My Very First Website - 1999

In 1999, I was travelling for a nonprofit called The Odyssey World Trek for Service and Education. 

I had a Sony Mavica digital camera, that printed onto a floppy disk, as well as little PC on which I typed up dispatches to send back to the home office in San Francisco. You can see the archives online: http://www.worldtrek.org

In one of our first stops, I volunteered with a support group called Grupo de Apoyo Mutuo http://www.gam.org.gt -- i was living in a small village called Concepción, with a predominantly Kiché indigenous population, and documenting the local schoolchildren.

Because I sent in thrice-weekly dispatches and had to answer e-mail and keep in touch with the home office, I needed steady internet access. A brand-new internet cafe had just opened up in Panajachel, near Lago de Atitlan, and they offered reliable internet access as well as telephone services, faxes and copies. The name of the business is "Mayanet," owned by Carlos Saturnino Tzul Tzul.

Because I was on a backpacker's budget and I knew basic HTML, I offered to trade my web skills in exchange for unlimited internet access during my brief stay --- and Carlos agreed! It took me a day or two to create a free site on Tripod hosting -- that site is still online at http://mayanet.tripod.com (don't laugh! It's 11 years old!). Mayanet is still going strong and is known as one of the best internet cafes in Panajachel. They have a Fodor's mention and multiple mentions in the annual Lonely Planet guide: Central America on a Shoestring.

Not bad for notepad and 72dpi pictures!

I'm pleased to know the business is still going strong in its 11th year. They have a "real" website now http://mayanet.com.gt, and they've increased their service offerings. But I still remember a young guy with a lot of ideas, a lot of hope, and a lot of energy to make his business work for him. Because I feel the same way, it was a good fit.

I know that we can give you a good start to a long and profitable business, or an active organization with staying power. Let's connect and talk more about your project.