Day 21 June 12
Adiós




Above, Madjid stoically confronts the sprawl of Zona 2.



A few hours before leaving for the airport, we bought refreshments from a sidewalk vendor. She was an old woman who liked to chat. She asked us where we were from and what we had visited. Very soon, the conversation drifted to the subject of her country.

"Yes, these are bad times for Guatemala," she said, "but we'll pull through, just like in the past. Our country has much culture and natural wealth. It was great once, you know. Things will be alright again, but I wish you could've visited us at a better time." She gave us a tranquil smile. "So when will you return to Guatemala?"

As much as we enjoyed our visit, we knew that the answer was probably "never again". Life would go on; we would have jobs and families, and then be anchored to a home.

"You'll come back some time, won't you?" she insisted.

"Yes," I replied. "I'll be back."

In 1999, on this personal journey of reminiscence, I was back.





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Into Guatemala 1989. © 1999 J. L. Pe