Happy Independence Day!

Sept. 15th (today) is Guatemalan Independence day, according to wikipedia, "On September 15, 1821, the Captaincy-general of Guatemala (formed by Chiapas, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Honduras) officially proclaimed its independence from Spain and its incorporation into the Mexican Empire, which was dissolved two years later. This region had been formally subject to New Spain throughout the colonial period, but as a practical matter was administered separately. All but Chiapas soon separated from Mexico after Agustín I from Mexico was forced to abdicate."

Last night we went out in Xela and saw concerts, fireworks, there were people in the street, street food and pretty good chaos. I'm going to head back to site today, to celebrate there with the community (read: lots of food), if I can get a bus back (fingers crossed!).

National Emergency

On Thursday morning I had to leave my site to go to the Peace Corps office near Antigua, Guatemala for a GAD meeting and a dentist appointment.


Over the next few days we had a lot of rain, and the roads were covered in landslides over the main Inter-American Highway (also known as the road back home).



Some busses were pushed off the road, and there is a huge effort to clean the roads up.

Photo from BBC.com

There is supposed to be another tropical depression coming in this weekend, but you never know with weather, hopefully it will be warm and sunny, the roads clear, and I will be able to get back to site (and to Kitten!)

Photos from BBC.com