Dearest Journal, We have been lost to the world. As I stated in my previous entry, Corban, Drew, Abi, Hannah, Samii, and I were on our way to Guatemala for spring break. Today everything was going so well then the Seneca started to dive. The engine had failed and the sickening knowing that we were going to crash hit hard. We broke through the low cloud cover and instead of seeing water we hurtled toward an island. The last thing I remember happening before we hit was the trees breaking the wings off and something hitting my head. When I came to, everyone seemed ok. Abi had staggered toward a stream washing blood off of her arms and face. Hannah and Samii were by the tail section holding each other, stunned. Neither one of them look injured except for some minor scraps and bruises. I turned toward the front of the plane. The pilot hung limply through the smashed windshield with a branch through his chest. Drew sat next to him unharmed. I looked around; Corban was hanging from a tree trying to steady himself with his hands. He was about five or six feet off the ground and hung by his right leg trapped in various vines and foliage. White bone stuck through his pants, and dripped blood. He had other obvious various lacerations. We had to get him out of the tree. I went over to make sure he was conscious. I called everyone else to me, “Alright everyone, the pilot is dead. I need everyone to asses themselves, and make sure that you have no major unknown injuries,” We all started to slow move and feel our arms and legs. It seemed like no one except Corban had any major injuries. “Alright, I am glad everyone is ok for the most part. We must get Corban out of the tree or he will die. We must be careful and steady. Does anyone have any id... ... middle of paper ... ...nk about that. I must focus on surviving. Abi and Drew found a small pool of fresh water. I think I will go for a swim. It will be refreshing and soothing. Day7 Journal, pray that a rescue comes soon. We are all starting to slowly lose it. Abi keeps coming and going murmuring something about rescue and needing coffee. Samii is recovering from a twisted ankle and just sits there wide-eyed and every so often whipping her head around hear some invisible incoherent sound. Drew just sits here smiling and then he gets up and walks into the forest and comes back with an even bigger grin on his face. He is scaring me. Then I am being oppressed by an unseen force of depression, responsibility, and desire. All I want is to go home. Is that too much to ask for Journal? The sun sets on yet another day. How did Gilligan survive on that Island for so long? Good night journal.
The 1954 coup that deposed the democratically elected government of Guatemala has long been acknowledged to have been the result of CIA covert action. Recently declassified documents have shown a new, and more sinister light, on the CIA's involvement in an action that gave birth to some of the most brutally dictatorial regimes in modern history. No one at this point will dispute the original involvement, but there are still those who maintain that this is all water over the dam of history and that the US has not had direct responsibility for the actions of a Guatemalan government since the 1954 coup. (Evans-Pritchard)
Plan Colombia is a long-prevailing foreign aid package bestowed to the country of Colombia from the United States. This foreign aid package grants substantial financial assistance to Colombia, intending to fight the “War on Drugs” and to reduce the trafficking of narcoleptics, but there is a multitude of other factors and implications, both unintentional or indirect and intentional due to ulterior motives. To accomplish the goals of Plan Colombia, most of the aid has been provided in the form of armed forces. This situation is complicated because of the ongoing civil war between the government of Colombia and the left-wing Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People’s Army (FARC). Additionally making matters difficult has been the strong association of the Colombian military and some right wing paramilitary units. Such conflict in Colombia exacerbates its drug problem, but Plan Colombia allegedly seeks to tame.
To understand the Nicaragua Contra one must understand the Sandinistas, and who the Sandinistas took power from. Nicaragua has been invaded by the United States eight times starting from American adventurer William Walker’s “filibuster” of Nicaragua . Augusto César Sandino was the first revolutionary who used arm forces to drive United States out of Nicaragua . Somoza had Sandino killed and took control of Nicaragua. The Somozas and his sons oppressively ruled and amassed wealth with the support of United States. Because of the Somozas corrupt rule a rebel force would rise up which called themselves Sandinistas after Augusto César Sandino. Latin American countries urged United States to remove Somozas from power or the Sandinistas would take
He just turned and left without a word. I touched Lennie’s grave. The rough touch of the wood deflecting to my fingers. I walked back to the ranch. Everyone was asleep. I wanted to run away tomorrow but I couldn’t let this chance pass up. It also prevented any chance of Candy following me. I tiptoed out of the room and went straight to the woods. I made sure to mix myself in with the shadows of the trees. I saw the river and It felt like I did it...until I felt something grab me by my neck. I quickly got flipped over and pushed to the ground.
The Mayan Genocide was a result of a civil war concerning communism and democracy between corrupt leaders and the people of Guatemala. The Guatemalan army carried out the genocide under the self-proclaimed name “killing machines”. According to the article Genocide in Guatemala “the army destroyed 626 villages, killed or “disappeared” more than 200,000 people and displaced an additional 1.5 million, while more than 150,000 were driven to seek refuge in Mexico”. The army murdered and tortured without regard to age or gender, men, women, and children all alike. In an attempt to end the conflict Peace Accords were signed, in spite of the fact that there was little change. Directly following the Mayan genocides, Guatemala faced physical and emotional
Things were left half-done on the table, the bird cage door was broken, and the knitting patches were perfect except for a top few that were miss-stitched. The ladies talked about how Minnie Foster was a happy teenage and love to sing. They talked about how depression must happen over the years and how lonely she must have been. The Sheriff's wife admits about her own depression with the lost of a two-year old child.
First there was the ground that wasn’t as firm as I thought it was; my right sneaker falling victim to the deceptive scattered branches that littered the floor, probably only inches thick, allowing water to creep in and wet my sock. Then there were the dead branches that I tried to use as a bridge to avoid this, which snapped under my overbearing 150 pounds. And of course every branch was connected to the last by a series of intricate spider webs; every one I ducked to get under just happened to have a neighbor right underneath. The list goes on. But the small wound where the palm of my hand met my thumb didn’t seem like it would be a big deal until I was back in the boat. I didn’t realize that it would trigger such intense emotions and drag me so deep into a pit of despair.
Guatemala is a small country located in the Americans it's barely the size of Tennessee. Guatemala is bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, Honduras to the east and El Salvador to the southeast .(Guatemala by Kari Schuetz ) Guatemala has comfortable weather neither too hot nor cold. Its seasons tend to be divided into 2 parts the wet season and the dry season. From mid-May to October or November it's the wet season it's generally very rainy. From November through April is the dry cooler season with an average of 64°F.
Following technological advances, numerous individuals receive their news digitally. However, a recent trend in the media has portrayed immigration negatively. Now in media, including films, immigrants are viewed as people that “spread infectious diseases and terrorists that may gain entry to western nations disguised as refugees” (Esses, Medianu, and Lawson 518). As reported by Vargas and DePyssler, media exemplifies immigrants into two representations: group and individual. Group representation is more commonly found and shown with “a group of Mexican immigrants who appear as outsiders unable or unwilling to assimilate, as welfare cheats draining society, or as people who do not pay taxes wresting jobs from citizens who do” (Vargas and
In the New York Times article, A Wrong Turn for Guatemalan Democracy, Guatemala’s political situation is regarded as a declining state where Congress has most control over corruption, leaving little room for their new president, Jimmy Morales, to consolidate the country’s politics. A democracy is a form of government that reflects the wants and needs of the people through political action. The people of Guatemala are viewed by the author of the article, Anita Isaacs, as the only option to reform the country’s corruption since Mr. Morales has only 11 out of the 158 members of Congress in his political party and the United Nations ceases to assist in aiding the corruption. [Isaacs, A Wrong Turn]. Guatemalan Democracy may be unstable due to the
This project has taught me so much. Not only about the genocides, but how to treat other people and to think about what other people have gone through. I’ve realized that every country has gone through something so difficult and terrifying; there is no perfect place. I feel like everyone should take a step back and look at everything going on around them and realize that they’re not the only person struggling or that there are people who are having a difficult time and need help.
The Guatemalan Civil War was a 20th century civil war that raged from 1954 until 1996. It has profoundly affected geopolitical relationships in Central America, as well as and US policy toward hostile governments. The war shaped geopolitics in that region and impacted not just Guatemala but the countries vested in the so-called Cold War as a whole. There is disagreement among historians, however, concerning how much US influence guided the outcome of the conflict. Through extensive research, it is clear that the United States of America’s impact on the war was both highly significant and highly detrimental to the US’s geopolitical interests. By studying the evidence, we can establish that the US acted in contrast with its own stated ideals, acting as an indispensible partner in the crimes of the Guatemalan Civil War.
The original inhabitants of Belize were the Mayas, whose highly advanced civilization reached its peak in the years 250 to 1000 ad. After the society went into decline however, the Mayas continued to inhabit the territory in scattered villages and communities. The Spanish who claimed the territory as a part of the Americas granted them by the pope, encountered the Mayas in the 16th and 17th centuries, but they failed to permanently subdue them and the Spanish never settled the territory.
I awoke, there was a crash on the upper deck. I heard a thunderous crackling from my head above. I ran up the stairs and what I saw devastated me. The small wooden boat was completely coated in billowy flames."Help, help, somebody please!"I slowly moved towards the sound being careful to dodge flames as much as possible.
The worst day of my life began innocently enough with my small group of friends preparing to explore a cave. Each month the four of us, I, Jill, John, and Ted, would choose two or three caves and spend our weekends engrossed in exploring them. Today’s cave was a special one; it afforded just a small window of opportunity for exploration because it flooded completely with each high tide. As we checked our packs and made sure all our spelunking and survival gear was in order, a rather jovial, but sizable, fellow by the name of Scott Porker happened by and asked if he could join our group. We agreed, as we were always happy to be in the company of a kindred spirit, and since the tide had just gone out we began our descent into the cave.