This young chapin was recently asked to come to school in a costume representing the United States. He decided to dress as a mochilero, a backpacker, complete with stupid sunglasses, sun hat, sandals, a sleeping bag, and a camera. He is proudly displaying an artisanal souvenir from Quetzaltenango which was quite likely manufactured by a Korean maquila in San Marcos, or even (we could hope) by a larger factory in Guangdong. The American flag tucked into his jeans helps us to recall images of Neil Armstrong and Iwo Jima, while it might also happily serve Santiago as beach towel when he visits the turtle nurseries at Monterrico.
The sound of laughter increases as we proceed to the fringe of our Empire.
