Here is a letter from my great-aunt in Maracaibo-just a few things about life in Venezuela.

Hola,la vida en Maracaibo es muy caliente,la temperatura sube a 47ºC,llueve poco y todo es muy seco.El sol es muy hermoso y tambien el bello lago con un extraordinario puente.Por todo el Lago hay torres petroleras.El nativo es muy alegre,le gusta un tipo de musica llamada gaita,con tambores y marracas.Hay muchos indigenas llamados Goajiros,las mujeres usan mantas y se pintan la cara,ellos viven en la ciudad pero conservan sus costumbres.La comida de navidad se llama hallaca,parece tamal Mexicano pero es mas rico,tambien se comen arepas y mandocas hechas de maiz.                   

Hello, the life in Maracaibo is very hot, the temperature climbs to 47 degrees Celsius (116 degrees Fahrenheit!), it rains little and everything is very dry.  The sun is very beautiful and there is also a beautiful lake with an extraordinary bridge.  Over all the lake there are petroleum towers.  The native is very happy, he likes a type of music called gaita, with drums and maracas.  There are many indigenous people called Goajiros, the women wear ponchos and paint their faces, they live in the city but keep their customs.  The Christmas food is called hallaca, like a Mexican tamale but is richer, also they eat tortillas and mandocas made of corn.