Adopt-a-Village in Guatemala

Adopt-a-Village in Guatemala partners with Mayan villages in the remote northwest corner of the country, where there are virtually no public services, secondary schools or other aid organizations providing consistent support. At the urging of village leaders, AAV focuses primarily on orphans and the children of widows who have few resources to support their families. Mission: To empower the Mayan […]

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Mystery at Tak’alik Ab’aj

“Standing Stones” site yields unprecedented sculpture Archaeologists recently discovered ancient altars, monuments and an unprecedented stone sculpture at a 2.5-square-mile Mayan ruin near Retalhuleu in southwestern Guatemala. Representing both Olmec and Maya cultures, the Tak’alik Ab’aj (Standing Stones) site was inhabited for nearly 1,700 years, starting roughly in 1000 BC, and was a key trading center with ancient merchants traveling […]

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ISTMO

With stunning aerials by internationally acclaimed photographer Ange Bourda, a new book featuring unique views of Central American sights, including volcanoes, beaches and rainforests, will debut in Guatemala in January 2009. Titled ISTMO (Isthmus), the colorful hardcover book contains 160 remarkable photos by Bourda, a widely published French photographer who considers Guatemala his adoptive home. In his own words, the […]

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Bette van Lunteren

Ballerina Bette van Lunteren danced her way from her home in Holland to the heart of La Antigua Guatemala. She graduated from the Theater Dance Department of the School of Arts in Amsterdam and taught Dutch school children for six years. Her program was one of interactive expression on a one-day theme, group by group, eventually laced together into a […]

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Sensuous Guatemala: Holiday Mélange

Red and green are the traditional holiday colors around the world, including Guatemala. Here, however, sight is not the only sense involved in the year-end celebrations. Pungent odors and delightful tastes combine with vivid colors and sweet sounds in a multi-sensory holiday mixture. Bells ring with special joy, carolers sing, marimbas play the music of the season throughout the Highlands […]

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Nacimientos (Nativity Scenes)

While Santa Claus and Christmas trees may be symbols of the Christmas season, nacimientos (nativity scenes) are a Christmas custom the world over. Saint Francis of Assisi built the first one in 1223 after returning from a trip to Bethlehem. It quickly became a tradition and spread throughout the Catholic world, which included Spain. The Spanish brought the custom to […]

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Desensitizing Firecracker Phobia

The sounds of the holiday season also includes the booming and rat-a-tat-tat, ear-splitting echoing of fireworks and firecrackers that terrifies many dogs. It is definitely a myth that dogs will eventually outgrow a fear of the sound of firecrackers, thunder or other loud noises. Phobias are intense fear responses that are out of proportion to the real threat of the […]

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Christmas Music from Renaissance Antigua

Written by Dieter Lehnhoff, Ph.D. From the Renaissance to the late Baroque era (1534-1773) Santiago de Guatemala—present-day La Antigua Guatemala—was proud of its intense music life, rivaled only by Lima, Mexico City, and probably Bogotá. Beginning in 1524, early clergy had introduced Gregorian chant and choral polyphony for the different liturgical celebrations of the year, held in the first parish […]

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Another Fabulous Fruit: Carambola

For two decades the exotic carambola only appeared in the U.S. as a component of holiday fruit baskets. These days you’ll find them in all the better Stateside grocery stores. Also known as star fruit because of its shape when sliced crosswise, this oddity once grew only in Sri Lanka and the Moluccas. Perhaps a millennium ago it was transplanted […]

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The Night Before Navidad

‘‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the casa,
Not a creature was stirring ¡Caramba! ¿Qué pasa? Los niños were tucked away in their camas,
Some in long underwear, some in pijamas, 
While hanging the stockings with mucho cuidado,
In hopes that old Santa would feel obligado, 
To bring all children, both buenos and malos,
A nice batch of dulces and other regalos. […]

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NGO Networking

Written by by John Barrie How the Antigua Network helps connect organizations productively through presentations and one-on-one contacts Another successful meeting of the Antigua Network was held recently in the spacious surroundings of La Peña del Sol Latino in downtown La Antigua Guatemala. The Network is the brainchild of Judy Sadlier and Gene Budinger, two active U.S. retirees who came […]

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The Gift of Giving

Since the beginning of time, giving gifts has been an important part of human interaction. Gifts help to define our relationships and to strengthen bonds with family and friends. The list of occasions for gifts is long—birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, Valentine’s day, Mother’s/Father’s day, Bar Mitzvahs, Christmas, weddings…! Anxiety runs high—the “having to;” is it enough; will it be appreciated; and […]

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Preserving Traditions

Written by Amanda Flayer Cojolya Association celebrates 25 years supporting women weavers in Santiago Atitlán Santiago Atitlán, a bustling indigenous village in the Guatemalan Highlands, has been celebrated by locals and tourists alike for its preservation of backstrap-loom weaving and the traditions surrounding it. An ancient art, backstrap loom weaving is recorded in the artifacts of the Maya. The Goddess […]

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Salvadoran barista championship dominated by women

For two days 16 baristas demonstrated their skills and quality of their espresso-based beverages before an audience of 175 people and a select group of international and national judges. Participants had to prepare 12 drinks in 15 minutes—four espresso, four cappuccino and four signature drinks—and were evaluated by seven judges. Flor de Maria Góchez, from Viva Espresso, won first place […]

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December 2008 in Revue Magazine

Our thanks to Rudy Girón, Revue’s own art director and graphic designer, for adding so much holiday cheer on the cover and inside this month’s edition with his photographs. We are introducing a new series: People and Projects, and for December we’d like to tell you about Adopt-a-Village in Guatemala, NGO Networking and the Cojolya Association. The Mystery at Tak’alik […]

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