With the summer’s end came the unfortunate departure of its interns. Last night we had a ‘despedida’ (going away party) for the last two, Kelli and James. We dined at Babylon, a fantastic little international bistro by the central park, and relived a few of the summer’s memories. In addition from the incredible work completed, all fourteen of the interns (hailing from three different continents) shared a common theme: not wanting to leave.
Xela is an incredible place, and it can be likened to an onion with many layers. It is often seen that many ‘extranjeros’ arrive for just a few days or weeks and stay for months, or longer. The climate is great, the expenses low, and the people are famous for their kindness. If combined with interesting daily work, it’s no wonder why people stick around. In the case of James and Kelli, both were immersed in their element: designing and building appropriate technologies. Between these two, a water filter prototype, a modified ram pump, a reservoir for a hydroelectric system, and a water tower/solar hot water system were designed/built. Not being an engineer, it was fascinating for me to watch their progress over the months. However satisfying it was to witness the completion of these projects and to get to know them, it’s hard to see them leave. James and Kelli said they were going to come back—and I can’t wait, because there’s much more work to be done in the development and installation of these types of technologies in Guatemala and across the developing world.
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