An Early Morning, Unexpected Delays, but Ghana! by Bennett Sberna

Our day started nice and early with having to meet at the airport at 4:00 AM. Even though our folks might have said that we were tired, we were filled with nothing but excitement. With all of this exciterent, we were sad to find out that our flight had been delayed. We waited patiently for our flight, and eventually boarded. As the plane left the ground, our journey was finally underway. 

The flight was short compared to our second one. But the minutes could not have passed slower. After a long 2 hours, we finally landed in New York. We spent most of our time exploring the airport and when the time came to board, we found out that this flight was also delayed. We waited patiently for our flight, as we were tired. Finally, it was time to board and we were on our way to Ghana. On the plane some of us slept, while others could not get a minute of sleep. As the pilot announced our descent it did not matter to us what had happened, just that we were finally in Ghana, on our trip that we have planed for months.

A Full Day, by Bowen James and Preston Keith

Today we arrived at the school on a bright beautiful day, greeted by the enthusiastic children’s faces ready for a day full of piggyback rides and soccer. When we arrived at the school and immediately set to work making concrete and bringing bricks to prepare for the final steps of completing the eco-stoves. It was satisfying work to mix the concrete and finding the right amounts of dirt, water, and concrete mixture to create it. after the mixing and delivering of the concrete. I (Preston) took 16 minutes, 38 seconds and 5 milliseconds (quoted by Mr. Van Citters) to smooth out the concrete, only to find out that there was no use in smoothing it because we had to add another layer of concrete, making me (Preston) cry inside. After that traumatic incident, we had to put on some big bricks to create a base for the eco-stove and we had a incident when one of the people from our group broke one of the bricks. We all freaked out because we thought that we had no more bricks to create the base but that problem was solved with the bringing of more bricks. After doing all of that, I (Preston) decided to take a break and play with the kids, but instead of having a break I had to carry many kids on my back while being chased by others, but overall I still had a really good time playing soccer with the kids and I will never regret going on this trip.

For lunch we ate hamburgers made by the staff. We also were provided soda, which contained many chemicals and sugar. After lunch, all the kids were gone, and we had to keep ourselves occupied, whether by working on the eco-stoves or playing soccer with classmates. We played wall ball and a game called tips. Two kids from the school had stayed after school and bought us water and bought Mr. Van Citters a Seven-Up. We made more concrete and built the eco-stoves more. We had started laying down the bricks on top of the concrete. Jude tried to lay down a brick and broke it. We went home while singing many pop songs. We ate dinner and went to bed.

I (Bowen) noticed many differences between Guatemala and America. The people are more friendly and welcoming to new people coming to their country. We were offered food from many of the kids. Music was also on in the back and many kids were dancing. Many dogs were roaming around the school going into many of the classrooms. The dogs didn’t have names until we, as an undivided group, decided to name them. We named them Pablo, Pabloette, and Unc. In conclusion, this day was exhilarating and had many ups. We noticed many differences between Guatemala and America. The differences were very obvious because of the clear contrasts of cultural standards. Thanks.

 

Birthday and More, by Ford Kormos and Henry Corts

We woke up on June 4th…it was Ford’s birthday. We woke up to happy birthday in Spanish. For breakfast we had eggs, beans, good juice, and of course tortillas. We left for Escuela Oficial Rural San Marcos Pacoc to finish our final day of Eco stoves and presenting posters on dental hygiene. We made good connections with the kids, giving them piggyback rides and playing soccer with them. We also did our best to talk to them in Spanish.

Today, we noticed several differences between MBA and EORSMP. The first difference was the meals. Whereas we have many options for lunch, they only had a few. Whether they liked the food they were given or not, it was they only option they had. At MBA, everyone wears similar clothing, because there is a dress code, but at the school, they were all wearing different things, because there isn’t really a set dress code. Lots of clothing had common cartoons from America (Bart Simpson, Spiderman, Lightning McQueen) and American sports teams (Yankees, Phillies, Longhorns) on it. These clothes were overstocked from America, and either sold for cheaper or donated.

When we arrived at the school, we split off into two groups. One was teaching the class with the posters we made, and the other was helping with the Eco stoves. Halfway through, we switched jobs. We talked about dental hygiene using two made-up characters: Jude and Loco Coco. Loco Coco was an example of not brushing your teeth or flossing and drinking lots of Pepsi (specifically 3.3 liters). The kids were very curious about dental hygiene and very eager to answer questions about it. An example of dental hygiene was Jude, who flossed and brushed his teeth three times a day for two minutes. For the last part of the Eco stoves, we brought the bricks over, dunked them in water to make them less brittle, slapped some cement down, and put the bricks on the foundation. Esvin, the main person helping us, was the reason we were able to finish our Eco stove.

After we finished saying our goodbyes at the school, we came back to the compound and ate pizza and drank Coke provided by San Marcos Pacoc. There was also fish, lime-cucumber juice, and grape Jello. Then, we had a pastry class and learned to bake champuradas, which are a sort of cookie-bread. They were very yummy. A few different shapes we made were a swirl, a snail, a heart, and a circle. There was also one in a churro style. When we left, we saw these very cute puppies. We wanted to take them home, but Mr. Van Citters would not let us. The dogs in Guatemala are usually street dogs not owned by anybody. They are never on leashes and wander around the streets. We cannot pet the dogs without our work gloves because they may carry diseases.

When we got back to the compound, we played some football with Sau (saw-OO) and then had dinner, where there was a special chocolatey surprise for Ford. Ford was feliz. After that, there was another special surprise. It was a day full of surprises. They danced with flags, and the girls did a traditional Guatemalan dance. A group of guys tried and succeeded to do the same thing. I (Henry C.) took Henry Mikos and danced with him. It was lovely. Finally, we had marshmallows and hot chocolate and got signatures on our shirts from Nestor the chef and the crew. Then we went in to settle down.

 

New Friends, New Skills, New Appreciation, by Landon Stephenson and Ritchie Gillespie

Today in Guatemala, we woke up next to familiar faces ready to start the day. For breakfast this morning, we had delicious cheese omelets with red peppers, pancakes, beans, and hibiscus-pineapple juice. We ate fast and got ready for the day and refilled our empty water bottles.  Then at 8:00, we went to the school to start building the very, very, very impressive eco stoves that will cook countless meals for the good of the community and children alike.

We started by helping to lay the anchoring foundation of the stoves. We did so by removing the gray, quadrilateral cinderblocks that lay in the semi smokey, fully joyful kitchen infested with slobbery dogs that tried to give us many kisses. After, we removed a pesky pile of dry dirt. We shoveled the rubble into nice-looking, red and green wheelbarrows. Then from the clouds above came a man whose name is not remembered at the present; however this man was an expert on all things involving concrete. He has worked in this field for a whopping 10 years, which would be pretty old for a goldfish. He mastered the art of mixing concrete into little volcanoes and creating masterpieces out of concrete. After laboring for many tireless hours we met an amigo with a green dinosaur outfit that we were all jealous of. He taught us the art of running around and having fun. He taught us a valuable lesson on how to enjoy each other’s company despite our language barrier.

Once we finished up all the day’s work we hopped on the baller bus with retired formula-one racer Giovanni, who was the best driver ever. Giovanni got us home at a record pace so we could freshen up before having our epic pottery lesson with Mama Clara. Mama Clara taught us the process of making pottery out of only rocks. Suddenly a miniature monsoon consumed the hillside which Mama Clara called home. On our journey back to the compound, we gazed out my window and watched the mountains go by. The mountains were so peaceful that we could not stay awake as we all drifted off to sleep. We arrived at the compound at 4:56 pm and had a good old-fashioned game of handball right before our eventful night of masterful crafting of the tortilla. We were taught how to make tortillas and the process of doing so. We had fun creating the tortillas and even tossed them around at times. They weren’t the most perfect tortillas ever, but they were certainly delicious.

After, we ran upstairs to eat our long-awaited dinner. We ate barbeque chicken with delicious, name-un-remembered, juice and yellow rice. Once dinner was gone, we met a new amigo named Sau (saw-OO). Sau lived for the game of fútbol. He was very interested in the NBA and thinks that Lional Messi is better than Cristiano Ronaldo. Sau thought my (Landon) Spanish was pretty good and gave me an approving thumbs up when I asked him about my talents. Ultimately, today was an exciting day filled with laughs and new found skills which will help us in our everyday lives.

Lake Atitlan and San Juan La Laguna, by Henry Mikos

During today’s visit to the San Juan La Laguna, we gained significant insight into the Mayan and Guatemalan cultures. After our bus pulled into the lot, we got on a small boat to cross the lake. The ride was very bouncy, and unlike most areas in the United States, this town was located below a volcano. While we toured various shops in San Juan La Laguna, I noticed how the buildings in particular are much more open to let air through, likely a result of less air conditioning in the country.

Specifically, I enjoyed tasting the cocoa beans and learning the process of how chocolate is made. Also, the traditional Mayan clothing was much more colorful and more full of patterns than what United States citizens typically wear. There were some men playing a traditional Mayan football game, and they wore no shirt and a cloth while playing their game. The women typically wore colorful blouses and skirts. The time which was put into these clothes was modeled in the clothing shop. We learned that, unlike in U.S. factories, clothes and other fabric items can take months to weave, and the fabrics must be made by hand. The dyes were created from various plants, which themselves were even influenced by the moon cycles, to create vibrant colors from organics.

Finally, I learned how, unlike much of the United States, dogs are treated more as wanderers of the streets than house pets. Most are seen walking on the busy pathways, hoping to receive scraps or a meal from people passing by. We also learned how many of them can have mange, rabies, or other diseases making them unsafe to pet. Overall, the architecture, clothing, and pets of the Mayan and Guatemalan peoples gave an insight into how the culture varies greatly here in Guatemala from the United States.

Lessons from the Real Guatemala, by Grayson Raggio

Since this trip to Guatemala is my first time truly experiencing the culture outside of the United States, I have quite a lot to reflect about on the day.

I have only been to one other country before, Costa Rica, but I hardly got to see what life was truly like in that country because we only saw the nice neighborhood and areas around it that we stayed at, and I left having a good time with the trip, but not necessarily understanding the country.

Today was much different, though.

I ate Guatemalan food, and we got to explore and see different lines of work. I have to say, it was truly enlightening, especially the first shop we went to where we learned about how blankets were made, as well as other cloth. It is mind-boggling that a simply designed blanket took two entire months to make, and it makes you really appreciate the line of work.

I am truly glad, though, that even if it was outside the bus windows, we got to see the rougher sides of town. The rusty and worn-down streets that were in front of my eyes and not behind the pages of a book gave me a new perspective on others’ lives outside of just where I have lived. 

I felt like I actually got to see life in Guatemala, which is something I haven’t gotten to say ever about another country.

I’m really glad I went to Central America first before going to Europe like me and my family have always talked about, because I feel like seeing the hard-working lives of the Guatemalan people would help me get to know the lives of people not just there but around the world as compared to the more westernized continent that Europe is.

All in all, I’m glad I went to Guatemala, and I would recommend that more people would do so.

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.