Guanaco in a Chapin world

well I want to start off by saying how being in Guatemala has been the best. I do not want to go back to the United States at all. I live with Derrell and for me to share a bedroom with someone else has been the best as well.I teach at a school in San Pedro and I teach 6A and 6B with Yasmine. So far we tought them how say body parts in english, how to say clothing in english. For my Final Project I was planning to let both class draw uniform of a sport and to label everything about the uniform.. Basically the living condition in this country is the same as the living conditions in El Salvador. I lived the way these kids are living today. The only thing that has been difficult for me has to be not connecting with my friends in the USA. but I love it here in Antigua Guatemala.
 Joshua (Flako)


I just want to start of by saying this trip so far has been so eye opening. This country is so heart warming and welcoming. Teaching my 5th grade kids in San Pedro has changed my perspective on everything. The kids are happy to see us everyday and I never get that kind of love in the U.S. Living with Joshua has been the best to because hes a native speaker and he helps me to communicate with our host family. Everyday in Guatemala has been an adventure and has changed me little by little. Thanks God for this trip.
 Derrell H. Desir (Fresco)

The Weekend

Junior journey has really been a great experience not just because of my classmates but because of the new culture we are embracing. So far it has been a weeke and a half and i say that each and every one of us has grasped onto a new idea or a part of the Guatemalan culture. We have shopped in their streets ,eaten their food, and laughed at their jokes. We have even created fun memories with our Guatemalan friends as we hiked up a volcano. It took alo of work but we all did it.

-Jisraele A.

Volcano and Los Niños

         This weekend hiked the volcano and when we got to the top I was all sweaty and red in the face and my hair was crazy, but we looked out and these giant clouds were rolling through and you could see the crater of the volcano. It was one of the most amazing things I had ever seen and getting up there after all that hard work felt really good. It was so hot you could feel the heat of the volcano and we even roasted marshmellows. It was hard, but it was worth it and it was a really great experience.
        Today in San Pedro all of the kids had recess in the same building. It was crazy, there was like 200 kids running around in the same area and they were all trying to tickle me and I ended up chasing them all around and they all wanted us to carry them and be with us. It strikes me every time we are there how much they want us to be with them and want us to be with them. It is going to be hard to leave them.

La Volcan Pacaya y la Playa

During the weekend, I had so much fun. On Saturday June 2, 2012, we had to climb Volcano Pacaya which was a challenging experience emotionally physically and mentally. I would say that you need to have food with you when you are walking and a plethora of water because you need to stay hydrated. I would say that if you are going to walk Pacaya you need to have a snicker bar or something like that so you can have energy. Energy is the key trust me. But it was very fun because I was with my friends and they gave me motivation. I would say that a sense of humor is needed on the trip as well. Other than that, climbing volcano pacaya is very challenging but something that a person should look forward. However, climbing the volcano was worth it because on June 3, which is my birthday was the best. We went to the beach but I forgot what the name of the beach was and there was a pool across the street from it. We were basically at this hotel but the waves at the beach were very dangerous because they could suck you into the water. So you need to really be an experienced swimmer. Later that night we went to a pizza place and some people ate pizza and some type of pasta and it was very delicious. I know that I enjoyed my birthday in Guatemala like I was so grateful to celebrate my birthday with everyone. Hope to blog soon.
-Nehemie Jones :)

Mi experiencia en Guatemala ha sido muy buena. Me ha gustado mucho estar en un pais diferente y estar en una cultura tan diferente que la mia. Cuando vine, estaba muy nerviosa para conocer la familia con quien iba estar por tres semanas. pero cuando la conoci, estube muy tranquila porque me hicieron sentir como si estaba en mi propia casa. Yo y mi companera ensenamos a ninos que estan en el tercer grado, y siempre se ponen muy felices cuando llegamos todos los dias. Los ninos corren donde uno y nos abrazan y siempre preguntan que vamos hacer ese dia. A ellos les gusta mucho jugar y divertirse. Este fin de semana que paso, fuimos con el grupo a la piscina y a la playa. Este viaje fue muy divertido y me gusto mucho estar en la playa. Nosotros nos vamos entre una semana devuelta para Boston, pero no me quiesiera ir. Extrano mucho a mis padres y mi casa, pero yo se que tambien cuando me vaya voy a extranar estar en Guatemala y las experiencias que estoy teniendo, especialmente a los ninos.

-Jennifer Gonzalez-Santos

My Time in Guatemala

Guatemala has been great so far. There are so many fun and interesting things here. We were busy almost all of the time with classes, fun activities and teaching. Teaching kids in San Pedro has been really fun and interesting because you learn from the kids as well as teach them some English that will help them in the future.The kids in San Pedro are so kind and enthusiastic. They fall in love with you on the first day and are energetic learners. This weekend we went to Monterico beach and we climbed Pacaya volcano. The beach had black sand which was different from the sand some of us knew in the U.S. Climbing the volcano was probably one of the most arduous thing that we had to do but in the end we all made it. The view when we finished the hike was beautiful, it was filled with clouds and horses and slippery dirt. In the end, we were  happy to have finished the hike safe and sound. I can´t imagine leaving Guatemala next week. Leaving will be as hard as climbing the volcano.
Djinnie Timoleon

Overcoming Your Fears!

My experience so far in Guatemala has been life changing. Although everything is very different than Boston, the  difference in culture is worth the experience. It is also shocking to see that while you may be living a better life, someone else is struggling. Junior journey has helped me overcome my fears. On saturday, I climbed Pacaya volcano all the way up with NO caballos (horses). I must say at the beginning it was very difficult because I never hiked but the emotions that I felt once I overcame this fear were inexplicable. If I could I would do this again!
                                                                                                                              -Christina A

A Day At The Beach

It is hard to believe that this is our last full week here. Yesterday we took a long three hour bus ride to the beach. The sand was black and it was the first time I had ever swam in the Pacific Ocean. The waves were extremely tall and dangerous. There was one point where I got knocked down by a wave and did like three somersaults. There was also a pool to swim in as well. After being in the pool and getting thrown and pushed in many times it was lunch time. It was really nice because where we were was a little vacation spot so we got to eat at the hotel. It was nice to be eating lunch and being able to hear the gigantic waves crashing on the shore at the same time. After eating lunch, we returned to the pool once more while some went back to swim in the ocean which left the insides of my bathing suit black with sand. When we got back to Antigua we changed, showered and went out to eat to a small Italian restaurant. Yes, we ate Italian food in Guatemala. It was not like what we were used to but it was still good. I cannot wait for tomorrow for the Sevilla teachers vs. PHA soccer game. They are also having a barbeque for us and there will be a pool for after the soccer game.

Yasmine Naama

Volcano Pacaya, Beach, and so much more

    In our second weekend here in Guatemala, we had the chance to climb the volcano called Pacaya. The experience was great however there were some parts where the climbing got a little scary because it got too steep or people were not feeling too well. All in all, it was great especially when we reached the top and saw the great view. We also went to the beach which was beautiful yet different especially in terms of the sand which was black instead of white and was extremely white. We had so much fun and definitely had time to unwind from the hard work every week.
     It is a little past a week and a half since we have been here in Guatemala and between working with the kids and learning Spanish at Sevilla, it has been a lot of work however, I am getting a little more used to the schedule. We only have a week and a half left and I know time will just fly by and before I know it, I will be back home in Boston.

Kimberly Germain

Once in a Lifetime Opportunity

When I first landed in Guatemala about a week and a half ago, I felt so excited. It was not because I was in an airplane or because I had never been out of the states before, however it was because of the new experience that I could already feel I was going to have. When I was in Boston, all I really knew was that I was going to a country in Latin America called Guatemala and when I was down there I was going to teach little kids English and in the afternoon I would be taking a four hour, one on one, Spanish class everyday as well. Although I knew the exact floor plan for what we were going to do and the schedule for each day it was when I started to do the actual activities everyday and see Guatemala and all of the children in the school, that I started to really see what the trip had to offer for us and the kids and I was able to see that first hand.
Every morning when I wake up in the morning I always forget for a couple of seconds where exactly I am. Then it just hits me that ´yeah, you are in Guatemala girl´. I love working with the kids and it is amazingly touching and adorable to see how much they really want you there because every time we set foot into the school, all of the children want to be around us and always want to know for certain that we will be returning the next day. The children are so energetic but for the most problem that is not a problem. I also feel really proud because along with the usual process of going into the classroom and teaching my fourth graders phrases such as ´How are you doing´, I also was able to help bring down a new game or activity for the kids to play at recess which was double dutch and I helped to teach the kids double dutch instead of the usual jumping with one rope. Now, every time at 10:30 when it is time for recess, the kids always run up to us asking, or pleading even that we jump rope together and I feel glad that I am able to entertain the kids an make them happy for the time being that I am here in Guatemala.
I know now everyday that I am here and as I look forward to activities such as climbing the volcano, I fully realize that this truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I have the opportunity to have at my fingertips.

Kimberly Germain

A Week and A Half-ish Gone

It's been a little over a week since we arrived here in Guatemala and so far things have been really interesting and I learn something new everyday. One of my favorite parts of being here in Guatemala has been teaching in San Pedro. The kids there are so excited for us to be there and I will never forget because the first day we went to the school and this one little girl who ran up and hugged me before I had even said a word to them. The kids are so open and happy about seeing us everyday. At the beginning I felt a little discouraged because I felt like the kids weren't remembering what we were teaching them, but then I remember asking one of the kids how to say one of the words and it took them a minute but then they remembered and it made me feel really good because like yeah maybe they don't speak perfect English but they know something now that I taught them and it made me feel really successful and accomplished.
The other day during my Spanish class we did a scavenger hunt for things around Antigua. My teacher was not allowed to help me and I had to ask people to help me find things and to answer questions. One of the questions was the full name of the mayor of Antigua and at first I only had three of his names, he has three, so I asked one of the policemen and he radioed someone and asked for the full name. It was so nice of him and that experience was really interesting because I was able to walk around and see many parts of Antigua that I wouldn't have otherwise as well as learn some about the culture and traditions of Antigua and of Guatemala and practice my Spanish with lots of different people all at the same time. It was a really fun and educational experience and I hope that over the next weeks I will continue to learn and grow and have fun with the kids and have new experiences every bit as great as the ones I've already had.