Written by Central America Students, Bridger and Ronan
What’s New?
Since the last blog post in Xela, our group has been in Tzununa, Guatemala staying in a sustainably built hotel called the “Bambu House.”
This week’s focus has been centered around permaculture, man’s relationship with nature, and engineering. We’ve also been getting to know each other better because we are not using our phones and we’re sharing living spaces. Our main teacher has been Shad, a successful entrepreneur, permaculturalist, family man, and philosopher.
Top Highlights of the Week
- Touring various permaculture farms and seeing how to correctly and incorrectly live sustainably. This meant learning about food forests and how a garden can be self-sustaining whilst also benefitting the pre-existing ecosystem. We have toured 3 different ones, ranging in size from the spinning spaceship carnival ride to the size of a large stadium.
- Hiking up the mountain of Rósto Maya. This entailed embarking on a 4-hour hike one way to the peak overlooking Lake Atitlan. The views were absolutely breathtaking, and the visibility was low, giving the illusion of being one with the clouds.
- Transferring between a sauna to a cold plunge. This was my personal favorite part of the week, as the feeling this created was one of unity with the earth, as well as acceptance of my body and mind. Just pure bliss.
A Challenge We Faced
As we have been getting to know each other better, we have learned about the parts of each other that we have not been comfortable showing. This means that there have been some disagreements in perspective and personality, however, we quickly learned how to meet in the middle. Although we may not be the most likely of friends, we are still very appreciative of each other’s presence, insight, and humor.
Group Dynamics
The group is thriving. Although inner groups of like-minded individuals are for sure forming, there is still a resounding sense of comradery between each individual.
