Paige Finn DohertyFounding Partner, Behind Genius · Founding Partner at Behind Genius Ventures

embracing Guatemala through culture and painting

22 Nov 2023 · 1 min

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In this first‑person travelogue, the speaker recounts a multi‑stop journey across Guatemala with their mother, covering Guatemala City, the archaeological site of Mixco Viejo, San Pango’s Día de los Muertos celebrations, the highland village of San Martín, the volcanic Lake Atitlán, the ancient Maya ruins of Tikal, and the small‑town charm of Flores. Highlights include co‑teaching art classes for children at local HOPE facilities, a sunrise hike in Tikal listening to howler monkeys, a visit to a ceramic studio on Lake Atitlán, exploring the lake’s cliffs, practicing Spanish with locals, and absorbing personal stories that reignited the speaker’s love for painting. The narrative blends cultural observation, artistic engagement, and personal reflection, emphasizing the transformative impact of the trip.

Chapters

So we traveled first to Guatemala City, the capital city, with day trips to Mixo Viejo and San Pango for Día de los Muertos, then San Martín, a rural village in the Guatemalan Highlands, then Lake Atitlán, a stunning volcanic lake, and then Tikal to see the Mayan ruins in the jungle, Flores, a Caribbean island feeling small town, and then back to Guatemala City. It was a huge adventure. And I'm so happy that I got to experience it with my mom. Some of my highlights included helping teach art classes with my mom to the children at local HOPE facilities, a sunrise hike in Taikal to hear the jungle and howler monkeys wake up, visiting a ceramic studio on the lake, the cliffs of Lake Atitlán, practicing my Spanish, and getting to learn the incredible stories of so many people in Guatemala and reinvigorating my love for painting.