Written by Central America Student, Henry Probolus
What’s new?
We arrived in San Juan and started our week of Spanish classes. We started on cultural art projects like painting and weaving. We enjoyed the cultural events of Semana Santa like the procession and creating alfombras out of flowers and colored sawdust. We visited nearby towns like San Pedro and went to Panajachel to see butterflies and other animals at the nature preserve.
Our Top Highlights of the Week
It was a lot of fun working on our weaving and painting projects throughout the week; we created some very detailed art and designs. We wove scarves, clothes, and fabrics together.
We visited the nature preserve on Saturday and saw some endangered species of animals. We walked over hanging bridges and saw a large waterfall. We also went into a butterfly sanctuary.
On Friday, we helped create carpets made of colored sawdust and flowers on the streets. Later, we attended the procession to celebrate Good Friday.
Challenges Faced
One of our main challenges was returning to Spanish school after a week-long break. It can be hard to pick up skills and retain knowledge from several days prior. Additionally, the houses we are staying in don’t always have running water for showers (though we did get to learn how to take a bucket shower!), which can make it difficult to take care of ourselves.
What’s Next?
Next week, we will continue with our Spanish lessons and begin planning our student-directed travel for the second week of April. We’re excited to see what adventures await us!
