by others present during phone conversations or for those who are illiterate, writing their letters

for them. Improvements in communication technology have overcome some of these difficulties,

perhaps benefiting women and poor Ladinos and Maya the most by allowing them the means to

stay in touch with migrants abroad on a more consistent and personal basis. The following

section will cover the many technologies available and how they affected non-migrants through

time.

Letters

 Guatemala's postal service was excessively slow, and letters frequently took months to

arrive. This was generally an unreliable way to communicate, yet it was a mainstay for many

throughout the years. Letter writing presented special difficulties for much of Guatemala's

population, especially the indigenous groups, because many of them were illiterate and thus

dependent on others to read and write their letters. Because many Maya believed that

communication among family members is a private affair (especially when the subject was

money), the dependence on a third party severely restricted the content of their letters. Literate

women complained that although letter writing allowed them to express love and affection to

their husbands, the third party interference prevented them from communicating in a way that

would help ensure their husband's fidelity. Further, since letters took so long to arrive, it was not

always an effective way to stave off rumors or to discuss immediate and pressing issues, such as

their children's health or money issues.

Audiotapes

 Though some research focusing on the Western Highlands suggests otherwise (see

Moran-Taylor 2003; Hagan 1994), mailing audiotapes was not common in San Pedro Pinula,

possibly because of the expense of electronic equipment such as tape recorders. With rare

exceptions, most inhabitants did not use this technology to communicate with migrants abroad.