This afternoon I saw Charlie Chaplin's "Modern Times". It was the first Charlie Chaplin's movie I have ever seen. I thought it was great.

The movie deals with a current world-wide problem: unemployment. And even though it's a comedy, it still points out the gravity of it, in a unusual way.

What I liked the most was the message of the movie: be positive, don't lose hope, keep trying. It certainly isn't easy, but it sure is possible. The movie's theme is Lyle Lovett's "Smile".

I also liked the fact that he got through this tough time with a partner. How important it is to have someone beside you. It makes everything easier, and jollier. It is so truth.

Here's a song Charlie Chaplin sings in the movie, while he's working as a waiter (for less than a day, like every other job he gets in the movie). It's funny!

Max was a bit confused when I once asked him not to throw away the part of my menu I wasn't going to eat and asked why. When I told him I was going to give it to someone on the street (as I usually do), he looked at me surprised and asked "is anyone actually going to accept it?". The idea of anyone taking food from a total stranger seemed to shock him. I guess it's understandable: he's not from around here.

Guatemala's unemployment rate is somewhere around 7.5% (2003 est.) There's more people working informally than there is working in the formal sector. In Guatemala city, everywhere you go you find people selling movies, pizza, cd's, phone cards, toys, bananas, lemons, strawberries...and so on and so on. Specially around traffic lights.

It's amazing how you get used to it. "Used to it", yes, but of course it's still shocking to see little kids working on a Tuesday morning, when they should be at school studying. Somethings you never get used to I guess.

I've given away candy, food, money and clothes this way. I carry them in my car. It's "normal" to me. It used to be, anyways. I had never really thought about it so much. About how your situation, your life, your stomach must be to be willing (and happy) to take ANYTHING from ANYONE. I mean...I've even given away ice cream...ice cream I couldn't finish. And I have always gotten a smile back.

Mmmm. I don't know what else to say. I really don't know.

There are so many creative ways to help others. There are so many necessities, so many problems, so many people in need. And what many miss to realize is the fact that there's a lot of people willing to help but don't know how. Efforts like The Darfur Wall blog are truly admirable. I sincerely congratulate anyone who has any kind of initiative to do something for others.

Like I just said, there are many ways to help. The important thing is to do something. Anything. I remember reading somewhere that Mother Theresa once said something like "one person's effort to change/help is similar to a single drop of water in the immensity of the ocean...but the ocean certainly wouldn't be the same without that drop of water". I definitely agree with her. What a wise woman she was.

Do something. Anything.

La municipalidad capitalina repitió el evento que el año pasado se realizó en la 6a avenida en la 12 calle de la zona 1. El objetivo: mejorar el aspecto de nuestro centro histórico, un proyecto que no solo me parece muy positivo para nuestra ciudad, sino que también para sus ciudadanos.

Me sorprendió la cantidad de gente joven que como yo, participó voluntariamente desde las 7 a.m. pintando casas y negocios. Qué lindo es darme cuenta -con hechos- que Guatemala pronto estará en manos de generaciones nuevas y muy diferentes a aquellas que, desgraciadamente, nacieron en épocas de guerra y extrema opresión.

Nuevos retos nos esperan, pero me parece que cuando llegué el momento, estaremos preparados.

When I first heard Mel Gibson was making a movie about the Maya Culture, I got very excited. Guatemala is Mayan territory and today, Mayans represent a relative mayority of the population.

I really wanted to see it and couldn't wait till it got out... it still hasn't come out in Guatemala and I'm not even sure it ever will.

Most of the critics I've heard so far are not so good. Guatemalan Mayan Organizations are accusing it of being "racist" and many anthropologists and historians seem to support the accusation.

Since I haven't seen more than movie trailers, I can't say I agree, but I can say it does seem extremely violent.

Also, the movie's official website reads: "when the end comes, not everyone is ready to go". I find this to be a very controversial phrase, since Mayans today continue to fight for their recognition as direct descendants of the prehispanic Maya Culture. Some sociologists say racism has made people deny that today Mayans are descendants of that developed ancient culture.

The only thing I know for sure is that anyone making a movie about an existing culture should be extra careful in keeping it real. Even if it's an action movie.

I would really like some comments on this movie.

A few days ago, I bumped into an old friend. I hadn't seen him in a very long time and we had some unresolved issues. I was very surprised when he came up to me and said he was glad to see me and wanted to mend things. He did. We did, I mean.

After having a long talk with him today I was filled with hope: hope in us people and our potential to be different, to be better. People can change and thinking about the world we live in today made me realize that not only CAN we change, but that we definitely MUST.

The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality of a distribution. It is defined as a ratio with values between 0 and 1.

Brazil and Guatemala are about a 0,6. Not so good. I know that. I see it, I feel it, I live it.

And even if I feel like I do, today I was so surprised when this figure became more real by a simple nice comment. I had to go somewhere and parked my car in a private parking lot. I asked the guy who gave me the ticket for some directions. When I got back I payed him and thanked him. For doing nothing but that, the guy said to me:

"I would like to congratulate you for being so nice. It's so hard to meet someone of your social condition as kind as you are. It was so nice to meet you."

Mmmm. Although the comment was meant to make me feel good, it didn't. It made me sad.

I will post some photos and comments on my fabulous holidays soon!

A New Year! A new start? SURE, if you want to. I love that every January 1rst feels like a fresh beginning somehow. At least that's the way I choose to look at it. Loooooove it.

I don't know why this video made me laugh so much, but it did. I find it soooo funny, I had to share it!

Christmas is such a wonderful day to share with others. I always feel somewhat different on Christmas. I think most people do. It's in the air.

As Christmas Eve and Christmas Day get closer and closer, I can't help it think of all the people involved with this world's worst dirt: armed-conflicts, misery, diseases, injustice, etc. So many people are going to spend a sad, lonely, poor Christmas. It's very sad. And of course it's not sad only because it's Christmas, it's always sad. But, during this time, it's more tragic somehow.

The New Year is almost here as well. A new year is usually taken as the perfect opportunity for a "fresh start". A new beginning. Most people hope for changes. Changes for themselves, changes for people around them, changes for the country they live in, changes for the whole world.

I hope for soooooo much. So many changes. I don't know if I should be glad or scared of whatever this new year is going to bring. Probably both. Either way, I can't help it wish for a more peaceful year. Peace in my country, peace in Iraq, peace in Colombia, peace in Sri Lanka, peace in Afghanistan, peace in Congo, peace in Sudan, peace in China, peace in Cuba, peace in Haiti, peace in Honduras, peace in Somalia, ... etc., peace in my spirit, peace for everyone dealing with some kind of struggle. P E A C E . . .

Self-control. I need. Desperately.

I'm so tired of being sad. I remember I always hated to see people sad. I always thought it was, even in a small part, their own fault. I mean, you allow yourself to be sad. You take yourself to misery. You do it. Yourself.

So... I guess I'm done with step no. 1: I've accepted my problem, but I'm having trouble getting to step no. 2: actually doing something about it.

So many things have changed in my life recently. I'm having trouble dealing with that. And I'm definitely not helping myself (me, myself and Rocío, right? haha).

I always saw myself as an optimist. That's why I don't understand how I ever got to this point, but I think I've had enough. No, actually, I know I've had enough. I really need to get myself together now.

I always thought of everyday as an opportunity to do something great. I've let so many opportunities go because the tears in my eyes wouldn't let me see. That has got to stop.

A wise man once told me: "patience" (yes, that's all). He really knew what he was talking about.