Scholarships & Training for Rural Guatemalan Women

Dear Friends,

It is a great pleasure to share with you what has been happening in my life this month.  I am very happy to be able to tell you that my studies are going well.  In fact they are excellent!  We have finshed our seminar project of reforestration.  We planted 500 trees on city property in San Andres Ixtapa..  We worked together with the children in the primary school.  This project was to raise awareness of the need for reforestration and to take care of our environment.

In July, we celebrated the patronal fiesta of our state of Chimaltenango.  We have lots of activities like concets, masses, processions and eat the traditional dish of Sub'anik.  It all ends with a fireworks display.

At home, I dedicate myself to helping my mother with the housework.  We also sell snacks at the school in the afternoon to help support the family.  I spend the rest of my time doing my homework.  This period, we are having a lot of work because it is our last year.  Thanks to the support I have received from all of you, I will graduate and start a new phase of my life.  It is a dream come true!

Attentively.

Mayra

Dear Friends,

I would like to tell you a little bit about what has been happening in my life this month.  Thanks to you a big part of my time has been spent on my studies.  We had Holy Week/Spring Break starting Holy Saturday (April 20), but they gave us homework to work on during our break. In my Business English class, we only had to translate letters into Spanish.   In Advanced English, we were doing speeches in English and then our classmates asked us questions. In our Pre-Professional class, we finished writing  letters, and now we are working on writing shorthand. This class’s purpose is to help us remember all that we have studied in years past.

My older brother, who hurt his finger, is still living at home.   He has started to build wooden seats and small tables so he won’t get bored with nothing to do.

During Holy Week, we were all at my house and didn’t go out anywhere.  We did eat traditional white beans with fish and egg, bread with honey, and izote flowers in chuchitos (mini tamales), as we call them.  We use tortilla dough and put tomato sauce and meat on it, and we wrap it in cornhusks and tie it. Then we cook and eat it.

In May we celebrate the feast of the Holy Cross, Mother’s Day, and my birthday–I’ll start my 19th year of life! This month is also the beginning of the rainy season. It’s a pretty month filled with sprouting plants. I am interested in what is special about this month for you who help all of us stay in school?

Did you know about World Book Day (April 23)? Do you like to read? I’ve read a few books so far. There’s a book called El Triunfo: Un Reto a la Juventud.   I liked it a lot because it tells us we can accomplish anything, and not to give up quickly. In the book, there are several stories about young people who have accomplished their goals. Now I’m reading El Milagro Más Grande del Mundo, and I read it whenever I have time.

I would like to keep talking to you and telling you about my life, but for now, I have to say goodbye. I hope you are well.  The support you give is appreciated.  This year I will graduate from high school.  Without your help I never would have been able to reach this goal.  Thank you.

Ingrid