Day3(Feb.4) Full day in Comintancillo

As we are in a breakfast restaurant, the TV reminds people that this is the 35th anniversary of the Big Earthquake that killed more than 20 thousand in 1976.

Huevos revoltos, frijoles refritos(refried beans) and a little fresh cheese with instant coffee. Since I need the caffeine I make sure to put an extra teaspoon of Nescafe instant in my hot water.

We are lucky that Rube'n himself is driving us around. He is director/manager of AMMID. So how do you get 6 volunteers and one peace corps worker and a driver in the truck? Charlie, Paul, and Jackie volunteer to ride in the back of the pick-up. I later tell them I certainly could not stand up in the back of a pick-up since my center of gravety is too high and moves around too much from side to side even in a city bus. So I'm lucky to sit in the back of the pick-up with Karen and Joni.

A full day of photographing and documenting cooking stoves that have been built since last year. Liz has to write down the names, ages, relationships of all people for whom the stove was built. Three(3) languages are spoken. Locals speak Mayan-Mam. Ruben translates from Mam to Espanol. Charlie or Liz translates from Espanol to English. Forttunately many gestures and pointing are universal and it easy for families to see what the volunteers are doing. We are taking too many pictures, perhaps, but we try to act as ambassadors of our country who are trying to help a developping country.

We were scheduled to check 21 or 22 stoves. They are quite spread out. Up and down very steep cliff-sides is not easy for everybody. My claim is that I've been a downhill skier and I've picked up routines on how to negotiate going down. In the end we document 17 of 21 stoves. Not too bads.

The lunch is prepared for us at a school area(escuela). A potato/egg pancake is great served with a very fresh cucumber/radish/corriander salad. I've probably eaten too much.

Very tiring day. Try to scurry off to an internet cafe before 7:00pm. The computers are ultra-slow today.(viruses) I managa to get a single e-mail out without checking any other e-mails.

At our evening Italian Steak restaurant they have Sopa Con Carne for us. Delicious carrots,potaoes,squash soup in a flavouful beef broth. Rice on the side can also be added to this dish. Again out bill comes to about $3.00(CAN) which includes a Brahva beer. Comintancillo is about 6 times less expensive than Antigua, the tourist center of Guatemala.