Jim was in the Peace Corp in the late 70’s in Guatemala. Mostly a place called Quetzaltenango. I had visited him there in 1979, at the same time I was teaching in Jamaica. Went over at the Easter break and had a great time.
He went back for a visit last week – the last time he’d been down was 1998. Of course lots of changes. He said he felt there were “four or five times as many cars,” as he’d remembered, “which helps explain the rising price of gasoline.” It’s happening throughout the developing world.
Guatemala is the only Central American country where more than half the population is still pure blooded native indian – descendants of the Mayans. When I visited in ’79 many of the indians were completely out of the money economy, living on subsistence farming. It’s probably still the case, but see the picture Jim sent me – things are changing …
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