My time in Panajachel has so far been amazing. Our trip here involved a stop at a traditional Mayan healer. Here, we were able to learn about the role of the healer how people in Mayan communities don’t choose to be healers, they are chosen. We were then all told our nawales which correspond to the day of the Mayan calendar when we were born. This represents the energy of the universe at our birth and is representative of our lives. It was shocking for each of us to hear just how accurate they all were.
The next day we were able to visit a hospital a hospital and I was happy to learn about the way they functioned in the community. It was nice to hear that not only did they provide health care, they only charged a person the amount they could pay. They also provided education to the communities they served on how to be healthier. This is an aspect of medicine that is sometimes lost but education is one of the most important aspects to a fully functioning health care system. My favorite part of the tour was learning that there are several members on staff who speak Mayan languages in the event that a patient does not speak Spanish. This is especially important for the particular community the hospital serves as it is predominantly indigenous.
Today we got to meet more weavers and I was absolutely blown away by the totality of the process as well as the collective they were able to build. Thankfully I was able to buy all my gifts in one spot.
We then got to go swimming in the lake and ziplining through the forest. After two weeks in Xela, it’s certainly a change, feeling like a tourist.
Nick in Guatemala 