Part one of my book takes the reader on a

journey through many towns in the Jalapa region

of Guatemala. It also covers my life from birth to

age fifteen. I believe that it is the tough times

that I had to endure during these years were

responsible for my resistance to the tortures that

were awaiting me after turning fifteen.

My father was a school teacher and was

transferred many times to small towns in this

region: El Progreso, Sanarate, San Augusín, San

Pedro Pinula, Ipala and Livingston. This gypsy life

also added to my formation as an independent

and self-directed person. There was so much

sadness at this time until I received a government

scholarship and was able to live away from my

family in the city of Chiquimula. It was in

Chiquimula where I became responsible for

myself for the first time. In Chiquimula I was

living in a wonderful boarding house, was very

successful in school and did not have to worry

about my troublesome family life; that is, until

my father for unexplainable and illogical reasons

decided to remove me from that school and my

horrible ordeal commenced.