Monday, January 4, 2016

A Day on the Lake- OCC Nursing

Today was our "day off". We took a boat ride to several towns on Lake Atitlan to do some shopping and sightseeing. The view from the middle of the lake is stunning! Mountains all around, with some forming shapes of elephants, a person, a child's face. Definitely a recommended activity for any traveller to this area.
We were all very impressed with the quality, quantity, and diversity of the goods and spent many quetzelas!  Things are handmade for the most part and are each unique in small ways. Bartering is an expected and needed skill--something I personally wish I'd practiced. When converted to American dollars, most things are very, very cheap compared to what you might pay for something similar in the US.
Later on we headed back to Tierra Santa to celebrate the inauguration of the stoves we helped to build a few days ago. We exchanged gifts with the women and masons, and played with the kids. It was good to see them after becoming so acquainted the days we were there.  It was a great immersive experience for us Americans and the community. We were able to see a stove in use last night when one of the mason's wife taught us how to make tortillas. It was 4 years old, but it was clear how much of an improvement they bring to these family's lives.
Tomorrow...back to work!




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