Join seasoned librarians and travelers Helen Blinder and Irene Balks as they share stories and photos from a recent trip to Guatemala. After they landed in the capitol, Guatemala City, Helen and Irene headed out to Lake Atitlan, Antigua, and the Pacaya Volcano (which Irene hiked up). A free program about their Guatemalan travel experiences will be held on Thursday, February 9 at 2 pm at the Oak Park Public Library, 834 Lake Street.

Guatemala is located in Central America, bordering Mexico to the north, El Salvador and Honduras to the south, and Belize to the east. The country is about 42,000 square miles, about the size of Tennessee. There are over 14 million people in Guatemala, making the country the most populated in Central America. Almost half of the population is descendants of indigenous Mayan peoples, with a way of life differing greatly from that of other Guatemalans.

Helen and Irene will display clothing and household items they brought back as mementoes from their trip to Guatemala. If you have been any of the Central American countries, bring your stories, photos, and treasures to share with the audience. Refreshments, including a home-baked Guatemalan sweet corn cake, will be provided.

Check out Oak Park Public Library’s collection to further explore Guatemala.