We have 3 very special staff who work with us in the restaurant at the hotel - Domingo (17), Elena (20) and Christina (17). They are all indigenous Mayans who live in the local pueblo. These kids work at IslaVerde to help support their families, which in Christina's case includes her 1 year old daughter.

Elena (pictured below right) is a particularly unique women in her community. She is currently in the process of applying to the bank for a loan to build her own house and has chosen to focus on her career unlike most women her age who are married or have children.

Working with these guys has been very special for both of us. Elena, who thinks Jack is a better looking version of Ben Affleck, has even told us that we are like her second set of parents! They have helped us with our Spanish and now Jack is returning the favour by holding English classes for them in the afternoons.

The other week we let the staff hold a small dinner for some of their friends at the restaurant. We were invited as special guests to feast with them on chicken, guacamole, salad and tortillas all of which was impressively prepared by Mario (our gardener pictured on the far left above, who according to Elena, is the most wanted bachelor in Santa Cruz), Domingo and two of their mates.