in Ecuador. I have officially turned into a "save the rainforest" person. Such amazing beauty, such abundance of life. Everyone should see this place in their lifetime.