Author: Astrid Runggaldier

We are excited to welcome all our new students to Antigua, Guatemala for the 2018 edition of our Maymester program and Spanish Language program. To learn more more about each of the students in the Maymester, who will contribute their experiences to this blog, check out our Participant Bios page!

 

Thank you to all the contributors to the 2017 Maymester Blog! Below are the bios of each participant, and we look forward to new contributions from the students participating in the 2018 “Bridging Cultures in Latin America: Maya and Colonial Heritage in Guatemala and Belize.” Stay tuned!

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Hey there! My name is Andrea Estrada, I’m an upcoming junior. I am studying International Relations with a focus on Culture, Media, in the Arts specifically throughout Latin America. I am so excited to be here in Antigua, Guatemala and go out on excursions to see how contemporary Maya today interact with modern society while still incorporating aspects of their traditional beliefs in their everyday life. Also as a self-described adventurer, I’m pretty stoked about trying the local cuisine and immersing myself into the spirit of the city to get the full Guatemalan experience (and Belize for the last week)!

 

Hey there! My name is Hayley Briggs and I’m a junior art history major at the University of Texas at Austin. While at UT, I’ve grown an interest in ancient Mesoamerican cultures, especially the Maya. I fell in love with Maya art and architecture my second semester at UT and was ecstatic when I discovered that a study abroad program went to the Maya heartland. I immediately dropped everything I was doing to fill out the application and I can confidently say it was the best decision I’ve made since registering for my first class on Mesoamerican cultures.

 

My name is Gabriel Loehr, and my life goal is to travel to every country.  I have traveled somewhat extensively in the northern hemisphere (32 countries), but this is my first trip to Latin America, and it has already inspired me to make all of South and Central America my next priorities.  Every day I spend here, I am becoming more and more tempted to try a motorcycle trip across South America in the style of Che Guevara.  I told my dad about this idea, and when he expressed misgivings, I just said, “Che’s mom let him do it!”

 

Hey! My name is Quinn, and I am a rising sophomore, majoring in Plan II and Electrical Engineering. Having lived in both the United States and China, I love to travel, experience different cultures, and study different languages; a study abroad trip in Guatemala and Belize therefore is perfect for me. I’m also a super nerd for philosophy and technology. If I’m not reading dystopian novels about the dark side of technology, I’m most likely secretly contemplating the meaning of life. In the future, I hope to travel some more, where I can share my passions with diverse communities of the world.

 

 

Hola! My name is Rylie and I am beyond excited to be able to take part in this trip! I am entering my third year of college with a major in anthropology and a minor in business. I am using the experiences gained on this trip as a stepping stone into a career path of Mesoamerican archaeology. This past year I have extensively researched the Maya. However, after being here it is so amazing to physically encounter everything I have been reading about. I am not only excited to come in contact with the culture but also explore the entire region itself. Whether that’s through hiking a volcano, zip-lining through the jungle of Guatemala or snorkeling off the coast of Belize.

  I’m Atlanta and I am a sophomore at The University of Texas at Austin. I am experiencing my first time out of the country and I look forward to many more.

 

Hola! My name is Kelly, a Guatemalan in Guatemala! I’m a psychology major immersing in this awesome study abroad program in Guatemala wishing to learn more about the rich history, art, culture, and gastronomy of this country, while also doing research about the mental health system of Guatemala. I am open to all new adventurous experiences, from hiking a volcano, to going zip-lining in the highlands of Guatemala. I enjoy listening to music and dancing my heart out, but I also enjoy a quiet day doing yoga, reading a romance book and watching a sad love story movie on Netflix. I am more than ready and open for new experiences! So, bring it on Guatemala!

¡Hola! My name is Sofia and I’m a rising senior studying Art History. Although I’m interested in every bit of Maya civilization, I’m most particularly interested in the relationship between women’s weaving work in textiles and ancient architecture. I’m truly excited about studying in Guatemala and Belize because it’s my first time visiting this part of the Maya civilization. I have previously visited Maya sites in Yucatán, México, such as the very well-known site of Chichen Itzá, but have never passed the Mexican boundary (a boundary that didn’t previously exist in ancient Maya times!). In my short time here in the beautiful Antigua, I have already found every detail intriguing not only for my academic studies, but for my personal interests as well.

 

My name is Cheyenne! I am a freshman and the 2017 Bridging Cultures program is my first study abroad experience with UT. I am spontaneous, impulsive, and above all, open-minded. You may see why I might have my nose in a book on the beach of Monterrico or my legs dangling off the crown of the Volcano Pacaya. As someone who is obsessed with personal identities, you may also find me interviewing Guatemalan locals to analyze the social structures that influence this country’s people and differ from the ones that exist in my own life. 

Hi! My name is Ali, I am majoring in International Relations and History, and am going into my second year of college. I love traveling and learning about the world, so I’m super excited about this trip! I lived in London until I was 6, but have not had many opportunities to travel outside the United States since. This is my first time traveling to Central America, and I can’t want to learn more about Maya culture and tradition. I am a functioning chocoholic, so I am already thriving here with all of the awesome desserts. Hook ‘em!

Hey guys! My name is Rebecca and I’m a recent graduate with a Bachelors of Arts in American Studies and History, and with a minor in Art History.  I graduated with departmental honors in American Studies after completing a year-long thesis program.  I have been studying ancient Maya art history for about a year and am ecstatic to get hands-on experience with the places, sites, and culture that I have only read about.  I love to travel, explore, and eat new foods, which makes Guatemala and Belize the perfect fit for me!

 

Hola! My name is Felicia Cisneros, a first year graduate student at the LBJ School. I am from the Rio Grande Valley, a region in a constant state of cultural exchange. My upbringing inspired me to pursue an undergraduate degree in Mexican American Studies, exploring issues of race, identity, & cultural preservation, with emphasis on the recognition of indigeneity in Latino communities. I was privileged to both study culture & teach English in Peru on a Fulbright scholarship, & last year I traveled independently to Colombia to teach English. I am immensely interested in Mesoamerican cultures, as well as the preservation of heritage & traditions still practices today. On this trip I am researching a comparison of cultural heritage policies in Guatemala & Belize, as well as the role of museums in supporting/hindering the illicit trade of antiquities. 

Hello! My name is Gabriela Velazquez and I am going to be a 4th year student with a major in International Relations and Global Studies and a minor in Latin American Studies. I moved to the United States when I was 5 years old from Mexico and have been living here ever since. I am fluent in Spanish but I am excited to see the differences in the Mexican and Central American Spanish. This is my first time in Guatemala and Belize so I’m stoked to be able to experience the different cultures here.

 

 

I would like to start off with a haiku:

I am Armando.

This is my biography.

That is all, goodbye.

Though that may have been short, it describes my way of life. I like things simple and to the point. I am an avid believer that everything happens for a reason even if it is unbeknownst to us at the moment they occur. That is how I ended up here in Guatemala and soon Belize as well! One day I hope to be an educator and experiences like this will allow me to grow as an individual, open my mind to different perspectives and ways of life, and hopefully aide me in shaping the minds of future generations. 

Hola!  My name is Veronica, but I go by Vero for short. I’m a first-generation college student from San Benito, TX (down in the Valley) and am going into my final year of studying Political Communications and Education. Fun facts: I’ve shaved my head TWICE and wear flowers in my hair! I love dancing, taking pictures, playing the accordion and learning about other cultures.  This is my first time studying abroad and I couldn’t have picked a better program. Not only are Guatemala and Belize amazing countries, they are helping me learn about indigenous cultures that are in ways similar to my ancestors. Truly am beyond excited to be here!

Hola a todos! My name is Lauren Wagner and I’m a Neuroscience/Linguistics double major entering my junior year at UT. I came to Guatemala to learn more about Maya culture and to observe how native speakers of Mayan languages view their own culture through their linguistic identity. My hobbies include reading, cooking, learning languages, and playing with my kitty, Ninja. I speak English and Spanish and have studied German and Latin. One of my goals here on this adventure is to learn some basic phrases in at least 3 Mayan languages!

Hi there! My name is JJ Villegas and I am from the Rio Grande Valley down in South Texas. This Study Abroad course will actually be my last course as a UT Undergrad since I just graduated a few weeks ago with a degree in Computer Science. Before I officially get kicked off the forty acres, I was really pursuing an opportunity to study abroad, and Guatemala and Belize so far feel like the perfect choice. Upon returning from the study abroad program, I will begin working full time as a Software Engineer at IBM in Austin.

Hello! I am Astrid Runggaldier, Assistant Director of The Mesoamerica Center at UT Austin, and faculty leader of this study abroad Maymester program. I am interested in the archaeology and architecture of Mesoamerican cultures, and have excavated ancient Maya sites in Guatemala and Belize. I am from Italy, but I have traveled extensively throughout Central America and speak Spanish fluently, so I think of Guatemala and Belize as my other homes. When you cannot find me at my desk at Casa Herrera, I am most likely wandering the halls of the local markets, taking pictures of crafts, Maya textiles, and tropical fruit.

This is the blog of the UT Maymester study abroad program to Guatemala and Belize! Welcome to all the students who arrived on May 31st to spend the next four weeks studying and experiencing Maya culture, from the ancient past to contemporary times. Follow us through excursions and adventures as we make our way across Central America from the volcanic highlands of Guatemala and the Pacific coast, to the jungles of the tropical lowlands and the Caribbean coast of Belize. Here are all our students at the welcome dinner on June 1st: read their bios on our contributors page, and keep up with posts over the next several weeks!