Following Mateo

by Tom Molanphy

A humorous, tender story of the complicated friendship between a 20-something American and a 50-something Mayan Indian in Belize.

230 pages, Paperback

First published December 17, 2002

Reviews

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

A memoir of the author's 2 year visit to Punta Gorda Belize in southern Belize. He had interesting stories to tell. It was good for me to read because one day I will move to Belize.
Learned about Tommygoffs - what the locals call viper snakes. Oh, my. They sound ten times worse than rattlers. They're aggressive and poisonous. Yikes. City life for me.


He really wanted to immerse himself in the Belizean culture, specifically the Mayans who lived in the country. I've seen the forests in Belize but there was always someone near by. He traveled alone and would get lost. He tells one story about accidentally ending up in a village in Guatemala. Another time he meets smugglers.

Wonderful story. However, my version was on kindle and I didn't like the formatting.

[Ellyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author spent two years with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Belize, and this book is a memoir of his relationship with a Mayan Indian man named Mateo. It's honest and candid, and I enjoyed reading about his adventures, but it often reads like a research paper, which makes it a bit dry. I was disappointed that the author didn't talk at all about JVC or his community.