Tomas Arellano

Today, January 26 was our second day in Antigua. Breakfast was from 8:30 to 9:30, which was a relief from the usual wake up time 7 am. We could only have breakfast three by three since the table in the small hostel was only for three people. Ernesto volunteered to help out Father Kirk to make breakfast. They made pancakes with eggs. Breakfast tasted like glory since all we had for breakfast in San Lucas was oatmeal with beans. 
At 10 am there was a van waiting for us outside the hostel. My classmates and Father Alvin hopped in the van. We headed out, it was an hour and a half journey to volcano Pacaya. The roads were in good condition and there was no traffic, so it was a good journey there. When we finally arrived, there were about twenty kids trying to sell us sticks for five quetzals. Father Alvin was smart enough to bring his own. We headed down to buy the tickets and everyone got his ticket in and we met our tour guide. He asked us in the beginning if anybody wanted a horse since it was the same price in the beginning as it was ¾ up the volcano. Everyone rejected the offer. We all felt strong enough hike it all the way up.
The Pacaya volcano hike was 2.5 kilometers long. It was steeper than we thought it was going to be. As we were 10 meters in we all thought, how am I going to be able to hike 2.5 kilometers with this steepness. To add to the difficultness there were a bunch of tiny rocks that made the hike slippery. The first rest stop was 0.25 kilometers up. By that point we were out of breath. Ernesto asked the tour guide for a horse and as he was making the call his phone ran out of credit. Ernesto was out of luck. In the rest stop there was a magnificent view of the lake and Guatemala City. Shortly after we continued the tour guide saw his brother and asked him for a horse. Ernesto was back in luck. They brought his horse and everyone was jealous, but they all felt strong enough to continue walking. Julio couldn’t take it anymore so he also asked for a horse. The hike was long, steep and slippery it was difficult but the vegetation was amazing and it gave us some shade. As we reached the top where there was no more vegetation we all felt a feeling of success and accomplishment. The view was amazing; I have never seen anything like it. It is hard to explain how beautiful the panorama was. There was a shop at the top that sold volcanic jewelry. There are only three places in the world that sell that and it was the only one in all of America. We weren’t allowed to go to the crater because 5 people died two years ago when the volcano erupted but it was still amazing. The hike down was long and tedious. We were all very tired from the hike up. When we finally reached the bottom everyone rushed to the store to buy water and Gatorade. We got in the van and headed back to Antigua. Most of us fell asleep on the way back since we were exhausted. When we arrived at Antigua most of my classmates stayed at the hostel to watch movies. I didn’t want to waste the day so I went with Julio and Mario to take pictures and grab snack. At 6 pm we all met at the hostel and we went to a nice restaurant. The food was exquisite and plentiful. As an appetizer it was either a bean soup or a salad. As an entry we had a variety to choose from. I ordered “un poco de todo” which means a little bit of everything. It had beef, chorizo, chicken, guacamole and beans. For dessert it was either mole or cheesecake. The food was delicious but it was too much I couldn’t finish everything. After we ate we went back to the hostel and watched movies. It was a great day

Angel Martin del Campo
January 25th 2013

     Today I woke up with a sensation of relief and satisfaction. Today were the last moments of our time in San Lucas Toliman. My roommates and I woke up a little earlier. Instead of getting up at 7:45 AM, we woke up at 7: 20. It was hard for us since we really need all the sleep we can get. After our typical reboot, we started packing. Clothes, gifts, and personal items went into our luggage. At 7:50, we headed towards breakfast. The typical beans with oatmeal were set on the buffet table. With a sense of joy, we all ate our last  breakfast at the mission. As we headed back, we saw that our luggage was being set on the bus. Adrenaline rushed through my body as I made the final preparations for our upcoming trip. I checked my room four times for unseen or forgotten items. The room was clear, except for a few socks and a water bottle that were forgotten. As I hunted for my seat at the bus, I noticed that the long-term volunteers were depressed as our group,the best group, was living their humble mission. Goodbyes were exchanged and probably a few tears were shed, but adrenaline rushed through our bodies as we were about to discover an old but new city to our eyes. We left the hotel and made a quick stop to pick up our travel buddies. After long and annoying discussions about who was going to sit where, the wheels rolled and we were on our way to Antigua. We passed all the landscapes and small villages we had seen before arriving to San Lucas. It brought a small portion of nostalgia to my being. I spent all the way listening to my I pod with my head smashing against the wind. When I started to get bored, Fr. Alvin caught our attention by mentioning the Volcano we are going to be hiking  tomorrow. I am really scared but I think it is going to be a fun experience. The trip was starting to get very long. I had now switched from three genres of music and we still had a really large portion of road left. I went from Electronic to Latino and from that I felt homesick and played a little Mariachi. I was falling asleep until something caught my eye. A really old church and colonial buildings started to show up. Antigua has finally been reached! In the  following moments, everybody got out their picture-taking device and put it to work. We started to explore the town as a toddler explores a brand-new toy. We arrived to the hotel and felt comfort. The house where we are staying its pretty nice. Some went to sight-see, and some, including me, stayed resting. A few hours later, my roommates and I went out to get familiarized with Antigua. We were lost in the first 10 minutes. We had to pull out our map and ubicate ourselves. Time passed and the need for food made its way on to the mind. We found a pizza place that offered a 10-slice pizza for 35 quetzales. We took the offer and headed to the park. The reason we headed to the park is that you have to pay if you are going to eat in the restaurant. So on top of paying your order, you have to pay to get a table. people these days. After filling ourselves with bread covered in tomato and cheese, the market was the destination.We did not find anything interesting there so we left. Chichicastenango was way better on the market side. We left and headed back to the hotel. At 6:45 we had a meeting on the roof. Father Kirk explained to us what the next few days are going to be like and we left for dinner. We ate at a nice restaaurant. Little but very comfortable. We had a nice dinner. I ordered the meat. It was pretty tasty. I remember having a conversation about movies and psychology. I think it was entertaining. I might even join psychology class next year. When dinner ended, the group headed back to the hotel. Exhausted, we got into our beds and slept like angels. I am looking forward to hiking the volcano and to Anitigua in General.

Mario Orso

Our last day of work at San Lucas has arrived, January 23. We started our day like any other, breakfast. This time we were given the choice to work a the plantations, picking coffee, or construction at the women's center. Every one choose the sweaty construction job over the calm coffee picking. Father Alvin chose to go work with another group coffee picking. We made our last work day memorable; hard work and dedication was in everyone's mind as we shoveled dirt as if our life depended on it. We carried rocks, filled bags with dirt, mixed cement, and planted beautiful flowers for three hours. By the time the truck came we all celebrated for the hard work we had put in. It is truly an amazing feeling to see everything your hard work achieved. On our way back to the mission, we made a short stop to look at the small homes in construction. The little houses were constructed by the government to help those whose shacks were flooded during rain season or just didn't have a home at all. The government constructed these homes to help around 400 people. Although the government built these 16x10 meter homes to benefit the ones without a home, they still have to pay for a part of the house and help to construct it. The houses are small, especially if twelve people are going to live in it. There is neither ventilation nor a kitchen. These people have to cook their food outside their home using their own methods. They use aluminum foil over a campfire to cook their food. The government is putting a great effort into giving these people affordable homes. Although these homes lack basic facilities such as kitchens and more space, they are doing a very honorable thing giving these people a place to call home. This has truly opened my eyes to the conditions some people live in here in Guatemala but also to the incredible effort some people pay to help their fellow man. It is incredible how these people are so happy with so little. It shows that happiness truly does not depend on material wealth, but spiritual wealth and love. After lunch we visited a woman named Silvia. Yesterday we prepared a small basket of regular market goods to gift to her. The gift included cooking oil, coffee, rice, beans, detergent, among many other basic goods. Silvia was very grateful. She shared a little bit about herself with us: she has 5 children whose father is not with them anymore. Things became very emotional when she started to explain to us how she owes a large quantity of money to the bank. Silvia was in a very tough position, and she almost had to give her children away to one of her family members because she could not afford to give them a decent life. Luckily she did not have to do that; someone lent her the money and she was able to pay a part of the debt. Silvia blessed us all and we were back on our way to the Parish. We attended Mass at 4:30 PM. The Mass was held at the small village of San Andres. The road there was extremely bumpy. We felt like India Jones as we hummed its theme song. As we rushed to get to the church, because we were late, people and children were warmly welcoming us. Father Alvin and Father Kirk said mass. We got back and are preparing for tomorrows trip to Chichicastenelga.

Mario Cota

January21st, We go back to the usual work routine the parish usually encompasses. Breakfast consists of the now classical beans and oatmeal with a side of bananas and bread. After feeding ourselves faster than a child who just found a cookie jar, we took of on the magical fantastic magnificent loyal old and reliable red truck on which we have been traveling around so far. We were dispatched to the women´s center tasked with doing more construction work. By now, construction worked has becomed a loathed activity. The sweat and blood shed during these work assignments is recognized by many in our group as arduous, since blood is literally shed due to the many cuts received from carrying rocks or work tools and sweat is caused by the physical strain of moving heavy objects around. Many of us would have rather been run over at a black Friday opening than having to move more rocks. The knowledge that we were sent to do construction because the other groups were not physically able to perform work of that nature and the thought that we would only have to work for three hours were our only consolation, although three hours may have seemed to be an eternity for some. During the three hours we spent there, a variety of different tasks were assigned to different groups. The first half-hour was spent mostly picking up rocks and tossing them over to one of the terraces being arranged in the women´s center. The rocks´ weight did take a toll, but we managed to move a large amount of them quickly. The amount of large rocks requested was fulfilled so the small rocks that still had to be moved were assigned to about four people while the others split to do other jobs. Planting seedlings and watering them, pounding newly set dirt, breaking up rocks with chisels, hauling bags of dirt to another terrace near by, and shoveling dirt for those hauling the dirt was what was available to do at the time. I personally spent the rest of the time hauling bags of dirt to the terrace, and by the time we returned to the parish I felt accomplished from having been able to endure the entire time carrying the bags, since my physical endurance is not my strongest attribute. Let´s just say that I am glad I do not work in a Chinese factory that would happen to have a manager making us work twelve hours a day, but that is a subject not relevant at the time. Returning to the parish I had lunch and immediately returned to the hotel for a nap since I deemed that the best way to use the time we had until returning to work was supposed to take place. At two o´clock we reported to the parish in order to set out to work and I realized that instead of working that day, we were going to put together a food basket for a family in need. The market was a quick walk from the parish. We stopped along the first merchant that we saw and bought everything there because he had everything we needed. Corn, instant coffee, noodles, and cooking oil were among the items we purchased from him. The amount of time we took to buy everything was around fifteen minutes, so when we returned to the parish, the longterms remarked that we were the fastest group to finish. I would attribute that to the fact that we were so tired from the morning, but I would rather say that we are just decisive shoppers. To make up for the time that still remained, we cleaned windows around the parish. The rest of the afternoon was free for us, and after supper we were invited to a bonfire by the group from Winsconsin next door. We sat around the bonfire and conversed until it was pretty late so I returned to the hotel and enjoyed beautiful, peaceful, delightful, relaxing,

Joey Whebe

 Today, January 20^th, our group took a trip to Santiago Atitlan, a Guatemalan city by the lake. We started our day off with some pancakes for breakfast, and then we were on our way. The ride to Santiago Atitlan was very bumpy, but it was worth it when we arrived and saw the beauty of the town. Our visit began at La Iglesia de Santiago Atitlan. The church was full of rustic and modern beauty, and it was founded almost 500 yeas ago in 1547. The mass was a celebration of the anniversary of the death of Padre Francisco, who used to be the pastor of the church. The mass was crammed with locals, coming to celebrate the anniversary of one of the most influential people in the Guatemalan Civil War. Padre Francisco put his life on the line for his people during the war, and suffered the ultimate consequence. To all of the people their, Padre Francisco was a symbol of courage and love.

After the service, my friends and I walked around Santiago Atitlan, in search of some new experiences, and eventually some great food. After walking through the crowed marketplace, we found ourselves at a restaurant called El Pescador, or The Fisherman. There my friends and I sat down and were treated with some delicious fried fish, and we were able to watch some soccer. To top that all off, we decided to go to one of the small tiendas and get some chips, sweets, and other snacks.

Eventually at 2 o'clock, we were back on the road to go back to our hotel in San Lucas. Although we were sad to leave Santiago, we were all very hungry and tired. Fortunately, to contribute to our already great day, we were invited to play a game of soccer with the other groups. We had lots of fun playing, and of course my team came out victorious. In a valiant effort we managed to win the game 14-13, to add to my great day.

At 6 o'clock, we had dinner as usual, and made it back to the hotel for a reflection of the trip so far, and also a spiritual reflection. Our spiritual reflection was from a reading of Saint Paul to the Corinthians. In this reading Saint Paul talked about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and how we all have some of these gifts, and how we can use them for good. The reading really helped me understand our purpose of being in Guatemala, and how we can use the gifts of language and others to benefit others. Also by everyone else's feedback, I can tell that the reading was very powerful and moving to them.

We were also able to get eah others status regarding the trip. Many of the students in our group were homesick, but for the most part they were all very happy about how the trip has been going. For me, I am rather homesick, but I really love Guatemala, and am looking forward to the next few days.

More Pictures

Ernesto Padilla

          After five days of working in both morning and afternoon, it was a relief to only have work for an hour and a half. The day began with the typical breakfast of oatmeal and black beans. The work consisted of polishing and filing some spoons. We spent the whole hour and a half on just one spoon, it took a lot of time and patience. The wood was incredibly hard and only hacked out with machete. The man there told us the story behind the particular wood which is found only high up in the volcano. It was really beautiful but sadly no one took any pictures.
          After coming back from a light work day we headed back to the hotel to prepare for lunch. I lied down for a moment and one of my roommate told me that there was a scorpion in my bed. I did not believe him, but after standing up and looking at the sheets from the foot of the bed and I saw it. After my roommate left in a lightning quick way out of the room and alerted the others. In a matter of second our room became a zoo. Everyone came rushing into the room.
          After dinner we were invited to a bond fire with another group of high school students from Wisconsin. So at almost eight we went to the hotel right next to ours to get to meet the Wisconsin group. When we arrive at their hotel it was quite crowded at the beginning but after a while the place began to empty out. We went around introducing ourselves and telling what we are interested in. After singing songs and talking we decided to call it a night. Today, Sunday was different. We began the day with breakfast, and we headed to Santiago De Atitlan in a Mayan taxi which is all of us in the back of a pick up truck. It was a great view on the way over there.
         Upon our arrival to Santiago Atitlan we went to Church there, it was really full. The crowd spread to the outside of the Church. We arrived exactly on time, right when the mass was about to begin. It was a special mass there were about 23 priest and the Bishop that was celebrating the Eucharist. After mass we had about two hours to tourist around before returning to San Lucas. Some went shoping others went to the take a look of the lake. After the two hours we returned back to San Lucas in the same pick up and arrived safety back.

Diego Garcia

  So far here in my first week in San Lucas, Guatemala, I have experienced a society, people, and culture new, but at the same time already known. I say known because I have already gone to towns similar to San Lucas and met people similar too. Still the new are small details that you have to find and discover on your own here in San Lucas. And so far I have attempted to venture out and find those small details.

  The locals here are very welcoming and social able  I met a couple of young girls who work at a near by ice cream shop, and they were interested in where I was from. So I told them and I learned some things from them. Another day I interacted with some middle school/ High school students and learned about the different classes they learn and take.

  At the mission I have met some new people from different parts of the United States. Some of these volunteers come from the Midwest and East coast. Not only do I get to learn from the locals, but also from the volunteers too.

  The work here is manageable and very educational . My first day here, my group went to visit the three main projects. They are the coffee project, reforestation project, and the woman center. Unfortunately  I got sick and I was out for three days so I lost out in working and talking to the locals.

Nate Fisher

    Getting deep into our first week in Guatemala, we are becoming very accustomed to the schedule. Breakfast is every day at 8, lunch at 12:30, and dinner at 6:30(which might I add are all fantastic.) Our first shift of work starts at 9 and goes until 12. This work is usually physically demanding as it may entail moving rocks and dirt, using sledge hammers and pick-axes, or picking coffee. These jobs are usually rigorous as it is hot and very dirty. The later work, from 2-4, is more laid back as we usually sort the coffee beans or garden. It is now commonplace to see at least 60 stray dogs a day. We have grown used to rejecting the pleas to buy something from the local merchants and understand the worth of the money perfectly now.

     Erin, Jonathon, and Lily (three great long terms who work at the mission) came to the hotel to play a round of Apples to Apples last night. After the game we had our first formal reflection. We sat around lit purple candles in the darkness of night, and when we were not interrupted by the constant boom of fireworks going off in the streets, we went around talking about the positives and negatives of our trip so far. I wont go into much detail, but the positives include ideas such as putting ourselves in an uncomfortable situation and allowing ourselves to see how fortunate we are back at home. The negatives included not being welcomed by some locals and homesickness.

     Today our plans were altered as we had originally planned a trip to Central America's largest market in Chichicastenango, a bumpy, three hour drive away. Unfortunately we decided that there were too many sick kids to make the journey. Apparently at seminary Father Alvin and Father Kirk learned a little more than just religion as they became the group's doctors. They took shifts out of the day skipping work to stay with the sick ones.

     Candidly, it was a good day to skip as it was one of the most exhausting yet. We shoveled dirt into buckets which we had to transport to the back of a truck which would later go to the 'women's center.'       

     After shoveling and carrying heavy buckets for 90 minutes straight in the sun, we got to work with sledgehammers destroying what used to be a stove in the kitchen to make space for the construction of a new house. It was a fun experience and it was also funny to see how effortlessly the Guatemalan construction workers destroyed this tile and cement stove. After our first shift, we had a chili along with some great guacamole which everyone in the mission raved about. We then got ice-cream at a local ice-cream parlor and were back at work. 

      During the later shift we separated the good coffee beans from the bad ones. It was a good bonding experience as we talked with a group from St. Thomas University in Minnesota for the two hours. 

      Noteworthy was the appearance of a scorpion. It was found in Ernesto's bed and was killed on sight.

     Yesterday it struck me when we were walking through a poor neighborhood that I should add a little about their houses. One house that fits probably around six people is barely larger than my room. The walls are poorly constructed out of sheet metal and the floor are either planks of wood or dirt. If they were lucky, there may have been a running water source for the entire block which would be used to wash their clothes. There were so many houses crammed in a small area it was amazing how anyone could live in these conditions. It makes me feel truly blessed with what I have back home.

Pictures- Day 4

Julio Garcia-Granados

  It has been four days since we arrives in San Lucas; we are starting to get used to how things go around here. Submerging yourself in a new culture one day to the next is not as easy as it may seem. We´ve had many incredible experiences these days; San Lucas Guatemala sure has more to it than meets the eye.

            This weekend we did not have to work; we had a lot of time to explore around the town. Guatemala definitely is an incredible and beautiful country. From the third floor of our hotel one can see Lake Atitlan, a great portion of San Lucas, many other lake-towns, and towering mountains and volcanoes. At night one can gaze at the stars in a way that would never be possible in a big city as San Diego. One can experience nature in the purest form here.

            Yesterday, January 13^th, we took a boat ride to Santa Catarina and Panajachel. Lake Atitlan is definitely bigger than it seems to be from our hotel; it is about 380 meters deep. The boat road was very gentle and peaceful; the lake was incredibly still. We first arrived at Santa Catarina. We only stayed there for about 45 minutes. Santa Catarina seems to be a small, peaceful town. 6 others and I walked to a pier where we took a couple pictures. We had to leave when we noticed it was a private property. Our next stop was Panajachel. Panajachel is a big town. As soon as we stepped foot on the ground we were swarmed with vendors trying to sell us souvenirs. Panajachel seemed to be very touristy. After walking around, we saw people bathing in the lake, and a man taking off the ground with a parachute and a huge mechanical fan strapped to his back. After several attempts the man finally took off successfully; the spectators applauded. We had lunch at a nice restaurant overlooking the lake in Panajachel. We had a choice between churrasco carne asada, fried chicken, and fried fish (I am not sure what kind of fish it was). The group did not seem to like the churrasco (too chewy). We enjoyed the fish very much except some of our group had a hard time figuring out how to eat it. The fried chicken was average; just like chicken one might eat in the U.S. The boat ride back was not so pleasant. The tide was rough but nevertheless we made it home in time for dinner.

            I have been definitely enjoying this trip. The people are amazing. Walking on the street 2 out of 3 people will stop and say good morning/afternoon/night to you. It is hard to see this in a big city. Everyone in town knows each other; it is like you may see in movies. Overall I have been very happy here and I am looking forward to the next days. To anyone reading this while worrying about his son, brother, boyfriend, or friend I tell you to stop worrying! Every single person in the group is having an incredible time. It truly is one of those unique once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Pictures- Day 3

Pictures- Day 2

Connor Whalen- Arrival

     Heading out of the country can be more exciting than most may think. As we were on our way out of the United States we spend a glorious three hours in LAX. The group decided after  a good amount of time wandering aimlessly through the airport that we should play Risk. After playing for just about two hours and eliminating 4 of 6 players from the game, we decided to call it quits.
     In response to the call to board the plane to Guatemala City all 15 of the travelers as well as some 220 other people who are flocking to Guatemala to enjoy the gorgeous scenery and the famed Guatemalan dry season.
     Killing time playing board games proved to be a very fruitful endeavor because as we were sandwiched between four support beams on a ledge in the airport, a woman from the airline agency came up to us and asked us to exchange our tickets for all exit row seats because we were all English speakers. So this trip in its earliest stages was already taking turns for the better.
     As the four hour plane ride came to an end in Guatemala City, the very sleepy group claimed bags, went through customs, and would up on a 15 passenger van en route to San Lucas Toliman. Once again just like on the airplanes the majority of the travelers started what hopefully will be a theme of the two and a half weeks in this country: Siestas.
     The first thing I noticed about San Lucas Toliman when we arrived were the speed bumps. Each speed bump on the road was probably six inches tall and required the car to come to a complete stop then slowly crawl over. They were also spaced about one every 50 yards so to not notice them would be impossible.
     It was a very hot time of the day when we arrived at Hotel Inquiti just down the road from Mission San Lucas Toliman. Although it was only 10:30 AM when we were unpacked and set up in our four-man rooms, it felt like it was time for dinner and then bed. But the day was just beginning! We were instructed to be in the biblioteca (which is really just a big room with book on one side where all meetings and meals are held) at noon for an orientation  One of the long term volunteers, Erin, was very thorough in her explanations and got everyone excited to get to work, after a little bit of sleep of course. We ate a delicious lunch and got ready for our next adventure, a tour of the city.
     Excitement was already high but when we saw what we would be touring in, I think a few hearts skipped a beat or two. We then piled into the back of a pickup truck and began our tour standing in the back. Our tour led us to see all of the projects being worked on the the town. Another long-term volunteer named Lily led the translation effort but after these past two days, we have realized as a group that we do not need a translator and all of us can figure out what is being said as long as the person doesn't talk too fast. We visited the clinic, the coffee project grounds, the reforestation center, and the women's center, all places where we will be working in the next few weeks.
     Meeting a woman named Chona whom we have heard so much about was the icing on the cake of our first day in San Lucas Toliman. She is in charge of all the cooking at the mission as well as many other activities and projects including the women's center. She worked along side Father Greg, the founder of the mission here in San Lucas Toliman, as his right hand person. She was alive through the Guatemalan Civil War so she will present first hand accounts of the war from her eyes in talks that are to come soon in the future. After we talked a little with Chona, we visited the grave of Father Greg in the town cemetery. We got to walk through the market streets in the city and got a great glimpse of the exquisite culture and lifestyle of the Guatemalans which we will no doubt experience throughout the upcoming weeks. Although the past two days have felt like a week in themselves, after some more rest tomorrow, I'm sure we will all be ready to take on an exiting work week here in San Lucas Toliman.

Pictures- Flying and Day 1