I am amazed and humbled by the generosity of my friends!

Niños de Guatemala asked me if I could possibly raise $600 (USD) as a contribution  to the costs of training me and other incidental costs that will be incurred during my volunteering period of eight weeks, next January to March,  with any excess going towards the running costs of this amazing project.
I wrote to many of you about this and SO FAR contributions amount to $810 (USD)  33% more than hoped for, and I know that this will not be the final total as I am confidently expecting to give them $1000 (USD).  So any further contributions will be most gratefully received! Click here for more details

Since my last blog I have been talking with their Volunteer Coordinator and we are working on what we hope will be a really transformational plan for some of the older students at Niños de Guatemala.  The idea being that as well as providing 1-2-1 support to their scholarship students, and assisting in their English lessons, I will run some workshops around personal development and skills directly relating to transitioning from school to work.

The scholarship students are 16/17 years old and work on a one year programme within the hospitality industry in Antigua.  Remember, Antigua is the number 1 tourist destination in Guatemala. Students have six-month placements in hotels and restaurants, on the basis that if their internship is successful, they will be given  permanent employment.   My role whilst I am there is to help build their knowledge, skills and abilities, so that they will pass their placement! Often, passing this placement, and getting employment will make them the breadwinner for their entire family!

It is tough for youngsters, especially from indigenous background.  Spanish is NOT their first language, most speak the Mayan derivative "kaqchikel" as their mother tongue, and Spanish is as far removed from that, as English is to Japanese! On top of that, they obviously have to speak English as most tourists will have this expectation!   Unfortunately even today, language ability fiercely divides the population, probably as much as "looks"and marks a person out as not of Spanish (conquistador) heritage!

After my last experience in Antigua, way back in 2011/12, I now realise that I would have made much greater impact had I had even the most basic smattering of "kaqchikel", I am putting this right this visit: week three of my stay is an immersive week studying this difficult language! I am hoping from that, to get a much better cultural understanding, to show respect to my students, and to be able to "haggle" in the market!

With the help of AI, I am making great strides with my re-learning of Latin American Spanish, and I have set myself the goal of achieving an intermediate-advanced level in writing, grammar and reading, so that my two weeks intensive Spanish on arrival in Guatemala can be devoted to gaining some mastery of conversational Spanish.  Given that this will be 7 hours a day 1-2-1, I know from previous experience that whilst it "fries your brain" it does work!  

Fortunately, I am staying outside of the city centre, in a non touristic area so that I don't get tempted to fall into the trap of speaking English. English will be for teaching purposes only and then only in English classes with the students.

So, it is full steam ahead!

I will let you know when the $1000 (USD) NEW STRETCHED  target has been surpassed!

Thanks for reading!

Michael

P.S. If you know of anybody who might be interested to read this blog, simply give them the link www.knowmadicmike.blogspot.com.  Do feel free to comment on this post! 

 

Guate2027 Checklist!

 

Everything is coming together!

1. Accommodation booked: through AirBnb, nice I bedroom flat just outside the city centre and closer to where I will be volunteering in Ciudad Vieja

2. Flights booked:  (via Amsterdam and Mexico City) AVOIDING USA flying with KLM and Aeromexico 

3. Language tuition booked:    With a prestigious school where I will do 2 weeks of Spanish 7 hours a day 5 days a week, with a focus on conversational skills, and, 1 week intensive Kaqchikel (that will be a real adventure) as the structure of the language bears no resemblance to anything I have studied before.

4. Spanish revision in progress  ably (?) assisted by Chat GPT.

5. Started my fund raising to get the £500 contribution I am expected to make to Niños de Guatemala.  I know my friends will be generous!

6. Reconnecting with old friends from Antigua (remember I was living there for a year in 2011-2012 and have kept in touch with one or two people there.

Welcome back, or maybe just Welcome!

 

So after a very long gap, I am resurrecting the blog as I start on my preparations for Gaute 2027!   I am so excited.   I hope if you are reading this, you are doing so as a result of my "begging" letter in support of my three month trip to La Antigua, Guatemala, and volunteering for Niños de Guatemala.  I want you to feel part of the experience, (especially if you are a donor, to my £500 target linked to this trip. If that is you, then thank you and welcome. 

To recap the story so far. I wanted a project to adequately reflect my arrival at 70 years of age!  And in a "Eureka" moment I remembered the great time I had in 2011-2012 volunteering in La Antigua, Guatemala with and NGO called CasaSito. Having now added a further 6 years of voluntary experience from my time in Peru, the need was to do something significant.

So I decided on a 90day trip back to Guatemala. I did my research and decided that the work of Niños de Guatemala fitted the bill. Mainly because of their high school and scholarship programme focusing on youngsters from 15 - 17 transitioning from school to the world of work.  La Antigua, is a major tourist spot and also home to many retired Americans. The entire city centre is a UNESCO world heritage site and tourism and hospitality is the name of the game!

However, imagine you are a young person from an Indigenous background, so your first language is probably Kaqchikal (A Mayan derivative language), you come from an extremely poor background, you have to learn Spanish as your second language (but the first language of non indigenous, paler, descendants of the conquistadors) and your city, thrives on the ability to speak English because it is a touristic centre. Quite a challenge!   You were lucky enough to be educated and fed, at one of Niños de Guatemala's three schools based outside of the city centre. ANd know you are going to jump into the hustle and bustle of life in the city, or maybe you want to start a very small business. Where to start!

Niños de Guatemala relies on the support of up to 200 volunteers a year to help them achieve their aims and objectives. Most volunteer stay for one or two weeks and combine a few hours a day volunteering in the morning with being a tourist in the afternoon.  I am offering eight weeks, mornings, afternoons and weekends, to work with the high school youngsters and scholarship students on the hospitality programme to get them job fit. Improve their language, communication and personal development abilities and to also build their self-confidence as personal esteem.

In order to do this I have already started to revise my rusty Spanish, and with the help of AI (artificial Intelligence) am starting to make real progress which will be backup by two weeks of intensive/immersion conversational Sanish when I arrive in Guatemala. And then a further intensive week of Kaqchikal language tuition so that I can communicate with  indigenous students and also in the wider community, respectfully in their own language. It will only be a few words and phrases, but I hop ein so doing, I also learn about the cultural,language and other difference that need to be overcome, to work in La Antigua in 2027!

So please follow my journey, ask me questions and let's be a part of this great adventure together.

Please look back at my posts from 2011 and 2012 to see many of the wonders of this fabulous orginal capital of Guatemala, and my volunteering back them.

Thank you.

WIll start work shortly on filling in the gap of the last 3 years. Never happened! But for Guate 2027 I am already up and running!

 I stopped my blog in 2019 but have decided that now I have more time, I shall fill in the gaps and start blogging again, once I am in my new flat in Hereford.  One of many planned retirement pastimes. 

Here is an external picture of my new flat which is currently undergoing refurbishment (new wet room) and complete redecoration. Hopefully I shall move in week beginning September 12 (fingers crossed).

Life goes on.

The long gap between posts is just that, life goes on and the new different and exciting is not a feature of the everyday. I have been battling with mice and slugs eating my seedlings but have at last got some plants to plant.

Today I have been on this adventure in France technically 1 year. It has had it ups and downs and after my last break I return with my “eyes wide open” and a clearer understanding of the challenges and the expectations of all concerned.

But, last week I was in the UK, having an MOT: Doctor, Dentist and Optician. I don't have Lymes disease (but do have a lot of muscle aches and similar symptoms – just wear and tear), I do have gum disease (now under control with a multitude of interdental brushes) and my eyes are fine but have the very first signs of cateracts (they will take years to develop).

Need to not work quite so hard at the tough stuff; less tree felling and maybe more work cooking and gardening!

But then the main reason for the return was a trip to Istanbul with Andy. Much needed and hugely enjoyable. Andy had found a small hotel within spitting distance of the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque and yet was completely quiet. We arrived on the first day of a three day Eid holiday, so along with tourists we had to contend with everybody out and about. We soon realised that we need to be up and out early and to take it easier in the mid-day and afternoon heat. But had a great time. As you can see.

Terrific food, terrific weather ( a bit too hot?) and lovely people.

Highlights, Haya Sofia and the Dolmahace Palace (absolutely amazing especially the 4.5 ton chandelier manufactured in Birmingham) . Trip on the Bosphorus strait local boat for 2 Euros for 90 minutes as opposed to tourist boat same route 30 Euros.

The Blue mosque resembled was overcrowded and under renovation (actually EVERYWHERE we visited was under renovation!)

Also visited the amazing underground water cistern, the Ecumenical Patriarchate Cathedral of St George, the Topkapi Palace (not impressed) and local bazaar.

Great transport system, especially as the tram stopped 20 metres from the hotel. Would like to go back off season. Amazingly both Andy and I returned to the UK with about 40% of our spending money as everything was so reasonable.

Turkish food and wine is really really good, varied and full of taste and again so reasonable.

Here is a selection of photos.

view from hotel rooftop bar

The Birmingham Manufactured 4.5 ton chandelier! This is one of the most amazing rooms I have ever seen.