The first home I visited was ten by twelve. There were tree trunks at each of four corners, black plastic and old plastic bags for walls, and inside was a smoky open fire and a makeshift bed. Santiago [the father] had left the house at 3:30 am and returned four hours later carrying 77 pounds of firewood. He and Maria Luisa stayed in their home all day, and smoke filled the tiny room. Santiago had no energy left to work, and Maria Luisa was too ill to stand. The two of them lived that day on ten tortillas.

As Eva and Bety set up to build the stove, the father said to Chato, “the women are going to build?” Chato said, “Yes, and Bety is my supervisor.” This came as a big surprise. During the entire process of building, the daughter sat on a chair and watched Eva and Bety work. I kept thinking that she must be inspired to see these two strong women working together outside a traditional role.

While I would say that San Sebastián was one of the most beautiful places that I have traveled, it was also one of the most difficult. It was a 15 hour drive from Antigua to San Sebastián, but I found that the town’s remoteness was part of the reason for its beauty. Located at about 10,000 feet in elevation, we were literally up in the clouds, and the misty air and tall pine trees reminded me of the Pacific Northwest.