As my final flight touches down, the bump of the wheels shudders through me and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. It’s over. It’s all over. I’m home. I step off the plane, down through the airport and into the......Read More
Dear families, The Guatemala A, B and C groups have all landed in Miami and are proceeding to migration and customs. An instructor is with each group and will help guide students to their connecting flights. Thanks for all your support from afar......Read More
Dear families, The Guatemala A group is on the plane and about to depart for Miami! We are so grateful for this wonderful group of of students!...Read More
It’s over, the late night talks, constant snacking on wafers and Tortrix, swimming in Lago Atitlan fully clothed, food forest walks, car rides filled with stories and laughter, all the memories that I will keep as long as I can have come to an......Read More
I am sad to say that this trip has come to an end. We have spent the past few days back at the beautiful Lago Atitlan. Each day has been a time for reflection and remembering all of the things we have experienced. This has helped us prepare for what......Read More
In Guatemala, I had eye opening experiences, lived in a totally different way than I did at home, had less things, but lived more, ate a lot of ice cream, learned much about myself and the world, had real independence. As I leave Guatemala I want......Read More
X-Phase is a portion of the trip where the student’s get to plan where we go, where we stay, what we eat, and what we do. Because we didn’t use up all of our flex time, we were given three days to go wherever and do whatever we wanted. We were......Read More
Dear Families & Friends, It is hard to believe that almost four weeks have passed since your student embarked on this incredible adventure! It won’t be long until students will be boarding their planes back home. We are sure you are anxiously......Read More
The student expedition is over and the students have delivered us all safely to our site for transference back on the shores of Lago Atitlán. Transference is a time for reflection upon our experience and is a way to find closure as a group after......Read More
When I return to my homestay, I am surprised to find the kitchen packed with people. Women are lighting candles and stirring an enormous pot, a man with a mullet uncovers an electric piano, my Host Mother waves me inside and ushers me towards a......Read More
We all made it to Xela from Nebaj, with a stop in Chichicastenango to see their famous Sunday market. The kids are doing a great job with coordinating the details for their student led expedition....Read More
Sometimes travel isn’t easy. Sometimes we get slapped in the face by our own privilege to travel and live the lives that we do. These last four nights I had my own homestay with a family in San Juan Cotzal, Guatemala. Their primary language is the......Read More
Today we said goodbye to our homestays in San Juan Cotzal and moved about 45 minutes down the road to Nebaj to regroup before we head into the student planned and led X-Phase. The students have decided they want to head to Xela (Quetzaltenango) for......Read More
It is 5:30 pm as the sun begins its descent in the small, secluded town of San Juan Cotzal. I am sitting outside on a wooden plank for a chair, intensely watching my homestay mother, Margarita, meticulously handcraft intricate designs on a scarf she......Read More
Yesterday we spent a long day on the infamous “chicken busses” of Guatemala, known locally as a camioneta. While their first experience on the camionetas was a quick hop from San Lucas to Santiago de Atitlan, but yesterday was a whole different......Read More