Culture Unshocked

Written by Ana Flinder Culture shock is a strange phenomenon which most of us have experienced in one way or another. For those of us who travel outside of our own countries infrequently, arrival in a new and foreign culture can be absolutely overwhelming; every moment is filled with so many new sights and sounds, and new customs that we […]

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Pat Crocker, Artist and Architect

If you lived in La Antigua Guatemala after World War II and before 1972 you would have known Pat Crocker for his work in the restoration of colonial houses and for his exquisite watercolor paintings of Indian costume. Frederick Siddartha Crocker Junior, or as he would sometimes introduce himself “Frederick, ‘The Enlightened One,’Crocker,” was born in Folsom, West Virginia, in […]

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The Heartbreak of HDD

Some simple steps to avoid the dangers that Hemispherical Discognizant Disorder can cause. If you are a foreigner in Central America, some people in the home country think that you spend Christmas in sweltering heat and humidity. “Oh, yeah,” they say. “Down there, the seasons are reversed and all that.” The charitable response, the one I usually give, is to […]

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The Riecken Foundation

The Riecken Foundation establishes and supports community libraries in Guatemala and Honduras. The network of 11 community libraries in Guatemala provides dynamic programming for people of all ages and free access to information resources, including Internet, reading programs, youth clubs, technical workshops and cultural events. Mission: To promote democracy and prosperity in Central America through community libraries that spark a […]

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A Journey through Sweet Waters

Written by Gregory Kipling photo: Scott Drennan Exploring Río Dulce Past and Present Measuring a mere 42 kilometers from source to mouth, Río Dulce is hardly one of Central America’s great waterways. However, despite its small size the river has attracted a great deal of attention over the past 500 years. Conquistadors, scientists, pirates and adventurers have all passed through […]

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10 NGO’s Dealt a Winning Hand at Vegas in Antigua

Written by Jennifer Holden The inaugural Vegas in Antigua fund-raiser was a sure bet for 10 non-governmental organizations that provide an array of services throughout Guatemala. Held last month at the Casa Convento Conception in La Antigua Guatemala, the event combined games of chance and intrigue for an exciting afternoon of fun and fancy. From one-of-a-kind original artwork, hotel stays, to […]

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Nurse Pain is At Large in Panajachel

The Panajachel Players bring mirth, music, farce and Vaudeville to Lake Atitlán. If you are Dr. Willard Dillard, the sobriety-challenged President of the Herbaceous Succulent Society, it may be hard to cast someone to play you in a skit. After Dillard emerged from the recesses of Barbara Ramey’s gauche imagination, the man tapped to play him decided he was no […]

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Out of the Blue

Written by Terry Kovick Biskovich Dateline: 1987 Northern California Grandpa Jones, 93-year-old tribal medicine man. From the Files of G.W. Sweetwater and B. Yates-Penny “It’s a matter of belief, there’s nothing else. You get what you give out or what you’re afraid of. Did you know that everything out there is a reflection? Let me tell you something … if […]

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The Festival of Consciousness 2009

Written by María Elisa Murray Presenting new solutions for a better world What does it mean to be conscious? How conscious are we in our lives? How can we become more conscious as individuals, as a community, as a planet? To answer these questions and more, the inaugural Festival of Consciousness will be held in San Marcos La Laguna on […]

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La Antigua is No. 1 Destination Among UK Travelers

La Antigua Guatemala has been named the top city overall in the Wanderlust Travel Awards 2009, based on the votes of some 3,000 travelers. Wanderlust is a leading magazine for adventure travelers in the United Kingdom. Placing second was Kyoto, Japan, followed by Boston, USA. The previous first-place destination, Luang Prabang, Laos, was knocked down into seventh position, ending its […]

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Coffee: The Joy of the Harvest

In El Salvador, every year starts with fireworks, traditional meals and family gatherings. But also with the hope and joy of coffee harvesting, which is still going on, especially in the highlands. Coffee trees become bright and red, and between shade trees, sunlight gleams over the hopeful faces of producers and pickers. They’ve already begun this phenomenal task: to select […]

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