Global Experiences
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Cody Sain: Student Report from 2015 Alternative Spring Break in Costa Rica
I was unsure of what to expect. In what type of conditions would I live? What would I eat? How would I communicate? These types of questions were continually on my mind … until the plane landed in Costa Rica, and we met our guide for the week, Federico.
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After landing in the capital, San Jose, the group traveled by van about an hour and a half away to the town of Orosi. The actual location of the project and accommodations was in El Yaz, a small town in the Orosi Valley. Most meals were prepared from fresh food on site and were largely…
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Student Report: Haylie Lam, Hong Kong, Fall 2014
The week before classes started Orientation Week helped me find new friends and settle down in this city. The day before classes started a new friend of mine invited me to go hiking ten minutes before the group left! I’m usually shy when it comes to going places with new people but I decided to…
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Student Reports: Payton Smith, Dublin, Ireland, Fall 2014
The number one question I received before leaving the United States was: “Are you traveling alone or with a group?” Upon responding with, “alone,” the look of shock and amount of “good lucks” I received was not at all reassuring.
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David Michalik: Student Report from 2014 Alternative Winter Break in Guatemala
As the Fall semester closed out and I began preparations for the trip, I can remember wondering if it was worth it to finish finals only to jump on a plane for another country right before Christmas. As I came to find out throughout the time in Guatemala, the trip was much more than I…
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Luke Weber: Student Report from 2014 Alternative Winter Break in Guatemala
The bustling streets of Xela can take you anywhere you want to go and lead you to see anything you want to see. The streets can take you to Central Park, a sleepless square in the middle of town lined with banks, shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and a McDonald’s that serves fried chicken wings.
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Chirag Tailor: Student Report from 2014 Alternative Winter Break in Guatemala
This trip to Guatemala wasn’t my first excursion to a Latin American country, but it was certainly the best. Initially, I signed up for this trip in hopes of satisfying a university requirement and getting practice speaking Spanish. However, I was astounded by the amount of selfless work we performed and the opportunity to explore…
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Evan Wilmer: Student Report from 2014 Alternative Winter Break in Guatemala
There are many places to go in this big place we call Earth. Many people to meet, and fantastic memories to make, but frankly, you can’t go wrong, wherever you end up. I can honestly say that going to Guatemala was one of the best decisions of my life.
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Neel Patel: Student Report from 2014 Alternative Winter Break in Guatemala
For the week of December 14, 2014, eight students from the University of Tennessee, College of Engineering, went to Guatemala for an alternative winter break. We were led by Judith Mallory, the International Coordinator for the College of Engineering, and the trip was coordinated through Utopia Volunteers. The reason I signed up to go to…
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Trip Report: Alternative Winter Break in Guatemala
The group flew into the Guatemala City Airport and boarded a van for the four-hour journey west to Quetzaltenango, the country’s second-largest city. The van’s Cuban driver, Rudy, gave his own impressions of a country that was foreign to him, as well. It was not uncommon to see people walking very closely to the highway,…