A Few Late Blogs!

First off Happy Birthday Dad!
The entire GLA experience has been extremely fun and memorable. Today we did our daily routine at the school, working on the wall and mural. The mural is almost complete; the people working on it just need to do the final touches. The wall, which I am working on, is almost complete. We just need three more rows and we have three more days at the school, and because we finish a row a day, we will complete it just in time. After about 2 hours of work, we had recess, which I believe is the best part of the day. The kids ran out of their classes all excited to see us. People were playing tag, giving piggyback rides, and chasing the kids. I, however; was a human jungle gym/ punching bag for the kindergarten class. After service we eat lunch at Home Base and got ready for our afternoon Spanish class….

Today at Spanish class, we had our own personal tutors. There was one tutor for two kids, and I was with JP. We had an amazing time with our tutor. We went to a restaurant/museum, where we ate chocolate while snacking on some dessert type cookies, and it was all delicious. As we ate, our teacher helped us with using tenses as well as teaching us new vocab. Once we had finished eating, we all watched the end of the Argentina vs. Netherlands game, which was extremely nerve racking but also very exciting. Finally, once the game ended, we returned home where we did our leadership activity. –Max Cohen

 
Today, we woke up at 8:30am and enjoyed fresh huevos rancheros with fresh beans and fried plantains (a typical Guatemalan breakfast). While people enjoyed having breakfast outside of the Hotel, little did most of the GLAers knew what news was about to come out of the mentors’ mouths.

Celina (the GLA mentor), shared the devastating news that one of our fellow GLAer was sent home due to his attempt of purchasing alcohol. This completely made the whole group uncomfortable and made breakfast have a funeral-like silence. After students packed, the silence continued – some were crying, and chit-chatting about Charlie Darcos’ send off. Once we were about to depart from Panajachel to Chichicastenango, we saw Charlie on the back for the bus with a small backpack and wearing Celina’s floral leggings. Then Patrick revealed the fact that it was all a joke. And the moral of this story was to not buy alcohol or else, well you can already guess what the consequence is.

We then finally departed from Panajachel to Chichicastenango to buy some Guatemalan products. After our 1-hour ride, we then split into small groups to buy a variety of products. The market of Chichi was very interesting – it had some similarities and some differences compared to the other markets previously shopped at.

For instance, all were colorful and sold traditional Guatemalan clothing and art crafts. The difference that speaks the loudest from all of the others compared to the Chichi market is the fact that people were more aggressive on selling their products. Some used black mailing and stubbornness to make people, including me to buy their products. After bargaining at almost every little store, most of us got the best deals and were happy with our shopping’s of the day.

I enjoyed the fact of visiting an important place that portrays another aspect of the Guatemalan culture. It conveys a secret of diligence and perseverance and also the importance of maintaining its culture. -Jules

Only 4 days left till the first Spanish, Service, and Maya Culture session of this year concludes. Today was a very memorable day, as the bond of this group grew much stronger. This morning we were giving devastating news, Charles Dracos was sent home earlier today because he was caught “purchasing alcohol” at the local market. The grin in our faces slowly changed as Celina attempted to announce this over breakfast. As we prepared to leave out of the hotel we stayed at for the night, sorrow vibe was evident when going into the van. Celina’s “Everything will be fine in 10 minutes” speech became a clear hint for some that this may be a prank. There a boy was standing with his back facing the opposite direction the van was driving in. This boy’s choice of floral leggings and gray baseball cap gave an instant alert to everyone that this boy might be Charlie! All 21 students ran towards Charlie to greet him. Although we were angry that Charlie along with the mentors were able to execute such a prank, we are all glad that a member of our group did not have to go home. After this incident, it was evident that everyone enjoyed each other’s company a lot more. In the midst of this horrific prank, I guess we all learned that everyone is an essential member to the group.

The rest of the day consisted of improving our bargaining skills as we took on one of the biggest markets in Central American, Chichicastenango. Futhermore, we ate lunch at a very unique hotel while watching the Finals of the World Cup. Many were upset about Argentina’s defeat (Mentor Nicole), but the cure for this disappointment was a 3 hour nap in the car on our way back to our home base in Xela. It has been a very fun weekend, This group is not ready to go back home. -Angel 

We’re Coming Home!

All students have departed and are on their way home!

Final Thoughts

We began our last day together as a GLA family by waking and departing from our hotel in Antigua at the rather ungodly hour of four a.m., with the purpose of catching a flight to the ancient Maya ruins of Tikal. While having a less-than-ideal amount sleep would leave most people drained of enthusiasm, I feel as though I can safely say that we were all excited to make the most of our final excursion. After a brief plane ride and drive, we arrived at the site of the ruins. Before we’d even laid eyes upon a single structure, our tour guide swept us away on journey to a time when the Maya were at the peak of their civilization, when they ruled the land from sprawling limestone cities filled with temples, pyramids and palaces, and when they lead the world in agriculture and astrology. Of course, when we actually came to the Great Plaza and saw the breath-taking buildings for ourselves, it truly brought the lost world to life. There is no way to completely describe these massive and complex structures without seeing them yourself.

We spent an hour and a half exploring the ruins, clambering up steep stairs, weaving through crumbling buildings, and climbing just about everything intact enough to withstand our weights. The little group I was exploring with even happened across some hieroglyphics, and we made a rather creative attempt to decipher them. It was mind blowing that over 1000 years ago, this flourishing civilization built a city of such size and durability. We ended our tour with a climb of Pyramid IV, the tallest of the pyramids at 212 feet. The view from the top was spectacular, to say the least. We took some group pictures up there, and we were also given time to simply sit and look out across the vast jungles of Petén and the remains of the Maya civilization scattered throughout. I personally used the time to think about the last three weeks and enjoy the memories they had given me. We then transitioned into a nice lunch, complete with scented wet towels for cleaning off our now uncomfortably hot faces. After lunch, we hung around for a few more hours as we waited for our buses to arrive to drive us back to the airport, from which we would fly back into Guatemala City.

Our next stop was a surprisingly upscale Pizza Hut, where we celebrated Nicole’s 16th birthday with copious amounts of pizza (of course), chicken wings, and some chocolate cake accompanied by birthday songs in a variety of different languages. Our last meal as a whole group was lively and fun, if Americanized, and filled with laughter, chatter, and not-so-organized chaos. The van ride to Antigua was one big party, with a continuous blasting of songs, people singing/screaming to what they knew, dancing to what they didn’t (and did), and everyone giving their all. With less than 12 hours left together, we let go of our sadness about the fast- approaching future and sang our hearts (and voices) out.

The atmosphere became more sober when we arrived at our hotel, as we allowed reality to sink in. We had so little time left, and we had to make the most of it. That night was spent packing, signing people’s awards, and fighting to stay awake as late as possible to spend every last second with the family that we’d created over such a short period of time. Those last few hours were bittersweet, as we laughed, cried and reminisced about all of the wonderful things we’d done together. Some of us stayed up until we had to depart in the 4:00 a.m. airport group, and lots and lots of tearful hugs accompanied us as we began our journey home.

I find myself amazed that three weeks passed so quickly. It blows my mind to think that I’ve met all of these wonderful and unique people quite recently, and yet I have put so much trust into them, telling them things that only family and long-time friends know about me. To say that I feel grateful for the experiences I had during the trip would be a gross understatement. ‘Thank you’ doesn’t even begin to cover it. My experience with GLA was truly memorable and inspiring. Most of all, it led me to learn even more about myself. Being put in a foreign environment with new people, a different language, and a brand new set of everyday challenges taught me this important lesson: I can do it. Even when confronted with some of my biggest fears, even when battling paralyzing self-doubt and anxiety and being pushed to my physical and emotional limits, I am 100% capable of conquering every obstacle in my way. The same goes for everyone else who experienced GLA with me this summer. It was such an honor to know every single one of you, to share in the blood, sweat and tears that come with our work. From beginning to end, GLA Guatemala has been the experience of a lifetime for me, and I will never forget what I have gained from every minute of this trip. Again, though these words could never say enough, I thank you. Wishing you all the best in life,

-Eleanora (aka Ella aka Genghis Khan) Brown

Reflections

For the past few weeks it has been a pretty exciting trip and it has been a great experience especially with everyone else in the group, who I have made friends with. The best thing about this trip is not only the community service work and learning about a new culture, but also the new friendships I made during this trip. I have come out of my comfort zone and let myself be more open to everyone else and that has opened a new path for me. I have become very close with the people I least expected and I have been improving the comfort level I have with talking with new people. The community service has got me to work closely with children who are less fortunate and they have taught me the importance of having harmony in a community and looking after one another. When two little girls came up to me and my group about helping a students mother who was ill, I was bit shocked at how many people were helping contribute with the situation of another student in the school. These students care about each other. They have become a huge and big family. And they aren’t the only ones that have become a big family. My GLA group has become close together with each other and we all share a big experience that has now impacted our lives. I don’t expect many others to understand what it feels like to go to this trip. But, I do know that we are the only ones who can understand each other in a personal level then most people do at this given moment when we went to this trip.

-Elvis

Weekend Excursion to Lake Atitlan:

Thankful

So we all survived the earthquake. It was apparently recorded as a 7.1, but here in Xela it was felt to be somewhere more like a 6.6. I think it woke all of us up and shook our beds, but we are all safe and most of us ended falling back asleep.

Here at GLA (and in Guatemala) we learn pretty quickly about being adaptable and open to change, so the earthquake today was a good lesson in that. Though we woke up at our usual time to be ready for the 7:30 breakfast, we were promptly informed that the service for the day would be cancelled. In fact, school in general will be closed until Wednesday as a safety precaution, but we will be returning to the school regardless starting tomorrow. Hopefully the wall wasn’t harmed, but if it was, we´ll gladly redo the work, so that we can finish the project in the time we have left.

For our friends and family back home, these 21 days probably feel like a long time. For those of us here, though, the days are busy, but pass by faster than I ever thought they would. We have enough down time to be able to be productive and helpful, but the rest of the time we live a life that feels fast-paced. We are constantly creating and deepening relationships, and we definitely aren´t afraid of getting our hands dirty. Many of us haven´t laughed this much in months.

Still, we miss you guys dearly. Even the greatest of adventures doesn’t match up to the feeling of sliding under your own covers at night, or having that one meal that your mom makes better than anyone else. I think there is a general feeling of gratitude among all of us. We are so glad to be here, for sure, but we are also so appreciative that we have the support from our parents while we are here and while we are away.

So instead of building and painting cement, we watched Frozen and made snacks in front of the TV, taking some breaks to play games or make friendship bracelets for the kids at the school. A group of us played Monopoly, which quickly became corrupt when someone (ahem Max C.) added a few extra zeroes to the one dollar bills. He won, by the way. By a landslide.

We had a lunch of spaghetti—the first pasta in Guatemala!—and went to our tri-weekly Spanish classes. It was a really good class today. We did an hour of our regular lessons and then all piled into the vans to head to a local orphanage. We spent an hour with the kids, playing pick-up soccer and getting to know them. We ate cake and took pictures together. Many of the children learned what a ¨selfie¨ was today. In all it was a great experience; both playful and heartbreaking. Learning about the kids´ stories, about how they came to stay at the orphanage was difficult to hear. Girls as young as fourteen were pregnant or had children. They both would stay here, and the older kids would help raise the babies. Today, I am grateful for everything I have.

To lighten the mood, we all walked downtown to get ice cream, and then headed home for dinner and improv games. I´ll have you all know that we impersonated the staff impeccably.

It´s crazy to think we´re halfway done here. Crazy, of course, because it feels like we just got here. But it´s also crazy because Guatemala is not a place that caters to us as tourists. We aren´t handheld; it´s clear that we are here to work and learn and experience as much as possible. But this type of program creates space for a deeper kind of connection. Guatemala, in these short eleven days, already feels like home. –With love,

-Molly Gardner

The Learning Continues…

Today, the GLA group went to the school for community service. The projects are going along smoothly. The people working on building the wall are making tremendous progress by stacking a row of bricks every day. The other project of painting a mural is also going along well. Today was the third day of painting and I believe it will be done by tomorrow. I’m really excited to see the reactions of the children when they see it. The mural is a visual representation of the children and teacher’s values. The mural team wanted to paint a mural that has the children’s voice, not the team’s. Everyone seemed like having fun and getting along. We’re all working and playing hard. Later in the afternoon, we went to a building in Xela to learn about the marimba, a xylophone-like instrument. It was intriguing to learn about the history and influence the marimba had in Guatemala. Students had the opportunity to try playing the marimba. For me, it seemed easy while watching but in reality like learning any instrument, it was difficult at first. After learning about the marimba, the group went to a chocolate store to learn about cocoa and its importance in many aspects. This was the highlight of my day and I think for others too. We dipped fruit in chocolate and while so listening to the history of chocolate. In the evening, we had a guest speaker to talk about the Guatemalan civil war. The speaker discussed about issues concerning the civil war. In the end, the speaker talked about how the peace treaty was not fulfilled and still today the living conditions of people remained unchanged. The discussion was engaging and it was interesting to have someone who had first-hand experience with this event. I feel I have gained a new perspective from this discussion and see an event through another person’s lenses. I hope tomorrow is another day in which I grow more, learn more, experience more, and live life to the fullest.

-Michelle Choe

Halfway Through

I see the early morning wakeups as a blessing, rather than a struggle. I have come to realize how much I thrive on waking up to faces I feel connected to, and sharing my time with them. Yesterday morning, we awoke to another glorious breakfast from our kitchen staff, before our journey to the artisan town of San Andres, where we were given insight into the ways of the people of this colorful, proud town. Once we arrived, I quickly took notice of the large number of women wearing their traditional dress, and thriving to maintain their culture. At the school we are working at, most of the children choose not to wear the typical dress due to discrimination, while the children in this town seem to wish to maintain this aspect of their culture from an early age. We viewed several yellow churches, representing spirituality, and containing influences of both Catholicism and traditional Mayan religion. Finally, we were invited to indulge in hot chocolate and bread after having explored Mayan embroidery and a traditional sauna (and encountering some irresistible kittens). As the marimba played while we drank our hot chocolate, and a traditional dance was presented, I couldn’t help but consider the perpetual kindness that has been showered on us by the Guatemalan communities. We have been graciously welcomed into their community by all of our speakers, guides, members of the school, and even those we have no personal connection to.

We went back to home base for lunch, and afterwards went to a textile workshop, where we quickly learned that the process was much more difficult than we had imagined. Afterwards, we toured another church before heading back to home base for another delicious dinner, and bonding within our community.

The next morning we were supposed to continue our work at the school, but our plans were altered due to an early morning earthquake. This was my first earthquake experience, and as Celina said, I can now add this to my “travel resume!” We will hopefully come close to finishing our mural at the school on Tuesday. Before we started our mural, we had a discussion with the kids about what they hoped to see in their community, and unity and harmony were heavy, recurring themes. These words have lingered in my mind, and I’ve quickly grown a personal connection to them. What those children want to see in their school, neighborhood, and daily life, I see flourishing more and more within our community at home base. I have incessant gratitude for the community we have manifested during our first eleven days in Guatemala. Each of us are different, yet intertwined in our purpose. We are already halfway through the program, and I look forward to the remaining ten days with the lovely people I have come to know.

-Rachel Pentz

Progress!

Huge progress was made today at the service site due to the fact that there were no children at the school. My team, which was building the wall, set a personal goal to complete 2 of its rows. While this may not seem like a lot, these 2 rows could take at least 2+ days on an average day. Within the first hour and a half, we had already completed the first row and were prepared to take a break. A group of us found a small ball, and played a hilarious and intense game of girls vs. boys soccer where in the end the boys won 8-6. ​Meanwhile, the muralists finished painting almost half of the mural which has turned out spectacularly.

Spanish class took an unexpected turn when dozens of the spanish tutors guided us into an old cemetery in Xela. We worked on our conversational spanish as we walked through the streets and heard the story of Vanushka and how she died waiting for the love of her life to return to her.

In honor of the birthday girl, Jules, after spanish,the mentors threw her a surprise birthday party with music, party hats, dancing, and decorations. It was a blast and there was even cake and some small fireworks. There were many laughs and sparklers lit.

It is truly humbling to witness a group of people who has met so recently working cohesively as a team. I am so thankful for being a part of the outstanding GLA Guatemala community and for being able to immerse myself in this vibrant culture. The atmosphere here is more supportive, genuine, and down-to-earth, than any other I have ever been a part of and I’m looking forward to the next 13 days with this crazy crew.

-Natalie

 The Mural

Today, we started painting the mural! We asked students what they valued the most and what they liked about their school. It was all very touching and unique. My fellow sketcher, Michelle, and I made up a sketch that the children would love and remember forever. Everyone on the mural was working really hard and got the whole outline done. It looks great so far and I’m so excited to see the outcome! Later we went to a pottery shop and I got to see someone make pottery from scratch! It was so amazing and very inspirational!

-Becca Antrim

A Full Day

Today in the GLA community we went back to work at the school in the morning, where half of us worked on the mural and the other half on a wall for a library. We mixed cement glued and hammered cinder blocks, and made significant progress. During the students’ recess, we got to play with the kids: give piggy back rides, play hand games, etc. It was amazing how enthusiastic the kids were to see and play with us. Then it was back to the Home Base for lunch, a short pitstop at a local supermarket, and Spanish class. As an interactive lesson, we took a field trip to buy fresh fruit from street vendors (making sure to learn all the Spanish names of the fruits) and brought them back to make a fruit salad. We drove back to the Home Base, had dinner and a discussion group. We were all quick to get to bed, but excited to get to work again tomorrow.

A Great Day

It’s needless to say that any day in a completely foreign country being submerged in a whole different culture would be exciting and an adventure, however today was unique to me and many other students. Today was the first day that we were at the school and got to interact with the children. Yesterday we all went to the school for the first time, but seeing as how it was a national holiday, none of the students were there. My group continued to build a wall for the soon-to-be library whereas the other group began to collaborate with the students to discover what was important to them and what made them happy in order to help decide what should be painted on the new mural.

There was no easy way to approach the kids at the school today without coming across as a little bit creepy, but once we got over the language barrier and started engaging with the kids, we all were running around with kids dangling from our arms and backs as we chased 10 other kids. I’m definitely ready to spend he next three weeks with these adorable kids as well as teach them a class or two of English.

After we got home from the school, we all ate lunch and settled in to watch the USA vs. Belgium game (with an unfortunate loss) and then set off for an unforgettable Salsa lesson. My thoughts going into lesson were that we were going to learn some basic salsa moves, maybe even a couple intermediate ones to show off to our friends once we got back home. I was completely wrong. We were learning not only the basic steps, but intermediate and more advanced moves that inspired us to want to have a Salsa showcase where couples will sign up an to compete for the ultimate title of the Salsa Champion (aka me and Charlie Dracos because we rock)

I love the community that all we all have built here in Guatemala. Although everyone has come from different backgrounds or stories, no one is discriminated and everyone is included as well as equal. The way I see it: there are people that will fade in and out of your life and there are people that you do life with and will stick with you through thick and thin. I want to do life with my family in Guatemala because they encourage and support me in everything that I’ve done and it’s only been 5 days. I know it may seem naïve to trust people so soon after such a short period of time, but I can say whole-heartedly that you will never meet another group of kids and mentors like this. Today was a good bonding experience for my team who was building the wall because we found that without teamwork and cohesion, we couldn’t get our job done quickly and efficiently. We tend to carry out this idea of teamwork and cohesion back at the home base, whether it’s when we are doing the dishes and trying to finish quickly to move on to our next task or even something as simple as being flexible when making a shower schedule so that everyone can shower at a decent hour. I’m excited for what the future holds for all of here in Xela for the next 16 days.

-Sadie Weston

Service & Spanish

Yesterday was a very busy day for the GLA Guatemala team. We began service, began our Spanish lessons, and went on a tour of Xela with our Spanish instructors. Yesterday was a national holiday, so none of the students or teachers were at the school. Initially we split into two groups, those building the wall and those working on the mural. I will be working on the mural with one of out wonderful mentors, Celina. We took inventory on our supplies and made a wish-list of the items that we needed. After this was done we assisted the wall building team by forming an assembly line to transport rocks and sand out of the school yard. After this we headed home for a delicious lunch cooked at the home base and shortly after left for Spanish lessons. We split into 3 groups- beginner, intermediate, and advanced. I joined the intermediate group and we conjugated verbs, sang and danced with our mentor. Shortly followed by this was a tour of the beautiful town of Xela, where we will be staying for the majority of our trip. The instructors took us all around but explained 4 spaces in detail- el teatro municipalidad, el catedral catolica, central park, and the governor’s estate. The residents of Xela have such an amazing sense of pride in their culture and surroundings. It is much different than US in this sense, but also in the warm welcoming from the Guatemalan population as a whole. Even though we have only been in Guatemala for a short time, I feel like I have known the people in the group my entire life. It’s great to be living with a group of such caring, fun individuals. As a group we did a “personality test” more or less through a game called cool as a cucumber, hot as a tamale. The group started out on one line and individuals moved forward or back in response to questions asked by the mentors and then mid-way we rotated and moved forward or back according to new questions. At the end we were separated into 4 quadrants representing 4 different types of leaders- architects and analysts, drivers, spontaneous motivators, and relationships masters. At first people seemed confused by their results, but most everyone ended up in agreement with their results in the given circumstances. It is clear to me already that everyone is very excited and dedicated to the work we are doing here in Guatemala. I am excited to see what else this beautiful country have in store for me as an individual and the group as a whole as we continue our service and travels.

– Lexi Hyde

First Day at Home Base

Today was our first full day at the home base and to be completely awesome. Everyone is super friendly and it is nice to feel settled into the place that will become our home for the next three weeks. As well as this being our first day at our home base, we also experienced our first adventure. After breakfast, we jumped into the van and drove to a spot where we transitioned into riding in the back of pickup truck to venture where our GLA vans could not. After that, we started our hour and a half hike up the inactive volcano, Laguna de Chicabal. The hike was challenging, the scenery was beautiful, and once we reached the top of the volcano there was a sacred lake which we sat by and ate snacks. We came back to the home base we had a dance party outside, made friendship bracelets, watched the world cup and made our home base flag.  It was a wonderful day.

-Sonja O’Brien

First Days

We’ve Arrived!

All 22 students have arrived and spoken with their parents! Photos and blog posts to follow! 

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