October 19 , 2005

Mérida Musings:  Adventures in Guatemala

Sometimes, life surprises you.  Unexpected adventures are found; unlearned lessons are stumbled upon; unseen challenges are faced and surmounted.  During our recent trip to Guatemala, we seventeen Centre College students found ourselves in the midst of one of these surprises.  We had anticipated a relaxing week of sightseeing and other touristy activities. Instead we ran into Hurricane Stan, which hit

Guatemala on October 4. I recently learned that several towns, including Panabaj, a village one or two kilometers from our hotel in Santiago Atitlán, have been declared mass graves as a result of severe mudslides.  It is information such as this that only now can make us appreciate the gravity of the situation we encountered.