Day 4!

Hi everyone, it’s Niké and Jasmine! Today we had a jam-packed and exhausting but fun day. We started off learning about butterflies after breakfast with Alberto. After that we hiked some trails to the zip lines. There were a total of 8 and everyone decided to participate. The view of Lake Atitlan and the volcanoes on one side and the waterfall on the other were breathtaking and truly unforgettable. After the zip lining, we enjoyed a beautiful breezy and little splashy boat ride across Lake Atitlan. We finally got to see the top of the volcano and the clouds enveloping them (yay!) We were then picked up by our awesome bus driver Hector and got to enjoy a delicious lunch at El Rancho with him on the way to Los Andes. During the bus ride to Los Andes we passed the time by playing games and listening to Visily and Lina argued about deep topics.

After a long and bumpy drive and seeing the rubber trees that Chelsea pointed out, we finally arrived at Olga’s house to be greeted by the sunset and her playful dogs. We settled down in our rooms and met five of the local ninth graders, who we’ll be working with this week. They are currently on vacation and go back to school in February. To break the ice, we played a name game where we said our name and did a movement and everyone else repeated it. Thanks to Mayhah, Lina, and Nathan, who translated Spanish for us, we were able to understand people throughout the day.

Next, we had a traditional Guatemalan dinner of broth, an assortment of boiled vegetables, rice, tortillas, and chicken. There was also salad and a spicy sauce which a couple brave souls tried. For dessert we tried warm pears in sweet juice. After dinner we had a long reflection during which we answered questions about our past experiences and got to know each other on a deeper level.

(Niké) One high of my day was definitely zip lining. It’s something I’ve always wanted to try and enjoyed it a lot. The boat ride was also very relaxing and allowed me to reflect on what we have done so far and what we would be doing. Another high was arriving in Los Andes and being greeted by the dogs! When we went to eat lunch, we had access to wifi, but none of us got on it. This was very refreshing to see because usually we all would be glued to our phones checking social media. It was nice to just be present in the moment and enjoy our surroundings and the people we were with. A low of my day was when we got off the boat and the local people rushed to sell us goods. It was a bit sad seeing the dad pushing his products with his little son because this is how he makes his living. I’ve seen many kids selling products throughout this trip and it makes me sad because I feel that kids should be kids and not have to work or worry about making money. Another low was that since I’m somewhat allergic to dogs, my eyes started to itch and get irritated after a while (but nothing Benadryl can’t fix!). For our time in Los Andes, I’m really looking forward to meeting and connecting with the local people. I’m ready to learn and I want this experience to be as eye-opening, memorable and life changing as the Alternative Break trip I went on last spring.

(Jasmine) Today was one of the busiest and most exciting days of our trip thus far. My high of the day was zip lining throughout the trees and being able to capture the spectacular scenery, breathe the fresh mountain air and feel the wind blowing against my body. We even got the chance to see some spider monkeys showing off. Even though we had 8 zip lines, the view never got old and I thoroughly enjoyed the adrenaline rush. The low of the day was during the boat ride across Lake Atitlan, when I noticed a small boy at the back of the boat playing with an old tire and looking sad and bored; that’s when I wondered how many times he brought tourists across the lake every day when he should be in school. A bud that I’m looking forward is making meaningful, deeper connections with local students and realizing our universal similarities despite our geographical and cultural differences. I want to be able to remember and talk about my relationship with the community in Los Andes when I return to reality, cold weather, and the states. I’ve had an amazing time so far in this beautiful country and can’t wait to experience the rest of our trip and learn more from Los Andes locals. (P.S. Hi Mom and Dad! All is well and I’m safe and loving Guatemala!!! J)