Finally, it is time to travel to Guatemala!

Over the past few weeks, I have literally been working non-stop, from coding to imagining how the project will be. I love to be ready ahead of time (not an inborn trait, but something that my wife taught me), however I know there will be times during this project when the unexpected will happen and I’ll be thinking, "What the # am I going to do now?" 

Custom circuit board. Photo: Courtesy of Balam Soto.

That has already happened. Despite ordering the custom printed circuit boards I developed way in advance, they took several weeks to arrive. They finally arrived just a few weeks before my departure. What if they don’t work? But they did! This was a huge relief and I began to open my mind to new ideas for utilizing these boards when I return.

I’m thinking about developing them into wearable cyclist turn signals as low cost urban biker safety gadgets.

This started really putting me in the mindset I need for managing the project in Guatemala. I need to introduce the concept of innovation. Not just what it is, but how to make it happen. What resources are there in Guatemala and how can these resources be integrated with new tools to rediscover the potential of Guatemala? The Mayans were a great civilization once before. We have it within us to recreate that greatness.

However, to help the program participants do this, I’m going to have to help them reassess and reimagine everything they already know about Guatemala and the culture. Going back one more step, I’m going to have to reimagine everything I know about Guatemala and the culture. I can’t wait to get started...