I'd like you to meet...

I want to introduce you to couple of our staff here in Guatemala. Both of them write about their experiences living and working here.

First, a random connection.

When we first arrived to Guatemala, a friend sent me a link to a blog and described it as a "Guatemalan food blog." As I scrolled through the lovely posts with recipes, stories of life in Guatemala, and beautiful pictures, I realized that this person had worked with MCC in Nicaragua several years ago. I emailed her, introducing myself, and explaining my new role in MCC Guatemala.

Little did I know I was emailing one of my own staff! And thus, we met over the internet. She and her husband are here with their four kids for a 9-month internship working with a vocational school that we partner with. Unfortunately, they will leave in just a couple short months.

Her blog is filled with interesting anecdotes and she shares so eloquently their adventures as a family of six living here in Guatemala that I just had to share her blog. If you are at all curious as to what we do here in Guatemala and El Salvador, well, this is one of over a dozen projects we work with.

Also, I have made several of her recipes, including her avocado macaroni and cheese, maseca cornbread, and banana bread (which I'm eating at this exact moment. YUM!).

So, whether you're a foodie looking for delicious and creative recipes, or someone looking to learn about one of the MCC partners here in Guatemala, or you just enjoy blogs with funny stories and beautiful pictures, head here. Also, click here to see one of my own little ones make an appearance on her blog.

One more introduction and random connection:

Months before we arrived in Guatemala, Michael had been following this person's blog posts on The Huffington Post. Little did he know he would become one of our staff working with another partner here in Guatemala. He and his wife work in one of our more remote locations in the northern Mayan highlands. They work with indigenous Mayan communities and have worked with MCC partners for several years. He's currently our veteran staff member. Check out his blog posts here at The Huffington Post.

I look forward to getting to know our staff and introducing them over the next few years. We have service worker positions which usually last 3 years, and several internships and one-year positions as well. Thus, we will be saying many goodbyes and hellos to staff during the next several years here in Guatemala. Such is the life of international development.