Guatemala, June 2019
I was on my way to a small village in the rural highlands of Guatemala to make chicken coops for Mayan families. While the bus was making its way to Quetzaltenango, I was glancing through some documents sent to me several months earlier. Included was a list of items that was described as "essential" and additional words to the effect that should you neglect to bring any of these things with you, a living hell awaited. The list was full of the sorts of things that as a kid, my family viewed as concocted by Madison Avenue, and completely unnecessary. We never once bought insect repellent, chap stick, sunscreen, sun glasses, rain gear, security whistle, water bottle or a fanny pack. My father viewed as frivolous anything the neanderthals had gone without. There was one item on the list that caught my eye because of the wording - "sandals (for showers)." When I first saw this I had the distinct impression that this was less than forthcoming which I l