The Fuego Volcano tragedy occurred just 8 months ago, on the 3rd of June 2018. Yet in many ways it seems almost forgotten! So many deaths; so many communities destroyed. It’s a tragedy that will affect generations of people. We at Que Pasa followed what happened closely. If you have a chance then please do read the excellent article by Sofia Letona https://quepasa.gt/volcano-fuego/ that puts what happened and the aftermath so succinctly and poignantly.
A good news story
However, even from such a tragedy as Volcano Fuego one hears of good news stories. It is one that I can relate. I was invited to the opening of El Mercadito de La Esquina https://quepasa.gt/mercadito-esquina-antigua-foodie-hall-guatemala/ here in Antigua last July. I was more than surprised when so many of the waiters greeted me personally by name. Well it’s true that after so many years of living here in Antigua I eat and used to play saxophone in numerous restaurants. But when I had been greeted by at least 6 waiters I thought something was really odd!
It was only when I chatted with one of the partners of the restaurant was I told that they were so shocked by the disaster that they contacted La Reunion Golf Resort and offered many of the waiters there jobs in the new restaurant! So the waiters knew me by having seen me ‘play’ some incredibly bad golf!
I was so struck that I went back toEl Mercadito de La Esquina and chatted with some of them.
Their personal stories
It was moving to hear their stories. Leonel for example, a waiter from Alotenango https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alotenango said he was so thankful with the owners of the Esquina for opening the doors for his new employment. Fernando who had been a butler and is now the supervisor of all the waiters said that after the tragedy of the 3rd of June, he was out of work for more than a month. Fernando is married with 3 boys and had no income! He was contacted through La Reunion to take the opportunity of working at La Esquina. He was pretty emotional when he related his story.
In all,El Mercadito de La Esquina hired 11 members of staff from La Reunion. We are all so accustomed to only hearing bad news. It’s great at last to be writing some GOOD news about the volcano Fuego tragedy!
