Written By Lauren
Two weeks in San Juan flew by all too fast. The city is absolutely stunning, right on Lake Atitlán, bursting with color, smiles, and culture. Between the murals and the markets, it felt like every corner had a story to tell. Getting to explore the city and interact with locals this week was such a meaningful way to connect with the culture and practice our Spanish.
This week we stayed with host families again, which really made San Juan feel like home. We ended the weekend with a movie night watching: 21 Jump Street (with Spanish subtitles, of course!).
Monday kicked off with Spanish classes, followed by an incredible honey tour all about stingless bees! It was insane! We got to try whipped honey, cumin-infused honey, and the group favorite: chocolate honey sauce (it tasted as good as it sounds). Our art classes continued this week, half the group added the final touches to their paintings while the other half worked on finishing their embroidery projects from the week prior. On Tuesday, we were invited to witness an ancient Mayan ceremony celebrating a boy’s 13th birthday. It was such a beautiful and sacred experience, one we’ll truly never forget. And, in true Carpe Diem Girls fashion, the night ended with a DANCE PARTY!!!
Wednesday Lauren taught a mini class on charisma after Spanish lessons! Later in the week, our self-care activity was a full moon ceremony focused on planting goals for the month ahead. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect as we finalized our plans for student directed travel. This upcoming week, we’ll be completely in charge of where we go, what we do, and how we do it. We’ve been working hard to make sure it’s an unforgettable experience!
Friday was bittersweet. We packed up our things, said goodbye to our host families and teachers (who truly felt like family by the end), and prepared for our next adventure. The 5 am wake-up on Saturday was rough, but the almost 10 hour shuttle ride to Semuc Champey gave us plenty of time to nap, chit-chat, and play games, proving once again that we can make anywhere fun, no matter how little legroom we may have.
Arriving in the Semuc Champey area and finally stretching our legs after that bus ride felt heavenly, and the excitement for student directed travel only continues to grow. From exploring caves in Semuc Champey to petting capybaras in Antigua, we’re ready to enjoy every last moment of our time in Guatemala!
