Thursday, August 28, 2003
Yesterday Myrna and I arrived in Panajachel, and as soon as we had found a hotel, headed to the lake, Lago Atitlan. The guidebooks all say it is one of the most beautiful sites anywhere. They are right. It was a bit cloudy, but the mountains come right down to the edge of the lake, which is surrounded by magnificent, large volcanoes. We spent a long time watching the patterns of clouds change around these beautiful cones and as dusk fell, watching the creation of an incredible pallet of blue. Blue-green mountains nearest us, changing to ever-deeper blue with greater distance, matched by the blue-gray of the clouds that wreathed the volcanoes. Wow!
Our hotel is great - features a stone hot-tub, located in a little, private gazebo. The water is fresh and clean, supplied by a volcanic hot spring. We walk through a garden to reach our room.
Several years ago, Matthew took me to Yangshau on the Banana Pancake Trail in China. It is a place of magnificent beauty, discovered and popularized by backpackers and other assorted foreigners to produce a very laid-back paradise. I was thinking of that this morning as we enjoyed our PANCAQUES in a little cafe along Calle Santander. This place has much the same feel and appeal of China�s Banana Pancake Trail. Lots to explore, lots to enjoy, No Problemas, Compadre!
Our hotel is great - features a stone hot-tub, located in a little, private gazebo. The water is fresh and clean, supplied by a volcanic hot spring. We walk through a garden to reach our room.
Several years ago, Matthew took me to Yangshau on the Banana Pancake Trail in China. It is a place of magnificent beauty, discovered and popularized by backpackers and other assorted foreigners to produce a very laid-back paradise. I was thinking of that this morning as we enjoyed our PANCAQUES in a little cafe along Calle Santander. This place has much the same feel and appeal of China�s Banana Pancake Trail. Lots to explore, lots to enjoy, No Problemas, Compadre!
Yesterday Myrna and I arrived in Panajachel, and as soon as we had found a hotel, headed to the lake, Lago Atitlan. The guidebooks all say it is one of the most beautiful sites anywhere. They are right. It was a bit cloudy, but the mountains come right down to the edge of the lake, which is surrounded by magnificent, large volcanoes. We spent a long time watching the patterns of clouds change around these beautiful cones and as dusk fell, watching the creation of an incredible pallet of blue. Blue-green mountains nearest us, changing to ever-deeper blue with greater distance, matched by the blue-gray of the clouds that wreathed the volcanoes. Wow!
Our hotel is great - features a stone hot-tub, located in a little, private gazebo. The water is fresh and clean, supplied by a volcanic hot spring. We walk through a garden to reach our room.
Several years ago, Matthew took me to Yangshau on the Banana Pancake Trail in China. It is a place of magnificent beauty, discovered and popularized by backpackers and other assorted foreigners to produce a very laid-back paradise. I was thinking of that this morning as we enjoyed our PANCAQUES in a little cafe along Calle Santander. This place has much the same feel and appeal of China´s Banana Pancake Trail. Lots to explore, lots to enjoy, No Problemas, Compadre!
Our hotel is great - features a stone hot-tub, located in a little, private gazebo. The water is fresh and clean, supplied by a volcanic hot spring. We walk through a garden to reach our room.
Several years ago, Matthew took me to Yangshau on the Banana Pancake Trail in China. It is a place of magnificent beauty, discovered and popularized by backpackers and other assorted foreigners to produce a very laid-back paradise. I was thinking of that this morning as we enjoyed our PANCAQUES in a little cafe along Calle Santander. This place has much the same feel and appeal of China´s Banana Pancake Trail. Lots to explore, lots to enjoy, No Problemas, Compadre!
Monday, August 25, 2003
FRIDAY August 22
Deborah was here to give me my third Spanish lesson, this morning. Don’t think we are accomplishing much though. We basically cover grammer, and that is interesting but not central to my problem, which is understanding SPOKEN Spanish. I have problems even within Myrna’s family. We went on a major search today for tapes or CDs of books or readings in Spanish – something I could listen to and read at the same time. But we couldn’t find a thing. Things like books on tape just don’t exist here.
SATURDAY August 23
Dinner was at Carla’s this evening. She made far too much for us, but it was delicious, and presented beautifully. They live in a new, small home in a development outside Guatemala City with a beautiful view of the city and the mountains.
SUNDAY August 24
Well, I guess all the changes in activities, schedule, food and climate caught up with me today. I woke up feeling a little strange, and soon was feeling cold and running a fever. I took a couple of aspirin and spent most of the day in bed.
MONDAY August 25
I’m taking it slow and easy today, to be sure I am over whatever it is that hit me yesterday. So, maybe a time to offer my take on GUATEMALA POLITICS - GUATEMALA REALLY IS ON A KNIFE EDGE, AT RISK OF SLIDING INTO DICTATORSHIP. It comes about this way:
Like most of Central America, Guatemala had a series of leftist governments, which by the 60’s were interpreted by the US as communist leaning, and as a consequence, US supported “anticommunist” strong leaders who became increasingly ruthless and got away with it by calling all their opposition Cuban-supported communists. The worst of the lot was Efrain Rios Montt, who really practiced genocide against the indigenous Mayan tribes here. The story of this is graphically told in the book, “I, Rigoberta Menchu.” Anyway, this 30 years of civil war ended in 1996, when Peace Accords were signed, to great hope and expectation. However, the changes required by the Accords have been mostly ignored, and there have been a number of atrocious killings of rights workers that the government has done everything it can to avoid investigating or prosecuting – most notably the bludgeoning of Bishop Girardi and the assassination of Helen Mack. Which brings us to today.
Rios Montt, the dictator, still today leads the largest political party in Guatemala, the FRG. The President of Guatemala, Portillo, is basically in his pocket, and he still has strong support from the army and especially the paramilitary groups who are at risk if there really was an investigation of past atrocities. Recently Montt got a constitutional prohibition changed so that he can run for President himself, and he is campaigning hard. The election is in November, and if he wins, it will be a disaster.
In the run-up to the election, violence, human rights abuses and threats have been increasing. Montt supporters staged violent demonstrations with considerable targeted destruction of property on July 31, during which a reporter for a human rights organization was killed, and all the while the police politely stood by and did nothing. The reporter’s killer is known, but no charges have been filed! July 31 is now knows as Black Thurday. The only good thing about all this is that public revulsion against these tactics is so high that Montt got only a 3% total of a recent poll of likely voters in the November election.
SO – LOOK FOR NEWS ON THE NOVEMBER 9TH ELECTION RESULTS FROM GUATEMALA. Either way, this will be a fateful day for Guatemala and the viability of democracy in Latin America.
Deborah was here to give me my third Spanish lesson, this morning. Don’t think we are accomplishing much though. We basically cover grammer, and that is interesting but not central to my problem, which is understanding SPOKEN Spanish. I have problems even within Myrna’s family. We went on a major search today for tapes or CDs of books or readings in Spanish – something I could listen to and read at the same time. But we couldn’t find a thing. Things like books on tape just don’t exist here.
SATURDAY August 23
Dinner was at Carla’s this evening. She made far too much for us, but it was delicious, and presented beautifully. They live in a new, small home in a development outside Guatemala City with a beautiful view of the city and the mountains.
SUNDAY August 24
Well, I guess all the changes in activities, schedule, food and climate caught up with me today. I woke up feeling a little strange, and soon was feeling cold and running a fever. I took a couple of aspirin and spent most of the day in bed.
MONDAY August 25
I’m taking it slow and easy today, to be sure I am over whatever it is that hit me yesterday. So, maybe a time to offer my take on GUATEMALA POLITICS - GUATEMALA REALLY IS ON A KNIFE EDGE, AT RISK OF SLIDING INTO DICTATORSHIP. It comes about this way:
Like most of Central America, Guatemala had a series of leftist governments, which by the 60’s were interpreted by the US as communist leaning, and as a consequence, US supported “anticommunist” strong leaders who became increasingly ruthless and got away with it by calling all their opposition Cuban-supported communists. The worst of the lot was Efrain Rios Montt, who really practiced genocide against the indigenous Mayan tribes here. The story of this is graphically told in the book, “I, Rigoberta Menchu.” Anyway, this 30 years of civil war ended in 1996, when Peace Accords were signed, to great hope and expectation. However, the changes required by the Accords have been mostly ignored, and there have been a number of atrocious killings of rights workers that the government has done everything it can to avoid investigating or prosecuting – most notably the bludgeoning of Bishop Girardi and the assassination of Helen Mack. Which brings us to today.
Rios Montt, the dictator, still today leads the largest political party in Guatemala, the FRG. The President of Guatemala, Portillo, is basically in his pocket, and he still has strong support from the army and especially the paramilitary groups who are at risk if there really was an investigation of past atrocities. Recently Montt got a constitutional prohibition changed so that he can run for President himself, and he is campaigning hard. The election is in November, and if he wins, it will be a disaster.
In the run-up to the election, violence, human rights abuses and threats have been increasing. Montt supporters staged violent demonstrations with considerable targeted destruction of property on July 31, during which a reporter for a human rights organization was killed, and all the while the police politely stood by and did nothing. The reporter’s killer is known, but no charges have been filed! July 31 is now knows as Black Thurday. The only good thing about all this is that public revulsion against these tactics is so high that Montt got only a 3% total of a recent poll of likely voters in the November election.
SO – LOOK FOR NEWS ON THE NOVEMBER 9TH ELECTION RESULTS FROM GUATEMALA. Either way, this will be a fateful day for Guatemala and the viability of democracy in Latin America.
FRIDAY August 22
Deborah was here to give me my third Spanish lesson, this morning. Don’t think we are accomplishing much though. We basically cover grammer, and that is interesting but not central to my problem, which is understanding SPOKEN Spanish. I have problems even within Myrna’s family. We went on a major search today for tapes or CDs of books or readings in Spanish – something I could listen to and read at the same time. But we couldn’t find a thing. Things like books on tape just don’t exist here.
SATURDAY August 23
Dinner was at Carla’s this evening. She made far too much for us, but it was delicious, and presented beautifully. They live in a new, small home in a development outside Guatemala City with a beautiful view of the city and the mountains.
SUNDAY August 24
Well, I guess all the changes in activities, schedule, food and climate caught up with me today. I woke up feeling a little strange, and soon was feeling cold and running a fever. I took a couple of aspirin and spent most of the day in bed.
MONDAY August 25
I’m taking it slow and easy today, to be sure I am over whatever it is that hit me yesterday. So, maybe a time to offer my take on GUATEMALA POLITICS - GUATEMALA REALLY IS ON A KNIFE EDGE, AT RISK OF SLIDING INTO DICTATORSHIP. It comes about this way:
Like most of Central America, Guatemala had a series of leftist governments, which by the 60’s were interpreted by the US as communist leaning, and as a consequence, US supported “anticommunist” strong leaders who became increasingly ruthless and got away with it by calling all their opposition Cuban-supported communists. The worst of the lot was Efrain Rios Montt, who really practiced genocide against the indigenous Mayan tribes here. The story of this is graphically told in the book, “I, Rigoberta Menchu.” Anyway, this 30 years of civil war ended in 1996, when Peace Accords were signed, to great hope and expectation. However, the changes required by the Accords have been mostly ignored, and there have been a number of atrocious killings of rights workers that the government has done everything it can to avoid investigating or prosecuting – most notably the bludgeoning of Bishop Girardi and the assassination of Helen Mack. Which brings us to today.
Rios Montt, the dictator, still today leads the largest political party in Guatemala, the FRG. The President of Guatemala, Portillo, is basically in his pocket, and he still has strong support from the army and especially the paramilitary groups who are at risk if there really was an investigation of past atrocities. Recently Montt got a constitutional prohibition changed so that he can run for President himself, and he is campaigning hard. The election is in November, and if he wins, it will be a disaster.
In the run-up to the election, violence, human rights abuses and threats have been increasing. Montt supporters staged violent demonstrations with considerable targeted destruction of property on July 31, during which a reporter for a human rights organization was killed, and all the while the police politely stood by and did nothing. The reporter’s killer is known, but no charges have been filed! July 31 is now knows as Black Thurday. The only good thing about all this is that public revulsion against these tactics is so high that Montt got only a 3% total of a recent poll of likely voters in the November election.
SO – LOOK FOR NEWS ON THE NOVEMBER 9TH ELECTION RESULTS FROM GUATEMALA. Either way, this will be a fateful day for Guatemala and the viability of democracy in Latin America.
Deborah was here to give me my third Spanish lesson, this morning. Don’t think we are accomplishing much though. We basically cover grammer, and that is interesting but not central to my problem, which is understanding SPOKEN Spanish. I have problems even within Myrna’s family. We went on a major search today for tapes or CDs of books or readings in Spanish – something I could listen to and read at the same time. But we couldn’t find a thing. Things like books on tape just don’t exist here.
SATURDAY August 23
Dinner was at Carla’s this evening. She made far too much for us, but it was delicious, and presented beautifully. They live in a new, small home in a development outside Guatemala City with a beautiful view of the city and the mountains.
SUNDAY August 24
Well, I guess all the changes in activities, schedule, food and climate caught up with me today. I woke up feeling a little strange, and soon was feeling cold and running a fever. I took a couple of aspirin and spent most of the day in bed.
MONDAY August 25
I’m taking it slow and easy today, to be sure I am over whatever it is that hit me yesterday. So, maybe a time to offer my take on GUATEMALA POLITICS - GUATEMALA REALLY IS ON A KNIFE EDGE, AT RISK OF SLIDING INTO DICTATORSHIP. It comes about this way:
Like most of Central America, Guatemala had a series of leftist governments, which by the 60’s were interpreted by the US as communist leaning, and as a consequence, US supported “anticommunist” strong leaders who became increasingly ruthless and got away with it by calling all their opposition Cuban-supported communists. The worst of the lot was Efrain Rios Montt, who really practiced genocide against the indigenous Mayan tribes here. The story of this is graphically told in the book, “I, Rigoberta Menchu.” Anyway, this 30 years of civil war ended in 1996, when Peace Accords were signed, to great hope and expectation. However, the changes required by the Accords have been mostly ignored, and there have been a number of atrocious killings of rights workers that the government has done everything it can to avoid investigating or prosecuting – most notably the bludgeoning of Bishop Girardi and the assassination of Helen Mack. Which brings us to today.
Rios Montt, the dictator, still today leads the largest political party in Guatemala, the FRG. The President of Guatemala, Portillo, is basically in his pocket, and he still has strong support from the army and especially the paramilitary groups who are at risk if there really was an investigation of past atrocities. Recently Montt got a constitutional prohibition changed so that he can run for President himself, and he is campaigning hard. The election is in November, and if he wins, it will be a disaster.
In the run-up to the election, violence, human rights abuses and threats have been increasing. Montt supporters staged violent demonstrations with considerable targeted destruction of property on July 31, during which a reporter for a human rights organization was killed, and all the while the police politely stood by and did nothing. The reporter’s killer is known, but no charges have been filed! July 31 is now knows as Black Thurday. The only good thing about all this is that public revulsion against these tactics is so high that Montt got only a 3% total of a recent poll of likely voters in the November election.
SO – LOOK FOR NEWS ON THE NOVEMBER 9TH ELECTION RESULTS FROM GUATEMALA. Either way, this will be a fateful day for Guatemala and the viability of democracy in Latin America.
Thursday, August 21, 2003
TUESDAY August 19
Myrna and I took a day trip to Amatitlan today. There is a beautiful lake there (this is not the famous Lago Atitlan, which is much farther from Guatemala) that is better seen from a distance because of its unfortunate pollution. Still, it was a great place to loaf for the morning. Although it is clearly geared to accommodating a huge influx of local tourists, very few were there because it was mid-week. I convinced Myrna to explore a trail that led up one of the hills above the lake, although she was hesitant initially, thinking of security. But we went part-way up, to where we had a fabulous view of the lake and surrounding hills, and the pools for aquaculture beside the lake.
Later we went to a local spa that was just beautiful. Santa Teresita is a fantasmagoric grotto-esque construction of stone, with multiple pools containing water of all different temperatures, hot to cold, on several levels along with a variety of decks for lounging. Some are small shallow puddles, some quite large, including a long narrow pool that was quite deep and great for swimming laps. There are also many saunas and showers of sulphur-water, guaranteed to cure whatever you may have that needs curing. And this incredible place is entirely off the tourist map. It seems to date from an earlier age before the lake was polluted, when wealthy Guatemaltecas had their grand vacation cottages there.
In the evening we went to a special concert at the Theatro Nacional in honor of the latin revolutionary, Jose Marti. It was sponsored jointly by Guatemala and Cuba, and the Cuban ambassador gave an introductory speech that I think I am glad I did not understand too much of. He clearly is no friend of the USA, and considers Che and Fidel as continuing in the line of great revolutionaries like Marti.
The concert was truly odd. The orchestra began with a rendition of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman. But it took the orchestra fully five minutes of trying to tune, and they were not very successful at it. And the Dutchman begins with that great, exposed horn call Da DAA DA, Da DA Da DOOOOOO. And the horn FLUFFED the DOOOOOO! And it went downhill from there. It sounded like a high school county band concert. But they mostly got it together for a contemporary work by Ginestera, and by the time they got to Night on a Bald Mountain and finally a latin Danzon, they were in their element. The audience went wild afterwards, which I guess shows how important it is to end a concert with a barn burner. It should make for an interesting review in the paper.
WEDNESDAY August 20
Guatemala is clearly into the rainy season. Most days we have a gorgeous morning, and it begins to cloud up by 1 or 2 oclock, with rain later in the afternoon, into the evening.
THURSDAY August 21
Yesterday, in walking around the block, I discovered a community pool, so this morning I went there for a swim. Bright sun, nobody else in the pool at 8:00am. My swimming was slow and rough – the last time I was swimming laps was in May – and the green tint to the water wasn’t exactly to my liking. But as usual, it was incredibly invigorating and a great start to the day.
Still no review of the concert in today’s paper.
Myrna and I took a day trip to Amatitlan today. There is a beautiful lake there (this is not the famous Lago Atitlan, which is much farther from Guatemala) that is better seen from a distance because of its unfortunate pollution. Still, it was a great place to loaf for the morning. Although it is clearly geared to accommodating a huge influx of local tourists, very few were there because it was mid-week. I convinced Myrna to explore a trail that led up one of the hills above the lake, although she was hesitant initially, thinking of security. But we went part-way up, to where we had a fabulous view of the lake and surrounding hills, and the pools for aquaculture beside the lake.
Later we went to a local spa that was just beautiful. Santa Teresita is a fantasmagoric grotto-esque construction of stone, with multiple pools containing water of all different temperatures, hot to cold, on several levels along with a variety of decks for lounging. Some are small shallow puddles, some quite large, including a long narrow pool that was quite deep and great for swimming laps. There are also many saunas and showers of sulphur-water, guaranteed to cure whatever you may have that needs curing. And this incredible place is entirely off the tourist map. It seems to date from an earlier age before the lake was polluted, when wealthy Guatemaltecas had their grand vacation cottages there.
In the evening we went to a special concert at the Theatro Nacional in honor of the latin revolutionary, Jose Marti. It was sponsored jointly by Guatemala and Cuba, and the Cuban ambassador gave an introductory speech that I think I am glad I did not understand too much of. He clearly is no friend of the USA, and considers Che and Fidel as continuing in the line of great revolutionaries like Marti.
The concert was truly odd. The orchestra began with a rendition of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman. But it took the orchestra fully five minutes of trying to tune, and they were not very successful at it. And the Dutchman begins with that great, exposed horn call Da DAA DA, Da DA Da DOOOOOO. And the horn FLUFFED the DOOOOOO! And it went downhill from there. It sounded like a high school county band concert. But they mostly got it together for a contemporary work by Ginestera, and by the time they got to Night on a Bald Mountain and finally a latin Danzon, they were in their element. The audience went wild afterwards, which I guess shows how important it is to end a concert with a barn burner. It should make for an interesting review in the paper.
WEDNESDAY August 20
Guatemala is clearly into the rainy season. Most days we have a gorgeous morning, and it begins to cloud up by 1 or 2 oclock, with rain later in the afternoon, into the evening.
THURSDAY August 21
Yesterday, in walking around the block, I discovered a community pool, so this morning I went there for a swim. Bright sun, nobody else in the pool at 8:00am. My swimming was slow and rough – the last time I was swimming laps was in May – and the green tint to the water wasn’t exactly to my liking. But as usual, it was incredibly invigorating and a great start to the day.
Still no review of the concert in today’s paper.
Monday, August 18, 2003
AUGUST 11 Monday
OK, I am 65 today, and so have attained the status of Official Old Man. Eligible for Senior Discounts and a prime target for boy scouts who want to help us old folk in difficult tasks such as crossing the street. Kind of hard to align myself with all that, though, when I am headed for a tough African assignment for the next two years, and am deeply into a romance with a beautiful and sexy woman who loves me in return. Hmmmmm.
We had a big family dinner last night, really a latino family fiesta, in celebration of my birthday. Myrna, of course, her parents and kids - Carla (with her little Lucia), Julia (with her novio, Manuel), and Fernando. Carla’s husband Gerardo arrived later, and Alexandra, who rates as extended family. Lots of teasing and conversation, music and even a little dancing. Lucia rearranged everything she could reach into a garden on the coffee table. Great gobs of spaghetti for dinner, followed by a big cake that should have lasted for several days but didn’t make it through the evening. There was one candle on the cake, a purple effigy of Barney that Lucia had managed to pick out earlier in the day. I managed to blow it out in only one puff – surprise? – after which there was a tremendous racket from cuetes – firecrackers – right outside the front door in celebration of this feat.
Cute little 3½ year-old Lucia was here early in the afternoon, and remembered me from my visit here last November (!), but chose to be timid at first. She was impressed and intimidated by blue eyes and white beard, it seems. But she was a lot bolder in the evening, and carried around the Mardi Gras necklace I gave her all night.
Myrna gave me a chain with two silver hearts to wear while I am in Africa, a partner to hers. I gave jade bracelets from China to Carla and Julia, and a pair of pants for camping to Fernando.
Myrna’s work with Casa Xelahu is winding down. Even the airport is not really safe at night, where she frequently has to pick up students flying into Guatemala. She had an interview today with a bank to work as a credit loan officer. She would get a low base salary and a good commission on all the loans she handles. She is also contemplating a job with a human rights organization, but worries about intimidation and personal safety. Actually, it is much more than the usual human rights organization – the Procurador de los Derechos Humanos (PDH) is a governmental agency charged with overseeing the implementation of the 1996 Peace Accords, and its main effort currently is to monitor the fairness of the upcoming presidential election in November. The government has been trying to emasculate it by starving it for funds, but the USA has just given it a grant so it can monitor the election.
She was also considering a position with a cousin, working in Los Angeles while on a tourist visa. I strongly argued against that, in view of the course of events in the United States since 9/11 and the difficulty of re-entering the US once deported for a visa violation.
AUGUST 12 Tuesday
Prensa Libre, the paper of record in Guatemala, today is publishing a poll of voters for the presidential election in November. The Tiger and ogre in the political process, Efrain Rios Montt, has LOST support and now comes in with only 3%. Is it really possible that the Tiger is actually a Paper Tiger? Corruption, violence, impunity and intimidation have been on the increase this past year, generally ascribed to Rios Montt, his party and supporters. Guatemala rides on such a knife-edge between democracy and tyranny!
AUGUST 13 Wednesday
Got up late. Loafed. Myrna and I drove to Antigua for the afternoon. It is not crowded during the week, so is easier to enjoy the Disneyland atmosphere of picturesque shops and elaborate churches and cobblestone streets. We had a delicious traditional Guatemalan soup for lunch. The eatery reminded me a lot of the small local places in Puerto Rico. Not so surprising, I guess.
Antigua is loaded with Internet Cafes, and at one of them I downloaded a great message from Matt, with the text of the interview I sat in on while I was in China with him. His take on Namu’s book was not what I expected, but was really quite incisive – I thought, at least – and will probably not be to Namu’s liking.
At Myrna’s request we attended mass at the Church of Brother Pedro so she could make confession to one of the Brothers there. Seems this is something one should do before a birthday, and hers is tomorrow.
We talked for a long time in a little cafe with semi-private rooms loaded with pillows. Family histories. I learned that she even has a degree in child psychology! What is important to us and what do we want in our lives and in the future. The Catholic church is such an important part of her life, she has trouble understanding my Unitarianism.
AUGUST 14, Thursday
It WAS Myrna’s birthday today and wow, what a day. The phone never stopped ringing all day long. We started the day at a mass with Conchita, Myrna’s mother, at a beautiful and simple church with a very personable priest. Her Mother wanted that. Then back to the house, where Deborah arrived and I had my first Spanish lesson. During that time Carla arrived with Myrna’s parents and aunt for lunch with, again, all the rest of the family. I fixed Lucia’s broken play house by bending a piece of scrap wire to replace a broken plastic strut. Friends kept dropping in. Julia and Manuel were having a quarrel. I shared the Olympic Nat’l Park pictures of my family with Myrna’s family on my laptop, and they enjoyed the show. Carlos kept correcting my pidgin Spanish, in a way that we both enjoyed. Myrna’s neighbor Kitty stayed late. Myrna and I had planned to go to a special restaurant to end the day, but hey, it just didn’t happen. Rescheduled for tomorrow.
Prensa Libre says there is a Peace March in downtown Guatemala today. It lists a bunch of participating organizations, and it sounds a lot like the anti-war, anti-USAPATRIOT Act marches and demonstrations we ran in Philadelphia. Would have been nice to check it out, but given everything else that was going on, there was no chance.
AUGUST 15, Friday
Prensa Libre says there were several thousand people in the march yesterday, including activists for human rights and justice, politicians, organizations, students and others. It listed their slogans: Fraud, corruption and the candidacy of the former dictator, Rios Montt, were the focus. Says there were many signs against FASCISMO, REPRESION y GENOCIDIO. Guatemala has much more serious concerns than we have in the USA, even taking into account the efforts of Ashcroft and the Bush administration.
The news is full of the big blackout in the USA, with Talking Heads and pictures of people stranded in Manhattan in the heat. Strange that here in Guatemala where we are much closer to the equator, we are a lot cooler than the US. Last evening I would have been more comfortable with a light jacket - something I had never thought to bring along, of course.
Today was a holiday for the Day of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary, with ferias all over Guatemala City. I’ve learned that a FERIA is a public festival, while a FIESTA is a private festival or party. But in any case, the feria seemed to have nothing to do with the Virgin, but did have a lot of similarity to the Super Sunday events on Franklin Boulevard in Philadelphia. A big crowd, lots of vendors and food, and noise. Ah, well...
BUT --- THE BIG EVENT! In the evening Myrna and I went to the Weston Camino Real hotel, for dancing to a Cuban group. Myrna looked FABULOUS in a black outfit, with a sparkling blouse. I was wearing a jacket that was a little too small, borrowed from Fernando . I am still lead-footed in all the latin dances, but she dances well and I fake it, and it works after a fashion. During the one of the breaks, I gave her her birthday present – the earrings and double string of pearls from China, and when she wore them, they seemed luminous in the dark club. We have been talking a lot about wanting to live our lives together – in spite of my two years in Africa – and tonight, at the hotel, I asked her to marry me. And she said YES. We did not let the night end, much to the consternation of Julia and Fernando who were waiting up for us. Brings to mind that slogan: IT IS MIDNIGHT, AND CHILDREN, DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR PARENTS ARE?
AUGUST 16, Saturday
Got home late (early?) and made apologies to Julia – Fernando was at classes for his technical school.
There seem to be an incredible number of birthdays in Guatemala. All celebrated with couetes – firecrackers. Today we drove – forever, it seemed – to visit Myrna’s brother Pablo, and celebrate his birthday. He lives in a nice community in the middle of an extremely poor region that should be about 45 minute’s drive from the City, but took two hours each way because of the impossible traffic. Busses and cars and motorcycles and bicycles and pedestrians, all mixed in a stew of diesel fumes and blaring horns. The pedestrians had the fastest mode of transport, then the motorcycles.
Pablo is a fascinating guy. Studied for the priesthood for 5 years, then left that to become a doctor. As he puts it, he wanted to live comfortably, but serve the people. And he does. He runs several clinics in incredibly poor areas, where he charges next to nothing for his services and when people can’t even pay these fees, he takes anything they can give him as barter. His house is quite rough and undistinguished on the outside, but full of comfortable furniture, statues and knick-knacks within, with a good stereo and collection of CDs. Has an attractive and vivacious young wife, and lots of kids to former wives. In addition to his medical work, he is very active in politics to promote human rights and social democracy in Guatemala, and can talk on all aspects of rights, the economy, political fraud, the impact of the USA and free trade on Guatemala and other countries...
AUGUST 17, Sunday
A quiet day of relaxation. Can you believe it?
OK, I am 65 today, and so have attained the status of Official Old Man. Eligible for Senior Discounts and a prime target for boy scouts who want to help us old folk in difficult tasks such as crossing the street. Kind of hard to align myself with all that, though, when I am headed for a tough African assignment for the next two years, and am deeply into a romance with a beautiful and sexy woman who loves me in return. Hmmmmm.
We had a big family dinner last night, really a latino family fiesta, in celebration of my birthday. Myrna, of course, her parents and kids - Carla (with her little Lucia), Julia (with her novio, Manuel), and Fernando. Carla’s husband Gerardo arrived later, and Alexandra, who rates as extended family. Lots of teasing and conversation, music and even a little dancing. Lucia rearranged everything she could reach into a garden on the coffee table. Great gobs of spaghetti for dinner, followed by a big cake that should have lasted for several days but didn’t make it through the evening. There was one candle on the cake, a purple effigy of Barney that Lucia had managed to pick out earlier in the day. I managed to blow it out in only one puff – surprise? – after which there was a tremendous racket from cuetes – firecrackers – right outside the front door in celebration of this feat.
Cute little 3½ year-old Lucia was here early in the afternoon, and remembered me from my visit here last November (!), but chose to be timid at first. She was impressed and intimidated by blue eyes and white beard, it seems. But she was a lot bolder in the evening, and carried around the Mardi Gras necklace I gave her all night.
Myrna gave me a chain with two silver hearts to wear while I am in Africa, a partner to hers. I gave jade bracelets from China to Carla and Julia, and a pair of pants for camping to Fernando.
Myrna’s work with Casa Xelahu is winding down. Even the airport is not really safe at night, where she frequently has to pick up students flying into Guatemala. She had an interview today with a bank to work as a credit loan officer. She would get a low base salary and a good commission on all the loans she handles. She is also contemplating a job with a human rights organization, but worries about intimidation and personal safety. Actually, it is much more than the usual human rights organization – the Procurador de los Derechos Humanos (PDH) is a governmental agency charged with overseeing the implementation of the 1996 Peace Accords, and its main effort currently is to monitor the fairness of the upcoming presidential election in November. The government has been trying to emasculate it by starving it for funds, but the USA has just given it a grant so it can monitor the election.
She was also considering a position with a cousin, working in Los Angeles while on a tourist visa. I strongly argued against that, in view of the course of events in the United States since 9/11 and the difficulty of re-entering the US once deported for a visa violation.
AUGUST 12 Tuesday
Prensa Libre, the paper of record in Guatemala, today is publishing a poll of voters for the presidential election in November. The Tiger and ogre in the political process, Efrain Rios Montt, has LOST support and now comes in with only 3%. Is it really possible that the Tiger is actually a Paper Tiger? Corruption, violence, impunity and intimidation have been on the increase this past year, generally ascribed to Rios Montt, his party and supporters. Guatemala rides on such a knife-edge between democracy and tyranny!
AUGUST 13 Wednesday
Got up late. Loafed. Myrna and I drove to Antigua for the afternoon. It is not crowded during the week, so is easier to enjoy the Disneyland atmosphere of picturesque shops and elaborate churches and cobblestone streets. We had a delicious traditional Guatemalan soup for lunch. The eatery reminded me a lot of the small local places in Puerto Rico. Not so surprising, I guess.
Antigua is loaded with Internet Cafes, and at one of them I downloaded a great message from Matt, with the text of the interview I sat in on while I was in China with him. His take on Namu’s book was not what I expected, but was really quite incisive – I thought, at least – and will probably not be to Namu’s liking.
At Myrna’s request we attended mass at the Church of Brother Pedro so she could make confession to one of the Brothers there. Seems this is something one should do before a birthday, and hers is tomorrow.
We talked for a long time in a little cafe with semi-private rooms loaded with pillows. Family histories. I learned that she even has a degree in child psychology! What is important to us and what do we want in our lives and in the future. The Catholic church is such an important part of her life, she has trouble understanding my Unitarianism.
AUGUST 14, Thursday
It WAS Myrna’s birthday today and wow, what a day. The phone never stopped ringing all day long. We started the day at a mass with Conchita, Myrna’s mother, at a beautiful and simple church with a very personable priest. Her Mother wanted that. Then back to the house, where Deborah arrived and I had my first Spanish lesson. During that time Carla arrived with Myrna’s parents and aunt for lunch with, again, all the rest of the family. I fixed Lucia’s broken play house by bending a piece of scrap wire to replace a broken plastic strut. Friends kept dropping in. Julia and Manuel were having a quarrel. I shared the Olympic Nat’l Park pictures of my family with Myrna’s family on my laptop, and they enjoyed the show. Carlos kept correcting my pidgin Spanish, in a way that we both enjoyed. Myrna’s neighbor Kitty stayed late. Myrna and I had planned to go to a special restaurant to end the day, but hey, it just didn’t happen. Rescheduled for tomorrow.
Prensa Libre says there is a Peace March in downtown Guatemala today. It lists a bunch of participating organizations, and it sounds a lot like the anti-war, anti-USAPATRIOT Act marches and demonstrations we ran in Philadelphia. Would have been nice to check it out, but given everything else that was going on, there was no chance.
AUGUST 15, Friday
Prensa Libre says there were several thousand people in the march yesterday, including activists for human rights and justice, politicians, organizations, students and others. It listed their slogans: Fraud, corruption and the candidacy of the former dictator, Rios Montt, were the focus. Says there were many signs against FASCISMO, REPRESION y GENOCIDIO. Guatemala has much more serious concerns than we have in the USA, even taking into account the efforts of Ashcroft and the Bush administration.
The news is full of the big blackout in the USA, with Talking Heads and pictures of people stranded in Manhattan in the heat. Strange that here in Guatemala where we are much closer to the equator, we are a lot cooler than the US. Last evening I would have been more comfortable with a light jacket - something I had never thought to bring along, of course.
Today was a holiday for the Day of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary, with ferias all over Guatemala City. I’ve learned that a FERIA is a public festival, while a FIESTA is a private festival or party. But in any case, the feria seemed to have nothing to do with the Virgin, but did have a lot of similarity to the Super Sunday events on Franklin Boulevard in Philadelphia. A big crowd, lots of vendors and food, and noise. Ah, well...
BUT --- THE BIG EVENT! In the evening Myrna and I went to the Weston Camino Real hotel, for dancing to a Cuban group. Myrna looked FABULOUS in a black outfit, with a sparkling blouse. I was wearing a jacket that was a little too small, borrowed from Fernando . I am still lead-footed in all the latin dances, but she dances well and I fake it, and it works after a fashion. During the one of the breaks, I gave her her birthday present – the earrings and double string of pearls from China, and when she wore them, they seemed luminous in the dark club. We have been talking a lot about wanting to live our lives together – in spite of my two years in Africa – and tonight, at the hotel, I asked her to marry me. And she said YES. We did not let the night end, much to the consternation of Julia and Fernando who were waiting up for us. Brings to mind that slogan: IT IS MIDNIGHT, AND CHILDREN, DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR PARENTS ARE?
AUGUST 16, Saturday
Got home late (early?) and made apologies to Julia – Fernando was at classes for his technical school.
There seem to be an incredible number of birthdays in Guatemala. All celebrated with couetes – firecrackers. Today we drove – forever, it seemed – to visit Myrna’s brother Pablo, and celebrate his birthday. He lives in a nice community in the middle of an extremely poor region that should be about 45 minute’s drive from the City, but took two hours each way because of the impossible traffic. Busses and cars and motorcycles and bicycles and pedestrians, all mixed in a stew of diesel fumes and blaring horns. The pedestrians had the fastest mode of transport, then the motorcycles.
Pablo is a fascinating guy. Studied for the priesthood for 5 years, then left that to become a doctor. As he puts it, he wanted to live comfortably, but serve the people. And he does. He runs several clinics in incredibly poor areas, where he charges next to nothing for his services and when people can’t even pay these fees, he takes anything they can give him as barter. His house is quite rough and undistinguished on the outside, but full of comfortable furniture, statues and knick-knacks within, with a good stereo and collection of CDs. Has an attractive and vivacious young wife, and lots of kids to former wives. In addition to his medical work, he is very active in politics to promote human rights and social democracy in Guatemala, and can talk on all aspects of rights, the economy, political fraud, the impact of the USA and free trade on Guatemala and other countries...
AUGUST 17, Sunday
A quiet day of relaxation. Can you believe it?
Sunday, August 10, 2003
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9
I stalled on packing for Guatemala this morning. I was sort of viewing it as a dry run for Africa – will everything fit into the new big duffel, and stuff. But that really doesn’t make sense – why take two years of stuff on a 3-week trip to visit Myrna. So I have to go re-do everything, and find an inconspicuous place to store all the other stuff so it is out of Allegra’s way while I’m gone.
There was a dinner meeting of the Philadelphia Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Lots of good war stories. Tim was just back from Guatemala – had been posted near Xela where I studied Spanish last November. He also feels that Guatemala is in very real danger of falling under a dictatorship again.
I’d heard this tip somewhere that it is a good idea to take a bunch of zip-lock bags along to Africa, so I dutifully went out and got a couple of sizes of them. Then last night, Sandy was telling me how that is so much crap – the ants eat through plastic bags.
SUNDAY, August 10, 2003
Good flights last night to my intermediate destination, Houston, until I got to Texas. The BUSH International Airport in Texas. Guess I should have predicted trouble in advance.
The flight was late getting in, arriving at about 12:15am, and the whole freakin airport shuts down at around 11, apparently. The hotel that Northwest gave me a discount for would not send a shuttle. There was no limousine service, no taxis and no taxis could come into the airport anyway after the taxi line closed, the taxi dispatcher’s office was closed, the taxi line at the courtesy phone wouldn’t answer, the Police substation was locked tight, the Northwest lost baggage people didn’t want to deal with it. Finally Northwest gave me a new stack of discount coupons for closer hotels and said “good luck finding a shuttle”. One of the hotels said they called a cab and it was on the way. A cab did finally wander by, driven by an alien who spoke little English and no Spanish. He got lost.
I finally reached my hotel at 2:00am. At least the people in the Hampton Inn were very courteous and helpful.
MY OPINION OF TEXAS AND ANYTHING NAMED BUSH IS REINFORCED AGAIN.
I stalled on packing for Guatemala this morning. I was sort of viewing it as a dry run for Africa – will everything fit into the new big duffel, and stuff. But that really doesn’t make sense – why take two years of stuff on a 3-week trip to visit Myrna. So I have to go re-do everything, and find an inconspicuous place to store all the other stuff so it is out of Allegra’s way while I’m gone.
There was a dinner meeting of the Philadelphia Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Lots of good war stories. Tim was just back from Guatemala – had been posted near Xela where I studied Spanish last November. He also feels that Guatemala is in very real danger of falling under a dictatorship again.
I’d heard this tip somewhere that it is a good idea to take a bunch of zip-lock bags along to Africa, so I dutifully went out and got a couple of sizes of them. Then last night, Sandy was telling me how that is so much crap – the ants eat through plastic bags.
SUNDAY, August 10, 2003
Good flights last night to my intermediate destination, Houston, until I got to Texas. The BUSH International Airport in Texas. Guess I should have predicted trouble in advance.
The flight was late getting in, arriving at about 12:15am, and the whole freakin airport shuts down at around 11, apparently. The hotel that Northwest gave me a discount for would not send a shuttle. There was no limousine service, no taxis and no taxis could come into the airport anyway after the taxi line closed, the taxi dispatcher’s office was closed, the taxi line at the courtesy phone wouldn’t answer, the Police substation was locked tight, the Northwest lost baggage people didn’t want to deal with it. Finally Northwest gave me a new stack of discount coupons for closer hotels and said “good luck finding a shuttle”. One of the hotels said they called a cab and it was on the way. A cab did finally wander by, driven by an alien who spoke little English and no Spanish. He got lost.
I finally reached my hotel at 2:00am. At least the people in the Hampton Inn were very courteous and helpful.
MY OPINION OF TEXAS AND ANYTHING NAMED BUSH IS REINFORCED AGAIN.
Friday, August 08, 2003
I am feeling worn out from scurrying around. Today I was up early to get to Philadelphia to have the car tuned up - tough to sell if it is running rough. New spark plugs made quite a difference, after 127,000 miles. Then made some final purchases of toiletries and stuff and got a haircut before meeting with the gang I used to work with at ACI, pre-retirement. Good to see people again and their general report that the place is still about the same reinforces my pleasure at being outta there.
BAD NEWS: I spent several hours this evening with my computer guru - Jake Gerhard. The conclusion was that even if we did work out a way to add photos to this blog, they would take so looong to load that it would be really tough to accomplish in Tanzania where the current will fluctuate and the phone connection will be dubious. On top of that, the cost of the upload time would be very high. So it looks like this blog will continue as a text-only endeavor. Sorry about that.
Last night Phyllis and Bill and I went to an Ethiopian restaurant together. I'm really enjoying the Lonely Planet Guide to Tanzania they gave me. It describes trekking there, and it sounds fabulous. In the major parks and game reserves you have to employ a guide, but that only sounds like common sense anyway.
I'm beginning to wonder if all the stuff I have will fit into the duffle and backpack for the airline.
BAD NEWS: I spent several hours this evening with my computer guru - Jake Gerhard. The conclusion was that even if we did work out a way to add photos to this blog, they would take so looong to load that it would be really tough to accomplish in Tanzania where the current will fluctuate and the phone connection will be dubious. On top of that, the cost of the upload time would be very high. So it looks like this blog will continue as a text-only endeavor. Sorry about that.
Last night Phyllis and Bill and I went to an Ethiopian restaurant together. I'm really enjoying the Lonely Planet Guide to Tanzania they gave me. It describes trekking there, and it sounds fabulous. In the major parks and game reserves you have to employ a guide, but that only sounds like common sense anyway.
I'm beginning to wonder if all the stuff I have will fit into the duffle and backpack for the airline.
Wednesday, August 06, 2003
Busy day, but fun. Lotsa diddly little phone calls and tasks took all morning. Then the afternoon was devoted to spending money, at EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports). Got a 28" American Tourister duffel bag, then a snazzy internal frame backpack, plus some goodies: Camelback water bag, stuff bag, floppy hat, wicking sox and T-shirts, lightweight umbrella. But the purchase of the day was a two-person tent that, even with the fly and stakes and stuff, weighs less than 6 lb. Beautiful little thing! The trip to Guatemala will be a good trial run for all these toys.
My new tenants were heard from. Seems they think the carpets are dirty. I suspect the problem is that they are still damp from the cleaning I gave them. Gotta say I sure thought they looked clean. But it is something else I need to check into, tomorrow.
Now, I'm tired and going to bed. Good-night.
My new tenants were heard from. Seems they think the carpets are dirty. I suspect the problem is that they are still damp from the cleaning I gave them. Gotta say I sure thought they looked clean. But it is something else I need to check into, tomorrow.
Now, I'm tired and going to bed. Good-night.
Tuesday, August 05, 2003
August 3 Sunday
The house preparation finally got completed yesterday – what a job. It seemed that whenever I thought I was near the end, that “last thing I have to do” opened up several more “must do” jobs. By yesterday, it had come down to just cleaning the carpets and swabbing out the basement. I finally finished around 5:00 and did a last walkaround to pick up a stray pen, take down the shower curtains that I had overlooked, turn on fans and crack open windows to dry the carpets, and lock the front door. The place really does look crisp, clean and neat – the best it has been in years. Now next week I’d still like to work on the front yard that still looks like an abandoned corner lot. And I have to work with Glenn and Emillia to arrange to get those front windows replaced. Still, it is very ready for Emillia and Adrienne to move in today.
Last night was my first night of staying with Glenn and Allegra. Miriam and Arlene were also here overnight, in preparation for the birthday celebration for Mother (104!) – and me – today at Brethren Village. Lots of good conversation and reminiscing. Family stories and history.
They wondered why, if I wanted to be with Myrna before the 10th so badly, I didn’t DRIVE to Guatemala. What a far-out idea. I spent a bunch of the evening working on it, but found that it really looked shaky both from the time and the safety aspects. The upshot was that I pushed Northwest hard, and they came up with a better ticket plan for me: fly to Houston on the 9th, stay overnight, and get to Guatemala – and Myrna – by noon on her birthday, the 10th. I set it up that way and tried to call her but only got the weird busy signal that means Ain’t No Way You Will Reach Her Tonight. Sent her an email.
The celebration was really nice. Allegra had done a lot of work, sending out invitations and making big posters with pictures from Mother’s (and my) life. She rented a very comfortable meeting room at the Village and had a woman there to serve some punch and cut the inevitable cake, for about 40 people who dropped by between 2 and 4pm. Mother sat in her wheelchair and seemed to enjoy the attention. She is always so pleasant that sometimes it is hard to tell. Of course, there is no way to know how many people she recognized or remembered. But we had been concerned that perhaps all the people would overwhelm her, but that didn’t happen and she seemed to stay alert and involved the whole time.
But I could kick myself. I took a whole raft of photos that I really wanted, of people I hardly ever see – but at the end of the party, I accidentally ERASED ALL of them. That’s the kind of stupid loss that just can’t be recovered. Damn!
Afterward, in Mother’s room, I was very aware that I probably will not see her again before I leave for Guatemala on the 9th, and indeed might not see her before I leave for 2 years in Africa. Not to get maudlin, but that does feel a bit like desertion on my part.
People: I love my sisters. Arlene so full of laughter and good spirit, Miriam deepening and exploring relationships and dispensing spirituality, Allegra organizing and managing the show. I met Curtis Dubble’s daughter Cindy, who lives in Mozambique and works for an NGO to help abused African children – AIDS orphans, child soldiers, refugees. She will provide names and contacts in Dar es Salaam for me. Jim and Peg Lehman were there, exciting people that I always wish I could spend more time with. Sue. Shari, with little Allegra and MJ. Mother’s friends, Torry and Katherine Neff. Vivian and Earl Ziegler, Fanny Ruth, Charles and Paul from the Snyder side. Dot and Jean Forney. Harry and Linda Stauffer, Charlotte and Nathan. Jim and Heather Kreider, Susan and Bob, Sarah. AND ME WITH NO GODDAMN PICTURES AFTER ALL THIS!
So the gang of us are at the cottage in the Poconos. I had talked to MJ in Spanish, and he even replied in Spanish. Not much, but he never did that before at all. And he wanted to ride in my car on the way up. Hey, that felt GOOD.
Still can’t reach Myrna to talk about the day and share the news about the flight tix.
The house preparation finally got completed yesterday – what a job. It seemed that whenever I thought I was near the end, that “last thing I have to do” opened up several more “must do” jobs. By yesterday, it had come down to just cleaning the carpets and swabbing out the basement. I finally finished around 5:00 and did a last walkaround to pick up a stray pen, take down the shower curtains that I had overlooked, turn on fans and crack open windows to dry the carpets, and lock the front door. The place really does look crisp, clean and neat – the best it has been in years. Now next week I’d still like to work on the front yard that still looks like an abandoned corner lot. And I have to work with Glenn and Emillia to arrange to get those front windows replaced. Still, it is very ready for Emillia and Adrienne to move in today.
Last night was my first night of staying with Glenn and Allegra. Miriam and Arlene were also here overnight, in preparation for the birthday celebration for Mother (104!) – and me – today at Brethren Village. Lots of good conversation and reminiscing. Family stories and history.
They wondered why, if I wanted to be with Myrna before the 10th so badly, I didn’t DRIVE to Guatemala. What a far-out idea. I spent a bunch of the evening working on it, but found that it really looked shaky both from the time and the safety aspects. The upshot was that I pushed Northwest hard, and they came up with a better ticket plan for me: fly to Houston on the 9th, stay overnight, and get to Guatemala – and Myrna – by noon on her birthday, the 10th. I set it up that way and tried to call her but only got the weird busy signal that means Ain’t No Way You Will Reach Her Tonight. Sent her an email.
The celebration was really nice. Allegra had done a lot of work, sending out invitations and making big posters with pictures from Mother’s (and my) life. She rented a very comfortable meeting room at the Village and had a woman there to serve some punch and cut the inevitable cake, for about 40 people who dropped by between 2 and 4pm. Mother sat in her wheelchair and seemed to enjoy the attention. She is always so pleasant that sometimes it is hard to tell. Of course, there is no way to know how many people she recognized or remembered. But we had been concerned that perhaps all the people would overwhelm her, but that didn’t happen and she seemed to stay alert and involved the whole time.
But I could kick myself. I took a whole raft of photos that I really wanted, of people I hardly ever see – but at the end of the party, I accidentally ERASED ALL of them. That’s the kind of stupid loss that just can’t be recovered. Damn!
Afterward, in Mother’s room, I was very aware that I probably will not see her again before I leave for Guatemala on the 9th, and indeed might not see her before I leave for 2 years in Africa. Not to get maudlin, but that does feel a bit like desertion on my part.
People: I love my sisters. Arlene so full of laughter and good spirit, Miriam deepening and exploring relationships and dispensing spirituality, Allegra organizing and managing the show. I met Curtis Dubble’s daughter Cindy, who lives in Mozambique and works for an NGO to help abused African children – AIDS orphans, child soldiers, refugees. She will provide names and contacts in Dar es Salaam for me. Jim and Peg Lehman were there, exciting people that I always wish I could spend more time with. Sue. Shari, with little Allegra and MJ. Mother’s friends, Torry and Katherine Neff. Vivian and Earl Ziegler, Fanny Ruth, Charles and Paul from the Snyder side. Dot and Jean Forney. Harry and Linda Stauffer, Charlotte and Nathan. Jim and Heather Kreider, Susan and Bob, Sarah. AND ME WITH NO GODDAMN PICTURES AFTER ALL THIS!
So the gang of us are at the cottage in the Poconos. I had talked to MJ in Spanish, and he even replied in Spanish. Not much, but he never did that before at all. And he wanted to ride in my car on the way up. Hey, that felt GOOD.
Still can’t reach Myrna to talk about the day and share the news about the flight tix.
