Tag Archives: words

A Taste from Guatemala: So what makes an avocado smoothie awesome?

It all started at Las Puertas, a restaurant once located on the island of Flores in Lake Petén Itza. There they served the best smoothies – or licuados as the menu called them – in town. Along with traditional licuado flavors like melón, they offered a more exotic choice: aguacate! You read that right…avocado it was! Thanks to a Japanese friend who was living in Guatemala, this smoothie became a new favorite.

Not convinced that an avocado smoothie could be good? The idea may make American taste buds tremble, but an adventurous person like yourself will surely give it a try!

Here’s the recipe.

Awesome Avocado Smoothie

Yields: 1 generous serving

Add all of the following ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth. Enjoy!

10-12 ice cubes

1/2 cup plain or Greek yogurt

1/2 cup milk (almond milk if you prefer)

3 slices from 1/2 of an avocado

1 teaspoon vanilla

sweetener (to taste)

Everyone has their own “sweet scale”. Do what you like, but you may find that you enjoy this treat without any sweetener, especially if you have more European tastes. It’s all thanks to the final ingredient, which is…

1 teaspoon lime juice

Yes, the sweet tang of lime makes this licuado awesome! Without knowing about the lime, this smoothie would be…not the same.

Sometimes it’s like that with words, isn’t it? Knowing just the right word can really flavor up a conversation. That’s what Understanding the Guatemalan Patient is here for – to help you take your conversations with Guatemalans from adequate to awesome.

If you already own a copy, don’t forget to send us your feedback via the contact us page or post a review on Amazon. We’d love to hear from you! And for all of you spunky smoothie sippers, let us know your thoughts on the licuado de aguacate as well!

The Weight of Words

Have you ever heard, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me”? Who came up with that saying? Whoever it was, they must have never heard hurtful words.

The truth is words can hurt just as much as stones. Words have weight, too. Sure, we might not stay as sensitive to others’ remarks as we were in, say, junior high, but that doesn’t mean we can’t feel pain caused by words. A promise broken, a lie told, a trust betrayed – each involves words and can dent or even shatter our lives.

On the flip side, words can anchor us to good things, catapult us into greatness and change lives. Words like home, traditions, family, love (casa, tradiciones, familia, amor) give context to our lives and – while we may feel that they weigh us down at times – they could also help keep our feet on the ground where we need to be. Many agree that these words play a big role in Latin American culture even in the 21st-century. Encouraging words can tip the scales and help us overcome our doubts. Who hasn’t been strengthened by a “Go for it!” or a “Great job!”? As one man put it, “Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.” [1] Truly, the right word at the right time can change someone’s life.

So what is a well-said, well-timed word’s weight worth? An ancient proverb says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” [2] Gold and silver? Now that’s some valuable weight!

At Understanding the Guatemalan Patient, we want to help you know just the right words so that you can use them at just the right time. One pocket-sized book may weigh only 2.5 ounces, but with 600+ entries in the Spanish-English section alone, its worth far more than it’s weight in words. (And it won’t tip the luggage scale or overload your purse!)

[1] Napoleon Hill, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/words.html#0uXG51BYgbIWGPfc.99 (accessed 10 August 2015).

[2] Attributed to King Solomon, Proverbs 25:11, ESV.

Of Weaving & Words

Thread by thread, line upon line somehow turn into a work of art. Strands of color slowly come together under skillful fingers until the tapestry is complete.

Back-strap weaving – who can help but admire the craft and the woman sitting with her loom hanging from the post and connected to the strap around her waist? This is a skill passed down from generations, and it is a hallmark of Guatemala’s highlands.

Along with captivating textiles of various colors, in the mountains of Guatemala you may also discover a vibrant selection of languages. Many of the indigenous people speak a Mayan dialect, and, though they often speak Spanish as well, their indigenous words are woven in just like the hues on their looms. Of course, one can appreciate the beauty of the spoken words without understanding just as one can admire the pattern of a corte (woven fabric made into a traditional wrap-around skirt) without much knowledge of the art behind it. However, just as knowing the hours and skills that went into creating the corte adds depth to the admiration so understanding of the words deepens the appreciation of their beauty. That is one of the reasons we created Understanding the Guatemalan Patient. May all who read it grow in their value of both these words and, most importantly, the people who weave them every day.