On the Shores of Lake Atitlan

The idea of a week in Guatemala immediately conjures up images of mission trips to developing nations and well-intentioned service. A trip like this certainly has many hours of volunteerism incorporated into it, but at the end of the day students are taking an immersive trip into another culture and lifestyle.

The country of Guatemala has a strong history of colonialism and class divides by culture, so an understanding of that past is important to us as foreigners. From Spanish conquest to a thirty-year civil war, the nation has struggled through centuries of control by others. When coming to volunteer as students at an American University, we have an opportunity to change that cycle.

San Juan la Laguna is a beautiful little town on Lake Atitlan. It has a mostly Mayan population that is proud of its heritage. The main language is Tz'utujil, a Mayan dialect spoken only in that region. though most younger people speak Spanish as well, and some speak English. Women wear traditional dress most of the time and men do for more formal occassions.

Race and culture issues have been a major source of population unrest, so working in an area with a strong indigenous population is a great way for us to get a better idea of what the relationships within the country are like.

A large economic gap between wealth and abject poverty lines up with the distinct seperation between indigenous peoples and those of European descent. The resources alotted to Mayan peoples or other indigenous groups are much less than those with more money and power.

By spending a week learning about a place from within, we gain a unique perspective into a culture other than our own.

-Carrie