R: well, yes, one should be careful of this as well but it depends on the person. Because
 they know me well; when they see me here and there, they know who I am, they know
 who I am. I always say to my husband, "look, I'll take care of myself, and you take care of
 yourself." Although there is dishonor to this, yes? But I take care of myself because I am
 me and you are you, because in the end I am not part of your family, you don't carry my
 blood and I don't carry yours. Then who is going to discredit me?... not him.

 Rosalina has a strong sense of self and feels confident that she is known well enough in the

community to be able to do as she likes. She believes she is her own person-separate from her

husband and responsible for her own actions. Rosalina describers her identity as distinguished

from that of her husband by blood. This is a common illustration of how the relationship between

husband and wife is constructed in Guatemala. Even though a couple is married, loyalties are

based on blood and descent and not by civil unions. This defining factor is significant to the

conflicts between husbands and wives and between spouses and their in-laws. Mother-in-laws

cite the importance of blood when they describe their distrust of their in-laws, often employing a

common saying, --iniei a, no era" (a daughter-in-law, will never be). In other words, a daughter-

in-law is not a true blood relative and therefore can never be trusted. According to the mother-in-

law, a woman's loyalties are to herself and her family, and her son is therefore always a potential

victim of the proposed infidelities of her daughter-in-law.

 Rosalina's conversation reveals that a woman, no matter her age, still has to be careful

about what she does and in what manner. As an older woman with an established marriage,

Rosalina is confident in her reputation but still understands the possibility that people may take

things the wrong way. Rosalina reminds us that no matter the age, a woman still has to keep her

guard up. Moreover, Rosalina's narrative emphasizes the idea that it is the woman's

responsibility to keep the household intact:

 Q: Pero hay hombres que cuando estdn alla tienen miedo que la gente chismoseando---

 R: No, no, pero ello le aconsejan a uno y dicen "mira que esto cual otro, no hagas cosas
 a veces malas que son buenaspero a veces la gente lo agarrapor mal. Yopuedo hablar