Right now Guatemala is competing with Venezuela for a seat as a non-permanent member in the Security Council of the United Nations. It's a great opportunity, but...there's so many buts.

Guatemala is strongly supported by the US, and that immediately eliminates the votes of far too many countries.

Venezuela had been doing a pretty good job getting votes, Chávez traveled to Africa, and got a lot of votes right there. It has the support of many Southamerican countries (MERCOSUR plays a big part in that), China, Russia, all of the countries who think Guatemala will be useless if it gets the seat, since, "it'll do everything the US tells it to do and will always take it's side", like for instance, EVERY COUNTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST (except Israel, of course). Ufff...

Guatemala named Gert Rosenthal Chancellor, a very prepared, experienced, known, and cunning person. He has done a very good job getting votes for Guatemala. That has helped Guatemala's candidature. Also, Chávez really hurt Venezuela's candidature when he talked in the UN Assembly and made some very subjective and radical statements about "the devil", "Mr. Evil", and something about a sulfur smell... Ufff...

Guatemala has the support of a most of the EU's countries, all of the countries of Central America (of course!) and many more. It has actually mantained an advantage over Venezuela every single time the Assembly has voted, but not big enough to get the seat. Guatemala would've gotten it already if it wasn't for the lack of support of the CARICOM (the Caribbean countries). This conflict between Guatemala and Belize (which is the main reason for this lack of support of the Caribbean countries) really needs to be resolved. Not just because of this, but because of so much more. Guatemala and Belize are neighbors and could achieve a lot by collaborating...it could be great for both countries, I think.

Ok...I guess every or most Guatemalans (or at least those who know or care) would like Guatemala to get the seat, but, why?

Guatemala has used some arguments to support it's candidature, like the fact that "we've reached peace after four decades of internal war", our support to the international peace keepers' projects in Haiti and Congo, and some others I can't remember.

I wonder why the fact that Guatemala is a multicultural country wasn't even mentioned: being in the SC means you have to be able to comprehend the complexity of diversity and work with it. Guatemala should be experienced in this aspect, after all, our population is integrated by four different ethnic groups (maya, ladino, garífuna, xinka), and 24 different languages are spoken...we SHOULD understand diversity and SHOULD be really good working with it...

...but (of course there's a but) we are not. I guess that's probably the reason why it wasn't mentioned, ha?

Anyways...I think this experience could definitely be a positive one for Guatemala. I do hope we get the opportunity. We'll see!

I loved Brazil! The people, the food, the atmosphere, the beaches, everything!!!

Thank you alihoopa (last time, I promise, haha) for a magical time!

Uga Uga

P.S. I definitely recommend a visit to Búzios when traveling to Rio de Janeiro. A 3 hours bus ride (about 170 kms) and you're there! It's a gorgeous peninsula with lots of hidden beaches, great restaurants and definitely, one of the cutest hotels ever: La Pedrera

Ricardo Arjona is definitely one of my favorite singers. He writes his own songs, and he's a great at it. He's very deep and sensitive. Plus: he's Guatemalan. I'm so proud of him! He's a true artist, and he's been recognized for it: he's been famous for quite a long time now. Worldwide.

What's most special about Ricardo Arjona is how he always manages to get so close to you. I mean, when you listen to his music it's like you can almost share his emotions, or maybe it's your own emotions he's connecting you with. It's hard to explain, but he can put to words thoughts, feelings, fears and so much more all of us (people) share in a certain way.

One of his latest songs is called Acompañame a estar solo and I just love it.

Here it is...I hope you like it (it's in Spanish though)

Acompáñame a estar solo
A purgarme los fantasmas
A meternos en la cama sin tocarnos
Acompáñame al misterio
De no hacernos compañía
A dormir sin pretender que pase nada
Acompáñame a estar solo
Acompáñame al silencio
De charlar sin las palabras
A saber que estás ahí y yo a tu lado
Acompáñame a lo absurdo de abrazarnos sin contacto
Tú en tu sitio yo en el mío
Como un ángel de la guarda
Acompáñame a estar solo
(Coro)
Acompáñame
A decir sin las palabras
Lo bendito que es tenerte y serte infiel solo con esta soledad
Acompáñame
A quererte sin decirlo
A tocarte sin rozar ni el reflejo de tu piel a contraluz
A pensar en mí para vivir por ti
Acompáñame a estar solo
Acompáñame a estar solo
Para calibrar mis miedos
Para envenenar de a poco mis recuerdos
Para quererme un poquito
Y así quererte como quiero
Para desintoxicarme del pasado
Acompáñame a estar solo
(coro)
Y si se apagan las luces
Y si se enciende el infierno
Y si me siento perdido
Se que tú estarás conmigo
Con un beso de rescate
Acompáñame a estar solo
(coro)

It might seem a bit too romantic for some, but it isn't when you know exactly what he means.

P.S. Some of the songs from Ricardo Arjona I recommend:
Si el norte fuera el sur
Mujeres
El mojado
Mi primera vez
Tu reputación
Me enseñaste
Te conozco
Señora de las cuatro décadas

I have to sleep...good night!

Hola. Yo sé que hace mucho tiempo que no escribía en el blog. Al menos un mes...me han extrañado los dos pelones que leen las ocurrencias que escribo? Eso espero!!!

La verdad es que he estado muy ocupada, no ha sido sólo la hueva- no ha sido SÓLO eso :0)

Hace unos días en la casa de mis abuelitos encontré un papel con algunos pensamientos de Coki. Esto no es nada extraño, ya que desde que lo operaron hace casi exactamente un año (el 25 de septiembre del 2005) escribía todo en pedacitos de papel reciclado que él mismo había recolectado mucho antes de que supieramos de su enfermedad, sin saber, cuál era la misión de esos papelitos que con tanto afán coleccionaba...cómo es la vida!!!

Coki escribía, porque el hablar le resultaba demasiado doloroso. De esta manera, dejó papelitos, pensamientos y pedacitos de saber regados por toda su casa...el encontrar uno de ellos cada cierto tiempo me reconforta de cierta manera, y me asusta mucho pensar en el día en el que encuentre el último y su ausencia aterrice en mi vida, cuando lo único que me mantenga unida a él sean los recuerdos, que aunque son lo más valioso y, en realidad, lo único que realmente se puede poseer de otra persona, no son suficiente cuando existe tanto amor.

Coki por lo general escribía pensamientos positivos, llenos de luz. Sin embargo, en esta ocasión me tocó un papelito plasmado de cansancio, de desaliento, aunque lleno de sabiduría (como siempre). Y es que en sus últimos meses de vida, el dolor consumió poco a poco su espíritu, debe de haber sido insoportable. Es tan injusto...Coki era invencible, pero el cáncer nos hizo trampa, a él, a mí, a todos...

Al perder a Coki, el mundo perdió una luz inmensa, una luz tan poderosa que no pudo ser apagada y consumida, por lo que no hubo más remedio que transladarla al firmamento en forma de la estrella más brillante, más pura y más blanca que el cielo jamás ha albergado. Fíjense en las noches estrelladas, y cuando encuentren esa estrella destellante, saluden a mi abuelito Coki, porque ése es él.

Aquí están algunas de las reflexiones acerca del DOLOR, desde alguien que, desgraciadamente, lo conoció muy bien.

El dolor, es la máxima angustia del hombre. Te roba las luces y te amontona de oscuridades. El inmensamente avasayador te tortura pero no te mata, te roba la alegría, la tranquilidad y tu buen humor. Te transforma, te hace desear la muerte.

Sus manos te aprietan, sus dedos como garfios se introducen y no te sueltan.

El dolor es como posesivo amante que no te tregua, te posee continuamente, te cansa y agota sin que le importe, continua con el mismo o mayor ímpetu hasta tornarse burdo, grosero.

Te inspira negativos pensamientos y sueños absurdos, incómodos y repetitivos que te roban el descanso y al día siguiente no recuerdas.

El dolor te hace ver la muerte no como te la presentan para atemorizarte, cruel, deforme y ambrazante con guadaña en mano, sino como tu único escape de sus apretadas e indestructibles garras, como el bien más apetecible, como única solución.

El dolor es presencia capital de la agonía. El dolor te anula y te esclaviza en estrecho calabozo, te constriñe y limita.

Buenas noches.

Desde pequeña he ido mucho a "Amati". Le tengo mucho cariño, me trae muchos recuerdos y siempre me ha encantado. Cuando estoy allí me siento como perdida en el tiempo, como ajena a la realidad, como en otra dimensión. No sé si ese clima tan exclusivo de Amati, entre frío y caliente, o la piscina de aguas termales humeando, o la presencia de mi familia, o los churrascos de los domingos o, el sonido mudo del lago (¿será un llanto silencioso?) ... pero siempre que estoy allí, me entra un sentimiento como de melancolía. Es muy especial.

Ayer estuve allí después de mucho tiempo de no haber ido y me entró una melancolía profunda, pero no de la buena, no de la de siempre, sino una melancolía triste, al ver el estado de contaminación del lago.

Es difícil de creer que un lugar tan hermoso pueda haber llegado al estado de contaminación en el que se encuentra, que lo hayamos permitido, y eso que ya se han logrado ya bastantes mejoras gracias al esfuerzo de muchos, entre ellos AMSA (Autoridad para el Manejo Sustentable del lago de Amatitlán).

Quiero profundizar más en la historia del lago, pero por ahora, los dejo con algunas imágenes de ayer en la tarde:



Esta es una vista típica del lago: precioso!


Contaminación que se ve desde la orilla del lago


Preocupados ante la situación de nuestro lago de Amati

There are different kinds of post-death rituals. I image they change from country to country, culture to culture, time to time... the death of my beloved Coki forced me to experience two different kinds of rituals, both following the "novena" that consists on a series of different prayers and chants followed after special occasions and for specific reasons: Christmas, the death of a loved one, a holiday, etc.

The "novena" (the one prayed after the death of a loved one) goes from the next day of the death to the 9th day after. Family, friends and the "rezadoras" (women that lead the prayers and chants) gather usually in the late afternoon, around 6 or 7.

It's done in private houses. A small altar is arranged: lots of flowers, incense (I love the smell!), candles, pictures, etc. One thing that called to my attention was a glass of water in the middle of the altar. I asked one of the "rezadoras" what it was for and she told me it's for the purification of the soul of the deceased.

After following special prayers comes the Rosary. Everything between chants of deep sorrow and a very special atmosphere. It's very intense.

After the "novena" is done, there's lots of food prepared. Usually there's delicious tamales,"tostadas", "enchiladas", "champurradas" and so. To drink, hot chocolate and coffee. Mmmmmh, right? It amazed me how food helped calm everyone. After crying and moaning, everybody seemed very happy and relaxed, while eating. The "rezadoras" get a basket with bread, pastries and a piece of chocolate for their help.

The ninth day is the hardest: it's the definite good-bye. The "novena" is followed as in the other 8 days, but the chants are more melancholic, full of grief and sorrow. It's done at the same time as the other 8 days, but it's repeated at midnight. That's the last one, the one that actually releases and hands the loved one's soul to God. The acceptation.

We (my family and I) had been doing the "novena" through mass. Everyday, at 6.30 and of course, dinner at my grandmother's after. My Nana, who's worked at my grandparents' for over 30 years, and her family, had been following a different "novena" in their village outside the city. We were invited on the 8th day and this are some of the pictures I took:


The altar


"Rezadoras"


My Nana and her sisters


The "rezadora"'s bascket

Last Friday at exactly 1:22 am my grandfather passed away. He left this life, this "valley of sorrow"... he left me. I still can't believe it, not even after the weekend I've had.

Not even a year ago, my Papito Carlos left too: in less than a year I lost them both.

Life and death... the unavoidable truth everyone knows and most people are never capable of understanding, including myself.

A week ago he was still here, and today, I feel his absence so strong it makes me feel like he's been gone for a lot longer.

I know he was ready. He struggled SO hard to stay with us, he went through surgery, radiotherapy and other kind of treatments...it all meant a lot of pain, and even more to a person who always resisted medicine and doctors. He did it, for us, his family, because we asked him to. I'm sure he would've preferred to live the rest of his days not thinking about this disease: no medicines, no drugs, no doctors, no treatments...just appreciation, reflection and spending time with all the people he loved. That would've been his choice, I'm sure.

Even now that he's gone, he still has a huge impact on my life. He was such a compassionate, loving, giving, amazingly kind man, that not even death could take him away. So when I say "he's gone" I mean I can't hug him or touch him, but I can definitely feel him. I feel him everywhere, it's beautiful. Painful, but great. I know one day it won't be painful anymore, and then, it'll be nothing but BEAUTIFUL, like him.

Así es...mi mundo, mi maravilloso mundo, está cayéndome encima.

Me siento muy confundida y no sé qué hacer, cómo saberlo, si ni siquiera estoy segura de lo que quiero, de lo que pienso, de lo que siento...ahora sí: YO NO SÉ NADA, nunca había sido más cierto.

La vida es tan maravillosa, tan generosa, que a veces olvido que también son así las estrellas fugaces...

Venga lo que venga, sé con seguridad que NO ESTOY PREPARADA, pero bueno, también sé que NUNCA PODRÉ ESTARLO.

Buenas noches mundo...