George Lovell described Guatemala as a beauty that hurts. I'm trying to focus on the beauty now. Without denying the underlying hurt but with the hope of shedding a bit of light on the sunny aspects of the country.
The beauty of children, which are everywhere. Their smiles are genuine, shy, welcoming. There are so many kids here. On their mom's back, munching on a frozen banana covered in chocolate, or carrying a fruit platter on their head.
The beauty of
Mayan culture, whose people account for more than 50% of Guatemala's population. Most Maya women wear traditional skirts and blouses woven in intricate patterns depending on the Maya group they belong to. Their culture is very resilient, a safekeeper of traditions and languages: 21 indigenous languages are still spoken in Guatemala today.
The beauty of its nature. With its many volcanoes, pristine lakes and luscious vegetation, Guatemala is a seductress. The last few days I've been living with Andres and Sara in the country, some 30 kilometers from Guatemala City, the capital. The hummingbirds and blue/green chameleons greet you every day (if the four labradors living there don't scare them away). The house bathes in flowers, thick, green foliage, and fruit trees. In the evening, fireflies offer a free, twinkling show.
I've begun my journalistic work, taking a closer look at a program called Play for Peace and at San Carlos Universi
ty's volunteer network. Youth are great interview subjects, their answers so candid, simple.
I asked 11-year-old Alejandra why she had her paintbrush out during a great repainting campaign of Guatemala City's historical center.
"Our country isn't trash. We must respect it."
36 years of civil war ended in 1996 have caused destruction and pain. The sequels are still present. Yet there seems to be a genuine desire, from kids and youth at least, to rebuild a country whose beauty would live up to those of its hundreds of flowers.
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