Guatemala Day 1: The Fun Begins ... EARLY, by Marshall Wagner

Today was an early morning for every boy on the trip. Luckily due to the wonderful preparation of the service team, we moved through every airport swiftly and smoothly. We learned lessons on the way like staying together, which I am sure will be important throughout a trip to an unfamiliar country. As we flew from Miami to Guatemala City, the beautiful Gulf of Mexico was right out our window. After landing, we exchanged $40 of our US money for the Guatemalan currency. We then smoothly traveled through customs on the other end of which the Squads Abroad team was waiting for us. Immediately we saw poverty throughout the country as we traveled in a bus for our lunch at McDonalds. There, we experienced a nice clean McDonalds with new options we had never experienced in the United States. Many of us had crispy potato crisps, which we thought were especially tasty. Seeing the different views and chaos as we traveled two hours in a bus made us feel lucky for the opportunity we have to help some of these people and learn about how they experience life compared to our bubble of wealth in Nashville.

The roads in Guatemala are nothing like the roads in Nashville. There are rowdy dirt bikes and motorcycles weaving in between lanes. There is lots of commotion as people cut each other off and honk their horns. Since we woke up at 2 am, many of us fell asleep on the bus as we traveled through the vast countryside and mountains of Guatemala. When arriving at the hotel, our phones were abducted, which caused us to go outside and play games with each other. We all played soccer for a while, but it was very chaotic, so we switched to handball which everyone enjoyed. The game of handball is much like ultimate frisbee, focusing on working together to score. Following these activities, some boys played card games such as poker and Uno, while others went for a relaxing dip in the pool to cool off. We were then called for dinner, which included a Jamaica hibiscus punch, mashed potatoes, an assortment of vegetables, chicken with a special sauce, homemade corn tortillas, rolls, and flavorful pineapple. 

After dinner, before our team meeting, we went to war over pillows and used bug spray, sunscreen, and fist fighting. We discussed at the team meeting what we would eat for the following day, how tomorrow would be, and some policies so that nothing gets damaged, nor anyone injured. Post-meeting, we made treaty to end the pillow wars and got ready for another wonderful day and the majestic country of Guatemala.