Day 6 - May 18

Last night we had a bonfire with some of the other volunteers and we spoke about our experiences and our learning opportunities for this trip. The bonfire was a lot of fun and it was really informative to hear other peoples' perspectives. Our day began carrying cinder blocks up a hill to a new coffee producing facility. During this time we gained a strong appreciation for the hard work these people do on a daily basis. Some of the students also broke up concrete (pictured above), moved rocks, and dug a ditch to help with the coffee cooperative. While the work was very tiring, we all found it to be a rewarding experience. Three of our biology students extracted teeth (pictured below) in the dental clinic - how about that for on-the-job training?


In the afternoon, some of the students played soccer with the local kids, it was a blast! Around 3:00 we listened to Father Greg inform us about his experiences volunteering at the mission, the history and culture of the Guatemalan people, and their revolution. He also gave us insight into how Agua De Pueblo got started, which is the water projects organization Dr. Clemens helped create. We all really enjoyed father Greg's talk. Tomorrow will be our last day in San Lucas and Dr. Clemens has arranged for us to meet with one of the leaders of the revolution.

Day 5 - May 17

Today we took it easy. In Guatemala, Sunday is their day of rest, as well as their market day. The markets were crowded and full of various types of food and clothing items. This provided our group with some insight into their way of life. We realized the market is where the majority of Guatemalans purchase their goods and clothing items, unlike the clothing and super stores we are accustomed to at home. It was also evident that the people of Guatemala have strong cultural tendancies, such as their style of dress. Our group then went to Mass at the mission's parish and listened to Father Greg, our host. The Mass was pretty similar to a Catholic Mass at home but it was extremely crowded. The church was so crowded, people were even watching outside in the pouring rain. Even though this was our day of rest we still learned much about Guatemalan culture. We are now going to have a bonfire at our hotel with some of the other volunteers to talk about our different experiences. ¡Hasta Lavista!

Day 4-May 16

Today we went on an epic journey across lake Atitlan to Atitlan Nature Reserve to go zip lining. A water taxi took us across the huge, beautiful lake, which is surrounded by 3 volcanoes and many mountains. Upon arriving at the nature reserve we were suited up in our zip lining safety harnesses and began our climb to the first line. On our hike we were able to see monkeys, cross suspension bridges, and see an incredible waterfall. We then began our zip lining experience through the rain forest canopy. We went down 8 different courses and each provided an exhilirating ride and amazing views of the Guatemalan highlands. We then took the water taxi to San Antonio, another small town on the lake, comparable to San Lucas. While there we conversed with the local vendors and learned a lot about their daily lifestyle. The experience was very eye-opening, and they gave us a sense of the hardships here in Guatemala. Despite their hard work, they are all very happy and proud people. Our day was very enjoyable and rewarding and we are so glad that we have the opportunity to be here!

Day 3- May 15

Today was full of adventure! We climbed a mile in elevation, up a very steep volcano to survey the land for a water feasibility project. In the picture to left we hiked up to the saddle point, that is the notch between the two volcanoes in the right side of the image. We used a GPS to determine altitude, distance, and coordinates for the feasibilit project. In the past our hosts have used traditional surveying techniques, including tape measures and tripod-mounted transit. The work that would have formerly taken 2 weeks only took us 4 hours. Our hike was intense but was rewarding not only to us but also to the people of the future settlement of Chanan. This new settlement will be able to house 5000 people. Our hike was a lot of fun, we saw wild orchids, coffee plants, and native workers. We now have a new appreciation for everyone that has to hike to get their wood and water everyday. The true beauty of the country was intensified on the side of the volcano. Our 5 star meal on the hike consisted of peanut-butter and cheddar cheese, it was muy delicioso!








Picture taken from: www.lagoaventura.com/English/VolcanAtitlan.JPG

Day 2 - May 14

Today we got a nice wake up call by Dr. Bruce at approximately 6:45 am to begin our day. We went on a tour of the village which was very enjoyable. We went to San Raymundo, which is going to be a center for the women of the village to learn different skills, such as cooking, sewing, laundry, and medicinal plants. Then we went to the place where Guatemalan coffee is picked, dried, peeled, roasted and packaged. We formed an assembly line to carry cinder blocks up the side of a mountain where they will be used to dry the coffee beans. We did this for approximately two and a half hours. On our journey home we ate the most delicious ice-cream one can imagine, it was so good! Stay tuned for tomorrow's adventures!

Here is the website where you can buy your very own delicious Guatemalan coffee that we helped produce:
http://www.sanlucasmission.org/coffee_mainnav.php

Day 1 - May 13

We made it! The country is beautiful and the people are very welcoming. The trip was longer than expected due to construction, traffic, and the weather. Our hotel is nice and simple, very clean and colorful, and our hosts are very nice. The whole town is silhouetted by volcanoes and a beautiful lake. The mission we are working for is very accommodating, and we were very excited about the wonderful meal they provided after our long day of travel. We are excited to be finding out what we are going to be working on tomorrow and we cannot wait to help the people. Adios.

The Deans and the President Give Their Best Wishes

After a slide show presentation, the students pose for a photo with Assistant Professor of Management Bruce Clemens (back row on the left), Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering Steven Northrup (next to Clemens), and, far right, School of Engineering Dean S. Hossein Cheraghi, School of Business Dean Julie Siciliano, and Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Saeed Ghahramani.

President Anthony S. Caprio gives the students a presidential sendoff. The students gave President Caprio and the deans each a present: a Western New England College Guatemala Trip T-shirt.