HOW I CAME TO MARRY A YOUNG GUATEMALTECO - Part 3
Here in Guatemala they call themselves Guatemaltecos (Guatemalteca for women) and not Guatemalans. But both are understood. When I came to live here it was a plan for two years, to put this young indigenous woman through her career program and then return to California. I had decided I was DONE with relationships and would never marry again. I tell my guests now I never say never. I also had never even thought about building my own home in a foreign country. But how young is he, this...
I grew up in the United States, most recently from Northern California, but now in my 70’s I live in a village in Guatemala, five miles away from Antigua, a popular tourist destination and NOT typical of Guatemalan life. One of the things I believe has dramatically changed quality of life for this very poor country is plastic. Another, similar, is disposable diapers. And thirdly, cell phones. Here is why:.JPG)
They were big, open questions— the “elephant in the room,” the large, unavoidable thing I was a bit afraid to confront honestly and directly. .png)
Who among us hasn’t been cheered during an otherwise down time or learned an important life lesson from a dog?
Last month while visiting and exploring Boquete Panama just happened to stumble upon a very interesting investment "Factional" Coffee Farm turnkey ownership. Just so happened we arrived the day before they were conducting a guided tour to their farms and processing plant in Boquete. We signed up and got a real education about how coffee is grown, produced, roasted and marketed plus got to taste some really excellent specialty coffees. 
When in my early twenties, after crossing the border near San Diego with my friends and driving south in Mexico, I noticed lots of houses in which the construction had begun, but was not finished. 
If you’re an expat, you may not want to read this. If you’re considering becoming an expat, you need to read it. Here’s what I’ve taken away, thus far, from my recent heart attack, and a very real brush with death in Medellin Colombia. Some of these insights I never imagined. Some of them were almost worth the roller coaster ride and associated pain and concern they presented.