Having studied Spanish for eight years, I’ve always dreamed of traveling to Latin America and consequently spent the first few weeks of December more anxiously awaiting this trip to Guatemala than Christmas and New Year’s combined.
After a five hour flight we arrived in Guatemala City, and made a quick stop at a bank to exchange U.S. Dollars for Guatemalan Quetzales. Apart from the slightly intimidating security guards armed with machine guns, Guatemala City was surprisingly similar to many American cities.
As we began our drive to the interior of the country, the juxtaposition of urban Guatemala City and the culturally rich town of Antigua was blatantly apparent. A stark contrast to the SUVs we saw cruising under giant billboards for companies like LG cell phones and Burger King, the scene in Antigua consisted of cobblestone streets, colorfully painted shops, and a picturesque view of the volcanoes surrounding the town.
The next morning I awoke to the sound of chiming church bells and set out with the group on a tour of historic Antigua, where we learned about colonial lifestyles and walked through an exquisite ancient cathedral. That afternoon we toured the Philadelphia coffee plantation, taste-tested Guatemala’s finest blends, and learned that many Guatemalan families must bring their young children to work in the fields in order to survive.
Before traveling to our next location, we got the once in a lifetime opportunity to climb the Pachaya Volcano in Antigua. Hiking alongside cattle on the way up, and then standing just feet away from active lava flows was a unique and thrilling experience.
Transitioning from the volcano villages (where young boys were asking for the leftovers of our lunch boxes, and women were doing laundry by hand) to the Best Western back in Guatemala City (where we had electricity and internet access) allowed me to see the effects of Guatemala’s income distribution first hand. It’s not easy to watch nine-year-old boys scavenging in trash cans, and it certainly made me appreciate the luxuries I’m able to enjoy in the United States.
For the next two days, we collaborated with the Universidad Francisco Marroquín and attended lectures from some of the university’s most knowledgeable and highly-respected faculty. Ranging from Hugo Maúl’s lecture on entrepreneurs and informal markets to Fernando Monterosso’s analysis of freedom and economic prosperity, we gained a wealth of knowledge on Guatemala’s history, culture, politics, legal systems, and economic institutions (or lack there of).
With more than half of the trip to go, we enjoyed the lively night life of Panajachel, caught some rays on several boat rides across the crater lake of Atitlán, and even watched some of our classmates jump from a cliff about 40 feet high into the giant lake.
We then traveled to perhaps my favorite location of the entire trip: Chichicastenango. Walking around ChiChi was like navigating through a giant maze – a very colorful and crowded maze. Textiles, fresh fruit, and handmade keepsakes could be seen in every direction. Live chickens were carried around in baskets on people’s backs. Buckets of assorted flowers lined the steps to the central church and in the distance you could see the vibrantly painted tombstones of a nearby cemetery. It was rich with culture and unlike anything I’ve ever seen in the United States.
Though beautiful and jaw-dropping, ChiChi was also one of the first times I felt uncomfortable walking around in my American garb with a flashy digital camera dangling from my wrist. We saw some incredibly poverty stricken people, from the little girl tugging on my pant leg as I walked through the church to the nearly blind beggar I stood next to as I examined the rows of merchants.
After successfully navigating the myriad of aisles and hesitantly bargaining (in Spanish) with the vendors for t-shirts and earrings, we boarded our bus and began our trek to Monterrico Beach. Winding endlessly through mountains and decelerating frequently for speed bumps, we wiggled our way through the underdeveloped infrastructure of Guatemala.
Three relaxing days at a charming resort in Monterrico Beach made the six hour drive well worth the trip. I stepped foot on black sand for the first time in my life, swam in the Pacific, and saw some beautiful birds and wildlife on a river tour of the mangrove forests. As an additional treat, we visited a turtle conservatory and each got our own baby turtle to set free into the Pacific.
Our trip ended just as fascinatingly as it started: with a visit to Tikal National Park. After a 50 minute plane ride, we spontaneously decided as a group to stop on the way to our hotel to take a canopy tour of the Guatemalan jungle. Strapped into harnesses and using our hands as brakes, we sped along zip lines through the trees. The next morning we got dressed at 4:30 a.m. by the light of our flashlights, cell phones, and cameras (they only turn on the electricity for a couple hours every day) and set off toward the Mayan Ruins. We sat at the top of one of the temples and listened to the sounds of jaguars and howler monkeys as the sun rose over the ruins, and in the afternoon, learned about the history of the Mayan people.
My experience in Guatemala was an eye-opening one, and I can’t thank my professors and Lafayette enough for this unforgettable opportunity. |
