Last Day

Today is our last day in Guatemala. When we headed down to Guatemala, I was prepared for things to end up not going the way everyone wanted. That was definitely true as a volcano erupted, tropical storm Agatha destroyed houses and towns all over Guatemala, and we didn't teach at the school for a week.
As today continues, I am struck by how upset I am to leave. At my house, someone is always home to welcome us with a smile and a conversation. Last night, my host grandmother, Amalia, gave me and my roomate Jessica yet another present, a scarf and some postcards, to go along with sevceral earlier presents. The two little girls that live at home, Clara and Amalia, have really started to like us, which is an acheivement from how little they would say to us when we first got here. I am increadibly sad to have to leave and say goodbye to all the amazing people that come and go in an endless stream at home.
This morning, the morning group had their goodbye party at the school in San Pedro. I am part of the afternoon group, so we have not yet had our fiesta. I already think that I will cry when we say goodbye to the kids because even though we did not know them very well and we've only been at the school for a week, they already do care about us. The little girls that run up and say, "Profe juega quien se lleva" or "teacher come play tag with us" will always be part of my memories here.
Overall, I think this trip has taught me more about who I am as a person and what it means to really care about other people then anything else. The Guatemalan people are truely amazing with their ability to continue smiling even though their houses are destroyed and their country is still recovering, and will be, from the disastors that have continuously struck them. As we've driven through Guatemala on our excursions, we've seen 4 lane highways turned into 2 lane highways, and houses covered in 5 feet of mud. The faces of the people are tired and you can tell they are worn out, but they still have time for a smile or a wave, if you give them one. Everything that we've gone through as a group, getting soaked and any problems we've had with each other, is worth it, knowing that the kids we taught will miss us, even though its only been a week, and that we've had at least a small impact on a big problem.

Soccer Game & Water Park

Yesterday was a hardcore day. The bus dropped us off at San Antonio Aguas Calientes and we walked to the soccer field from there. It was cloudy but as we approached the field the sun began shining through the clouds. I had thought this would be a harder game than the one last week because we had less players on our team. Luckily, some teachers from Sevilla joined our to team to help out. Unexpectedly, I felt that it was much eiser to run during the second game probably because I had become accostomed to the high altitude. The final score ended up being Sevilla: 5 and PHA: 4. However, we scored the last goal and therefore we won.
As I was walking to the water park after the game I was sweating bullets and I just could't wait to jump in the pool. I didn't care how cold the water would be. When we arived at the water park I was amazed by how beatiful and eye-catching it was. I didn't hesitate to climb to the top and go off the water slide. The first few times the landing was uncomfortable as my butt kept hitting the bottom, but then I learned that I had to use my arms to slow down. Besides the water slide I swam in the big pool and the smaller one. I had a lot of fun jumping off the diving board and doing cannon balls.
After a couple hours lunch was ready and I had the biggest appetite to eat it. The teachers at Sevilla cooked grilled steak, guacamole, tortillas, beans, and salsa. After lunch I did some soccer tricks with Mr. Cantu and a few other people. As we left the water park I had not realized how tired I had been because I was too happy to notice.

Thoughts While Fishing

As I sat at the little fish pond where 4 people and I were fishing many thoughts were going through my head. One of them was "Why won't these damn trout bite my line?" among many others. In that peaceful setting I began to think about everything else that had happened during the trip. Our arrival 2 weeks ago in the rain, the arrival of tropical storm agatha, and the near destruction of San Pedro. I thought about how working in that setting changed who I was as a person in a mere instant. When i walked into that village and looked at the houses... my heart fell into my stomach. I nearly cried looking at the destroyed houses, and the families that had lived in them. I was in utter awe of everything i was looking at. It looked like a war zone. In that single moment, I became so much more grateful for everything I had ever recieved in my life, and began to feel like a horrible person for everything I had complained about in the past. In that moment, I grabbed my crowbar put on my gloves, and got to work.

I remember not caring at all how long i had to work for. For a few days, i went to San Pedro every day that week, some days for morning and afternoon shifts. I made a few new friends, including 2 Canadian guys who were pretty much exact replicas of my Uncle (my favorite uncle from canada). In working there i also made stronger bonds with the people i was working with, realizing that possibly a few of them were going through what i was experiencing as well. As i was thinking about this, i finally got a bite, which distracted me briefly. It was a tiny and pitiful fish, so I threw it back. I returned to my thoughts, now turning to the lake we had gone to before, aka Lago Atitlan. It was probably the most beautiful thing i had ever seen, even with some trash in the lake. I had so much fun there, despite hurting my back on a dive and having to lifeguard-save three people. Jumping off a 25 foot high deck and the view made up for that. As nostalgia about the lake set in I finally got a bite, and ended up catching a large trout. SUCCESS! After this we left, to pick berries.

I think what I can take away from these thoughts is the fact that despite bad things and failures, life can and will go on. There are always better things that can be achieved further on in life. For example, going from small fish to big fish, San Pedro to beautiful lake. Life can suck sometimes, but there is always a chance for things to get better. Fighting through the bad is what makes strong people... its what makes great people. I'm glad that I realize that now, after seeing what we all saw. I hope that everyone else on this trip has taken away something from what we saw.
Aside from my emotional thoughts about this trip, it has literally been amazing. I've loved pretty much every second of it, and am going to be very sad when we leave. New friendships made, bonds strengthened, unforgettable experiences, awesome kids, great teachers. Its been great.

I am 100% sure, I will never forget this.

Back on the Job

After a week of relief and reconstruction work in San Pedro that culminated in the handing off of bags of donations, AND a weekend filled with enjoyment and adventure at Lago Atitlan and the Yalù farm, we've finally gotten back to business teaching the enthusiastic and relentlessly smiling children at the school in San Pedro. With this morning's (Tuesday's) activities also finished, only two days of actual teaching remain.


Considering that my partner, Sergio, and I had a Personal Growth Project (PGP) focused on teaching, the last week was a loss for us in terms of progress on our project and teaching of science. However, instead we participated in some pertinent relief work, which taught us an equal amount of things (even in the realm of science).

Anyway, these past two days of teaching have been difficult because we now have to face the frustration of having to cut more and more material from our original schedule, while still keeping the necessity of integrating English in mind. Still, we're both going at the challenges with much passion and optimism, and FINALLY today we saw the success we wanted during two extended and meaningful science lessons with our two sixth grade classes.



First, with Sexto B we followed up our English lesson on the parts of a house with an activity in which all the kids built their own model houses in groups. Their engagement and creativity was impressive as they took the initiative to decorate and realistically represent the interior and exterior of a home. Next up is the lesson about electricity and circiuts, culminating in the installation of light bulbs in the kids' houses as well as the connection of the topic of energy to their base of understanding of global warming (calentamiento global).

Meanwhile, later in the morning, with Sexto A we utilized their previous knowledge of the planets to teach them the names in English and review the idea of orbit. After testing them on the basic order, we moved the class outside and lead the students in creating a model solar system with 9 students representing the 8 planets and the Sun (as seen in the pictures and video). With great interest and understanding they managed to organize themselves into the correct order, and using our explanation of the term 'orbit' they replicated the paths of revolution of the different planets.


Altogether, Sergio and I felt victorious after such success, and students already voiced desire to try further activities and simulations with science. Still, with such little time we feel the need to make every hour count, so tomorrow's classes are significant in the progress of our project. Nonetheless, we are learning to enjoy the company of the students too, as I've gotten to know many of them by name (not just by face). The fact that they are enthralled about the chances we give them to express themselves only encourages us further, whether it's at recess or in the classroom.
Furthermore, the kids have bounced back from a week out of school exceptionally. Even though we don't see them all day, their patience and focus is exceptional considering they're coming back from 5+ dats without the structure of school. This speaks even more volumes for their passion, energy, and potential that can be tapped.
Altogether, I'll be extremely sad to leave such caring individuals, but with now that I've experienced their presence I trust that with the right oversight, resources, and inspiration (such as we're trying to instill) they'll move on capably and survive the best they can in the circumstances that are Guatemala's (and poorer San Pedro's) reality. The plan is to close with a bang, but I'm not thinking about this as an ending, rather as a beginning, a jumping off point, as I take the last days here one step at a time.

The Kids Love Us =P

The kids in the san pedro school are great. They are all really crazy and energetic but they are all fun, unique individuals. I think that one thing that I love is that when they see us they would always say "HOLA PROFE!". They really look up to us and they are just so interested in us and how we are but when really I personally am more interested in getting to know them and how they are. During their recreo is one of the biggest times where they come up to us and ask to play with them and these kids do alot of crazy fun things; Last time we had a danceoff. All the kids love to dance and love to see others dance no matter what type of dance it might be. They would always come up to me and to do some dance move but sadly i dont know every dance move in the world. Anyways so here is a video that shows some of the fun we have and how the kids react to us.

2 bags of clothing, a bar of soap, and a tube of toothpaste...

Today, we neither taught nor helped clean up in San Pedro. Instead, the whole group went after lunch and gave out the donated clothing we'd collected before leaving the US. We gave it all to the 14 families who we've been helping this week--first by clearing their ruined houses, then by cleaning the sites, and now by giving them things we have in excess and they no longer have.

Arriving was different from the rest of the times I'd gone this week. In my van, for most of the way there, it was dead silent. Everyone seemed to be thinking. I simply looked out the window and thought about the difference we'd seen in just five days. It's remarkable. A neighborhood that was laid to waste just a few days ago was already revitalized and buzzing with a sense of hope. When we stopped on the hillside where we'd been working--this time wearing sandals and relatively nice clothes rather than work boots and old jeans--we attracted some stares.

Then we brought out 28 trash bags filled to bursting with donated goods: clothing for all ages and genders (and tastes), shoes of all sizes, and a few thousand stuffed animals, among other things. The manner of the stares changed. A collection of eager kids gathered around us. We paired up in twos and stood, waiting, as a crowd of somber adults descended the hill in our direction. Elaine and I went first. Each of us holding a trash bag (and Elaine some soap and toothpaste), we approached the women who seemed to have presented themselves as the first people to recieve the regalos. We explained the contents of each bag as they watched us with careful but grateful eyes. They thanked us, we wished them luck, they placed the bags carefully on their heads, and they walked away. This process repeated itself thirteen more times: the tired people, each with their own way of showing thanks, and the nervous students, wary of seeming condescending.

I got out my camera, having changed my Personal Growth Project from documenting the school in San Pedro to documenting the cleanup from the tropical storm, and started taking photographs. I felt strange, snapping away with my expensive camera while these people were standing here accepting old clothing, but that's what I'd done all week, having explained to them that I was going to use these photos to help them by showing people in the US what their lives are like now. I hope that you, if you are reading this from far away, will see them as such.

Maybe you're thinking ... why am I here?

Hi everyone!

It's so exciting to read your stories from Antigua. Seeing the pictures and reading your names and realizing who's on this journey just makes me smile. I remember showing you all pictures from the first junior journey back when you were freshmen and you all asking ... "can we do that when we're juniors?" It's amazing how fast time has flown ... and here you are!

Isn't it strange how things happen? Here you thought you were going to Guatemala to learn Spanish and teach English - and now you're involved in something so much bigger than yourselves. I guess I know a little something about how you're probably feeling right now ... The amazing thing about your being there at this time, is that you can be a source of so much joy for people who are really scared right now. You know that your families are safe. You know that you will have warm homes to return to. So now your job is to just be with people who's present and future might be a little more uncertain. And that means playing with little kids, smiling a lot, and practicing your Spanish by asking people how they're doing - and actually listening to the answer. You don't have to be a psychologist or some kind of expert in anything. Just be yourselves and you will be amazed at how much good your presence alone will do.

Please keep writing and telling more stories! It's good for all of us to read, and it's good for you to write for an audience because it will help you to clarify your thinking. I have graduation here in Haiti on Saturday - then I'll be home on Sunday (unfortunately not in time for PHA graduation.) So I guess I'll see you all when you get back. Enjoy some tortillas and the huge avocados and the pollo campero for me!

Have fun and be safe!!

Much love from Haiti,
Ms Bowman

Helping Out San Pedro

After the tropical storm that passed Guatemala, the department known as Sacapetequez which we are in was greatly affected. Although everyone knows that we are safe, I just want to reassure the readers back home that we are all perfectly fine! Because of the storm, the school where we teach in San Pedro was canceled for the entire week,so on Monday we went to San Pedro to see if we could help out the families who had lost everything. We were the first group to see the the disastruous effects caused by the storm which were saddening,but at the same time surreal. The group began to walk from the school to the homes closest to the top and as we reached our destination point the area got worse and worse. When we reached the top, I was in shock. The earth below us was split in two with trash inside of the crevice, aluminum roofs pushed to the sides, furniture infront of the homes, pieces of wood mounted on top of each other, and the families working to clear and rebuild their homes. I felt as if I was at home watching CNN , but I wasnt. It was hard for me to really accept and internalize what had occurred because it´s one thing to hear about situations and events like this one and another to actually be placed in the situation itself. I was helping out along with everyone else,but it was such an elusive concept to really take in. Personally, when I saw the crumbled homes I didn´t know what to feel because I never saw something such as this up close, and I didnt know how to react to it. Today was the third day working to help clear out the dirt,rocks, mud, and trash,and every day it feels even more worthwhile being here. Something that we are all realizing as a group is that this trip is no longer mainly about us and immersing ourselves in a different culture, but about the families that were greatly affected and our role in restoring what they had. After working there for a couple of days now, I feel that as a group we came together and offered all that we had. It was an experience that I am still dwelling and reflecting on because of the profound impact that it had on the people, on the group,and on me. It was an amazing time and experience and I´m looking forward to returning tomorrow!

Nuestro Español Esta Mejorando

Every morning all the students arrive at Sevilla. Half go to San Pedro to partake in a community service project, however the other half participate in one on one spanish classes. The first night we got here, we were all introduced to our teacher. My teacher is Gustavo or Stevie Wonder.

I am not going lie at first I was ambivalent about the whole one on one class. I am more accustomed to being in a class. Yet to my surprise, I found that the one on one spanish classes ARE THE BEST! You are able to focus on what you need to work on and what you want to learn. I, for example, had no idea what este, ese, and aquel were used for until the other day when Gustavo explained them.

Not only are the classes intensive because of the amount of oral work you need to do, but they are also so much fun. After our break at 10 am, everyone usually gets together with another set of students or teachers and play scrabble. And yes it is in spanish. I don't like it because I think that scrabble is boring, and I can't play scrabble in english never mind spanish. Although this is very true, it is also very true that it is an excellent way to improve your spanish vocab. Therefore, it has it's uses.

Overall, I am very pleased with how intensive the classes are and how fun they are as well.