Written by Central America Students, Izzy & Dylan
Since coming back from the very long and tiring hike, we all stayed at a hostel in Tzununa called Granja Tz’kinin, where we met Neal, who gave us his perspective on how permaculture can shape the way you view the world. With help from Shad, the owner of Atitlan Organics, we continued to learn more about permaculture and put it into practice. Permaculture is a type of sustainable agriculture where farming blends naturally into the ecosystem, better supporting the planet and helping humans leave a positive impact on the planet. During this week, we got to visit some neighboring towns, including San Marcos, Santiago, and Quixaya, where we visited a historic farm and swam in some natural pools. Not only did we make many human friends, but some furry ones too! In our down time, we enjoying playing fetch with some dogs at our hostel and nightly card games.
And the top highlights go to …
☀️ Working with Shad on Atitlán Organics, learning about everything under the sun (literally), from raising chickens and ducks to the use of Bitcoin in the communities around the lake. We got a great insight into the life of an expat with such a wide variety of experience.
🌳 Spending the morning with Kyle from Wellkind, who taught us all about the organizations efforts to help with reforestation and assisting locals with food security by teaching them how to grow their own fruits, vegetables, and firewood. With Kyle, we were able to instantly see our actions making a difference after some native birds used the Tul we had just planted in the lake as a new spot to perch.
🚤 Boat rides around the lake have been amazing, but nothing can compare to standing in the back of a pick up truck, taking in stunning views of the lake as we headed out for a fun field trip. We were fortunate enough to have visited the loving community of Quixaya, where locals work to preserve natives plants and bees through permaculture. We even got to taste some medicinal honey, one of which we all agreed tasted like BBQ sauce!
But transformation always comes with opportunities for growth: What were our main challenges this week?
Although this week was super fun, it was a challenge to keep our energy up after our exhausting hike the week prior, especially going right into farm work. Spending long hours in the sun and pushing ourselves physically made it difficult to always stay positive. Even so, we were able to power through and make this week amazing, finding stress relief in our fun activities like open mic night and retail therapy in San Marcos. Though we may have shed some blood, sweat, and tears, we all were able to become closer as a group and persevere together.
What we’re grateful for this week:
Though all of Guatemala is stunning, it’s hard to deny how special Lake Atitlán is. Looking out over the massive crater lake, enjoying the sunshine, and playing with the sweet dogs has made us all extremely grateful for nature and our planet. From our time with Shad at Atitlan Organics, to planting a native reed called Tul with our new friend Kyle from Wellkind, we really got to get our hands dirty and connect with the planet in a new and fun way. We are deeply appreciative of the opportunity to spend so much time in such a gorgeous place, and can’t wait to spend two more weeks on the lake in San Marcos!
A final note: It was a Wifi free week and we all forced to unplug and connect with one another through deeper conversations and card games! ❤️
Hasta luego! ❤️ Spring 2023 Central America Semester
