The day started with me meeting my kids at their community center. I couldn't visit the homes of these three because they live in a "red zone" in Guatemala. In the red zones, the gangs are so strong and well-armed that the police don't even go in and Children International relies in part on resident volunteer parents to help communicate with the families. The first two pictures are with the siblings I sponsor, Edy and Katherine, who have matching fantastic smiles! I also met Keisy on the same visit since they all lived in the same area.
Since they were all teens, the staff had recommended a day at the amusement park Mundo Petapa Irtra, so we were off! The kids had never been to an amusement park before, so they wanted to start with something tame - bouncing kangeroos.
Then, it was on to the log ride - the kids wanted to take turns riding with me, so it was Edy and Katherine's turn:
Fortunately, the two families seemed to like each other! You can see where the siblings get their smile as their mom has one to match. I love it that their mom wears traditional Mayan clothing also!
While my teens all seemed more comfortable with a virtual stranger showing up to see them, there were differences. Edy & Katherine were both rather shy, but they smiled a lot and showed a lot of interest in what I was saying . . . they just didn't talk much themselves. I noticed that the staff seemed concerned that I'd be put off by the kids not talking and were pushing them a little and reminding them I'd come a LONG way to see them (helps to speak some Spanish & know what they're saying lol), so I reassured them that I understood and I wasn't offended at all. I hope that the concern hasn't been triggered by past sponsors who WERE offended, but I know some sponsors visit and post that they didn't feel a connection to the kid(s). I suspect there have been sponsors who visited and ended up not continuing with a sponsorship, which is a sad thought . . . and it bothered me a little - not that the staff were concerned, but that they felt there was anything to be concerned about. Having been a shy child myself, I can only imagine the pressure to be "likeable" so your sponsor stays your sponsor! Keisy, on the other hand, was peppering me with questions so fast that I couldn't keep up with her. She wanted to know everything about how we celebrate Christmas, what we normally eat, did I drive a car, what are houses like in the US, etc.
One thing I noticed WAS consistent is that all of the kids wanted American food. Out in the rural areas, there wasn't fast food, but the kids wanted hamburgers still, while I ordered a native dish. Juan wanted pizza and my kids today were DYING for some McDonalds. The staff does a great job of trying to keep things simple by having everyone order the same thing (since we were a HUGE group), but it was funny that when I tried to order from a different place to get something local, they were going to have everyone eat there . . . so I had McDonalds also.
Despite eating fruit, coffee cake and coffee at the homes of my kids, the only day I was sick after eating was within hours of eating at McDonalds - boo. Of course, hard to say exactly where I picked up a bug at, but I did find it ironic. Having said that, it was just an upset stomach, so I avoided any major issues during my whole trip. I did have to soak my toothbrush in iodine water after accidentally rinsing it in the sink though!
More great pics of the families from the end of the day:
I also had my only "unsafe" feeling moment after returning to my bed & breakfast. The B&B staff suggested it was safe enough to walk to a small market a few blocks away. I felt fine the first couple of blocks, but was waiting for a break in traffic to cross, when I heard four "rough" looking guys talking about the gringa across the street. Fortunately, I understand enough Spanish to realize that if I didn't want to lose my possessions, I should come up with a plan quickly. I was in front of stores, so I went inside one to browse until the men left. I went promptly back to my B&B and decided that walking around alone, even a short distance, wasn't a good idea in Guatemala City.
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