Hello out there in the depth of the blogosphere. I hope you had an acceptable April because we are nearly at its end. It was cold here in the UK and I wish May is going to be a little bit warmer. Today we’ll visit a warm country in central America but I want to bring you first our monthly “Love Is In Da Blog” prompt.

April “Love Is In Da Blog” Prompt

After pondering the future of “Love Is In Da Blog” I have decided that it would be delightful to bridge the monthlong “Love Is In Da Blog” in February with a monthly event. This will be connected to “Come Away With Me” but you do not have to use musicians from the country the post visits. But feel invited to do so.

This monthly “Love Is In Da Blog” will be on the fourth Monday of the month and the “Love Is In Da Blog” suggestions on taking part apply. Find them here. My prompts will somehow be connected to the “Come Away With Me” post. You’ll find out how. You have a whole month to write your post. So even if the prompt is called “April… prompt” feel free to do the post in sometime in May.

Let’s find out about the “Love Is In Da Blog” prompt for April/May

“An Erruptive Love”

Guatemala has many volcanos some of them still active. Love can be quite an erruptive thing. May it be falling in love suddenly like the sudden eruption of a volcano or because you are like fire and ice and quarrel all the time but love the making up. So please, feel free to get creative.

And drop me a line if you have suggestions for prompts for the “Monthly Love Is In Da Blog” feature: thebeecreates(at)gmail.com, tweet me at @Morgaine620 or leave me a message via FB. (Sorry, if the FB page isn’t up to date…. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with this network)

But now let’s head over to Guatemala:

1. Introduction to Guatemala 

A little country with a huge history and lots of languages. Did you know that Guatemala still acknowledges 21 Mayan languages which are often totally different from each other? For someone who loves languages a lot this is an awesome fact.

Many famous Mayan cites are situated within Guatemala’s borders but if you prefer coffee, colorful clothes and relaxing at beautiful lakes this country is for you too. And then there are the volcanos. If you are into that sort of thing ;-).

But now let’s have a look at some travel peoples vlogs who can tell you more than I. Please forgive the adverts but it is the vloggers income and I feel they deserve to be compensated for their hard work. I have no rights to these videos. The copyright lies with the creators.

Sounds absolutely fascinating, don’t you think?

2. An Artist of Guatemala

I think you can’t show an artist of Guatemala and not mention Carlos Mérida. While he is also considered a Mexican artist coming from the Mexican mural movement his works have formed a lot of Guatemala’s cities. Ever since I saw a documentary about Diego Rivera I am fascinated by murals which I used to only connect with communism. However, I feel the South American Mural Movement offers much more than just political propaganda. Please find some of Mérida’s work in this video and more about him here.

3. A Climate Activist of Guatemala

I am so happy to be able to introduce you to a climate activist and not only one of the climate crisis problems. Please meet Helen Ramos from Guatemala and her view:

I very much hope that the powers that be in politics and finance and all of us listen to young people for whose future we are responsible.

4. Food of Guatemala

Ok ladies and gentlemen today I challenge you with a bi-lingual video about two Dominicans trying Guatemalan food for the first time. The Spanish speak has subtitles so you should get the gist of it all :-). Enjoy!

Oops, I forgot to share a link to a recipe page with food from Guam last week. Well, here is one for food from Guam and another for recipes from Guatemala 🙂 .

5. A Poetess of Guatemala

Unfortunately, I can’t offer you a video with today’s poetess as the only ones I found were in Spanish and my Spanish is rather limited to “Hola” ;-). However, the lady I want to introduce you to is remarkable. The first Guatemalan female journalist who wrote a poetry book in the 1970’s which offered the first feminist point of view on society and sexuality. Her name is Ana Maria Rodas and you can find out more about her here:

The Book of Hope & The World Healing Book (this.is)

6. Mental Health in Guatemala

I have introduced you to many countries where bad mental health is a huge stigma and where you can hardly find any help if you live with a mental health condition. But I doubt I have seen any so far that has so little help for people living with bad mental health. Please find out more in this blog post. I think it is written by someone whose first language isn’t English so please forgive some strange sounding expressions. I felt though that it gives a good insight into the countries problems:

Mental Illness/ Health | guatemala16 (wordpress.com)

7. Some musicians of Guatemala

Let yourself be taken away to a musical journey 🙂

And where are we going next week?

Come Away With Me 2021 Musical Challenge Country for Monday, May 3rd, 2021

I am taking a rather random route around the world, but sometimes it makes sense. Next week we venture to Belize a country I know nothing about. Please find musicians from Belize on the Matadornetwork page.

As for the suggestions to take part:

1. Join in! No matter where, when and with what. You missed the first year? Don’t worry. Just jump in when it suits you.
2. Send us the link! The ping-back option does not work because my blog is now private so please leave a link in the comments of the post on the day you take part. Or leave it at the “Come Away With Me 2021 FB page“
3. Tag your post either with ” Come Away With Me Musical Challenge”/ #CoAwWiMeMuCh” / “Come Away with Me 2021 Musical Challenge” o/“CoAwWiMe2021MuCh” / . You can also use these as hashtags for Twitter and other Social Networks to give your post more exposure. If you add #blog and #music with your hashtags it will get you more readers.
4. No matter which music or country the prompt favours you create with it whatever you please. This is supposed to be a fun challenge and no chore.
5. I post a prompt for the next week with every “Come Away With Me 2021 post” I write.
6. If you like, use this picture for your readers to find the posts.

Just one more thing before you go: The hospital that is treating me is fundraising for a dedicated breast cancer unit which would allow some same-day diagnosis and better premises for patients and staff.

Please, if you can spare a little money hop over to their Just Giving Page and give as little or much as you can. Or share the page on your social media. So far the campaign has raised about half the amount needed: £449,735 of £800,000 (April 2021).

Your support means a lot to me! Thank you very much.

Thanks, my dears, for staying with me until the end.

I appreciate your presence.

Please stay safe, stay kind and remember that you rock!