Visit from Gus

My dad just visited us!  He participated in, and I translated for, the Needham delegation's visit to its sister community of Santa María.

Between bagel breakfasts, rural and urban walks, conversations about health issues and human rights, and Curious George reading sessions, we kept him busy!  He kept himself busy, too:  despite supposedly being on vacation, he'd awake well before dawn, plow through some paperwork, then go on a sunrise hike to the top of the community, and come home to brew some coffee.  He'd be exercised, caffeinated, and ready to go by 6:15 to meet up with the rest of the delegation.

The kids of course loved the quality time with Grampa Gus.  Thanks for coming! We love you!!

Ode to Cresh

Our beloved cat Cresh died.

Our friends Shannon and Luis gave her to us after rescuing her as a stray.  She lived with us for over 7 years: in Santa María, in Mixco on the outskirts of Guatemala City, and in our current home.  She loved being a mother and purred deeply when caring for her babies.  A sweet-natured cat, she put up with our children's well-meaning by sometimes rough handling.  As Chely learned to be gentle, Cresh increasingly sought her out and followed her around.

Cresh developed bone cancer, and over the last several weeks had become weak and thin, with serious breathing problems.  She still seemed to have a semi-decent quality of life, though, since she would still purr when we pet her.  The day that she no longer purred even when we tried to comfort her, I knew that her life was close to the end.  I took her to the vet, and she died in his office.

We held little family ceremonies for her both before and after she died. We buried her in the wooded ravine behind our home.  It is somewhat poetic, or at least fitting: she was born in a ravine of Guatemala City, and she is now buried in a ravine of Guatemala City.

I keep expecting her to appear around a doorway, though.

On the last day of Cresh's life, Chely wrote (with corrected spelling):

I love Cresh. Cresh is a good cat. I love it when she plops on my lap. I love when Cresh smiles at me. She is a good girl.


We miss our precious cat.

Leap-Day Uncles / Tíos del 29

My children are lucky enough to have two uncles with Leap Day birthdays!  Tío Romario celebrates his 4th birthday today, and Uncle Ade, his 9th. In Uncle Ade's honor, they put together a list of 9 things that they appreciate about him:

1. He gives us shoulder rides.
2. He takes us to the playground.
3. He takes us to Echo Bridge.
4. He gave us an ice-cream play-set.
5. He likes to go downtown.
6. He plays with us in the dollhouse.
7. He likes sports.
8. He plays jokes on us.
9. He gave us a new cousin.

(A parallel list for Tío Romario appears in Spanish below.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ADE AND ROMARIO!

Mis hijas tienen la dicha de tener a dos tíos que cumplen años el 29 de febrero.  Tío Romario hoy celebra por 4ta vez su cumpleaños a pesar de estar cumpliendo 16 años, y Tío Adrian de 36 años va celebrando su cumpleaños apenas 9 veces en la vida.  En honor al Tío Romario mis hijas prepararon este listado de 4 cosas especiales de él:

1. Le gusta montar caballo.
2. Juega, corre, y baila con su perro.
3. Le gusta ir al río.
4. Le gusta hacer bromas y reír.

¡FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS, TÍO "I" Y ADRIAN!

Hanging out

But We're Mayas...

We were eating fried rice for lunch today.


Chely: Where are the tortillas?

Me: We're not having tortillas today.

Chely: Awww!  But we're Mayas. We're Native Americans!

Kayalá: I love corn.

6 Years and 13 Days

This is how old Chely is today.

This is how old Edwin was when his mother was killed.

This is how old Edwin was when his sister Graciela was killed.

This is how old Edwin was when his sister Guadalupe was killed.

This is how old Edwin was when his sister Estela was killed.

This is how old Edwin was when his brother Eduardo was killed.

This is how old Edwin was when his grandmother was killed.

But he survived. 

He survived.

And now he and other war survivors are finally reaping justice:

Former Dictator to be Tried for Genocide

Minnesotans in Guatemala

For the last three weeks I've been translating with a group of college students from Gustavus Adolphus in Minnesota.  You can read about our adventures here, and specifically check out this post that includes Chely's birthday celebration here.