MAYA group reporting in from Antigua at the end of a busy program orientation! We’ve hit the ground running here in Guatemala. Our days have been full of group games, orientation sessions, and getting to know one another. Our base has been the Purpose Hostel, a beautiful little place with an awesome terrace where we have loved watching nearby Volcan Fuego erupting on a regular basis. It can be a bit distracting to be having a group meeting in the evenings and suddenly see the red glow of lava off in the distance!
We’ve eaten most of our meals in the home of Dona Violeta and her son Fernando, who have been extremely friendly hosts and cooked some great meals for us – the local staple of pepian seems to be the favorite so far. We’ve had some fun excursions as well, including hiking up to a mirador (viewpoint) looking out over the town, and playing Sharks and Minnows in front of a church dating back to the 16th century while the local wheelchair basketball team played a match nearby.
Today the students were finally set loose on their own to complete a scavenger hunt around town. It pushed a few of them out of their comfort zones – asking questions in Spanish to strangers, navigating with the use of a real paper map – but was an exciting afternoon of exploring and learning more about the city.
Tomorrow we’re off to our next stop, the sustainable building project of Long Way Home in San Juan de Comalapa. We’re looking forward to working hard, getting dirty, and taking Spanish classes in the afternoons. We’re ready to continue the great energy we’ve started our program with!
