Category: 2023 Program

We are now back from our trip in Lake Atitlán.  We had such an awesome time exploring with our guides Dolores and German.

Here is a cool photo I took from our trip of the long and steep main street in San Juan La Laguna.

Yesterday we had class in the morning reviewing our trip to Lake Atitlán and all the various things we had learned and then had an evening cooking class with Josue, the head chef at Casa Herrera.  It was super fun and actually super easy.  We were given all the ingredients and just had to roll them and wrap them in the husks.  Then we waited until they were done, which was about an hour, and took them home to eat for dinner.  We were all so full.

Today we had two classes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  These classes are so helpful to wrap our heads around the topics we’ve been learning because it’s a slower pace.  Sometimes I feel like trying to gather all the information on excursions is hard for me due to various things taking my attention, but the classes help me focus and process everything in an organized way.  In our classes today we learned all about the Maya Calendar and we even got to find our personal nahuales.  These are spirit animals that are found based on the day you are born and help describe the type of person you are.  Mine is “5 kaan”, which means snake in Kaqchikel.  The snake indicates someone who is a guardian or protector and the 5 means that I am a traveler and always feel the need to be active or moving.  It’s such an interesting concept and a lot more intricate than horoscope signs like Gemini or Libra.

-Jack Dunn

Today, May 16, is our only full day out here at Lake Atitlan. My roommates and I woke up around 8 to head to our eco-lodge’s breakfast, where we had a variety of options from pancakes to crepes to omelets, along with coffee and tea. At around 9 am our entire group took tuk-tuks into Santiago and spent the majority of the day in a more rural, traditional Maya town. It definitely put tourism in Antigua into perspective, and some of us were even approached because we looked different (in a nice and respectable way!). First, we stopped by the old town church (from 1547!) and met Dolores, who guided us throughout and had many stories and personal connections with the history of the church and the town. We learned about Stan Rother, who had been an incredible priest from Oklahoma who defended the Maya and promoted education amongst the poor and was killed during the civil war. Later, we visited two different cofradías, where we got to see Maximon and other entities of traditional Maya religious practice, as well as a weaving co-op. Both were extremely interesting and immersive, and I especially enjoyed learning more about the embedded traditions and symbolic meanings of weaving that people outside of the culture may not get to see. We had the afternoon off and got to look around the markets and spend time at the eco-lodge. As usual, it rained in the afternoon, but that didn’t stop people from taking advantage of the eco-lodge’s amenities, and I saw several people go out to kayak or head to the pool and sauna. The grounds were so beautiful with many different kinds of vegetation, I was content just watching the rain and calling some people at home. At seven, we met up as a group for dinner, which is always amazing, and spent the rest of the night getting ready to leave the next morning and having fun! The next morning, we met again at eight for breakfast and brought our packed-up bags. Around 9:30 am we took a boat to San Juan, where we visited a woman’s weaving co-op as well as a medicinal herb co-op. San Juan was a more touristy lake town and was way more uphill and colorful. It also was our guide German’s hometown, and one of his dogs followed us around for the whole day! Both of the co-ops were super interesting and engaging, leaving plenty of opportunities for students to ask questions and talk further if it related to their research topics. We had a little time to wander around the different market stalls and had lunch right next to the water, which was amazing. Afterwards, we headed on our last boat ride back to the hotel before heading back to Antigua on the three-hour bus ride. I’ll definitely miss Lake Atitlan but I’m excited for our last few days in Antigua and our homestay, and for our travels after!

– Megan Huan

 

Dear Blog,

Today we left Antigua on our way to Lake Atitlan. The journey there was nice. Getting to drive down the highway was a good way to see parts that we don’t have time to fully explore. We played a game on the ride there where everyone drew faces on a piece of paper which I found very entertaining. Once we got to the lake, we took a boat across to our final destination. The boat ride was a lot of fun for a former sailor like myself. Once we arrived at our hotel we had the rest of the day to ourselves. Most of us spent the night jumping between the pool, the hot tub, and the sauna. It has been a while since I pampered myself so much. Of course, I did some research when settling down for the end of the day…

-Omar Vasquez-Alpizar

Dear Blog,

Today the crew woke up early and caught breakfast at a restaurant near our homestay. We decided the day before that we have all been working hard and that this Sunday should be spent as a spa day. So after breakfast, we took an hour-long Uber to Santa Teresita Spa. Our Uber driver was super nice and talked to us the entire ride which made the time fly. Once there we spent no time getting into the temperature-regulated pools. The spa had five pools ranging from 75 degrees to 110 degrees (The numbers might be a little off, but you get the idea). Afterward, we spent some time in their water park before heading to lunch. We choose Caoba Farms and were super happy with it. I highly recommend it. The food was amazing and pretty cheap, the atmosphere was lively, and the landscape was gorgeous. After the amazing lunch, we took it easy the rest of the day until dinner which we had at Angie Angie. Another phenomenal restaurant. We all went home early so we could wake up early for our travel day the following day.

-Omar Vasquez-Alpizar

I had an amazing time hiking up the Pacaya volcano. Throughout the hike, I was entranced by the contrast between the beauty, lush nature, and the lava flows of past eruptions. Now and then along the trail, I could spot a little critter making itself across. Our guide usually told us the little guy’s name and offered much insight about the surrounding environment. Pit stops were often made to give a breather in-between the steep inclined hike and were paired with a beautiful view of the landscape below. Despite some exhaustion accompanying the journey, nothing could beat getting to the top to be rewarded with a fantastic view and a roasted marshmallow [included in the excursion].

-Ava Vicknair

As an avid coffee drinker, I was more than excited to visit a coffee plantation. I didn’t really know what to expect but I soon found myself well-informed on the specifics of how it’s grown, harvested, and processed. Our walk through the fields and grinding station was fascinating. However, I must say I was most intrigued to discover my own lack of decorum when consuming coffee.

Apparently, the proper way to enjoy coffee starts by smelling it. Followed by a preliminary sip meant as a pallet cleanser of sorts. The three subsequent sips consist of placing the liquid in different parts of the mouth in order to fully appreciate the complexity of flavors. Despite my initial hesitation at the suggested method, I felt like I really did taste the coffee more “completely” once we tried some back inside the cafe giftshop.

One other thing I found myself drawn to was the coffee jam at Casa Ko’jom. I’d never considered the idea before but their execution of it was flawless!

-Varisha Masroor

Today we went to explore the city of Antigua and establish reference points along the way. As someone with zero navigational skills, this was by far the most stressful day up to this point. The architecture is absolutely beautiful however I will admit from a directional standpoint after a while all the colorful houses and cobblestone streets tend to look the same.

The major landmarks that I use to orient myself are the most obvious and impossible to miss. For all those thinking of going to Antgiua, I suggest paying attention to central park and at least one connecting store in each direction. For me, this ended up being Wendys to the North, and a tented bazaar to the south.

Another great place to be on the lookout for is the Antigua Guatemala Cathedral, it’s pretty hard to miss and close to our central location at Casa Herrera. Just in case you do get lost though, I recommend taking some time to enjoy your surroundings!

 

-Varisha Masroor

Today was the day I have been counting down to since this past fall semester. I barely slept last night awaiting my journey to start my study abroad experience today! I woke up around 6 am to enjoy my last morning and coffee with my parents and pets. I also had to finish up some last-minute packing to make sure I had everything I need for the next 3 and 1/2 weeks! After enjoying my last few hours in the States, I departed for the airport with my mom and dad at 9 AM for my flight at 12:30 departing from Atlanta. Getting through security was pretty easy for me as I’ve flown internationally from Atlanta a few times before this. Once I was on the plane I fell asleep for most of the flight but woke up here and there to see the changing landscapes. Once I landed in Guatemala City, I met up with one of my classmates, Kelly, and we went through customs together and walked to meet the rest of our class at the entrance of the airport. Shortly after meeting everyone, we departed for our homestays in Antigua which was about an hour-long drive. Once we arrived, we had a few hours to settle in and meet our new families for the next 2 and 1/2 weeks! It was some much-needed decompression time as the full day of traveling exhausted me. Around 5 o’clock we went over to Casa Herrera, the UT building in Antigua, to tour the facility and have our welcome dinner. I really enjoyed the tour and the amazing view from the roof of the beautiful city and surrounding landscape (pictured below). For dinner, we had Pepián which is one of the national dishes of Guatemala. It was absolutely delicious and a great way to start a month of great food to come! After dinner, we walked back to our homestays and enjoyed a relaxing night to prepare for the journey ahead of us! I am so excited to start this program and learn more about the Maya!

-Kat Clauson