Guatemala and the mean virus

Julia (my niece) called me at 6.30am my time🙄. Ohh😳, sorry I did not think it were so many hours🤔. However, she just called to make sure I was a fine🥰.
Federica called me yesterday: “Mom, you have to come home!”
Julia repeated the word Armageddon about 45 times. The pictures and videos from Europe are weird and eerie to us here here in Central- and South America. Daily life continue as ever, but feelings of anxiety, unease and insecurity grow.

Since the Central- and South Americans countries lack in resources in the health system, they are really afraid of the virus, it could crash a whole country like Guatemala.

Firstly it’s gonna spread really fast because of the almost total lack of hygiene in the little villages, which I have witnessed first hand. The hospitals would not be able to cope, people would die in the hundreds and thousands.
Secondly because for Guatemala tourism it’s very important factor. If that goes, and it will since the latest measurements taken, there will be an economic crisis which will leave a poor country even poorer. Almost 70% of the population are below 30 and most of them don’t have jobs.

So the government started to take measurements. As of Monday no American and no European can enter Guatemala. Until then passengers coming in will be sent in quarantine for 8 days. Which is random number because science does not yet know how long it takes for the illness the break out. The prevention efforts seem to be drastic but looking at the above mention consequences it is totally necessary.

The Maximo institute in Peru (partner school) will close because the government closed all school. Students here start to change plans and there is a lot of confusion among the European students because their flights go thru different countries.
I hope my school here in Antigua won’t close, I still have two weeks to go and I’m loving it.

On the 1. April I have a rendezvous with my godchild Mara in Bogota. We want to travel Colombia for three weeks. Not sure if that is gonna happen....

I allowed myself one tiny-corona-panic-attack since I’m a at risk person. I bought a thermometer to monitor myself😷🤒.

The Spanish media released a list with movies to watch because the government apparently issued a order to stay home. For all of you woh now spends a lot of time at home.
https://www.elmundo.es/cultura/cine/2020/03/14/…

Since I think for now traveling back home be would be far more dangerous than staying put, I stay here. Guatemala so far has one confirmed case.
Although we all think there are more because many people can’t afford to go to the doctor and the testing kit is expensive. But also many people in the villages don’t want to go to the doctor because they use their traditional doctors. Many of them don’t read newspaper. Either because they cannot read or because they don’t/can’t buy. And Internet is often not available.
Guatemala is strongly catholic so I hope that the church will do information and prevention work.Read more