Joseline Vasquez, a 2-year-old child from Guatemala, is at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital recovering from surgery to remove a large tumor that had grown to the same size as her head. The surgery was funded by Brentwood-based Shalom Foundation, which has a video on its site featuring Dr. Stephen Goudy, who conducted the surgery. As discussed by Dr. Goudy, the Shalom Foundation is currently focusing its donations on Guatemala.

Vanderbilt Children's Hospital International Services is blogging Joseline's visit here with both stories and a slide show.

WKRN and NewsChannel5 have text and video reports here and here.

From NewsChannel5:

A 2-year-old Guatemalan girl is recovering from surgery to remove a neck tumor at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Joseline Vasquez had a lymphatic malformation on her neck since birth. The mass has grown as much as she has as lymph fluid created a cyst on her neck.

"Obviously these things are big water balloons or cysts and if she gets a cold the cyst can swell which could compress her breathing tube and swallowing tube, which could be life threatening," said Dr. Steven Goudy.
...
Her surgery was funded by the Brentwood-based Shalom Foundation, which provides financial support and physical assistance for children and their families. A team of doctors perform surgeries such as this on two to three foreign children each year.

Image source: Vanderbilt Children's Hospital International Services

Labels: guatemala, health

Patricia Foxen, formerly with Vanderbilt University and now with University of Toronto's Anthropology Dept. and an Anthropologist and Scientific Associate at Toronto General Hospital, will speak Monday evening 5-7 p.m. at Vanderbilt's Buttrick Hall about her recently published book, "In Search of Providence: Transnational Mayan Identities."

The book "is a fascinating analysis of the experiences of a community of K'iche' Mayans, the largest indigenous group in Guatemala, who have been migrating to Providence, RI over the past two decades," according to Manuel Angel Castillo, Colegio de Mexico. These immigrants live "in a context of growing hostility toward undocumented migrants in the country of settlement, and in the face of turmoil at home--both of which have left deep marks" and are described by one Amazon.com reviewer, Francisco Goldman, as "one of the most complex and tragic immigrant communities in the United States: the Guatemalan highland Maya of Providence, Rhode Island, for whom coming to the U.S. hardly means leaving Guatemala's horror or cultural pathologies behind."

And, "With her in-depth case study of Guatemalan K'iche migrants from Xinxuc to Providence, Rhode Island, Patricia Foxen has filled a significant gap in the literature on Guatemalan migration to the U.S. This beautifully nuanced account captures the complexities of reproduced, changing and multiple K'iche identities in new settings, and of Mayan transnational practices. It also provides a window for seeing the contradictions of post-war rural Guatemala." --Susanne Jonas, University of California, Santa Cruz

More reviews here

Patricia Foxen (PhD 2002; MA 1994, McGill University; MPH 1990, Columbia University) is an expert on Latin American violence, post-war reconstruction and development; migration and forced displacement; cultural identity and psychosocial well-being; and questions surrounding health and gender in the Americas. (Full Bio available at: http://www.ocipmh.org/Clinics_&_Services/services/womens_health/bios/foxen.asp)

Speaking Monday, April 21, 5-7 p.m. in Buttrick Hall on Vanderbilt Campus; Buttrick is West of the Central Library, off the Library Lawn -

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/map/map.cgi?mode=4&zoom=12&panx=55&pany=24

Parking is available off 21st Ave. South near the library, plus metered parking on West End is Free after 6 p.m.

Labels: events, guatemala, immigrants

Tonight at LP Field in Nashville, international soccer fans will watch Guatemala play Honduras and the U.S. play Canada for two Olympic openings up for grabs. The winner of each game will advance to the championship game on Sunday, March 23. Both teams in the championship game will compete in Beijing in August.

The qualifiers started in Tampa and Los Angeles have been conducted by the Confederation of North, Central American, and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) since 1964. The last time the final round of qualifying games was held in the U.S. was in 2000.

According to this article in the Tennessean, "[o]nly 28,000 of the stadium's almost 69,000 seats will be open for fans to watch the U.S. play Canada and Guatemala play Honduras, and officials aren't expecting anything close to a sellout. A good turnout from the area's international and youth soccer communities is expected, however, because they represent the groups that most closely follow the sport nationwide."

March Madness and the Easter holiday are expected to keep some locals away, according to the Tennessean.

The Tennessean spoke with the coach of the Nashville Metros soccer team about the likelihood of Central American turnout this weekend:

Metros Coach Rico Laise, a native of Costa Rica, said Mexico's failure to advance to Nashville out of the original eight-team field would hurt attendance tonight, but Middle Tennesseans with ties to Guatemala and Honduras are likely to jump at a chance to be at LP Field.

"When a taste of home is available, they come out in droves," Laise said. "They are just thirsty for a taste of home and a taste of their culture.

The Tennessean also points out previous times that a U.S. national team has competed in LP Field, formerly known as Adelphia Coliseum - the 2004 women's team and the 2006 men's team played Canada and Morocco, respectively.

Ticket sales are expected to fall short of 15,000, which accompanied skepticism about Nashville from a former U.S. captain, quoted by the Tennessean:

"My initial reaction was like, 'Why there?' " said John Harkes, a former U.S. captain. "There has to be some reason behind it. Obviously it's not going to be the most supported event. It's not a real soccer-savvy market when you first think of it, though U.S. Soccer must have some ideas for why they are there."

Labels: events, guatemala, honduras, sports

Survivor of Guatemalan civil war

Coincides with art exhibit featuring late Ecuadorian activist Oswaldo Guayasamín

The Tennessean reports here that Rigoberta Menchu, winner of the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize, will be speaking Thursday night at 7pm at Benton Chapel at Vanderbilt University on the subject of "Healing Communities Torn by Racism and Violence." Menchu is a pioneer in bringing the plight of indigenous people to the international stage, having suffered through atrocities in her native country of Guatemala during that country's civil war.

From the Tennessean:

Now living in Guatemala City, Menchú was invited to speak at Vanderbilt in conjunction with an exhibit opening devoted to the late Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamín. Like Menchú, Guayasamín was an outspoken champion of social justice, and the two became friends before he died in 1999. She remains committed to keeping his legacy alive.
...
For Nashville's Latino community, Menchú's appearance is of special significance, said Renata Soto, executive director of the local nonprofit agency Conexión Américas.

"It's very timely that she comes to Nashville as someone who has been speaking on behalf of the voiceless."
...
"Menchú's message is clear about the consequences of racism and injustice, and it brings attention to the fact that right here in our own community, we have a ways to go to achieve some of those ideals."

Over the past few days, at least two Nashville blogs have covered the 1999 controversy over Menchu's autobiography (here and here).

Photo: The Nobel Foundation

Labels: arts, ecuador, events, guatemala, justice

Road to Beijing 2008 requires win in Nashville

Two spots up for grabs by eight neighboring American countries: USA, Mexico, Canada, Cuba, Haiti, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama

Four teams will arrive in Nashville after field narrowed in L.A., Tampa

May 20 semis and May 23 finals here

Seats available from $18 to $65 for each doubleheader

Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and U.S. Soccer have announced that individual tickets for 2008 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying in Los Angeles, Tampa and Nashville will go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 30, at 12 p.m. local time in each market.

The eight-team event, which includes national teams at the Under-23 age level, will be played as eight doubleheaders from March 11-23, 2008, and will send two finalists to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Group A, which includes the United States, Honduras, Cuba and Panama, will play at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. on March 11, 13 and 15. Group B features Canada, Guatemala, Haiti and Mexico facing off on March 12, 14 and 16 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. LP Field in Nashville will host the semifinals on Thursday, March 20, and the championship match and third-place game on Sunday, March 23.

Tickets priced from $18 to $65 for each of the eight doubleheaders in the tournament go on sale beginning Wednesday (January 30) at 12 p.m. local time in each venue through ussoccer.com, by phone at 813-287-8844 (Tampa), 213-480-3232 (Los Angeles) or 615-255-9600 (Nashville) and at local Ticketmaster ticket centers in the venue cities.

In Tampa and Los Angeles (where first round doubleheaders are scheduled), teams competing at those sites will have seats at every price level set aside for their fans, allowing supporters of the same country to sit together. Fans must order online to choose from this allotment.

In Nashville, where the participating teams won’t be known until several days before the semifinal round, seating until the end of the first round will be allocated (based on the local population) for U.S.A., Mexico, and mixed/neutral fan sections at each price level.

Series ticket sales will end on 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 29, for fans looking to buy tickets to all three match dates in each venue.

The U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team is led by head coach Peter Nowak, who is also an assistant on Bob Bradley’s staff with the full team. The team is currently holding a training camp that features top young professionals based both in the U.S. and abroad in Bradenton, Fla., through Feb. 3.

2008 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying

– Details –

Event: Eight-team qualifying event to decide two CONCACAF positions at 2008 Olympics
Dates: March 11-23, 2008
Venues: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Fla.), The Home Depot Center (Carson, Calif.); LP Field (Nashville, Tenn.)
Teams: USA, Mexico, Canada; Cuba, Haiti; Guatemala, Honduras, Panama

– Schedule –

Group A (Tampa, Florida; Raymond James Stadium)
Date Home Visitor Kickoff (local)
March 11 Panama Honduras 5:30 p.m. ET
March 11 USA Cuba 8 p.m. ET

March 13 Honduras Cuba 5:30 p.m. ET
March 13 USA Panama 8 p.m. ET

March 15 Cuba Panama 4:30 p.m. ET
March 15 USA Honduras 7 p.m. ET

Group B (Carson, California; The Home Depot Center)
Date Home Visitor Kickoff (local)
March 12 Haiti Guatemala 5:30 p.m. PT
March 12 Canada Mexico 8 p.m. PT

March 14 Canada Haiti 5:30 p.m. PT
March 14 Mexico Guatemala 8 p.m. PT

March 16 Guatemala Canada 3:30 p.m. PT
March 16 Mexico Haiti 6 p.m. PT

Final Stage (Nashville, Tennessee; LP Field)
Date Matchup Kickoff (local)
March 20 Semifinal 1 * 5 p.m. CT
March 20 Semifinal 2 * 8 p.m. CT

March 23 Third-Place Match 1 p.m. CT
March 23 Final 4 p.m. CT

* Winner advances to 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing

Source: USSoccer.com

Labels: cuba, events, guatemala, honduras, mexico, panama, sports

Guatemalan exchange students Cynthia Fuentes and Pili Ceballos have finished their semester at the University School of Nashville. From the USN News Archive:

Cynthia and Pili quickly became a part of the class, collaborating with the teacher to help students feel more comfortable using their Spanish. They worked with students one-on-one during class time, and they added their knowledge of the Spanish language and the Latin American culture to the class discussions. When students learn a language, sometimes they have a hard time making the connection between learning a language and actually using it. With Cynthia and Pili as part of their class, the students were able to see this connection immediately.

On Friday, November 30, both of the girls gave presentations on Guatemala to the three sections of Spanish IV. The students learned in Spanish about the country's fauna, flora, geographical regions, typical clothing, food and traditions. After their presentation, Pili and Cynthia taught the students a typical dance and shared a dish. The Spanish students wish the girls the best of luck as they prepare to go back home. They will be missed! Buena suerte y ojala nos encontremos de nuevo!

Photo of Halyconia plant in the highlands of Guatemala by Ana María. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Labels: education, guatemala

The Nashville Scene published this review of Murfreesboro road restaurant Los Happy Belly's:

LOS HAPPY BELLY'S
895 Murfreesboro Road,
356-7757

...

Co-owner Jose Santos arrived in Nashville about five months ago from New York, where he immigrated as a teenager from the Dominican Republic. His business partners are fellow Dominican Alexandra Abreu and Guatemalan brothers Alfonso, Santos, Chavelo and Danny Perez, who came to the U.S. about a decade ago.

While none of them is from either Cuba or Puerto Rico, the owners would all be familiar with the flavors and ingredients that weave throughout the Caribbean and find their way to Los Happy Belly’s. Beans and rice are a primary feature of the buffet table, which usually holds moro rojo (red beans and rice), arroz con gandules (white rice with peas), congri (rice with black beans) and plain white rice.

...

Los Happy Belly’s offers a handful of specialties that are interesting, even delicious. Among them is the yuca frita (fried cassava root). The thick, deep-fried exterior of the tuber chunk melts in the mouth, and is made even more intriguing by a drizzle of garlic-infused oil.

...

Los Happy Belly’s opens 11 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday and closes 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday and Sunday. Saturday is Caribbean Night with dancing from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Read the full review here.

Photo by yasmapaz

Labels: cuba, dominican republic, food, guatemala, puerto rico

Missions blog offers first-person perspective

For the first time in Belmont University history, eleven physical therapy graduate students and a clinical instructor spent their spring break on assignment in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

At the Hospital Infantil de Infectologia y Rehabilitacion (Children's Hospital for Infectious Disease and Rehabilitation), home of the only hospital PT wing in all of Guatemala City (population 5 million plus), the Belmont PT graduates worked with children with developmental delays as a result of having gone untreated for normal childhood diseases and also with trauma patients — accident victims or those whose illnesses have led to brain damage. They also taught modern physical therapy to Guatemalan doctors and nurses.

The team posted pictures and narratives of the March 3-10 trip in this Physical Therapy Missions Blog.

Labels: education, guatemala, health