It’s interesting to see how easy it is to be influenced by what we read and hear and how, more often than not, we find that our preconceptions are completely unfounded.
For instance when we go to another country, having read that the crime rate is high and that the country is “officially” rated as extremely dangerous, that the risk of robbery or kidnap is high and that gun crime is commonplace, it’s very easy to get carried away, thinking that everyone is a potential criminal and acting in such a self protective way that to really connect with people becomes difficult.
These are the kind of reports we had read and heard of before setting off to Guatemala and to be honest we were not really any different from most allowing some paranoia and suspicion to creep in.
But, thankfully, it is not in our nature to be such suspicious creatures and opening up and warming to the people came very easy, mainly because the people of Guatemala are fantastic.
Kind, helpful, funny and big hearted sums up the people we met pretty well. I’m not saying that the bad things do not exist or that there are no criminals etc… Because I’m sure that if we had stayed in some of the rougher parts of Guatemala City then we may have had a completely different experience, but its worth remembering that those who do commit such crimes are generally a very small minority.
Here I am going to throw in a special mention to the people at the Estacion Biological Las Guacamayas because we were not treated like workers or volunteers but more like family.
So adios Guatemala …..muchas gracias
And now a few photos of the people, the jewels of Guatemala.
And a little section dedicated to our friends at EBG
Next stop Costa Rica and Drake bay where the jungle meets the sea
Love to all