We're Almost There!

Hi everyone! For those of you reading this who don't know me, I'm Sarahann, and I'll be one of the trip participants for the AWB Guatemala trip. I'm really excited for the trip to begin (18 days and counting) and to get to know the group better.

Over the last few months, I've enjoyed participating in various pre-trip activities, and my favorite was definitely the pre-service trip to Eco City Farms. Before the trip, I always thought organic and sustainable farming as a unattainable, almost whimsical term that environmentalists threw around. I had no idea that small, organic farming was going on right in my backyard (literally)! At the farm, I turned a pile of compost and worked with the sifter. After our service, we were given a tour around the farm. My favorite part was the mini green-house that housed rice, fruit trees, and other tropical plants you wouldn't expect to find in College Park, Maryland. I was also surprised to learn that Eco City Farms was able to feed 20 families on only 1/3 of an acre! It definitely changed my perspective of the importance and capability of eating locally-grown food, and I hope to get more involved with sustainability efforts in the future.

Looking forward, I can't believe that I'll be in Guatemala in less than a month. I've never been to Guatemala before and am looking forward to the opportunity. I'm probably most nervous about the language barrier--as I love talking with and getting to know people, and I know language will be a challenge considering my near novice Spanish speaking skills. For the rest of Winter Break, I hope to crack open the good ol' high school Spanish books to try to brush up on some basic vocabulary and gear up for the trip.

I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday season! And, because countdowns are always super fun, here's a countdown to the 2014 AWB Guatemala trip :)

COUNTDOWN WIDGET

Preparing for Round 2

I still can't believe that I was chosen to return to Guatemala as an experience leader - my time in Los Andes last year definitely still stands as one of the highlights of my college career. However, as wonderful as last year's trip was, I believe that this year's will be even better. The members of "Team Guatemala" seem to be diverse in interests but also passionate about community service and learning more about the world. I'm so excited to get to know all of you better during our time together! 

(For those of you who have never been on an AB trip before and are nervous about making friends, don't be! The group will grow surprisingly close during our ten-day trip, since we'll be together almost all the time.)

The only thing I think I'm nervous about this year is being an effective leader. We will, of course, be doing a lot of education and reflection during the trip and I want to make sure that it is meaningful and beneficial for the entire group. I am also nervous about my Spanish skills, as I haven't used the language in a large capacity since last January, but hopefully Duolingo can help me refresh and get in the Spanish mindset before we depart!

I got a nice rolling suitcase with four wheels for Christmas (many thanks to my Maw Maw and Paw Paw!) and I can't wait to start packing for our adventure. I'm hoping to pack even lighter than I did last year - hopefully I can find a sleeping bag to bring that can fit in my suitcase without issue.

Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions about the trip, or suggestions for games or fun activities we could do as a group. 19 days left until we depart for Guatemala, hurray!

Caitlin's Pre-Trip Post

I applied to join Alternative Breaks because I enjoy service and wanted to experience something new!  I shot for the stars and picked Guatemala because a) I am a strong advocate of the environment and b) I have never been to Central America.

Last year I volunteered at ECO City Farms, where I learned not only the importance of sustainability but also the lesson of service: Others can help serve those in need best by listening to what they ask for.  I hope to apply what I have learned from service in the College Park community to Guatemala, and I cannot wait to share the knowledge I will learn from Los Andes.

During a pre-trip meeting, where we watched the documentary “Living on One Dollar,” it made me feel very appreciative of everything I have, including education, food, and shelter.  All the Guatemalan residents in the documentary, however, had hope.  Their hopeful attitude and willingness to learn inspires me to help serve their community and learn more about how we can assist their country’s economical growth in a sustainable manner.

Less than a month away from the departure date when our group meets with Sarah, Chris, and Lizeth to travel to Antigua!  Now that finals are over, I can spend all my time on Duolingo.com learning Spanish.  So far, I have the basics covered and “Mi nombre es Caitlin.”

A Few Miscellaneous Thoughts

I originally intended to take a registered course abroad this winter, but since I didn't necessarily need the extra credits, I decided I should do something just as exciting but more community-oriented. That's when I came across the Alternative Breaks program, and it looked like the perfect "alternative"! I was really surprised when I got an email notification that I had been accepted into my first-choice program, the Guatemala trip! It's hard to believe that the trip is now just over a month away. 

We watched a documentary at our second meeting: "Living on One Dollar". The film followed the efforts of 4 college friends to make ends meet on a budget of one dollar a day, in a small village in Guatemala (Fortunately, our living conditions won't be quite as harsh when we travel there in January!). The documentary was very eye-opening, not only about the struggles that some Guatemala residents go through, but also about the crippling socioeconomic forces that make it difficult for them to improve their situations.

At our most recent meeting, our trip leaders were generous enough to provide us with snacks, but I sensed that there was an ulterior motive… Chris and Sarah's choice of Tostito's tortilla chips as a snack was a subtle way to introduce us to the Latin American culture we will soon be exploring. The selection of chocolate-dipped cookies, made from the Cacao bean, was a disguised attempt to educate us about the native flora of Central America. Our trip leaders were clearly trying to be sneaky, but I saw right through it.

Meeting #3

• Introductions (Two Truths & A Lie)
• Spanish
• Review Sheet - check out the alphabet & number songs, plus Duolingo!
• Charades using our new vocab
• Pre-Departure Packet Overview
• Sarah will send this out via e-mail.
• Things that we emphasized:
• This is a substance-free trip; DO NOT bring alcohol or other drugs.
• When in the markets, please try not to haggle for an insanely low price - be fair because this work may be the shopkeepers' only source of income. Also, try to check to see if the product is actually made in Guatemala and not China. Lastly, if you want to take a picture of the shopkeepers and their goods please ask them first!
• There will be some sellers in/near the markets who will be relentless in trying to get you to buy an item, and may lower the cost themselves way lower than what the product is worth just to make a sale. Just try to stand your ground if you are not interested, but be polite while doing so.
• Girls - although the weather will be warm, women in Guatemala generally don't wear short shorts. Please bring knee length shorts, capris, long skirts, or pants to wear most days. You can wear shorter shorts during service.
• Concerning safety, please keep in mind that Guatemala is not the safest of countries. We plan on staying together as a group or in smaller groups when in the city, and not going out (especially not alone) at night. Be aware and be safe.
• It's perfectly okay to want to take pictures while we're there, but please keep in mind that there is a fine line between capturing the moment and living in the moment. Just try not to go overboard with pictures!
• Please mark your calendars for the AB Activation Event on April 7th at 5 PM!
• Craft: Bags for Warm Fuzzies
• On the trip, when you notice a good deed that someone has done, leave them an anonymous kind note that'll give them "warm fuzzies" in their bag!
• If you weren't able to attend, we will also decorate bags before we leave.