Strapped for time

A man in town was just put in jail for sexually assaulting his 11 and 12-year-old daughters. The police were made aware of the situation when one of the girls’ teachers made a denuncia (pressed charges) against the father. Unfortunately sexual abuse of children, spousal abuse and the like are not terribly uncommon here, but it is rather uncommon that it is actually reported to the police.

Apparently the father had been abusing the girls for more than a year. When the police asked the mother why she hadn’t made a denuncia before, she replied that she had been very busy and could never find the time. You can’t find the time to keep your husband from raping your daughters!?

According to Guatemalan law the mother is not guilty of any crime and the daughters are going to stay in her custody. Some future they have to look forward to.

Armas

Firearms are a really popular accessory at the desfile hípico.

Desfile Hípico

Desfiles hípicos (horse parades) are very popular in my part of Guatemala. They are, as the name would suggest, simply parades of people on horseback. Last year I participated, but this year my horse fell through (a wild horse from the monte that had never been ridden in a parade before), so I just took pictures. Here are a few.

The original Marlboro Man.

Calor Humano

As a result of a terrifying white water rafting accident last month, a fellow PCV ended up in the hospital in the capital after being transported there by plane. I went to see him, and during my visit I picked up one of the hospital’s promotional pencils.


Herrera Llerandi’s slogan is “Le cuidamos con calor humano,” which I find amusing (like most things). It literally means, “We care for you with human heat.” Sounds a little shady. Actually I would prefer to be cared for with highly qualified doctors and cutting edge technology, but maybe I am just an anomaly.

But this is an instance where a literal direct translation fails. “Calor humano” carries more of a meaning of “kindness” as opposed to “human heat.” And it’s good to know that the folks at Herrera Llerandi are caring with kindness as opposed to killing with it.

It's a Sweater!

My puppy hated me in this moment.

What a pity

Conversation with Emerson, my 7-year-old neighbor:

Em: “Qué lastima que no puede regalarme una pelota.”

Me: “Sí. ¡Qué lastima!”

Niños de Tactic