Personal safety, honesty, and life and death

Before we came to Guatemala, our biggest fear was about personal safety.  Even now, the statistics are sobering.  Statistically, the violence levels are alarmingly high.

I heard an surprising statistic recently.  During the civil war (~1960-1996) with horrific civil rights abuses, with torture and murder and desaparecidos ('disappeared ones') estimated at 200,000 lost, there were about 15 killed per day.  Yet in a recent year, there was an average of 18 violent deaths per day!

But in reality, the violence that happens is directed mostly between drug dealers or criminal elements.  The general population is not bothered as much as statistics would have you believe. And especially in Panajachel, law enforcement is much more visible to protect the tourists who bring income to the area. We walk at night feeling comfortable. When we pass people on the street, most all the local people meet your eye with a smile and say "Buenos dias", etc. This is like living in a small town in the southern states of the US. We know each other, we feel safe with each other, we are part of the community.

On the other hand, while I haven't heard of anyone getting mugged or their houses broken into, I know some street vendors have been accused of stealing.

And sadly, we've found that many people do just lie quite easily.  For example, our former landlady showed me a bill for electricity and told me our share was 600Q ($76) a month or more. I had no way of disputing it, but it didn't seem right.  When we moved to our new place, and we have our own meter, we run 118Q ($15)!  I think there is just an assumption that Americans have a lot of money, so it's only fair to relieve them of some of it whenever and by whatever means they can.  But, while it's unpleasant to be lied to, we just learn to have a fair amount of skepticism and double-check where we can.

And there are not safety measures we see in the US, resulting in accidental deaths. There are electric wires strung everywhere. While people complain in the US about regulations, this is what happens without them, with associated safety risks!

Also, some men are digging a well in our back yard - and doing it by hand, in a hole that will be 48' deep when it's done.  He is lowered by a rope winched over the 5' diameter hole, and he digs and then they haul the dirt up in a bucket. When you look down the hole, even though they're just halfway done digging, you can hardly see the guy at the bottom with the white t-shirt!  It worries me that the hole could cave in on him, but no one seems to be concerned at the risk.

There is a man at the bottom of the hole - with a white t-shirt!

Above with their pulley system to bring up the dirt -
and the worker!

Not long ago, a young man fell off a 3rd story of a building he was working on, without safety measures.  Sad.  People accept that danger and even loss of life is just part of ... life. (?)

Overall, however, we feel safe and peaceful here.  We do not fear violence, at least here in Panajachel, and have never regretted our decision!