I have traveled internationally before, but the Guatemala trip was an entirely new experience for me. It was my first time in Central America, my first time traveling without the security of family members, and my first time in a Spanish-speaking country. Guatemala possesses a certain captivating beauty and intricacy to its culture, land, and people that makes it quite different from the other countries I have visited.

The project that we worked on allowed us to directly interact with the people whose lives our work would touch. We worked to help finish a classroom and to design the plans for a second-story addition to one of the other school buildings. It was definitely not the easiest work and our foreman only spoke Spanish; however, I learned so much from the men that taught us to complete the tasks and it was encouraging to be able to hear the joyous laughter of the children we were helping. We were able to play with them during their recess, and their excitement to see us made the experience so much more special. I learned so much from them, from a little Spanish (which I did not speak at all before this trip) to a reminder of the joys that can be found in the simplest of things.

Guatemala is full of beautiful landscapes. We saw huge cities, like Guatemala City, sprawling across the valleys, and small villages perched in the mountains. We drove up winding roads leading higher into the mountains where the sun glances through the clouds cloaking the peaks. Small plots of various crops zig-zagged across the mountain sides with long, thin tubes to transport water across the vast gaps between peaks. Ornately decorated churches with detailed carvings and vivid paint oppose dignified city halls in every town. The active volcanoes stand with imposing threat in their power, while the volcanoes of old rise with an ancient grace. I was astounded with the special beauty of Guatemala everywhere we traveled through the entire trip, from the first glimpses as the plane approached, to the last evening at Lake Atitlan.

Guatemala was incredibly intricate culturally. For example, some of the churches combined Mayan and Catholic theologies to create a unique religious experience for the people they serve. The people of Guatemala are proud of their culture and are working to preserve it for their future generations. From the woman in the mountains quietly, painstakingly embroidering the traditional shirts for the women of her village, to the mother and her son who took the time to show us Mayan ruins, from the two men who explained both sides of their civil war, to the women who taught us about weddings and tortillas, the people of Guatemala were willing to show us their extraordinary culture and allow us to experience it in a small way. I will remain forever touched by their graciousness, openness, and willingness to teach us.