Barbara and Guido in Guatemala: Dealing with Brushes, Surprises, and Cultural Challenges

As you've probably been following on our social media channels, Barbara and Guido have been busy with our team on the ground lately, working hard to spruce up the childcare center.

When the two arrived in Guatemala just under two weeks ago, they headed straight to Jocotenango, a suburb of Guatemala where Maison Michelle is located. Upon arrival, they were quite surprised because what awaited them there didn't quite meet their expectations. The condition of the house left something to be desired. However, anyone who knows Barbara and Guido knows that such things don't deter them in the least. On the contrary, over the past two weeks, they've completely refreshed the entire house with the entire team on site.

After initially scratching their heads and pondering questions like 'How do you even renovate a house in Guatemala?' our two Swiss volunteers, Barbara and Guido, dove right into the renovation work. First on the agenda was a major shopping trip. They drove two hours to Guatemala City, where they stocked up on paint, cement, brushes, and everything else needed for renovations. We can assure you: the car was packed to the brim with supplies to spruce up Maison Michelle. Over the last 14 days, Barbara and Guido spent most of their waking hours (and often nights) getting the house in shape.

The renovation work wasn't easy, though; cultural differences posed some challenges. What constitutes renovation in Guatemala isn't quite the same as in Switzerland. However, the Swiss-Guatemalan collaboration was undoubtedly a success and a huge enrichment for both sides.

Still, Barbara and Guido had to adjust to the fact that each day was full of surprises and unfolded quite differently from what they had planned. Spoiled by our high Swiss standards, it was a new experience for them to gather the materials for the renovations almost from scratch. However, it was definitely worth it: On Sunday, we were able to celebrate the grand opening. While the opening ceremony started promptly at 10:00 a.m., work on painting the floor continued until the stroke of 10.00 a.m. As you can see, we were busy right up to the last minute, and just before 10.00 a.m., the first mothers with their children were already at the door. Fortunately, everyone was absolutely thrilled with Maison Michelle. There was singing, eating, and playing. The starting shot for a project full of passion and lasting change has definitely been fired.

A big thank you to all our helpers on the ground, and of course, a huge thank you to Barbara and Guido!