Monday, May 16, 2011

Two Weeks and Counting!

With only two weeks to go until I leave for Guatemala, I’m beginning to finalize my packing list and logistics for the trip! After meeting in Houston, Darcy and I will fly together to Guatemala City, and then drive about 3 hours to Panajachel, which will be our new home for the following two months. We will be met by Andrea, our site supervisor, who works with Nest’s partner organization in Panajachel, Oxlajuj B’atz’ (Thirteen Threads). Andrea will help us get settled in our apartment and get oriented with Oxlajuj B’atz’ and with Panajachel before we begin our work as Nest Fellows. 
From that point on, Darcy and I will be busy working through the different projects that we’ve been assigned for the summer. In Panajachel, Nest works with Oxlajuj B’atz in generating a more robust market for the goods produced by Mayan Indian weavers, in a sustainable manner and without the use of middlemen. Some of the projects I will be working on to support this mission include: