Tag Archives: featured

Cuba: between light and shadow

how beautiful the birds are they roam freely oh how they sing do they know they are locked in a cage? oh how they continue to fly with pride singing loudly for all to hear under the sun Continue Reading ››
Guatemala

Guatemala: Community Service

We recently spent 10 days living in communities around Guatemala and serving with organizations in those  communities. Keep reading to hear about where each group went.  We (Marie & Sophia) spent the week in Santiago, Atitlan working with Amanecer Nueva de Santiago Atitlan (ANADESA). This organization focuses on helping empower indigenous women, … Continue Reading ››
Guatemala

Guatemala: Holy Week

Holy Week in Guatemala  The past week we traveled out to Chichicastenango and around Lago Atitlan. We left on the tails of our goodbyes to host families and the end of Spanish classes, so the week was a real change of pace. Throughout the week we saw examples of hope being held … Continue Reading ››
Guatemala

Guatemala: Host families

Our families have been an integral part of our Guatemalan experience. At first, the idea of staying and living with a family we had never met before in an entirely new country was a bit frightening for a majority of us. The cultural and language barriers seemed to be the biggest worries, but … Continue Reading ››
Guatemala

Guatemala: Take the Plunge

Plunging into Cultural Learning Guatemala is a paradoxical paradise. That’s what Israel Ortiz told us on the first day of orientation in the second-floor CASAS meeting room. I remember sitting in that room, full of excitement. I was ready to fully plunge into this new paradise. Three weeks later I’m panicking … Continue Reading ››
Guatemala

Guatemala: Independent Travel Week

During the week of spring break for the rest of EMU, the Guatemala intercultural students had the chance to travel in small groups around Guatemala, Belize, and El Salvador. We planned the trips ourselves and were given the opportunity to go anywhere we wanted (with the approval of our leaders, of course). Here’s … Continue Reading ››
Guatemala

Guatemala: Education

10 March 2024 Education - Investing in the future Two weeks ago our group focused on education in Guatemala. We listened to a presentation and got a tour at Casa Horeb about the school program they run called EduVida. They offer free classes for people of all ages who are looking to further their education … Continue Reading ››
Guatemala

Guatemala: Human Rights

Legacy of the armed conflict This week (February 18-23)  we focused on human rights and learned about Bishop Gerardi. He was a significant person in Guatemala who focused on uncovering the human rights violations committed by the military upon the indigenous community in the 1960s. We watched a documentary about the murder of Monsignor … Continue Reading ››
Guatemala

Guatemala: Tikal y Cobán Reflexión

23 February 2024 Our most recent trip took us north. We spent a full seven days split between the northern rainforests of Tikal and the high-altitude city of Cobán in Alta Vera Paz. The theme for the week was Nature & Environment, so we visited the ancient Mayan Ruins in Tikal National … Continue Reading ››
Guatemala

Guatemala: Threads of Connection

9 February 2024 As part of our intercultural experience, we are taking Spanish classes for about four hours every morning through CASAS, or Central America Study and Service cultural immersion program. We are in small groups and paired up with a teacher. So far, we have learned through cooking, singing Guatemalan songs, acting out skits, reading … Continue Reading ››
Guatemala