User talk:Michael Levii

San Antonio Palopo, Solola, Guatemala, Central America,

San Antonio Palopo is located in the Mayan Highlands on a mountainside that leads down to Lake Atitlan Guatemala. Lake Atitlan is considered to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. But it is also home to some of the most beautiful cultures of the world. The Maya. We are one of the oldest settlements of Lake Atitlan. We are very proud of our heritage and our traditions remain strong.

San Antonio Palopo is home to one of the oldest churches in Guatemala, over five hundred years old. It towers over small houses in the town's center. We have several cooperatives which product some of the most beautiful textiles in the world and also several cooperatives which create world renowned ceramics. We are one of the last remaining towns located on Lake Atitlan that still use its customary traje ( dress ) and Kaqchikel is the mother tongue. Spanish is taught in the schools but is not typically used here. Many of the elders do not understand Spanish. Here you will see smiles and hear laughter. Children playing in the streets with sticks, bags and hoops having fun. Simple objects set their imaginations wild. The women congregate at the market place in the town's center and catch up on the local gossip, beautiful smiles seem to always be on their faces. The men often busy doing some kind of work always seem to find the time to stop and welcome any visitor to this magical little village. When one first meets a Mayan from this beautiful little village its easy to see that with their beautiful smiles, sparkling brown eyes, friendly, helpful, curious and mysterious culture its easy to fall in love with this place. "I have spent almost half my life in San Antonio Palopo living with a Mayan Family. Through good times, extreme hardship and many years of adopting this people and the people adopting me., I have found it to be similar to many American small towns. Everyone knows each other, there is always gossip, jealousy, curiosity and unitiy among ourselves.