Hello again, my name is Thomas Thayer and I’m a sophomore on the Guatemala experiential learning trip. This past week Jon, Evan, Nick O’Brien (OB), and I worked at Asociación Creando Oportunidades in San Antonio. Here we were able to meet a few groups of students and spend some time with them as Jon mentioned yesterday. This particular community center has watched four of its past members make the jump to college which is a major accomplishment in Guatemala. 

Above is me with a couple of the students playing with Legos.

Above is Jon, Evan, and I with Rosita who is an employee at the community center. 

Today we were working at Jardin de Amors in Santa Maria de Jesus. Jon and I were tasked with stripping the wood of nails and organizing it while OB and Evan prepped tiling for grout. Once Jon and I finished, we took over Evan and OB’s job while they went to teach some of the students English. For our break, we spent some time with the local kids by running a relay race. Following our chicken bus ride back, we had another Spanish class where a group of us played Scrabble. For my free time I joined Captain Lennon, Professor Cadwalader, Tania, and a group of students on the trip for some basketball. Ryan and Captain Lennon were in a league of their own compared to the rest of us but in the end we were all able to have some laughs and a good time!

Here is an image of Tania and Jon on the chicken bus.