Getting off the Plane by Lucy

As soon as we stepped off the airplane, we were greeeted with an incredible amount of heat, and I could tell we were not in United States anymore. As we exited the airport, I saw a sea of people dressed in bright colors and traditional clothing. We passed through the sea of people to make our way to our bus, which seemed familiar - like a school bus from America - but when we got inside, music videos were being projected from a TV at the front of the bus. We started to drive - leaving Guatemala City to go to Antigua. I sat, staring out the window at the colorful houses, the mountains in the background, and the billboard signs. What surprised me the most, were the American billboard signs - we saw McDonald´s, Papa Johns, and more - it was like a little reminder of home. We finally arrived in Antigua, and the bus pulled over by the old church. From there we were driven to homestay families, and I looked out the window documenting the differences between Boston, Massachusetts and Antigua. The houses were all one story and bright colors, and from every place you could see beautiful mountains and volcanoes in the background. As we finally pulled up to our homestay house, my stomach was filled with butterflies because Junior Journey finally felt real, and I knew I was about to start a new journery in my life.

Coco by Georgia Beckmann

(This was written last Sunday) 

I walk, smiling, with five quetzales in my hand and a friend beside me. When we reached the ice cream shop near the Sevilla school, I ordered a "coco", a coconut popsicle. Normally, I hate coconut, but this helado, like nearly everything else here, has been unexpectedly, extraordinarily amazing.

The night before we left, I didn't sleep, not for excitement, but because I was paralyzed with nerves. Guatemala was going to be a lot of firsts for me; my first time leaving the country, my first time being away from my family for so long. I had no idea what to expect, just like when I first tried a coco, and I was terrified. However, within about 3 days here I felt at ease and at home. 

One of the major things that helped me to become accustomed to being here  was teaching, which went by way too quickly. Due to scheduling, our last class will be on Monday, and when I told one of our students this, her face fell with shock and I realized just how much I would miss our class. I will miss each day, being greeted with  bright faces, eager to learn about the simplest of things, like the alphabet and how to count, to more complex things like how to say nieto and medusa in English. I will miss how each day during recess, we would play "gatito and ratita" and get tackled with hugs. I will miss Flor, Mildred, Humberto, Andy, and all the other students whose excitement and passion helped me to find some of my own. They helped me to discover my openness to try new things, like the blue jello they sell at the school, the new foods our homestay mom makes, and climbing up a waterfall. They helped me to realize that sometimes you need to put yourself out there. Even though you know there is some risk, like when they try to pronounce new vocabulary, or when I conjugate in new tenses with my teacher, or when my friends and I jumped off the balcony into the lake, you have to give it your all. 

To conclude, I wouldn't say that I feel like a different person here, just a person who likes things I never liked or knew I liked before- like coconut popsicles. And although I can feel this popsicle melting away, with only 8 days left, I am saddened that it will soon be gone, but forever grateful to have gotten to have it. 

Lake by Sam Goldstein-McGowan

As we get off the bus at a small market we were all truly amazed by the sight we saw.  A beautiful lake with clouds above it were on the horizon.  The sun was rising and and everyone ran out to take pictures.  I didn´t expect the view to be so beautiful.  After we all took some photos we were back on the bus and the next thing I knew were walking towards the lake.  As we get onto the boat, the view was just as beautiful as I imagined it would be from afar.  The deep blue water and a slight breeze.  While on the boat, the people who didn´t know how to swim were all talking about how they weren´t going to swim, not even try.  Next thing you know people are diving off the side of a ledge and the people who said they would refuse to swim were in the water like everyone else.  I helped some people with how to keep themselves afloat, and for a bit we were all just there in the water helping each other and laughing and having fun.  Many people conquered their fears, but I guess that´s what Guatemala has done to us.  We expect something to come out a certain way but it actually turned out completeñy different.  If you told me that I would feel comfortable talking to kids only in Spanish and try to teach them English, I´d think you were crazy, but just like the lake, it turned out very differently then how anyone expected it to go.  And I think I like the way it turned out.

Medical Kits by Adnil Gutara

As I finished my last bite of dinner with my homestay family, I decided to ask my homestay mom about how visits to the hospital worked in Guatemala. My roommate had just gotten sick and had gone to see a doctor to get it checked out. Although I was expecting some of the differences she mentioned, her answer took me by surprise. She explained how she had needed spinal surgery one time and had to wait a month to be treated. She told me how she had to stay in the hospital for that entire month because if she decided to go home she would lose her bed and place in line. She told me about the bed she slept in and how it had a hole in the middle but she couldn't leave it because that would mean she couldn´t get the surgery she needed. I then asked if they would make people who needed urgent care wait too, and she replied that not only would they have to wait, but if they couldn´t afford to pay the bill they wouldn´t be treated. They would be left to die. She then went on to explain how when you walk into a hospital in Guatemala, you are walking into a business. Everything you need is sold. If you are in need for surgery, you would need to purchase the materials that would be used during your surgery. I then realized that for many impoverished families, purchasing expensive medical kits for surgery wasn´t a possibility . In the future I would love to come back and do my part in fixing this issue.

Experiencing a new Medjie by Medjie

Today we went somewhere called Hermano Pedro, where we were informed about doing community service. For the community service project we were supposed to be planting trees so I assumed that we would go to a park or school and plant trees there. Boy was I wrong! I found myself and my fellow Junior Journey friends in a the FOREST! I was fine at first but a little out of my comfort zone while hiking up this mountain but the thing is I have hiked up a mountain before in the states but this time I felt something was different. We each carried 3 trees up to where we were planting them which happened to be under a waterfall. We planted for about hour and I was complaining about wanting to go home then, they announced that we would be hiking up the waterfall. When I tell you I, Medjie Philippe left my body that is facts. I was scared at first then something over came me. I did not care about getting dirty, wet, and I was not scared anymore. I was excited. I went from the back of the group to the front climbing rock by rock and almost falling SO MANY times but I felt adventurous. I felt good being able to say I successfully hiked up there. I literally saw myself through a whole lens. I saw a fun adventurous Medjie who was confident and ready to take risks. After that situation I have come to the conclusion that the Medjie I saw today is the Medjie I want to see in the world everyday of my life.

Smiling Faces by Lyndbergh

On my bus ride to San Pedro I had a bunch of emotions. I don't know what they were, but I knew it was far from normal. I remember the intense heat from the Guatemalan sun, the smell of gasoline and the piercing eyes of the street vendors. But I also remember walking in to San Pedro, all of those things disappearing. I remember seeing these kids, all with smiles ear to ear, but at the same time different with all their unique qualities. When I was seated and waiting for the welcome ceremony to begin all the kids were overflowing with joy. I expected them to be happy and somewhat shy, but these kids welcomed us in to their community without showing any kind of shyness. Then their national anthem started playing and all at out once they all started singing. The genuine happiness is nothing like what I would see back in an America. The excitement that I saw in those kids will forever change my perspective on education and how I approach school. They were grateful to be in school and were ready to be taught by us. This will forever make me grateful for what I have and be aware that others around me aren't as fortunate.

United States vs. Guatemala: Native to Alien - Vernesha Bruceus

                                                                                  Journal Entries
June 7, 2016
10:00 a.m. here, 12 p.m. back home. I´ve seen, heard, smelled, and experienced many thngs. Eight days in, and I feel like I´ve been here for a month. As I sit here at this school in San Pedro, I think especially about the things I´ve seen. Students, Guatemalan culture, coffee museum, house at San Antonio, streets, boat ride, lake, Monoloco and more.

Students:
I eventually ended up meeting my students two days after our arrival, Van (my teaching partner) and I met all 34 of them. The first day I was VERY nervous. Thinking about the 34 eyes, ears, bodies, and mouths that would be facing me, and were ready to rely on Van and I for their learning and understanding of a new language. I was expected to teach a language I knew in a language in which I was at a mediocre level of speaking. When I walked in, my nerves were at ease when Van and I heard voices simultaneously say "Buenos Dias Seño como esta pase adelante," translation: "Good morning Sir/Ma´am how are you? Come on in." Somehow they didn't even need an introduction from us. But as we tried we were still strugglig to understand the students, as they struggled to understand us. Standing in front of the 34 4-foot bodies, I managed to mix my Spanish with English and especially Haitian Creole, mixing my "tus" with "ous"and "hacers" with "fe." This is a challenge I have continued to face, but my students, and my four-hour Spanish lessons have taken me through every step of the way, to make it more of a learning experience and less of a struggling experience.

Guatemalan culture:
Coffee museum, Azotea, Atitlan Lake, San Antonio, and simply walking in the streets. For continous days during my journey, I´ve witnessed many women ride motorcycles as my peers said. They would ride them like a professional biker that I am used to seeing at home, who are usually men. They´d even ride men around on their motorcyles! When going to San Antonio, I came to realize that gender roles are less prominent here in Guatemala. I learned that men plan weddings, and women bring gifts to their significant other's family. The few gender roles that define this culture, are the manufacturing of the beautiful tapestries, clothing, and traditional Mayan household where they served the traditional Pepian. When I went there, I got to embrace the Guatemalan culture in many different ways, one of which was by buying my 100 quetzales white and purple poncho.

Guatemala:
A place that is more beautiful than advertised. Where everywhere you go, someone waves and says "¡Buenos Dias!" A place where like America, there are Burger Kings, Dunkin Donuts, Wendy's, KFCs, and more "American like" stores that lay on the sides of the streets made of stones. Where the people know more of Guatemala's beauty than their foreigners assume before going there. Besides beauty, countries do have their flaws, but Guatemala is a beautiful place that is more than just its beauty and poverty, one would understand if they experienced it for themselves.

This is Real by Rochellyne

Journal Entry 4
06-11-16

"Today was something else. It all started at the bus stop waiting for the bus to arrive. We're all standing there bright eyed, bushy tailed and optimistic high school Juniors transforming in to Seniors. After filling the back of the bus with the little tree saplings, we went on our way. With every twist and turn of the bus, my music seemed to make me more and more anxious. "Where are we going?" "How long is this bus ride going to be?" "What is the purpose?" All these questions start fluttering around my head like the butterflies in my stomach. Not butterflies cause I was scared or nervous but butterflies because I was finally going somewhere that felt like home. We are on our way to a place that will engulf us with trees, that when we are compared to them, we are the ants and they are the people. Before I know it, I was handed 3 trees and told to wait over by the rest.Uphill, downhill and ledges. Every step we took, brought us closer to our destination which, at this point wasn't verified yet. After planting my trees, I felt accomplished and safe. Just looking around at my surroundings made me happy. I took a deep breath and felt so free."

I was leaping from rock to rock and it felt real for once. This is when it finally hit me that I was in Guatemala. Boston isn't a place where you can find yourself climbing up waterfalls and connecting with people through these experiences. Even getting off the plane wasn't enough for me. I had been living here for about a week and a half and still just believed if I had walked down the street, I would be back in Medford, Massachusetts. And now I feel as if I am truly in a new place, outside of my comfort zone and ready to make a difference.

I wasn't Ready by Rakeb

After experiencing a week and a half in Guatemala my biggest fear were the stray dogs in San Pedro. But today proved me totally wrong. When I was told that we were planting trees today, I expected a lot of flat land, bushes and quiet. I didn't expect to walk on mini-hills, climb a waterfall, and rock climb with no support. After a peaceful hour of planting trees, my death sentance was awaiting me. I was told we would be climbinmg up a waterfall. This waterfall was about 50 feet high and there were jagged rocks you had to climb to get to the highest point. I was nervous just looking at the waterfall, I didn't know how I was going to climb it. But I didn't climb it alone. I had the physical and emtional support of my friends and teachers. Once we all reached the top the view was amazing. But the only think I could think about was the climb down. But once again I prevailed with the help of those around me. At the end of the trip I felt accomplished, but then I remembered. I STILL HAVE TO CLIMB A VOLCANO!

Experiencing a new lifestyle - Wens Dorvil

When I first arrived in Guatemala, the first thing that came to my mind was being able to speak Spanish with those living here for them to understand me. When I was on the school bus going to Antigua from the Guatemala City airport, I saw several differences from the United States. I saw school buses fully decorated from outside the bus to even inside the bus with a flat screen TV in it playing music videos. I saw buildings with paintings all over that represent the people of Antigua. I noticed that cobble stones are used for the streets. One huge change that shocked me was that you cannot flush your toilet paper after using the bathroom. After hearing that, I realized that not every country functions the same as the U.S. and this was a perfect trip to expierence a new lifestyle for three weeks. Every breakfast, lunch, and dinner there was a plethora of food I had never tasted or seen before. Going on this trip gave me the opportunity to eat homemade guatemalian food. Going to the San Pedro school to teach kids English was also new to me because I have never been the teacher of thirty students in two classes. Having to adress the class in a different language from the language I usually speak in pushed me out of my comfort zone and I am glad it did because I no longer have that fear in me.

DAY 5 by Van Baillard

I had only been 5 days in Antigua, Guatemala and everything was so exciting. Landing in a new country, meeting my host parents, eating some of the local food, seeing the kids and already knowing which student would be my favorite, We even played soccer while it was pouring rain outside but that changed on day 5. That day I woke up with a major stomach ache and not wanting to do anything but stay in my bed. When it was about 30 minutes before we left to wait for the bus that brought us to the school that we were teaching at, one of my roomates called Mr. Martinez and he came right away. I told him about my stomache ache and he told me that I should stay home and rest. As they left and as I rested alone in my room, I thought to myself "Man this sucks why do I have to get sick". I wanted to go home back to my house with my actual family. I was starting to miss them but when I was feeling better and was able to go to the night activity we had that night I relized that I didnt wanna go home just yet. I was happy and getting sick shouldn't stop me from missing out on all the fun that was being prepaid for us. I'm glad that I stayed because I would have missed out from many interesting activities.

Lost Keys by Benjamin Bergman

Friday, 6/10/16
Antigua, Guatemala

While we were eating lunch, I noticed that Alex and Van had been missing for a while. I asked Cristina, "¿debo llamarlos?", and she said, "sí". After climbing the stone stairs, I found Alex pacing the hallway. He seemed anxious, so I asked him, "What happened?". As he told me, I couldn't contain my laughter at the absurdity of the situation. He had locked his key in his room (behind a giant metal door), and then while taking a shower also locked the spare key in his room. I went down to tell Cristina about the problem, and she replied that they had no extra keys. Alex's room, like the rest of ours, is on the second floor. The only other entrance to his room is a window facing the street. Romeo borrowed a ladder from next door, and I went downstairs to help him position it. I soon realized that climbing the ladder was not an option for Romeo because of his health. Without hesitation, I ascended the ladder to Alex's window. I boosted myself into the open window and triumphantly let Alex into his room. Afterwards, we finished lunch.

How Guatemala changed me -Maya Elysse

I'm finally here in Guatemala! It's so beautiful out here! So many different types of flowers, animals,people, and foods. It's been a week and a half I've been here and I extremely miss my family. I didn't think that I would miss my family so much! I call them every night to see what they are doing and how they are doing. I've been to a foreign country before but nothing like where I've been. The language is different and the food too! Coming to this country opened my mind and eyes. This country made me see that you shouldn't  be afraid to try new things. Another thing that this place opened my eyes too is being able to create great bonds with my classmates. Not only with classmates but with teachers also. The bonds that you make with the teachers, you've never expected. This trip changed me as a person.
It made me become a person that is caring and opened minded.

A Whole New World by Shamir Desir

     "Phones away, passports away!¨ Ms. Dalton and Mr. Martinez said. Carlos, our bus driver, had arrived to the Guatemala City airport ready to escort us to our homestays in Antigua. The native Guatemalans outside stared at us, observing our clothes, our faces, our moves. On our bus ride to Antigua , I felt like a tourist. I took a picture of every beautiful thing I saw.


     Our second day in Antigua, we met the students at the school in San Pedro. The feeling I felt when I walked into the courtyard full of little Guatemalan kids was something I never felt before. We were excited to see them and they were excited to see us. They welcomed us by performing a couple of pieces and by singing songs including their national anthem. This assembly blew me away by their cordial and organized acts to us.


     My third grade students at San Pedro are awesome. They drive me a little crazy sometimes but they still learn and find a way to make me laugh and smile all the time.


     Saturday, June 11th, 2016. Our community service day was dedicated to planting trees. When I heard it was a 20 minute walk to where we were actually going to plant the trees, I have to admit, I was not so happy. But the walk did not feel so long because although we were walking in a straight line on a thin narrow path, we managed to talk , make each other laugh and check on each other. After planting trees, we were told we were going to climb rocks where a waterfall was flowing. I was so nervous of potential injuries. We made it through by talking and encouraging each other. It was a great experience because not many teenagers can say they did what we did. It was an amazing team building activity.  I learned to trust my classmates more and to expect the unexpected.


     One night,  my roommates and I went on FaceTime with another student at PHA. We shared with her our experiences so far."Oh my goodness, I feel like my friends are in a whole new world!" , she said. It truly does feel like it.






    

First day in Antigua by Lisandro Brito

My first day in Guatemala was easily the most stressful and draining day I have had in a while. I never travel on my own so that made it even worse. I was so overwhelmed with my luggage and walking up stairs and settling in that at that moment I just wanted to sleep, but I pulled through it for the rest of the day. I met my very nice host family, changed and we went to San Pedro rural school. Our entire group was welcomed by the wonderful kids. I remember the glorious eyes of the little kids looking at all our different faces. I still feel the small hands touching the back of my head while we all sat in a circle. As we all went up to the stage, introductions began.  I introduced myself and ended up leaving after with the rest of the Junior Journey students. As we arrived at our house again. Josh, Wens, Fabrice and I all took turns showering and then changed. Our host mom called us for dinner and we ate. I remember all of us saying "Gracias por la comida" and her replying "Buen provecho". At the end of our first day we were so tired that we went to sleep and our trip in Antigua was just beginning.

My Fourth Grade Class By Nathaly Lopez Marroquin

It has been a week and a half into the trip here in Guatemala. Time seems to go by so fast here. From teaching my fourth grades kids in the morning to 4 hours of Spanish lessons in the evening to late night activities, its no wonder time flys by. My kids are amazing. They love to greet us every morning with smiles and hugs and it just makes me so much happier in the morning. I never like to wake up early in the morning but when I think of the smiles on my kids faces when we teach them songs and colors in English it puts a smile on my face every morning. There is this one girl in my class who I absolutely love. Her name is Daniela and she is just the sweetest thing ever. On friday she made me a poster with a bunch of little figures on it and my name in the middle. It warmed my heart so much when she gave it to me. I can see just how much she appreciates me with just that one poster. I feel blessed to be apart of this trip because I love knowing that I can make a difference in these kids lives with just teaching them English.
 Even though I am from Guatemala and I travel here almost every year, it feels good to come here to experience something different and not just for vacation. All 32 of my kids will hold a special place in my heart and I know I will miss them all deeply. I hope in the future when I come back here I can visit them again and they will remember me and I will be able to see their beautiful smiles again.

Haitian girl in Guatemala- Tracy Beauvois

                 Arriving in Guatemala was the first step to Junior Journey. The buildings, the local stores and food vendors on the streets capture the very small town of Antigua. Moving from calle to calle , I start to feel anxious about Spanish vocabulary. I speak English and Haitian creole but not Spanish- well at least, not yet. My roommate Maya and I , unload are luggage and proceed to the dining room to meet our Guatemalan mother. " Mi nombre es Maura y ella es mi madre", we quickly greeted her in Spanish and told her about the " Estados Unidos". During dinner we exchange a few laughs as I accidentally blurt out a word in creole. Day one was over and Day 2 had brought in new beginnings for us. At 7:45 everyone is dressed nicely and seated on the bus to go to the San Pedro school. Cruising on the rocky bus ride, we pull up to a yellow building with " San Pedro Huertas" written. We enter the school and there awaited a large group of Guatemalan students applauding us for our presence. We gradually sit and watch through a plethora of performances and speeches. After the ceremony my teaching partner Shamir and I go across to the school to meet our lovely third graders. We introduced ourselves and the students were in complete awe. Shouting out " Como se dice..." following that sentence with a word in spanish. We then enjoyed recess with the kids, engaging in jump rope, double dutch , soccer with a empty bottle and hand games. We left at noon time to eat lunch at our homestays then to report to Sevilla at 2 for our Spanish lessons. Lunch at home reminded of my Haitian food in Boston. The sauce pwa and duree made me reminisce of the dinner back home. Walking to my Spanish class I start to think " Hey, life is about taking chances and this is just the first".

The Unexpected By Tamika Daniels

Before actually landing in Guatemala I could not believe that I would have the opportunity to teach kids in San Pedro. My partner and I prepared our lessons for many months so we were prepared when it came time to teach our lessons. The kids are so happy to learn and are eager w to say their names in English.


The culture shock that I have experienced has been a way opening my eyes to the Guatemalan culture and all of the different foods. Walking down the street or Calle as we call it in Guatemala.I can the hard working shop owners who keep their doors open from sunrise to sunset. Every minute I spend here is a learning experience whether it´s learning a new Spanish word, trying new food, or being able to see the traditional Mayan clothing.


Four hours of one on one Spanish class might sound a little crazy to you, but I love my classes and I actually get to put my Spanish to good use when shopping, teaching, or practicing.


One thing that I´ve learned so far was to expect the unexpected. If it´s the weather, going on new adventures during field trips, or even making new friends even when I thought I wouldn't. I´m having so much fun pushing myself to try new things and also enjoy myself.

My First Spanish Lesson by Fabrice Leveque

When I was introduced to my Spanish teacher I was completely terrified. I remember Mr. Martinez, Carlos and Brenda in front welcoming us to the school. I remember the two rows of chairs: one for the students and the other row for complete strangers. I finally realized these were the people who will be helping me with my Spanish for the next 3 weeks. All students were sat facing a random teacher with traditional Guatemalan music playing in the background. Carlos, the director of the Sevilla Spanish School, spoke to us first and then Brenda, the secretary, spoke. Brenda, Carlos and the teachers wanted to welcome us to the school and introduce themselves. After the whole introduction was finished, Brenda began to call students and teachers to pair up and converse with their teacher before we started lessons the following day. I saw students and teachers get their stuff and move away to speak to one another. Once I heard my name called, I wasn't ready but I sucked it up. I hear my name and Aracely's name called up; we greeted each other then walked to the back of the school. She introduced herself and right off the bat she bombarded me with her native tongue. What surprised me was how I understood everything she was telling me. She told me her name, how old she was, where she lived, etc. Then, it was finally my turn to speak. I started off with the basics: My name, age, nationality and where I lived. She was blown away as well because of my skin color. This was her first time meeting a Chilean person, which wasn't a surprise to me, but the thing that was a surprise to her was that I was both Latino and African American. It didn't take long for her to correct my Spanish, but that didn't upset me. Our first conversation really calmed me down and got me excited because right from the beginning she didn't judge me for my Spanish, but lent a helping hand. From that first conversation, I knew that these lessons weren't going to be 4 hour long tutoring sessions, but rather an opportunity to have someone be there to improve my Spanish.

Lesson Learned In Guatemala by Joshua Elysee

16 years of age, fashion fanatic, neat freak, are some desriptions that make up my character. I didn't want to be in Guatemala, but it was definitely better than being in school. Little did I know, I had to let all of this loose during this trip. I realized this when I walked into my classroom filled with eager children ready to learn. My markers were dried out, there were mosquitos all over the classroom, I could not feel any more uncomfortable than I had already felt. These kids were shouting "INGLES, INGLES, INGLES!" as me and my teaching partner were getting settled down. My transition made me all the more nervous, remembering that I was one of the only people in my advanced spanish class that wasn't a native speaker, and then became the teaching partner that knew all the spanish. The kids asked me to translate words that I hadn't understood and I didn't know what to do, then I realized it was only 5 minutes into my class. Yet, as I got started, the kids sat quietly. They immediately took out their notebooks, they wrote down everything I said and listened to my instructions carefully. These 1st graders had the greatest yearn to learn which I still don{t seem to understand. One of my students approached me after that class with a letter filled with drawings of me and words in gibberish which I assumed was his attempt to write in English. He told me that he appreciated that I am teaching him Enlgish and that he would study every night to be on top of his game. In that split second, I learned a lesson from that little boy. He was a 1st grader who took class more seriously than kids twice his age in the U.S., and I was one of the kids twice his age.

Experience of a Lifetime By: Kayla Pacheco

2 weeks have gone by and 1 left to go. So far I have had an amazing experience in Guatemala. From arriving the first day to my home stay to climbing a waterfall with the group. I have felt every minute that has happened in Antigua. Time has gone by so fast but yet so slow. Here time is consumed with teaching young kids English through lesson plans made by you and learning Spanish with a tutor. Being in Guatemala has made me realize the difference between the United States and other countries. Guatemala is completely on the opposite end of the pole making me realize how lucky I am to be living where I am. Differences are so much clearer and more apparent. People on the street move out of the way and say hello. People are generally curious about where you come from and why you are here but in Boston, no one cares. Everyone is so preoccupied with themesleves or their cell phones, they never look back to realize that they have a whole lot more than people in other countries.

Being here for the first week made me question why I came here but experiencing this trip with this particular group of people has made me not regret any second of this trip. Although I have missed my family and friends back home, I have had an amazing group of people to be my support system while I am here. The bonds that I have created with different people over a timeline of 2 weeks are bonds that I probably never would have had if I did not sign up for this trip or in the classroom back at PHA. I honestly recommend for anyone who is open to having a great experience to sign up for this trip because it will be an experience that you will definitely be grateful for and you will become a different person when you get back to the United States.

Anitgua Living By: Karla Cruz

From the start I was excited to go to Guatemala. I had no doubt in my mind about this trip. I new what I was getting myself into and I was ready. Its been two weeks now and I feel at home. I have become comfortable with everyone and all of my surroundings. I was pretty used to the environment since I have been to El Salvador and I think it is safe to say that Guatemala and El Salvador are a bit similar only a bit. Guatemala so far has treated me well and I have became obsessed with the bakeries here. Not only that but I have became obsessed with my kids as well.


I teach two classes with my teaching partner Fabrice. Both classes are a bunch of cute little second graders. It surprises and makes me so happy to see how eager they are to learn about anything. They jump out of their seats and yell for my attention. It truly amazes me on much energy they have that it makes me want to become a better teacher and plan great lessons for them. I know for a fact that not only will I miss the beautiful city of Antigua but also the kids because they have created a place for themselves in my heart that I will only cherish and miss once I leave.