amanda.kistler's blog
A Victory for El Jute, A Victory for Us All
Submitted by amanda.kistler on January 25, 2010 - 11:56pm.Happy New Year! It has been a long time since I’ve last written. Life took a crazy turn in September, and I have not been able to find the time to sit down and write an update until now. As many of you already know, I finished my contract as an accompanier with NISGUA in November and returned to the United States to spend Christmas with my family and think about what comes next.
Historic Sentencing for Forced Disappearance Case!
Submitted by amanda.kistler on September 10, 2009 - 12:57pm.
It feels like ages. My time in Guatemala is flying; I’ve been here 9 months and very few remain. The past two months have been insanely busy. Any yet, I’m not burnt out. To the contrary, I am inspired and motivated, not in spite of, but because of all that I have witnessed these past two months.
There are too many stories, too many experiences, too many individual triumphs and frustrations from these past two months to fit in this letter. So I will focus on just one: the story of the community Choatalúm and the history it made last week.
Testimony and Memory
Submitted by amanda.kistler on August 16, 2009 - 12:47am.A Day in the Life: Guatemalan Road Trip
Submitted by amanda.kistler on August 6, 2009 - 6:38pm.Allow me to take you through a day in the life of a short-term accompanier – or as I modestly like to call it: 24 hours on a Guatemalan road trip in the head of Amanda Kistler.
Greetings from Guatemala, Round 2
Submitted by amanda.kistler on April 29, 2009 - 6:20pm.This post is going to be more chatty. The more intense (and official) “friends and family letter” will hopefully be coming in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, in an effort to keep better in touch and provide some more personal touches to flesh out my experience here… I give you: this post.
Here is a quick preview of what this email will include:
Return Reflections and Hopes for Going Forward
Submitted by amanda.kistler on November 23, 2008 - 9:12pm.Month 3: Local Judge Sentences ex-Patrollers in Rio Negro Massacre
Submitted by amanda.kistler on June 5, 2008 - 5:13pm.This month Iconcluded my third month in Rabinal. The first month was a whirlwind ofactivity and full of mind-blowing experiences and dramatic first impressions.The second month I was forced to become the leader, a job that required a greatdeal of concentration, planning and constant decision-making. This third month,then, is where I seem to have hit my stride.
A Closer Look at Life in Rabinal
Submitted by amanda.kistler on April 28, 2008 - 1:02pm.I've officially been stationed in Rabinal for 2 months… as of two weeks ago and man, time is flying. For my second month, Tad (my partner) and I were joined by two Swedish women – thus doubling our manpower. Tad and I had planned for this addition and decided to split up into two teams to visit communities – Tad leading one side and I the other. This double-teamed approach allowed us to have a much more consistent presence in communities since we are there for twice as much time.
