New strider orientation.

This week I've been introducing 2 new striders and one new long term missionary to Guatemala.

Joe Stoneham will be off to Honduras for 2 years.

Gemma Freeman will be working with El Castillo for a year.

And I'm really pleased that Emma Thomas will be staying for good - initially she'll be working with El Castillo too.

But they'll all be doing some spanish study in Antigua to get them started. After lots of serious chats to introduce them to the culture and history of Guatemala, I took them to EarthLodge for lunch - it has a fantastic view over the valley, and serves great food. It also has some treehouses and lodges -- which would be very tempting for a weekend break away from everything.!

Cuba -friends

Some friends took me to the Canonazo at La Cabana - when local actors dress up and re-enact the firing of the cannon - my friends explained that it had first been instigated by the British who briefly occuped Cuba in 1762 - but it turned out to be the spanish before that who started it (although it was tipping with rain so it felt fairly British to me!!). The Cannon was fired at 8pm every day to signal the locking of the city gates - essentially a curfew.

They also took me for a swim. The beach resorts were too far away so we went to some friends, whose house is directly on the coast. It was fantastic to swim above coral and watch all the fishes. I was thinking how great it would be to live there - when the owner explained that it has it's ups and downs - the hosue next door was swept away in the Hurricane of 2005!

Cuba - advertising

So I was in Cuba on the 50th anniversary of the Revolution

It was really refreshing to be in a place where there is absolutely no product advertising at all. -Great not to be bombarded with messages which are essentially selfish and materialistic (ie buy this product, and you're be happier, better looking, wealthier etc etc).

Only those that fight and resist will conquer.

And to start with it was great to see what was there instead - many billboards encouraging people to save energy, etc - or promoting solidarity. Many also against the western ideals of materialism and their policies against Cuba.

Cuba against the blockade (the US trade embargo) and anexation.

Against threats and aggression, more revolution.
Cretins corner - in the museum of the revolution.


We will conquer

Many of the messages which would be called 'counter-cultural' elsewhere - but then you realise that in Cuba - they're not 'counter' anything - that's to say that there aren't any alternative messages. All are in favour of the government - and there were plenty that were hand written and home made - not just ones that were government sponsored.

With Fidel and Raul, firm in decisions

There are so many things that Cuba has done well (medical services, education, gender equality, natural disaster emergency planning and relief programmes) - with unbelievably small resources but it still remains that there is no opposition.

The Granma - the boat on which Fidel and 81 companions arrived in Cuba on 2 dec 1956, from Mexico. It was actually a bit of a shambles (Che later said the landing was a 'shipwreck'!), and they were then routed by Bautista's soldiers, and only 12 escaped. But over the next 2 years, the support amongst the Cuban people grew so much that Bautista fled the country on New Years Eve 1958. Shortly afterwards Fidel Castro became President. The boat is now kept behind protective glass - and is under 24 hour guard!

Cuba

I've had a great time in Cuba - here's a few things that inspired, intrigued, or annoyed me.

Tamales

Tamales are the traditional food for Christmas in Guatemala.
They are a kind of stodge made out of maize flour - with a chunk of meat and some sauce in it. Then wrapped up in leaves to cook them.
There are several versions - some even with chocolate!!!