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.