Peace Corps 2004-2006 Guatemala Reunion

I served as an agribusiness volunteer in the Peace Corps from 2004-2006 over 27 months of working and living in a remote Maya Village in the highlands of Guatemala.  This past week I went back for the first time to reconnect with volunteers with whom I served.  Nothing has changed and everything has changed. 

This is a country with people close to my heart still after all these years. I'll add more photos to this as I finish processing them. 

A view of Volcan Aqua from our AirBnB rental house. 

A view of Volcan Aqua from our AirBnB rental house. 

From left to right (backrow) Brian, Joshua, Brianna, Lena, Emily, JustinFrom left to right (front row) Joe, Kelsi,Matt, Justin (not pictured Mary.12 Years ago we too almost the same picture. Albeit, with a lot more volunteers.  A lot of the cre…

From left to right (backrow) Brian, Joshua, Brianna, Lena, Emily, Justin
From left to right (front row) Joe, Kelsi,Matt, Justin (not pictured Mary.

12 Years ago we too almost the same picture. Albeit, with a lot more volunteers.  A lot of the crew left before they finished service but this crew remained. Some even serving multiple tours in other locations and countries. 

The new Training Center, is now a fortress. It's also huge as it houses all the staff with the office moving out of crime ridden Guatemala City. It really swanky now.  My memory had us working and training in funky shacks, very Peace Corp-ish. …

The new Training Center, is now a fortress. It's also huge as it houses all the staff with the office moving out of crime ridden Guatemala City. It really swanky now.  My memory had us working and training in funky shacks, very Peace Corp-ish.  Now there is a workout room and tons of computers and super fast internet!

No more agricultural volunteers serve in Guatemala and haven't since 2012.  A tragedy and the excuse the Peace Corps gives is they can't find anyone skilled enough.  Anyone can be taught to plant crops and do animal husbandry.  This i…

No more agricultural volunteers serve in Guatemala and haven't since 2012.  A tragedy and the excuse the Peace Corps gives is they can't find anyone skilled enough.  Anyone can be taught to plant crops and do animal husbandry.  This is a real need in Guatemala for such technical expertise and extension work.  I hope they restart the program with the Ag Ministry again soon!

Random NYC

NYC can be completely random some times.  I ran into this, literally, while running to get a haircut late at night because it was the only time I wasn't working. 

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

I've never seen so many people in one place smiling non-stop.  I think more adults were excited than kids.  I saw what had to be an 80 year old man and his equally aged wife and there grandkids celebrating his 65 wedding anniversary by waving their wands in front of shop windows to do the attractions spells.  It was wonderful!  If you go shell out the dough on the wands, they are expensive but make add to the fun of hunting down all the magical spots.

The Cloisters

I went to the Cloisters this weekend with my wife for a date.  What a marvelous place! So much history and such a peaceful setting. I got the distinct feeling that many New Yorkers never visit here which is a real loss since it is so close. If you get the chance to visit check out the ring collections downstairs and read the stories carefully.  The artistry and the history of the rings is really a trip.

Mystic

Erica took me to Mystic for my birthday.  We got to get in the water with Beluga whales and work briefly with a trainer.  I learned a few things. 1. Beluga Whales are exactly what you would expect, AMAZING 2. Beluga Whales are very smart 3. Beluga Whales like to mess with people, so they are my kind of whale.  I'll post another gallery of our trip around Mystic when I get the chance. For now, check out these guys.

Northern California

Every year I'm lucky enough to get to go to Northern California a number of times for work. It's mostly business meetings but I try and find some daylight to visit interesting places.  One of these days I'll actually take a vacation and really get to see the area.  I hope I'll be able to get North of Mill Valley and Muir woods. But this trip was south along Route 1, the Pacific was not so peaceful this day and the fog really wouldn't let up but that's kind of what this place really is at this time of the year. 

Return to Guatemala

I flew back to Guatemala for a quick personal break.  It was the first time I returned in almost 10 years since serving as a Peace Corps volunteer from '04 - '06.  It was  strange experience. It had simultaneously changed more than I thought and less. I only had a short time and couldn't make the trek up into the highlands to the village I worked in for nearly three years.  Maybe next go round.

Scotland - 2015

Scotland - Christmas 2013

Spent Christmas and New Years (Hogmanay) in the Outer Hebrides and Edinburgh. Snuggled up for a winter storm in our Broch with copious amounts mulled wine and christmas duck.