Headed Home

All students are on their way home!

Lake Atitlan

This morning we woke up excited for the beautiful and scenic drive to Lake Atitlan. We took a short stop at an overlook for a once in a lifetime photo opportunity and then continued on our way. We then took a short and bumpy boat ride across the lake to the small village of San Juan La Laguna where we shopped at the local market. After, we headed back across the lake to our beautiful hotel where we had lunch. This afternoon we had more time to shop at a local market where we bargained and practiced our Spanish. We headed back to the hotel for a delicious outdoor dinner. This was followed by an eye opening activity which allowed us to learn more about one another.

-Lauren and Naomi

Service & Hot Springs!

Friday was a very long and tiring day. The day started out with wake up at 7 AM to a view of mountains, followed by a traditional breakfast of green beans and eggs. We arrived at our service site and we split up into our two groups: painting and cementing. We worked very hard on our second to last day of service, and were rewarded by playing with the adorable children. At 12:30, we returned to home base for our delicious lunch of chicken lasagna with homemade lemonade. After a quick lunch, we changed into our swimsuits and headed out to the hot springs. We drove up through endlessly winding mountains, but before we knew it, we were so high we were in the clouds! When we arrived at the hot springs, we separated into groups to go buy snacks, or to take our chances in the steaming springs. When we arrived back in Xela hours later, we had a nice dinner of a traditional Guatemalan dish. We then had a discussion in our mentor groups. By the time we are finally excused from discussions, we are all exhausted and beyond excited for our weekend trip early tomorrow morning.
-Max and Martine

Service and Chocolate

Today was the best day of GLA!… so far. We ate breakfast at 7:30 as per usual. A delicious meal of eggs and toast. Then, we left for service. A great day of painting, cement, and children. The weather was fantastic and the kids were happy as ever. After a wonderful day of service, we had a flavorful meal of chicken ravioli. After our succulent meal, we went to the Guatemalan form of heaven on earth. It took the shape of a chocolate factory named Chocolateria. We sat for hours enjoying tasteful chocolate treats including a chocolate fountain with fruit, yogurt with melted chocolate and Mayan hot chocolate. Once we finished our amazing snacks, we took a trip to the local shopping mall. There, we connected to wifi, bought more snacks from Walmart, and some of us even shopped for clothes. After an enjoyable time shopping, we headed back to home base for a traditional Guatemalan dinner. Once dinner was over, our evening workshop included “To Hell With Good Intentions” by Ivan Illich and we talked about the debated topic of whether volunteers are beneficial or not to third world countries. Finally, we all went straight to bed after such an exhausting day.
-Jess & Kylee

Changing Plans

We woke up this morning, had breakfast, and were all ready to go to service when we found out that a protest near us was preventing the drivers from getting to the home base. Then we were able to spend the time outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. Luckily, we were still able to go to service later that morning. Even though the kids weren’t there today due to a teacher conference, we still had a lot of fun painting and cementing. An adorable puppy at the cementing made up for the lack of cute kids. The protests continued through the day, so our scheduled trip to the chocolate factory had to be rescheduled. Instead, we played a group game of capture the flag. Thankfully, the salsa instructor was able to come to us and give us a lively salsa lesson, which was a blast! Later, a very moving speaker from the guerillas in the Guatemalan civil war came to tell us about the conflict and his personal experience. It was extremely eye-opening and inspirational. We finished the night with a leadership discussion where we addressed some concerns and all grew closer. Overall it was another great day in Guatemala!

-Gabby & Holly

Second Day of Service

We all woke up to the sound of roosters as we meandered down to breakfast. Many of us anticipated our second day of work the school. Some of us painted baby blue walls accompanied by friendly drops of rain. Others mixed cement to keep out water leakage and mold. Oh my. The break entailed playing copious amounts of duck-duck-goose with the little children. Their smiles made it difficult to return back to work. Today the afternoon fun consisted of a tour of a Mayan village. Churches painted bright marigold speckled with green and red designs was beautiful in addition to the landscape. We viewed a traditional Mayan dance where once dancer was the most revered jaguar along with a springing monkey. Hot coco kept us warm and content on the first rainy day in a month. None in the astonishing mountains of Guatemala. We returned home and enjoyed a great meal. Finally we all settled into bed with the sound of rain pattering on the roof.

-Christa

First Day of Service

Today we all went to our first day of service after a hearty breakfast. We were separated into two groups- one cementing walls and one painting them. It was amazing to see the children’s faces when they discovered we were there to help them. We all went into the classrooms and introduced ourselves to the kids, then we immediately went to work. We got a break to interact with the kids halfway through service. In the evening, we went to a marimba class, the marimba is a instrument that can be closely compared to the piano, although it has quite a different sound. The instructor had been playing the marimba since he was 4 years old so naturally he was unreal. After returning home, we watched an intriguing movie on the history of Guatemala, mainly focused on the rebellion. After dinner, we broke up into mentor groups, where we discussed our strengths, weaknesses, and goals. After that, we went to bed after having a sick first day of service!

-Ariel & Charlie

Pottery and Shopping!

Today we woke up at 7:30 at the home base. We ate breakfast and then after headed out to a pottery shop. The man who owned the pottery place demonstrated how to use the pottery wheel, and told us about how he came from generations of people who made pottery. He let a few volunteers try making little plates and it turns out that making pottery is a lot harder than it looks! After that, we went into his store and all had an opportunity to buy some of his work. All of his pottery was beautiful and really affordable. After, we went back to home base for lunch and had some free time before heading back out to go the central park in Xela. There, we got an hour of free time where we were able to go shopping and explore the area. The shopping was great and the street vendors had a lot of hand-made jewelry and clothing there and they were also selling delicious cotton candy and ice cream amongst other foods. After shopping, we walked around a beautiful church near the park. After our afternoon excursion, we drove back to the home base where we all worked together to make a beautiful group flag that we hung up on our home. After, we went to dinner and then rejoined as a group to discuss service and all found out who our group mentors were going to be.

-Arianna & Anna

Service

Today we all went to our first day of service after a hearty breakfast. We were separated into two groups- one cementing walls and one painting them. It was amazing to see the children’s faces when they discovered we were there to help them. We all went into the classrooms and introduced ourselves to the kids, then we immediately went to work. We got a break to interact with the kids halfway through service. In the evening, we went to a marimba class, the marimba is a instrument that can be closely compared to the piano, although it has quite a different sound. The instructor had been playing the marimba since he was 4 years old so naturally he was unreal. After returning home, we watched an intriguing movie on the history of Guatemala, mainly focused on the rebellion. After dinner, we broke up into mentor groups, where we discussed our strengths, weaknesses, and goals. After that, we went to bed after having a sick first day of service!

-Ariel & Charlie

A Busy Day!

Today we woke up at 7:30 at the home base. We ate breakfast and then after headed out to a pottery shop. The man who owned the pottery place demonstrated how to use the pottery wheel, and told us about how he came from generations of people who made pottery. He let a few volunteers try making little plates and it turns out that making pottery is a lot harder than it looks! After that, we went into his store and all had an opportunity to buy some of his work. All of his pottery was beautiful and really affordable.

After, we went back to home base for lunch and had some free time before heading back out to go the central park in Xela. There, we got an hour of free time where we were able to go shopping and explore the area. The shopping was great and the street vendors had a lot of hand-made jewelry and clothing there and they were also selling delicious cotton candy and ice cream amongst other foods. After shopping, we walked around a beautiful church near the park. After our afternoon excursion, we drove back to the home base where we all worked together to make a beautiful group flag that we hung up on our home. After, we went to dinner and then rejoined as a group to discuss service and all found out who our group mentors were going to be.

-Arianna & Anna

Quetzaltenango

Today at 6 am a road block of the indigenous sellers at the market in Quetzaltenango started a manifestation in a important road in Quetzaltenango. The road leads to the 14 day home base. The group went to work as usual to the rural school (it was not on the way of the road block) and Maria Isabel changed some activities for the afternoon.

In the afternoon the drivers went to speak to the indigenous leaders at the road block and explain that we understand their cause and made friends with them. At midday the indigenous leader went to talk to the mayor of Quetzaltenango. Just now they have started to listen to their demands, which are to have more space to sell their products at the market.  They will open the road block at 1800 and everything will continue as normal.

A Long, Busy Day!

Today we woke up in Antigua at 7:30, and got to know each other before and during breakfast. We then played a name game to learn each other’s names. Afterwards, we all packed into two vans and headed to a place where five Mayan families contributed to a small store in an ongoing fight to keep their culture alive. Here, we reenacted a traditional Mayan wedding ceremony, and then learned to how to make traditional tortillas. We tasted coffee—made completely by hand—and purchased hand woven souvenirs. Once we were done with that, we traveled to a great restaurant to have lunch. After lunch, we drove a few hours to ancient Mayan ruins. At the ruins, we learned about the history and families that once inhabited the area. We got the opportunity to meet a Shaman and participate in an ancient traditional Mayan religious ceremony. We were each given a candle stick and assigned a day from the Mayan calendar, and when our word was called upon, we tossed our candle sticks into the fire. We then got back into the van and completed our journey to our home base in Xela. Upon arrival, we got acquainted with both our rooms and roommates, ate dinner, and lastly went over the Guatemalan GLA code of conduct. After a long and busy day, we all slept like babies!

-Abby Cook and Alix Zabin

We’ve Arrived!

All students have arrived and are ready for their program! Stay tuned for blog updates and photos!

Headed Home!

All students are on their way home!

The Hike!

After waking up slightly earlier than usual, we met downstairs at 7:15 for a breakfast of pancakes. Once we finished, we grabbed our raincoats and water bottles and hopped in the vans to make our way to our hike. We arrived and shortly after we all squeezed into the back of a pick up truck that would carry us up to the base of our hike. After plenty of bumps and a few bruises from the bouncy car ride, we prepared ourselves for the steep hike to the top of the volcano. Slowly we started the trek up taking frequent breaks to catch our breath and drink some water. The high altitude was chilly at first, but in no time the climb caused us to shed our jackets. Halfway up we paused again to take photos and admire the thick greenery that surrounded us. After walking a lot more, we reached the top of the volcano and lookout point. Looking at the Crater Lake surrounded by trees and greenery was so pretty. Then we hiked down a long stretch of steps to get to the lake. After a quick snack, we witnessed a lake-side traditional Mayan ceremony. Once the clouds started to roll in over the crest of the volcano, we made our way back down to the base of the volcano. After a few trips and falls, and another bumpy ride in the truck, we successfully arrived at the vans. We rode back to the home base and relaxed, ate, watched videos and talked for the rest of the day.

Feeling Accomplished

Today we started service with a new wall to paint within the next three hours. Service flew by with us relying on each other in order to finish the mural by noon time and welcome the young women to their new home. Despite the rush we were very proud of our work and we felt nostalgic as we left the orphanage, now a new home for young mothers, for the last time. The rest of the afternoon was spent in the city center as we ate at the café, shopped in the artisanal markets, and enjoyed the atmosphere at the park. After this we all laughed and shared ghost stories after dinner. Our evening was punctuated with an interesting and mind opening activity that taught us to be more accepting to new cultures and more questioning of our own. On this note, we all went to bed feeling rewarded by the completion of our service project and enlightened by our evening workshop.

-Eva

Setting Goals

Today we woke up, ate a delicious breakfast, and then went to service! At service we finished the paintings on the wall. After service we went to lunch and then went to a women’s co-op were we bought matching bracelets. We then drove up a mountain to go to the hot springs. We drove back to home base where we ate dinner. Then we had a workshop where we talked about our goals!

-Eliza

Chocolate!

Today in the morning we did service. We learned that the orphanage is being turned into a home for teenage mothers. After lunch and showers we took a trip to a chocolate factory and tried hot chocolate originally made by the ancient Mayans! Afterwards, we had the chance to buy some. To work off all of the chocolate, salsa class was next. After twirling and lots of steps, we listened to a former guerilla tell his side of the story of with Guatemalan civil war. The day ended with dinner and then a workshop based on feminism and equality.

-Salma

One More Week

Today, after a delicious buffet style breakfast, we headed toward the orphanage. At the orphanage we started to actually paint the designs on the wall. Everyone contributed in making the bottom boarder of flowers, while Camille and Kayle started the elephants. We were surrounded by about 30 little boys running around and playing in the yard. Some of them even wanted to try painting, which we allowed. We all practiced our Spanish with the children and some of us were able to have conversations with them. After 4 hours of painting, and playing soccer, tag and just talking to kids, we headed back to home base for a delicious lunch of beef stew and rice. After lunch, we were able to rest after our exhausting morning. We then headed towards San Andres. This is a town in which the Mayans and Catholics are intertwined to one. At the town we were greeted with a wonderful tour guide that taught us some traditions of the town. We saw a beautiful church that was full of bright orange, yellow, red, and green. All of the colors had specific meanings! After we went inside the church and witnessed women praying, we hiked up the mountain. At the top of the mountain we saw the most beautiful view, which was definitely worth the steep hike! After the view we went to the house of Ms. Clementa. She is a wonderful weaver. Her work is beautiful! Some of us even got to try sewing, which was pretty awesome! Then we went to a place where we got to try amazing hot chocolate and bread, while listening to a teenager play the marimba. After a gorgeous drive back to the wonderful dinner of chicken tacos, followed by strawberries and whipped cream. After showing off my dancing skills, we read an essay by Ivan Illich about how good intentions are bad. We then discussed our thoughts about the essay, in which many of us had different opinions. Lastly, we went to a well-deserved sleep, excited for what’s to come in the next week!

-Maya

More Photos:

Lake Atitlan

Today we got up and drove to Lake Atitlan. It was a beautiful drive. The lake is surrounded by volcanoes! We then checked into our hotel and then headed across the lake. The area was very hilly but it was breath taking. It was amazing to see the work that these people put into their crafts. Everything is very intricate! We then headed back across the lake, which I may ass was very blue; the ride back was super rough and bouncy. After lunch we did some more shopping on the streets by our hotel. We learned to bargain and everyone’s Spanish is getting better! When we were shopping many people would put their items in our face and try to persuade us to buy it! Some fell for it more than others. Many people would stare at us because we look so different. Most of us got smoothies near the lake which were amazing! They taste so much better here because the fruit is fresh! Today was mainly the driving and shopping day! We all had a blast and are all getting closer as the days go by. We love it here!

-Camille

First Day of Service

Today was the first day of service! We went to an orphanage and started planning our mural for the walls in the outdoor playground. We focused on happy themes, for the mural: flowers and a rainbow. We spent most of the morning scrapping old paint off of the walls so that the new paint will be applied as smoothly as possible. For lunch, we went back to home base. After lunch, we played a game of human knot. It was difficult because only one person was allowed to talk at one time. After about 30 minutes we couldn’t seem to untangle ourselves, so we let go promising that we would try again later. We headed towards a potters house to learn about his craft. The potter, Julio Lopez, started pottery at the age of 10 and has been maintaining his craft for fifty years so far. As an extremely skilled artisan, he showed us how to make a plate, a bowl, and a mug in less than ten minutes. He let a few of us try pottery but it was much more difficult than we imagined. We also spent some time admiring and purchasing some of his beautiful piece of work. All of his pieces were handmade and hand decorated. Afterwards, the mentors treated us to ice cream, which we ate while enjoying the view. We then headed back to home base for a delicious dinner. Afterwards, we watched a documentary on the Guatemalan civil war which lasted from 1960-1996. The movie portrayed the guerrilla soldiers suppressing the locals for fighting for what they believe in. Many found the movie shocking, unexpected and heavy. Overall, the first day of service was a success. We all can’t wait for more adventures in the several days to come.

San Antonio Aguas Calientes

Today we drove to a small town called San Antonio Aguas Calientes. In San Antonio we learned about the culture of the locals. Once we got to the cultural center where five families live, our group of 10 girls took a seat on small plastic chairs. An elder woman wearing a traditional Maya skirt continued to inform us in Spanish about how she weaves blankets that can take more than six months to create. She kept saying how everything was artisan and nothing was made with machinery. I could understand some of the Spanish but not quite form the full sentences. Thankfully, one of our mentors translated along the way. After the weaving lesson we went through a traditional wedding ceremony using volunteers from our group. I was the groom due to the lack of males in our group. It was extremely interesting to see how they get married and it was great to actually be a part of such a religious custom. Following the wedding ceremony we learned how to make tortillas and coffee. In the cultural center we all purchased amazing woven items or bags of coffee. After these adventurous cultural immersion we took the 3 hour bus ride back to home base. I am pleasantly surprised about how close the group has already become. It has only been a full day and I feel like I have been here for a week. I cannot wait to see how this trip will turn out.

-Hannah

Group Photos:

We’ve Arrived!

All students have arrived safely in country and are ready for an amazing program! Stay tuned for blog updates and photos!

Last Day of Service

Today was our last day of service. After finishing cementing the outside wall and painting the walls of the school’s courtyard and classroom, we created three unique hopscotch boards. The kids were so excited to play. We had to stand over them until they were dry enough and even then, one of the boards was smeared from playing on it too soon.

Towards the end of service, the kids both thanked us and promised to take care of the walls we painted. We got a ceremony from the kids in the school and got a trdtitional Guatemalan tamale and tea. We then headed to a larger field to play a proper game of futbol.

We ended up getting creamed by the kids and then we all said our goodbyes.

We then came back from our last service and had lentils and rice for lunch. We then had to pack our things for tomorrow and then left for a coffee shop. We then left for the mall to complete our GLA evaluations and have our second day of Wifi. We had our last day to shop so we all bought milkshakes from POPS. We came back from the mall and got into mentor groups to come up with an action plan for when we come back to the U.S. We had dinner (spaghetti) and our final workshop (sharing compliment sheets).

A Fun Day

We started the day with delicious pancakes.  We then went to the school and nearly finished our projects.  We had a fun day playing jump rope and other exciting games with the school kids.  We also went to the hot springs, which was breathtaking.  The scenery was beautiful.  We had a relaxing and fun time.  At the hot springs we had the opportunity to meet and get to know the other GLA group . For our evening activity we learned about social media influence and watched organizations’ advertisements.  We learned that ads do not tell the whole story.  The best kinds of ads are the ones made from the people’s point of view rather than the organizations’ point of view.

Laguna Chicabal

Our morning started out with a breakfast in preparation of our hike. We took a bull car and a truck to the base of Laguna Chicabal. From there it was an uphill battle to the peak, which upon our arrival we were rewarded with a breathtaking view of Laguna Chicabal.  At the lake, we had a snack and rested beside the serenity of the lake and low-dipping clouds.  Our relaxing open afternoon was spent watching the semi final World Cup.

Service Continues

We started today off with a breakfast of banana oatmeal and freshly cooked french toast. At 8:00 a.m., we went to service for the first time in three days. The school was empty due to the recent earthquake, but we continued service normally and completed scraping paint off of an entire wall. During our break, we played a few rounds of Mafia, which everyone enjoyed. At around 12:00 p.m., we returned to the home base and ate chicken and rice for lunch. We then played World Cup soccer outside as an afternoon activity. We left at 2:00 p.m. to visit Cerro Baul, where we witnessed a fantastic view of the city. On our way back, we stopped by a few local houses to learn about the daily lives of the townsfolk. We returned to delicious ham and cheese sandwiches for dinner. After eating, we finished the day with some bonding activities and conversations about our experiences here in Guatemala.

A Shaky Day

We had a shaky start to the day–pun definitely intended. Being woke up at 5:30 am by two earthquakes was no one’s idea of how to start the morning. Unfortunately, there was no service today due to the shakes so we busied ourselves with group activities, the favorite being futbol (soccer). There was an attack of the wasps while the group was outside but luckily only one person got stung. The afternoon included a marimba workshop and hearing the story of Guatemala’s war from the side of the army. Afterwards, all of us went to participate in evening activities. These entailed a game type scenario that taught team building. Then we had a small amount of time to relax before lights out.

Chichicastenango

This morning we woke up with two tasks: pack up to head back to home base, and eat breakfast. We had eggs, beans, plantains, and bread; a typical Guatemalan meal. Once everyone was content and full, we set off in the vans for the city of Chichicastenango. We drove for about an hour with the view of clouds rolling over the mountains out the window. Once in Chichi, we unloaded into a classy hotel to use the restroom before facing the market. We split into groups of three to tackle the largest indigenous craft market in Central America. As the group set out, we saw our friends drown in vibrant colors and dedicated Guatemalan salespeople. The few hours spent in the market were hectic in the best of ways. Ponchos, wallets, worry dolls, fruit, backpacks, and jewelry became common sights throughout the twists and turns of the vendors. We met back at the hotel for lunch and recuperation from the morning bargaining. After lunch, we took one more hour to make last minute purchases. Soon it was time to make the drive back to home base. We loaded the vans and drove about three hours. Once home, we all participated in an activity which determined all of our profiles as leaders. The categories included Architects & Analysts, Drivers, Relationship Masters, and Spontaneous Motivators. We then played a group game of Mafia, a mind game, to pass the time until dinner. We had a delicious meal of spaghetti then wound down for evening activities and mentor groups. To round-out the day, we reflected on how our consumption and purchases at the market affect the populations around us. Overall, today was vibrant, enlightening, and productive.

-Cami and Sarah

Lake Atitlan

Today we got an early start. The day began with a lengthy drive to the town surrounding Lake Atitlan. Once we arrived we took a boat ride across the lake to the town San Juan and were given free time to explore the town and shop. We then returned by boat to our hotel, Paradise Inn, and had a cultural lunch. We finished eating, split up into groups of three or more and set out on our own individual adventures in order to explore the markets and shops surrounding the lake. Some kids enjoyed the time we had watching the World Cup, while others set out and experienced the crafts and talents of the native people. Many students acquired the new skill of bargaining, it really does come in handy. After meeting back at the hotel at 6:30, we enjoyed a delicious dinner. We then continued on to encounter evening activities, which were filled with a lot of laughter. Today was ultimately a day spent relaxing and enjoying each other’s  company while also experiencing the beauty of Lake Atitlan and the town surrounding. 

The Week Winding Down

It was Friday, the last day of the work week, and a rhythm was finally starting to set in place. Wake up at 6:40, dinner at 7:30, service until 12:30, then an afternoon immersed in the local culture. We ended the week by hitting some important milestones with our service projects. Most of the first floor was painted, almost the entire outside wall was re-enforced with concrete and the classroom wall was finally stripped of its moldy and humid paint. We then explored San Andres Xecul, a town which exhibited a fascinating mixture of both Catholicism and the native Mayan customs. There were pictures of the Virgin Mary and Jaguars. Priests carrying out baptisms and statues of Maximon, a Mayan rebel against the Spanish who is often sought out by people for advise. And then, when we finally returned to the home-base we were greeted with the wonderful surprise of fireworks and S’mores – a gift from the mentors to celebrate the 4th of July.  

A Full Day

First Day in Xela

What an exciting first full day in Xela!  After moving into the home base last night, no one was quite ready to get out of bed this morning.  However, a delicious breakfast of fresh fruit, toast, cereal, and eggs woke everyone up!  Following breakfast we drove to the school we’re doing service at for the next week.  Service includes repainting the inner walls, applying new cement to the outer walls, and playing with the K-6th graders during recess.  At 12:30 we drove back to the home base in the rain where we ate a lunch of chicken and rice.  Afterwards we all got a chance to bond for an hour during free time.  In the afternoon we toured the pottery studio of a man and his wife in Toto.  We finished out the day with pizza and a movie on the Guatemalan Civil War.  Hasta luego,

-Abby & Jessie 

Saludos desde Guatemala!

All of our students have arrived safe and sound and are excited to get started. We had a packed day in which we learned about traditional Maya wedding ceremonies, visited Mayan ruins in Iximche, and participated in a Maya ceremony.  We’ve settled into our home base in Xela and are looking forward to beginning service at the school tomorrow.  We have a busy two weeks planned with tons of fun excursions, dedicated service, cultural exchanges, and leadership challenges.   

We’ve Arrived!

All students have arrived and are ready for an amazing program! Stay tuned for blog posts and photos!

Headed Home

All students have headed home after an amazing 10 days!

From Markets to Mountains

Monday, the first day back from Lake Atitlan, was definitely a lot slower than we’d become accustomed to. Everyone was feeling the effects of a weekend of exploring and roaming the street markets.  However, there was still energy going into service at the school.  It is sad to know that tomorrow will be the last day of service, but at the same time, I think everyone feels proud of the newly painted courts, emptied landfill, and new wall for the classroom.  After service, lunch was a time for most people to recuperate and rest before going off to the Marimba workshop. The workshop itself was very interesting and cool because of the various styles and adaptations of the instrument.  Unfortunately, after the workshop, the speaker from the guerrilla was unable to show up.  However, this opened the door for exploration of the central park and underground market of the Xela.  Finally, Maria treated us all to ice cream, which was the perfect ending to a long day.

Wednesday was a strenuous day. We started off the morning with a 2-hour hike to Laguna Chicabal, a volcanic crater lake. This mountain was originally a volcano, but then it con-caved into a beautiful lake that is almost unbelievable to see in person. The hike itself was a struggle for some of us, but we overcame it because of the stunning views and the outcome of our accomplishment.

Another highlight of the day was listening to a Guerilla speak to us about his experience about the revolution in Guatemala. We learned about how the struggle began and evolved because of human rights. He enriched us with the history of Guatemala and stated that, “It is an awful and painful story, and I would tell you more, but I wouldn’t want to leave you vomiting.” he explained to us the fear the people were in and the problems they had with the military, but as he said, “We are all Guatemalan brothers in the end.”

Chichicastenango

This morning we arrived Chichicastenango, the largest indigenous craft market in Latin America. It was a great chance to practice our bargaining skills while experiencing different aspects of the Guatemalan culture. After a delicious lunch at a local hotel, we headed back to the home base where we played games and team building activities, and began our action plans for when we return home.

Lake Atitlan

Day 8 had an early start this morning with breakfast at 7:00. We were on the road by 8:00 and made it to the lake around 10:00. We stopped on the way at a scenic spot overlooking the lake and took a great group photo. We looked gorgeous. We rolled into the hotel shortly after to drop off our bags. Then, we went on a boat tour and visited two small pueblos on the lake. Upon arrival, we were given the opportunity to walk around the shops by ourselves. Finally us caged lions were able to roam. Most of this time consisted of buying knick-knacks for friends and family 😉 After a couple hours, we returned to the hotel where we ate a delicious lunch prepared by the hotel cooks. We were given time after lunch to check out the more of the surrounding area. Some spent the time shopping while others found a great pizza place and watched the German vs. Ghana soccer game. We headed back to the hotel at 6:30 and had dinner at 7:00. Ruddy prepared a game of step forward, step back, which we played after we finished eating. We all thought it was very insightful. Finally, we went back to our rooms at 9:30 and fell into a deep slumber at 10:30, ready to tackle the largest indigenous craft’s market in Latin America the next day.

See you soon!

-Ellie and Tess

Salsa & Ceramics

Upon the morning of day seven of our journey with GLA we used three and a half hours to our advantage and got a generous sum of work in the school done.

When the final minute of service dawned upon us, we packed up our things and headed to salsa lessons, which consisted of complicated rhythms, awesome dancing, and a whole lot of laughter.

As salsa came to an end, ceramics was just beginning. A wonderful gentleman who worked with pottery let us watch and learn how to spin and sculpt a plate, bowl, and pitcher.  Afterwards we were able to examine his works and learned that he makes at least 200 plates or bowls a day!

Being the teenagers we are, the majority of us craved some good ole’ junk food, and lucky enough our next stop was at an internet cafe located in a mall!  As some of us called friends and family, the rest of us ran to buy any chips, sweets, and soda we could get our hands on.

Overall, today was awesome and we had a blast.  We all look forward to the days to come with GLA and remind everyone to follow their dreams, and number 1, make it so.

The Ceremony

Today was the last day we saw the kids.  They held a ceremony to express their gratitude.  They performed folk dances and one student sang us a song in English.  At the end of the ceremony we were presented with dolls and certificates.  In the afternoon we were welcomed into the home of an average Guatemalan family.  Through question and answer we were able to catch a glimpse of daily life in Guatemala.  Later we swapped viewpoints in an activity where we took on atypical roles in cultural negotiation.  Today was bittersweet due to the fact we said goodbye to the children, but we now there are many more marvelous memories to come.

Interweaving Cultures

Day 5 started off with a hearty breakfast of French toast and fruits. We headed off first for our morning of service at the local Mayan school—which consisted of construction, painting, clean-up etc., as per previous days. The recess was the highlight of our morning, because that was the precious time when we could interact fully, for an hour, with the kids.  We enjoyed giving them piggy-back rides, speaking to them in Spanish, and (surprisingly!) going without technology— allowing us to simply live in the moment and relish the emotional connections we established – connections that transcended language barriers, age and nationalities.

After lunch, we went for a tour at San Andres Xecul, a beautiful town on the outskirts of Xela, where Catholicism and Mayan culture interweaves seamlessly. This combination of religion was reflected in the architecture, which we witnessed when we visited a church, altars of local gods, and an abode which housed a Mayan weaver.  We received a warm welcome with hot chocolate and bread. The day ended off with all of us back at the home base, with a good dinner and a night of bonding activities.

Cacao Craze

Today, just like every other day, was very eventful.  It was Father’s Day at school, and we were privileged enough to see the celebration the school had while we worked.  We also had the opportunity to visit a chocolate shop in Xela, where we learned the properties of the cacao bean and were able to test the medicinal value ourselves through a chocolate fountain.  After a beautiful drive through the city, we were visited by a former Major in the Army who served during the Guatemalan Civil War and were able to listen to the Army’s side of the story.  Overall, the day was filled with excitement, and we were able to delve even further into the history of Guatemala.

Welcome to Service

Day three was extremely unifying and thought provoking. It was the first day of service, which entailed new perceptions of Guatemalan culture and the purpose of the trip. At the school we separated into three different groups to tackle the different aspects of the service.

While we were at the site, we had the lovely opportunity to meet the kids for the first time and although the language barrier was a struggle for some, the kids were still very welcoming! Camera rolls were filled with unforgettable memories that we shared with the kids. After service, we came home and had a delicious lunch cooked by the ladies of the house.

After we rested, we headed to Salcaja for a textile workshop presentation. Once we got the basis of the procedure, some kids had the opportunity to give the weaving a shot. We then visited the beautiful first Central American church and got a brief history on it.

On our way back to home base we stopped at a supermarket to indulge our cravings. Once home, we watched an informative documentary called When the Mountains Tremble, which helped us open our eyes to the reality of Guatemalan injustice. Afterwards the leaders of the day (Carly Zaladonis and Juliette Chero) got to lead a discussion and hear everyone’s opinion on the movie.

Dinner came right after that, followed by showers and watching a Ted Talk. Right after watching the Ted Talk, we met with small groups and came up with questions that would bring up provoking discussions about stereotypes and the effect of media. The discussion was extremely deep as we all had the chance to consider the effects media has on the way we perceive things and how to take action.

Mentor groups followed the talk and we had the chance to reflect on the wonderful day.

Crash Course in Culture

We only arrived for our Children of the Maya program yesterday, but it feels like we’ve been together for weeks!  After walking around and exploring colonial Antigua, Guatemala, we left early this morning for a nearby traditional pueblo.  In San Antonio Aguas Calientes, we learned about traditional Mayan weddings, how to make tortillas, how to prepare coffee with a mortar and pestle, and some of us even had the opportunity to try on traditional dress.

After our visit in San Antonio, we headed to Iximche, the old capital of the Kaqchikeles, a Mayan ethnic group.  At the Mayan ruins we were able to view and participate in a traditional ceremony.  We walked around the grounds and saw where great temples, palaces, and astronomy observatories once prospered.

We arrived in Xela later today and have already created a team flag based on our values as a group.  The Mayan ceremony today influenced our flag as well.  All in all, we’re off to a great start!

We’re Arrived

Reflections

Hello all! Your Student Leaders of Today are Fran and Andy. When attempting to think about what to write and trying to wrap up our experiences here, we had one quote come to mind, “If you think you’re too small to make an impact, spend a night with a mosquito.” Since both of us are from Team Impact, we decided this quote best explains the past three weeks.  We began painting our school this week and the progress has been amazing. We combined classes with P5 and P6 students and asked them to write about themselves. One student said she wanted to be a doctor, because she wanted to help her people and people everywhere. We both feel that we’ve truly made an impact at Dziedzorve in Woe, and we know for certain it has made an impact on us. The other part of our afternoon was spent visiting with our host family from the first week. We discussed our time in Ghana and how the culture has changed us. We feel the best way to describe Anloga is welcoming. Our final two events of the evening were a bonfire on the beach and talent show. Each GLA students gave “shoutouts” to each other and made one other students feel special. The talent show was hosted by your two student leaders and from dancing to singing to remembering Robin Williams, everyone got the chance to show off their talents.

Adventures!

This Friday was our first day in Ho. We took a 2.5 hour drive, and along the way we went to an orphanage and a batik. At the orphanage we played and danced with the children. At the batik we each made our own fabric design. After that we arrived at the beautiful Sky Plus Hotel. The next morning we woke up to a delicious breakfast. We went to the monkey sanctuary, where the monkeys would climb onto us as we fed them a banana. Then we hiked for 45 minutes to the waterfall in Hohoe. We swam in the waterfall and took in the breathtaking view. After that we spent time in the market in which the students were able to purchase souvenirs. The next day we got to try Kente weaving and were able to purchase some handwoven souvenirs. Then we went to a nonprofit micro finance organization. After that we drove back to home base in Anloga and enjoyed a nice dinner.

Absence really makes the heart grow fonder, and coming back to Anloga after two days made us realize how much the home base has become our home away from home and how much we’ve missed both the kids and the environment in this wonderful little town.

– Sam, Jennifer, Priyanka, Liz

Father’s House Ghana

We started the day with a hearty breakfast at 7:00 am. Afterwards, we divided into our mentor groups and left for the service sites. Led by Kate and Laura, Team Epic continued brick making in order to make a new K-G (kindergarten) classroom. We used two bags of cement and totaled around 50 bricks. Additionally, Team Impact, led by Shene started stacking bricks so that the mason could continue the construction of two new buildings. Although tiresome, today’s efforts paid off and a great portion of the new buildings has been made. After two hours of service, GLA participants headed to their classrooms for a new day of teaching fun. The students greeted us with warm smiles and eagerness to learn. After teaching we had lunch and some light rain showers; and the different mentor groups split for the last rotation of activities. Team Epic went to an island in canoes and learned how to weave baskets and visited a local shrine where a high priest talked to us about traditions there. Team Impact visited Father’s House; a local organization working to aid former child slaves. The visit was not only inspiring and heartwarming; but filled with lots of fun games like soccer and “connect four”. Afterward we all came back together for a well deserved meal consisting of the classic rice, eggs, veggies, and pineapple. We then all gathered excitedly to discuss our travel plans for Ho. We leave tomorrow morning bright and early; and we look forward to the adventure that ensues.

-Isabelle and Claire

Reflections & Activities

We have reached the point in our adventure where we have all shown our true colors and feel as if we have known each other for a lot longer than a week. Today we have reached the halfway mark in our trip. We started off the day by waking everyone up to the song “Happy” at 6:30am and had a breakfast of fried eggs and pineapple which was yummy. At 8:00am we split up into our three mentor groups and went off to our service sites for the morning where we made bricks for one hour and then for the second hour taught our classes at the primary schools. Teaching the children can be difficult at times because they are very hyper and there are many distractions, however they are so happy and eager to learn, it makes the hard work worth it. We feel like we have adjusted to the basic layout of the classrooms and the lack of materials that it seems strange to think of normal classrooms back at home. Additionally, we feel as if the students are much more comfortable around us, for instance they all know our names as we do theirs.

We were so excited to come back from our service sites to find that our seamstresses were waiting for us at home base with our chosen fabrics that they had made into beautifully sewn clothes. They also brought with them backpacks of many different colors and patterns which we all swarmed around to get the best ones.

At 2:00pm half the group visited GLA’s other home base in Ghana for the Building Healthy Villages program which was amazing to see their contribution to the community. Here we were struck by the beautiful view as the home base was situated right on the water. After touring the compost latrines which the previous group had built, many of the students went for a swim in the lagoon. There was pizza served which was a real treat as we are all really missing food from home.

The other half of the group visited the Keta Slave Fort which was a very moving experience. Putting ourselves in the shoes of the many slaves who were imprisoned in this fort made it all seem a lot more real. After touring the fort we went to the beach nearby called Emancipation Beach where we could collect our thoughts and reflect on the tragic stories we had just heard. Also the beach was covered with lots of seashells, starfish, sand dollars and crab shells which some people decided to take home with them as souvenirs.

Before we went to bed we did an activity called ‘Crossing the Line’ which was very exposing and intense. However this activity only strengthened our bonds with each other and made us feel that much more connected. Today was a really good day although we all cannot stop snacking on Hobnob biscuits and Digestive biscuits covered in peanut butter and chocolate spread…

Lots of love

-Francesca and Ania (“Miss you mom and dad!”- love Ania)

A Full Day

Today we woke up without the help of our student leaders. Leaders were not chosen the night before, so we chose Alyssa and Caroline to be the leaders of the day. After breakfast, we went off to the work sites to begin brick building. Team Brick Squad made 52 bricks, Team Epic made 47 bricks, and Team Impact shoveled lots of sand. After brick building we went to our classrooms and taught the children. At noon we came home to a lovely lunch. After lunch there was free time and most of the group went to the beach, others stayed back at home base for some well deserved rest. At 2 P.M. we went to the open air market, where we searched and negotiated prices for different foods. After an hour we headed back to home base for some more free time. At 6 P.M. we had dinner. Following dinner we had two guest speakers that gave us more information on Ghana. Lastly, we had a group talk about feminism which was very intense. Now we are off to bed to get some rest for tomorrow!

Fun at Service

Today was our second day of building bricks and teaching kids. We had fun doing our community service, and had a better idea of what we were doing. After that we had lunch, and then a nice two hour break filled with chatting, playing, and napping. Then we spent some time in our separate groups and talked about our experiences in teaching the kids, and did some lesson planning for tomorrow. After that, we went out and chose from a variety of fabrics that we would give to seamstresses and tailors. Most of us are getting pants and shirts to wear and we are so excited for when we finally get to wear them. After that, we watched a documentary called “Girl Rising.” It’s about girls’ education around the world, and although the movie was sad at times, it’s really good and has a positive ending. After we had a campfire where we all hung out, danced, and played for a while, celebrating the birthday of one of our Mentors, Will. After doing so much, we were all tired and ready to go to sleep. I love how close we are all getting, and everyone here gets along well. I think that it is great that we are getting to know eachother so fast, and it makes the experience so much better. -Sophie and Mary

Starting Service

The day started out early with a few GLA students participating in morning yoga at 5:30 on the beach, just one of the amazing group activities offered here at GLA. After breakfast, we all headed to our first day of service at the local schools. As soon as we arrived at our respective service sites, we learned how to make bricks using a mixture of sand, cement, and water. The work was challenging, but being surrounded by our teams and friends made the work go by fast. After finishing nearly 100 bricks between the groups, we divided into our teaching pairs and met our new classes. The students were anxious to learn and excited to meet us. We all loved the kids and we learned a lot about the education system in Ghana. At lunch all the mentor groups reconvened, and after joined some of the locals in a dance session. We learned two modern cultural dances; the Amanda and the Azonto. After breaking a sweat dancing under the hot Ghana sun, students took to the shade to plan the next day’s lessons and prepare for another eventful day at the schools. Today was also a day of reflection and group discussion, including The Power of Privilege and Group Dynamics. We are all excited for the adventures to come and so far loving our time here in Ghana. -Cameron and Caitlin

Forming Bonds

Wow! It is only day two; however, we have already started forming bonds and relationships with each other and the community that will last a lifetime. Our morning began with learning the language of Ewe, traditional dances of Ghana, and drumming. The girls teaching us the dances can really move! It was inspiring to see and hear about the history of the people. The dances have been passed down through the generations and have become a important aspect of their culture. The food is definitely different from what we’re used to, but just as fulfilling. We visited a high school and met some of the students close to our age. We were asked to discuss issues that we had in our communities and the world. One of the main issues here in Anloga was the lack of education. Each student felt passionate about improving the status of people, for example, poverty and unemployment. It was remarkable to hear how similar how our passions were even though we live so far away. We’re told we begin teaching tomorrow and we feel that all of us are extremely nervous and excited to begin. The feeling of comfort is found here in Anloga, and we know the children will welcome us with open arms, just like the culture has.

Starting Off

After our first night sleeping in Ghana we woke up this morning with a lot of energy for what the day had for us. We had breakfast and headed to the patio for orientation. We played a few games at the home base and then went to explore the village where we got meet the kids, learn about the lifestyle, and see one of the local schools. We came back to the home base and had lunch with some local host families. Later, we went and visited our hosts at their homes, where learned more about the Ghanaian way of life. We finished the night with some delicious dinner from our wonderful cooks. Afterwards we watched a TED talk about how there is always another story, learning that there is never a “single” story. Lastly, we met our “grandfather” who gave us all our Ghanaian names. -Alvaro and Natalie 

We’ve Arrived!

All students have arrived in country and are ready for an amazing program! Stay tuned for blog updates and photos!