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Update from the Field: Trash, Delicious Treats + Community Outreach
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 18 April 2011
Compiled by Alexis Ditkowsky, KF14, South Africa Let’s take a moment to vicariously consume baked goods in Colombia, coffee in Nicaragua, tomatoes in Ukraine, and a traditional meal in Nepal.
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A Little Travel Memory…Sweating the Insignificant Details Sucks
Blog: A Little Adrift - A RTW Travelogue - 29 March 2011
Travel Memories: Kids Paddle down the Rio Dulce, Guatemala These young Guatemalan children paddling around the lily pads on the Rio Dulce (Sweet River, in Spanish) came at a perfect time on my four hour boat ride down the Rio Dulce. The thing is, I was so frustrated just minutes before I spotted them paddling amongst the lily pads down a side snake of water off the main river. Our guide was being tight lipped about why our boat was stopping every 20 minutes down to a putter, but I had a sneaking ...
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Update from the Field: Social Quirks, Justin Bieber + Lots of Carbs
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 28 March 2011
Compiled by Alexis Ditkowsky, KF14, South Africa While it may have been a slower "official" news week than usual, I can assure you that the Fellows are keeping busy. One Fellow spent hours searching fruitlessly for borrowers in the jungle, another has been suffering from serious gastrointestinal issues (aren't you glad he didn't post about that?), and the rest of us have been plotting something very special for the end of the week.
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Update from the Field: Fun Facts, Field Visits + Back to Basics
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 21 March 2011
Compiled by Alexis Ditkowsky, KF14, South Africa For many Fellows, this week was about getting back to basics: the borrowers. In between fun facts about Kiva Fellowships, doing database detective work, and reflecting on the internal dynamics of Kiva's partner microfinance institutions, Fellows found themselves in the field again and again, much to their delight and often to the delight of borrowers.
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Update from the Field: Man’s Day, Singing Fellows + Learning How to Count
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 7 March 2011
Compiled by Alexis Ditkowsky, KF14, South Africa The Fellows will be covering International Women's Day later this week but let's take a moment to acknowledge its lesser-known cousin in Kyrgyzstan, "Man's Day".
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Update from the Field: Videos, Epic Commutes + Going Beyond Microfinance
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 28 February 2011
Compiled by Alexis Ditkowsky, KF14, South Africa Another week, another incredible range of dispatches from around the world.
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Photo of the Day: St. Francis Church Panajachel, Guatemala
Blog: Two Backpackers - 23 February 2011
Watch our HD Adventure Travel Video of Climbing Volcano San Pedro at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala Panajachel is the largest town surrounding Lake Atitlan in Guatemala’s highlands and serves as the base for tourists visiting the area. Lake Atitlan is one of the highlights when visiting Guatemala and many tour bus companies will shuttle you [...]
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Quetzaltenango and the New Year that didn’t go to plan
Blog: 501 Places - 18 February 2011
Quetzaltenango is Guatemala’s second city.
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Pacaya volcano, Guatemala – how NOT to see it
Blog: 501 Places - 14 February 2011
Before we even landed on the American continent, the visit to the active slopes of Volcan Pacaya was at the top of our list of anticipated experiences. Having stood on Kilauea in Hawaii 10 years ago and gasped in wonder … Continue reading →Pacaya volcano, Guatemala – how NOT to see it is a post from: 501 Places
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Flower Wars: Is Your V-Day Bouquet Destroying the Jungles of Belize?
Blog: Trans-Americas Journey - 11 February 2011
The dense and protected jungles of Belize are many shades of green. To the untrained eye the verdant tones run together in a blur of lushness—one plant virtually indistinguishable from its neighbor. But the growing number of Guatemalan slipping into the under-patrolled border regions of Belize see things differently.
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Antigua, Guatemala: historic marvel or tourist trap?
Blog: 501 Places - 11 February 2011
Step along any of the cobbled streets of Antigua and reminders of its past glory are everywhere to be seen. The weary old buildings that have survived both age and numerous earthquakes bare their scars openly and without shame. The … Continue reading →Antigua, Guatemala: historic marvel or tourist trap? is a post from: 501 Places
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Community Vigilantism Keeps Toto Tranquil
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 9 February 2011
By Gustavo Visalli, KF14, Guatemala “Esto no es Guate, ni Xela. Aquí las calles son seguras. (This is not like Guatemala City, or even Xela. The streets here are safe).” My wonderful host in the village of Cojxac is reassuring me of the safety of the streets at night. It is my first month as [...]
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Reflections from Eight Months in the Field
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 8 February 2011
By Eric Burdullis, KF12, Cusco, Peru Last July, I sat in Kiva headquarters listening to speaker after speaker desperately trying to get a grasp on what life as a Kiva fellow would be like. Despite all my “international” experience, I don´t think anything could have prepared me for the adventure that was to come.
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coffee and globalization
Blog: Snarky Tofu - 6 February 2011
I like coffee. No, scratch that, I need coffee, as anyone with a physical / psychological addiction can be said to need anything. Coffee is the first order of business of the day, every day, after perhaps other bodily functions. So I should be happier in Guatemala than I am, at least on the coffee front, but find myself disappointed time and again when the answer to my mangled Spanish question "usted tiene café guatemalte?" turns out to be "No, cafe Americano" or even "No, Nescafe".
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Antigua, Guatemala Wishes You Were Here
Blog: Suzy Guese - 4 February 2011
This week’s “Wish You Were Here” post comes from Kim of To Uncertainty and Beyond. Kim and Clark from To Uncertainty and Beyond quit their jobs last year to travel the world. They visited 24 counties in about seven months. Their blog is all about how to plan and execute a successful RTW trip. They [...]
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Tikal: Visual Journey
Blog: Snarky Tofu - 4 February 2011
I believe in reincarnation because I want to be able to visit Hong Kong, Taipei and New York City two thousand years in the future when they all look like Tikal.
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Mumblings from El Remate
Blog: Snarky Tofu - 1 February 2011
I cannot even write about past events at this point, even when paid to do so. This is a Bad Thing for the professional writer who relies on remembrances for lucre. Perhaps I should clarify. By past I mean anything beyond last month; I have many, many people and events fighting for my limited writing time, in between the endless travel and bread and butter writing of The Dream Job, memories with shelf life like flowers, or like fruit. In short order, the colors all fade unless I capture them in time.
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Photo of the Day: Filming a Beach Sunset
Blog: Two Backpackers - 22 January 2011
Related posts:Photo of the Day: Monterrico Beach, Guatemala Monterrico Beach Guatemala – Video Ep. 10 Photo of the Day: Giant Waves in Guatemala © Aracely for Two Backpackers, 2011. | FOLLOW US ON TWITTER | JOIN US ON FACEBOOK | Permalink
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Travels in Guatemala: a day on the chicken bus
Blog: 501 Places - 17 January 2011
The boxes of white pills were passed around by the curious passengers, who read the home-printed labels with varying levels of interest. Meanwhile, the salesman continued with his monologue. Back ache? Abdominal pains? Infertility? Pregnancy? Depression? Arthritis? Cancer?
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The Weekly Photo: Exploring Tikal
Blog: Nomadic Matt's Travel Site - 26 December 2010
Exploring the Runs of Tikal, Guatemala ©Nomadic Matt's Travel Site. Looking for travel deals, news, and tips? Sign up for my bi-monthly newsletter! You'll get all the deals, tips, and advice I can't squeeze into a blog! Related PostsThe Weekly Photo: TikalThe Weekly Photo: Singapore MosqueGetting Scared and Excited All Over AgainThe Weekly Photo: A [...]
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Guatemala, A Backpacker Haven
Blog: Backpacker Bucks - 23 December 2010
Guatemala is full of adventure and fantastic sights. You will be amazed and want to return again and again.
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A Little Travel Memory…Street Mime in Antigua
Blog: A Little Adrift - A RTW Travelogue - 13 December 2010
Travel Memories: Children Enchanted by a Street Mime Antigua is a directly on the tourist path; in fact, it’s a veritable hub of tourist activity in Guatemala. It’s also pretty swell. It’s an adorably livable city for a traveler in need of a break; these kiddos are in simply rapt attention of a street mime. I just loved the their five figures sitting so close and friendly – body language doesn’t lie and that kid in the orange shirt is intrigued! The great thing about a mime on foreign streets – you understand ...
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Photoblog: Celebrating the Virgin of Guadalupe in Antigua on 12 December
Blog: Nono in Guatemala - 13 December 2010
Just after the Burning of the Devil and the Virgin of La Concepcion, Antigua is celebrating the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12th. The Virgin of Guadalupe is the patron of America. On this day, the kids from all ages wear traditional indigenous dress and carry the image of the virgin in procession. The tradition originated from Mexico and was brought in Guatemala in 1580.
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Photoblog: Dia de la Virgen de la Concepcion in Ciudad Vieja - 8 December
Blog: Nono in Guatemala - 13 December 2010
La Virgen de Concepcion is the virgin patron of Ciudad Vieja. So there is a big celebration on this day starting with a mass at the church, followed by the burning of granadas. During an hour, the main square is full of smoke and you can hear the sound of firecrackers and fireworks.Then follow the folkloric dances. They originated in the Iberian Peninsula and were introduced in Guatemala during colonial time with local characteristics.
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Photoblog: Convite in Ciudad Vieja 7 December
Blog: Nono in Guatemala - 12 December 2010
On the 7th of December, before the burning of the Devil, there is a convite in Ciudad Vieja. The town is a few kilometers South of Antigua and was the first capital of Guatemala. Convites are allegorical parades the day before a procession.At 2 pm dozen of carriages & vehicles with religious, cultural and sport decorations left in front of the main church to cross the city. It was fun to see!
