Meet the 2018 participants of the Bridging Cultures in Latin America: Maya and Colonial Heritage in Guatemala and Belize study abroad program!
Hi there! My name is Monika Husodo and I am a rising junior studying Architectural Interior Design in UT Austin’s School of Architecture. I am very excited to pursue my research on how the colonial architecture in Guatemala and Belize changed the Maya’s concept of space in terms of sacred context. So, I will focus on the architecture of colonial churches in comparison with the Maya temples. Since my hometown is in Indonesia, I travel between Asia and North America quite a bit, but this is my first time being immersed in Latin America. In my short time here, I have quickly fallen in love with Antigua’s rich colonial heritage, the amazing food, and most importantly, the strong spirit of the Guatemalan people.
Hi! My name is Kendall and I just finished my fourth year ay UT with one semester left to go. I am primarily a printmaker double majoring in Studio Art and Design and minoring in Art History. I came to Antigua for the first time in 2015 for Semana Santa and loved it so much that I wanted to come back! I’m excited to explore more of Guatemala and to travel to Belize for the first time.
Hola! My name is Kiona Clarke and I am entering my 4th year as a Psychology major, minoring in Spanish at the University of Texas at Austin! I love traveling and experiencing different cultures and have been out of the country several times before. However, I am extremely excited to add a place as beautiful as Antigua, Guatemala to the list!! I hope this trip allows me to further improve my understanding of the Spanish language all while enjoying the natural beauty of both Guatemala and Belize. I plan to make this the first of many Spanish speaking immersion experiences I make throughout my life.
Hello! I’m Hayley, a junior studying International Relations. My focus is culture, media, and the arts in Latin America. I am interested in observing the role of religion in Guatemala and Belize, especially noting the dialogue between Catholic and Maya religious elements. This is my first time abroad and I know I’ll love every minute of it. I’m excited to see Maya architecture and history through excursions to ancient ruins. I can’t wait to see everything Guatemala and Belize have to offer!
Hello everyone! My name is Sydney Forte, and I am working on an International Relations/ Global Studies major, focusing on culture, media, and the arts, particularly in Eastern Asia. However, since doing the orientation class this past spring, and now coming to Guatemala, I have been become increasingly interested in the Maya culture. I find that learning about cultures that are thought of as extinct by the general public to be really intriguing. It’s honestly fun to find similarities and differences between the cultures and customs of the Maya, and those of other cultures I’ve studied previously (such as those in Japan and China). I hope I’ll get opportunities to learn more about all of you in the near future!
Hi! My name is Sarah Boatwright and I’m a Plan II and Sustainability Studies major. I’ll be a Junior next year and I’m thrilled to be here in Guatemala! I’m interested in the way the ancient and contemporary Maya interact with the surrounding natural environment, and how that relationship manifests itself in religious, agricultural, and architectural practices. I hope to approach conservation of ancient Maya sites from an environmental angle, focusing also on the nature that surrounds the ruins rather than the ruins in isolation. While I’m here, I hope to climb volcanoes, explore rainforests, and visit the various natural bodies of water. I’d also like to improve my Spanish! I’ll be keeping a journal and an Instagram blog, @sarah_elsewhere, to catalogue my travels. My favorite things about Guatemala so far have been the fried plantains, the chicken buses and the mountains. Can’t wait to see what adventures befall us over the next four weeks!
Hello, my name is Scilla! I am a recent graduate of UT with a Bachelor’s of Art in Art History. I plan to attend law school, where I will specialize in art and cultural property law. I have been interested in the intersection of art, law, and cultural heritage for some time now so I will be researching the intellectual property rights of Maya weavers while in Guatemala and Belize. This trip is a combination of firsts and lasts for me. It is my first time traveling to Central America as well as my last class as a UT student. I hope to have many new and exciting experiences throughout the rest my time here!
Hello! My name is Maya and I’m a rising junior, studying Computer Science and Plan II. I’ve been wanting to study abroad since I got to UT, so I’m super excited to be here in Antigua! I’m really interested in the ethics of cultural preservation, and the rights indigenous communities have to their own history. I’m excited to explore this in the context of the Maya community in Guatemala and Belize.
Hey there, my name is Esteban Salinas and I’m a junior in the College of Liberal Arts majoring in Sociology. Ever since I was young, I’ve had an interest in archeology and anthropology, and when I saw the opportunity to study abroad and learn about Maya art and culture, I took it. I’m especially excited to see Maya ruins and artifacts up close and learn more about their mythology and iconography both from the past and how it affects them in the present. This country is so beautiful and what we’ve already seen it breathtaking, and I can’t wait to explore more on our excursions and continue our trip into Belize.
Guat’s up! My name is Alan! I am an International Relations major with a focus on political economy in Latin America. I am going into my junior year at UT Austin. I am excited to experience the different environments and cuisines of Guatemala and Belize. I am fluent in Spanish so I am also looking forward to talking with people of varied backgrounds about their own experiences with life in Guatemala and Belize. I hope to gain a better understanding of the perspectives and struggles of people who live outside of the “developed” world and, in the future, make other trips to Latin America in order to see more of this diverse and beautiful region of the world.
Hey there! I’m Hansika Kamineni and I’m currently studying International Relations and Global Studies with a focus on Latin America. My first languages were Telugu and English and I have also been studying French for the past 4 years. Spanish on the other hand is something I have absolutely zero knowledge in. I wanted to use this study abroad trip as a way to throw myself into a culture where I don’t know the language and see how well I would be able to communicate. So far it has been a challenge, but I am slowly adjusting. Additionally, I was drawn by the extraordinary opportunities this program provides. In just the few days I have been in Guatemala, I had the privilege of going up Pacaya and then spending the weekend in beautiful Monterrico. I look forward to many more memorable experiences during this program.
Hello there! I am Naomi and am a rising senior at the University of Texas at Austin who is studying International Relations and Global Studies with a focus on Latin American Studies under the Culture, Media, and Arts track. I am really enjoying my first real international trip and getting to put my Spanish to use. I have always loved learning about Mesoamerican history and how the past influences modern society and this trip is an opportunity to experience that in first person.
Hello! My name is Lindsey. I just graduated from UT with a degree in Art History, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to study abroad in Guatemala before I have to truly enter the adult world. As a Certified Art Historian, I’m mainly interested in contemporary art from Latin America, but really any time period, including the ancient Maya, will do. Besides studying art, I also like to make my own – I’m a very amateur embroiderer, and I also like to spend time with my dogs, watch sitcoms from the 90s and eat too much in one sitting from time to time. I’ve not done a whole lot of traveling in my lifetime, but I’m excited to get two more countries under my belt here in Guatemala and in Belize and for all the experiences that will come with them. Coming back from the beach to the city covered in ash was a great start.
Hey y’all! My name is Natalie and I am psyched to be here in Antigua for this Maymester! I am an upcoming Junior in the College of Fine Arts majoring in Art and Entertainment Technologies also pursuing a degree in Studio Art, Certificate in Design Strategies, and Minor in Art History. I love everything about traveling and aim to visit as many countries as possible throughout my lifetime. I want to experience cultures and traditions different from my own so that I can gain better understandings of how people live. I have never been to Guatemala or Belize, so am excited to see all that they have to offer. Throughout this next month, I am also interested in seeing how the indigenous populations of Guatemala and Belize have kept their own traditions alive throughout the last millennium and how they are still visible today.
Hi! My name is Elliot Knowles. I am currently a student of anthropology and art history at the University of Texas- Austin, with a focus on archeology. I am excited to get started on my research on the Maya in Guatemala and to continue it with field work on a Maya site in Belize afterward. My research is a conglomeration of all my interests within my fields of study; containing urban planning, architecture, sculptural work, geology, and trade. The basics of the research can be summarized as a study of the geology of Guatemala and Belize and how that geology effected the architecture and urban planning of Maya settlements. This is also the first time I am leaving the United States! So I’m excited to explore the different cultures, geographical/ ecological areas, and cities that Guatemala and Belize have to offer.
My name is Weatherly and I am a junior BFA of Studio Art who spends an ungodly amount of time organizing, listening to music, and staring at walls. I am big on painting, drawing, feminism, cats, hiking, and anything else that captures my imagination. Nature and landscapes tend to capture my imagination more than anything, and this played a big role in my decision to come to Guatemala. Additionally, I really enjoy forming connections with others, especially when I am faced with the challenge of forming that connection cross-culturally. During my month here, I intend to take artistic inspiration from my various experiences and gain a better understanding of the Guatemalan people and their culture.
Hola hola! My friend always said howdy howdy when he walked into a room, so this is my iteration. My name’s Andrés M. Garza, currently a senior Anthropology student. Completely obsessed with food and culture, eating my way through life and learning as much as I can in the process, of its process. The past few years I’ve worked in kitchens of different cultures, exploring their customs and being here I’m asking too many questions about tamales. They’re so different from the ones I grew up eating and oh so so good. My stomach is growing heavier and my smile growing wider.
My name is Catherine and I am the Teaching Assistant for the 2018 edition of this Maymester Program. As of 2018 I am a doctoral candidate in the Department of Art and Art History at UT-Austin with a specialization in the visual culture of the ancient Maya. My dissertation explores the peripheral placement of stelae in the southeastern Maya region and the relationship between countrysides and centers. I have traveled and worked extensively in Mexico, specifically the Yucatán, though my more recent projects are centered in Western Honduras. I look forward to working in Guatemala and Belize in the days, months, and years to come.