During this turbulent time globally, I have had an interesting perspective on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic economically, socially and politically. I live in Guatemala, and when the first case finally hit the country later than most of the world on Friday 13th March (unlucky for some), and President Giammattei subsequently shut down the … More Guatemala – coping with COVID-19
News outlets worldwide this week have covered a ‘caravan’ of largely Honduran migrants, who left Honduras last week and are currently in southern Mexico, heading north. Recent UN estimates has put the number of migrants travelling with the caravan as 7200, which is an unprecedented size. From my experience living in Honduras, from talking to … More Caravan of fear and hope
As has been highlighted through recent media campaigns and revelations, it’s fair to say that every woman everywhere has experienced sexual harassment – be this unwanted attention, looks, remarks, or serious assaults. Being in Guatemala, this has been interesting for me, trying to navigate cultural differences versus unacceptable behaviour. Guatemala is plagued by a hugely … More Guatemala – Adapting to Machismo
Sitting on a bus, I started chatting to a woman next to me, who was just fascinated by the fact that I was in Colombia, and hence I’d left my own country to see someone else’s. When I asked if she has ever travelled to another country, she laughed gently, and said “No… the furthest … More Colombia – a house that’s not a home
In many cities across the world the inhabitants are used to their efficient and inclusive transport systems; some have been around for centuries, and are taken for granted as a convenience, perhaps even a right, to be able to travel across a big city and for commuting to work. But in some places this right is … More Colombia – transporting Medellin
Sitting watching the world go by in the central square of Villa de Leyva, you would think you had landed in the middle of a film set, or at least some sort of paradise, in the Colombian mountains. People wander happily down the cobbled streets lined with perfectly white houses, stopping to peek in the … More Colombia – on the up
Literally translated as ‘pure life’, but more accurately ‘enjoy life’ or ‘take it easy’, Costa Ricans use the phrase pura vida as a greeting, an affirmative, as a way of saying ‘ok!’, or responding to someone asking how you are. Behind the dialect, however, looking more deeply at the real significance of the phrase gives … More Costa Rica – pura vida
Although it may be possible not to put two and two together, it would be impossible to spend any time in Nicaragua without noticing some strange occurrences. One of the main ferries that goes to the Isla de Ometepe, a popular tourist island, is temporarily suspended because the water levels in the lake are too … More Nicaragua – cutting down climate change
As we rattled along a bumpy winding road in the Nicaraguan mountains, we heard the pop and then scraping of a burst tyre on one of the sharp rocks. As a car of 4 women and 1 man, inevitable jokes were made, as they would be in the UK, about the man getting dirty lying … More Nicaragua – women’s long road ahead
For Hondurans, everything revolves around family. They have big families, and tend to stay close – the tradition of not leaving your parent’s house until you’re committed to a partner is still going strong, and even then sometimes families stay to live with their abuelos (grandparents). I stayed with a friend who lives with her … More Honduras – El Norte
Mi Gente, Mi Tierra 