News & Experiential Learning Blogs

EM Experiential Learning

The Academy’s learn, do, learn philosophy promotes learning outside the classroom. Experiential learning courses and co-ops allow cadets to gain practical knowledge in their fields in the United States and abroad. Cadets see tangible results in the communities and organizations where they work. Skills they have learned at the Academy allow them to be successful as a part of diverse teams in global settings. Experiential learning courses serve as introductions to hands-on professional training in public service or private organizations. 

  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/31/25 – Work Day # 14 & Final Blog Post
    Written by: Tanner Linhard Last workday. Although we started off with our usual routine—getting our gear situated, heading down to Violetta’s for breakfast, and then heading out to our assigned worksites—everything felt different. Everyone was much quieter than usual. The walk to Violetta’s was almost completely silent, as was sitting down and eating the French toast she had prepared for us.  We were all quietly reminiscing about the trip in our heads and collectively wondering… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/31/25 – Work Day # 14 & Final Blog Post
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/30/25 – Work Day # 13
    Written by: 1/C Nathan Lemire 01/30/25 Today was our final Thursday here in Guatemala. Given that we are less than seventy-two hours away from being back in the United States, I can’t help but think just how impactful these past four weeks have been, not only from a professional standpoint but also at a deep personal level. From being immersed in an entirely new culture to truly making an impact on those around us while… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/30/25 – Work Day # 13
  • Guatemala 2025 -01/29/25- Work Day # 12
    Written by: 1/C Seamus Connolly Happy Wednesday from Antigua! Today as always kicked off at Violetta’s for breakfast at 0700, where the group of hungry cadets demolished cereal with bananas, as well as drank the morning cup of Joe. After everyone was fat and happy, we all said our goodbyes and departed to our respective work sites. Group 1, consisting of myself, Reagan, Pablo, and Vicenzo made our way up to Santa Maria de Jesus… Read more: Guatemala 2025 -01/29/25- Work Day # 12
  • Guatemala 2025 -01/28/25- Work Day # 11
    Written by: Sean Davis Today was the second work day of our final week in Guatemala. Everyone is getting a bit sad that the end is near, but before we can think about going home, we need to finish our work and Spanish classes. It all begins with a good morning. My day began with a 0555 wake-up, the sweet spot in my sleep cycle.  It is the perfect time to get ready and enjoy… Read more: Guatemala 2025 -01/28/25- Work Day # 11
  • Guatemala 2025 -01/27/25- Work Day # 10
    Written by: Reagan Kerecz Guatemala 2025 – Work Day # 10 Today marks the start of our final week in Guatemala. I’m grateful for everything we’ve experienced here but also ready to go home. I didn’t expect to miss my family and my dog this much, but I’m looking forward to getting home soon. I woke up around 0630 and we had breakfast at Violetta’s at 0700. We had muffins, eggs, and beans. After breakfast,… Read more: Guatemala 2025 -01/27/25- Work Day # 10
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/26/25 – Return to Antiqua from Lake Atitlán
    Written by: Yorlan Herrera I got up at 0800 today after yesterday’s long but rewarding adventure into the lake’s picturesque cities. Each town had something charming: cobblestone streets with colorful houses or breathtaking views over the lake with towering mountains behind. By 0830, I headed for breakfast. The meal was simple yet satisfying: fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, savory beans, melted cheese, a warm tortilla, and a well-seasoned sausage. It was the kind of breakfast… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/26/25 – Return to Antiqua from Lake Atitlán
  • Guatemala 2025 -01/25/25- Lake Atitlán – Second Day
    Written by: Hannah Burton Woke up this morning around 8:00 AM to the amazing views of Lake Atitlán. The lake’s surrounded by volcanoes, and it’s the deepest in all of Central America at 341 meters. It was formed 84,000 years ago after a volcanic eruption. Anyway, we were all up, got dressed, and headed down to breakfast, which was served by the hostel. It was an amazing breakfast that consisted of eggs, beans, bacon, sausage,… Read more: Guatemala 2025 -01/25/25- Lake Atitlán – Second Day
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/24/25 – First Day at Lake Atitlan
    Written by: Mackenzie Champagne Today began with the anticipation of a new adventure. After weeks of hard work, we were finally getting the chance to relax. It felt rewarding to wake up knowing that I had earned this break. We all eagerly talked about our excitement to see the beauty of Lake Atitlán. Captain Lennon had been going on and on about how stunning it would be, but no amount of exaggeration or pictures from… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/24/25 – First Day at Lake Atitlan
  • Guatemala 2025 -01/23/25- Work Day # 9
    Written by: Morgan Mendonca 01/23/25 Today started like our other work days with breakfast at Violetta’s at 7:00 a.m. where we enjoyed bananas, bean paste with some chips, chicken patty, and eggs. After breakfast, it was about a 45-minute bus ride and a short five-minute walk to the community center in San Antonio. We made sure to greet the dogs before heading up to the second floor, where we have been spending most of our… Read more: Guatemala 2025 -01/23/25- Work Day # 9
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/22/25 – Work Day # 8
    Written by: Makynzi Sprague  01/22/25 Today, I made it to Violetta’s for breakfast at 0700. We had pancakes, watermelon, and bananas. We split up to go to our work sites when everybody finished eating. Everybody in my group was feeling healthy again, so we had our full team along with Professor Cadwalader who was joining us for the morning.  Our first short bus ride from Violetta’s to the central bus location was full, as always,… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/22/25 – Work Day # 8
  • Guatemala 2025 -01/21/25- Work Day # 7
    Written by: Vicenzo Roling-Stella When the alarm woke me up at 0617, I felt slightly tired from the constant routine of the past week. However, that did not last very long because I knew the work we had to complete wouldn’t resolve itself if we didn’t do something about it. So, shoving any thoughts of laying in bed aside, I got out of bed and dressed for the day ahead. As I waited in the… Read more: Guatemala 2025 -01/21/25- Work Day # 7
  • Guatemala 2025 -01/20/25- Work Day # 6
    Written by: Pablo Hruska-Cleary  When I woke up, I instantly felt the effect of the weekend Volcano climb on my legs. Although they were not as sore as I thought, I could feel my stiff muscles ache with every step. I could especially feel it in my calves this morning. Walking over to Violetta’s, I felt sore muscles in new places. For work this week, my group switched from San Antonio to Jocotenango, where we… Read more: Guatemala 2025 -01/20/25- Work Day # 6
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/19/25 – Volcano Hike, Day Two
    Written by: Mackenzie Champagne Today began bright and early at 4:00 AM, when we packed our bags and began preparing for the grueling day ahead. I won’t lie—I had a serious case of altitude sickness, which made the early hours a bit more challenging than I would’ve liked. I hoped it would pass as the day went on, but I could feel the lingering effects as I tried to shake off the discomfort. We were… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/19/25 – Volcano Hike, Day Two
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/18/25 – Volcano Hike, Day One
    Written by: Reagan Kerecz Today was the big day we had all been eagerly waiting for, our hike and overnight stay at Acatenango Volcano. I woke up at 0530 to finish packing and by 0650, we left for breakfast at Violetta’s. For breakfast, we had oatmeal, breakfast burritos, and bananas. The perfect menu to get us through what was going to be a brutal hiking day. After breakfast, we returned to the Purpose Hostel to… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/18/25 – Volcano Hike, Day One
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/17/25 – Work Day # 5
    Written by: Yorlan Herrera 01/17/25 Guatemala 2025 – Work Day # 5 Today was an early morning; I woke at 0600 to have enough time for a cold shower and enjoy my morning coffee. This one of my favorite parts of a day – a warm cup of coffee on the rooftop while looking at two breathtaking volcanoes, Fuego and Acatenango. This calm routine has become a special part of my Guatemala mornings.  We went… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/17/25 – Work Day # 5
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/16/25 – Work Day # 4
    Written by: Tanner Linhard After enjoying another 15 extra minutes of rest, our group trekked out to Violetta’s for breakfast. This consisted of pancakes with chocolate syrup, and fresh cantaloupe and orange slices. And of course, coffee. Needless to say, we all left with full stomachs to start our day. Team 1 (Seamus, Pablo, Reagan, and Vincenzo) headed out to San Antonio where they sanitized and prepped shelves for their kitchen space and finished painting… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/16/25 – Work Day # 4
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/15/25 – Work Day # 3
    Written by: Morgan Mendonca  Today was our third day of work, and after an extra 15 minutes of sleep, thanks to breakfast being moved to 7:00 a.m. instead of 6:45 a.m., everyone was up and enthusiastic for another day of helping the community. There is no better way to start our day than with fresh French toast sticks at Violetta’s served with strawberries and bananas, and we can’t forget about the coffee! After everyone devoured… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/15/25 – Work Day # 3
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/14/25 – Work Day # 2
    Written by: 1/C Seamus Connolly Today was our second work day, and all 12 cadets were very excited to continue exploring Guatemala while helping local communities! The morning started off with a bang at Violetta’s. We collectively said approximately five words over breakfast as we stuffed our faces with an omelet with ham and cheese, black beans, and plantains. Muy delicioso! From there the three groups went our separate ways to our respective work sites. … Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/14/25 – Work Day # 2
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/13/25 – Work Day # 1
    Today was the first day of our work schedule which we will follow for the next three weeks. Breakfast was at 6:45 a.m., which meant an early wake-up.  I got up at 6 a.m, to have time to prepare.  At Violetta’s for breakfast, we were treated to waffles with fruit on top drizzled with chocolate syrup. Once we finished, we split into our work groups, which had been assigned the night before. My group is… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/13/25 – Work Day # 1
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/12/25 – Hike and Swim at El Pillar
    Written by: 1/C Sean Davis Today was the last day before the 12-person team of Buccaneers started work and Spanish lessons. I began my morning at 0700, heading to the roof of the hostel to sip coffee and chat with my good buddy Nate, affectionately known as “Chief” or “Jefe” in Spanish. We talked for about an hour before I went downstairs to get dressed for the day. We headed to breakfast at Violetta’s, where… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/12/25 – Hike and Swim at El Pillar
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/11/25 – Cultural Immersion Event
    Today was both adventurous and eye-opening, starting with an early morning to catch the sunrise. I woke up at 6:00 AM, along with Reagan and Morgan, we went up to the rooftop of our hostel to watch the sun rise over Antigua. It was a peaceful way to start the day, and we had coffee while taking in the view. It was a perfect moment to appreciate where we are. After we watched the sunrise… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/11/25 – Cultural Immersion Event
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/10/25 – Day at the Embassy + Arrival in Antigua
    Written by: Vicenzo Roling-Stella Even as the 0600 alarm played on my phone, I took another ten minutes to get out of bed. Despite wanting to do nothing more but fall back asleep, I began to change into my best clothes and brush my teeth, for I knew how important the day would be. Today we would visit the US Embassy, then depart from Guatemala City to Antigua, which will become our home base for… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/10/25 – Day at the Embassy + Arrival in Antigua
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/09/25 – Day at CONRED
    Today was our official first day waking up in Guatemala. Like many of the other students on this trip, this was my first time waking up in a foreign country.  We started our day with a traditional Guatemalan breakfast at 0730 that consisted of eggs, black beans, and plantains, followed by my first time trying hot rice Atollio. This is a drink that consists of grain rice, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and a little bit… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/09/25 – Day at CONRED
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/08/25 – Arrival to Guatemala City
    Today started as another travel day. We woke up and had breakfast at the hotel in Miami before heading to the airport. We made it through TSA and found our gate, where we had plenty of time to wait and we even met up with some of the Energy Systems Engineering students before they left for Costa Rica. At around noon, we had a quick lunch and boarded the plane. Thankfully, I had volunteered to… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/08/25 – Arrival to Guatemala City
  • Guatemala 2025 – 01/07/25 – Travel Day
    After double-checking my luggage one final time at 6:30 a.m., I confirmed that I had packed all the essentials needed for my 25-day trip to Guatemala. By 7:00 a.m., I was on the road, heading to Logan Airport for our four-hour flight to Miami. Of course, I made a quick stop for coffee first—airport coffee is notoriously overpriced. Unfortunately, around 8:20 a.m., about 30 minutes outside of Boston, I got caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I… Read more: Guatemala 2025 – 01/07/25 – Travel Day
  • New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 12
    For our last day in New Orleans we headed down to the coast! Our first mission was to see a small neighborhood called “New Isle” outside of Houma. New Isle is where the people from Isle de Jean Charles have been “resettled” after a 20 year battle to find support and funding. As we learned the other day, Isle de Jean Charles was a small community of about 50 families who are on the frontlines… Read more: New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 12
  • New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 11
    By: Trevor  Boyce Today we began our day at 0745 with a brief breakfast at Tulane before we hit the road towards LSU. We had 3 pit stops in Baton Rouge. The first stop was the Water Institute where we learned a lot about how they utilize community outreach and surveys to help better a tribe near Grand Isle! They also are working on creating tools for emergency managers that will help with their decision-making… Read more: New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 11
  • New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 10
    By: Grace Condinho Today we went to the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) in Mississippi to explore the plant life and how they restore the ecosystem by using techniques like controlled burning. We started with a lecture about the local ecosystem including how past hurricanes greatly affected the local lumber industry. We also learned more about the history of how the United States has approached wildfire mitigation from the Big Burn in the… Read more: New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 10
  • New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 9
    By: Sam Wooley Today we went on a tour of Audobon Zoo. We met with the zoo’s head of security and emergency management and discussed the special challenges that come with having wild animals in emergency situations. The zoo has to have a lot of contracts for things like food and water during and after hurricanes. This is because the animals always shelter in place and are never moved unless their enclosure is severely damaged… Read more: New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 9
  • New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 7
    June 8, 2024 By: Chris Pisz What a great way to start the day, and by that I mean it is really hot! It reached 101 degrees. We met up for our daily breakfast at 0800 before our morning lecture from Dr. Cheek that focused mainly on “Bonnet Carre Spillway”. He gave a brief history of how it was built, the meaning of it, its functions, and the time frame of it being built. At… Read more: New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 7
  • New Orleans Experiential Learning: Day 6
    June 7, 2024 By Grace Condinho Today we began our day by going to Grace at the Greenlight at 6:00 AM to help serve breakfast to the homeless population. We were able to see firsthand the impact that different volunteer groups have on the community as well as some ways to help those in need. It was important for us to experience this and have an understanding of what many people have gone through so… Read more: New Orleans Experiential Learning: Day 6
  • New Orleans Experiential Learning: Day 5
    June 6, 2024 By: Makynzi Sprague Surge Barrier and Ochsner Health System Tours Today, we started our day off at 8am with some breakfast, before getting into a discussion on our experiences from yesterday’s volunteer work. This lecture focused primarily on the role of nonprofits and how they fit into the scope of Emergency Management. Mutual aid organizations like Louisiana Just Recovery Network to fill the gap between what individuals can do for themselves and… Read more: New Orleans Experiential Learning: Day 5
  • New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 4
    Volunteering with the Louisiana  Just Recovery Network By: Ethan Morales Today we started day 4 of our New Orleans experiential learning journey. Around 8am we met in the kitchen to talk about the plan for the day. Everyone packed lunches and we made our way to our destination — the Louisiana Just Recovery Network. Driving through New Orleans there is always stuff to look at. The roads however are nothing short of a ride experience!… Read more: New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 4
  • New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 3: Hurricane Katrina Day
    By: Mackenzie Champagne Today our day started at 8:00 am. At this time we had a group breakfast and right after we got together for about an hour of lecture. At this time Dr. Montano and Dr. Cheek told us that today was “Hurricane Katrina Day”. We discussed topics of infrastructure, economics, and politics and how each of these things shaped the response and recovery of the catastrophe. This lecture helped segue us into the… Read more: New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 3: Hurricane Katrina Day
  • New Orleans Experiential Learning Day Two
    By Shane Withington Today we went to the historic French Quarter by taking the New Orleans trolly system called a street car. When we arrived we went to Cafe Du Monde and had the opportunity to try authentic New Orleans coffee and beignets (a deep fried dough). Then we had the opportunity to explore the whole entire French quarter and learn the history of the architecture surrounding the buildings. We also learned about how jazz… Read more: New Orleans Experiential Learning Day Two
  • New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 1: Travel Day and Settling In
    By: Myazaria Vielot We’ve made it NOLA! We touched down in New Orleans after a 3 hr and 20 minute flight. We arrive at Tulane University at around 9:30 am where we’ll be staying for the next 2 weeks. We settled into our rooms and later on a few of us went on a tour with Dr. Cheek of the various amenities we have here on campus and a nice little pastry spot called Pj’s… Read more: New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 1: Travel Day and Settling In
  • Guatemala: Saturday, May 11, 2024:
    Today is our last day in Guatemala! We woke up around 0200 to get ready to leave for the airport at 0245. Once we got to the airport, we went through Immigration and Security. We boarded the flight at 0530 and landed in Miami at 1030 before boarding other planes to go home. Most went back to Boston, one went back to Virginia, and another left to Colorado. Being immersed in the Guatemalan culture for… Read more: Guatemala: Saturday, May 11, 2024:
  • Guatemala: Friday, May 10, 2024:
    As we wrap up our 3 week trip, each cadet has been reflecting on the experiences we have gone through and the countless lessons learned. Today was the last work day for us before we depart early tomorrow morning. The Brillo De Sol group continued cleaning up the school grounds by organizing remaining loose items as well as patching holes in the metal sheeting of a few buildings. Their work day ended with a goodbye… Read more: Guatemala: Friday, May 10, 2024:
  • Guatemala: Thursday, May 9, 2024: 
    As our days in Guatemala wind down, we find ourselves scrambling to complete all of the activities we want to do. In our free time, eight of our fourteen group members went on a chocolate tour, where they learned the origins of chocolate and how it is made. They also got the opportunity to make chocolate for themselves. Others continued shopping to bring home presents to loved ones. During the work day, the Brillo de… Read more: Guatemala: Thursday, May 9, 2024: 
  • Guatemala: Wednesday, May 8, 2024:
    We went to breakfast at Violetta’s at 0700. Breakfast today was pancakes topped with apple and banana. Each group worked from 0800 to 1200 and then went to our Spanish lessons from1330 to 1630. We broke up into our three groups and left for work right after breakfast. My group, group 1, set off in the chicken bus to San Antonio with our escort, Kayla. We worked on setting up the foundation for a new… Read more: Guatemala: Wednesday, May 8, 2024:
  • Guatemala: Tuesday, May 7, 2024
    Today marks our fifth to last day in Guatemala.  As our time here starts to wind down, we have come to have a deep appreciation for the people and culture of Guatemala. Spending almost a full month in this amazing country has allowed us to immerse ourselves in the everyday work and lifestyle of Mayan and Guatemalan people. Today, we started the second day of our final week of work at all of our worksites.… Read more: Guatemala: Tuesday, May 7, 2024
  • Guatemala: Monday, May 6, 2024
    Today, the team started off with a delightful breakfast featuring fresh fruit and homemade comfort food in the form of breakfast burritos. After fueling up, the three teams set off to their weekly worksites. One team, comprised of DJ, Reece, Victoria, and Shayla, began the noble task of rebuilding a storage shed for a low-income family in San Antonio. Meanwhile, another group consisting of Alex, Ryan, Zack, and Chris, journeyed to Santa Maria De Jesus… Read more: Guatemala: Monday, May 6, 2024
  • Guatemala: Saturday, May 4, 2024:
    Hola from Lake Atitlán!Today’s forecast was sunny and 80 degrees, perfect for exploring the Lake. The lake has 9 small towns and today we explored two of them; San Marcos and Santa Cruz.Our day started at 0900 with a buffet breakfast including eggs, fruit, beans and toast. Shortly after, our guide Tania took us all to San Juan. San Juan was founded in the early 1500s and consists of mainly a Tzutujil ethnicity. This is… Read more: Guatemala: Saturday, May 4, 2024:
  • Guatemala: Friday May 3, 2024
    Today we went to Violetta’s for breakfast and she served waffles with fruit. Muy delicioso. We had a long trek to Lake Atitlán. It took about 3 hours to drive to the lake.  Lake Atitlán is in the Sierra Mountain range of Guatemala and is the deepest lake in Central America. It sits in a caldera formed by a volcano that erupted 84,000 years ago. It is 5,125 feet above sea level, over 50 square miles… Read more: Guatemala: Friday May 3, 2024
  • Guatemala: Thursday, May 2, 2024 
    Hola from Antigua, Guatemala! Today was our last workday for week two. Group 1 finished tearing up and tiling classroom floors at the Jardin De Amor school in Santa Maria de Jesus. They also played with the students in the schoolyard.     Group 2 was in San Antonio today continuing work on projects in support of the Community Center.  Today, we worked at a local family’s house that was in need of our help. We started repairing the… Read more: Guatemala: Thursday, May 2, 2024 
  • Guatemala: Tuesday, May 1, 2024: 
    Hola! Today was Labor Day in Guatemala, so San Antonio was closed, but SMJ and Brillo del Sol were both still open. Group 2, who was originally supposed to go to San Antonio, tagged along with Group 1 at Brillo del Sol and combined for a group of 9 cadets. With no distractions from the niños, we were able to get a lot of work done. We fully repaired a bench that was in very… Read more: Guatemala: Tuesday, May 1, 2024: 
  • Guatemala: Tuesday, April 30, 2024
     ¡Hola!  Today is day 14 of our stay in Guatemala. The diversity and culture in this wonderful country are eye-opening in the best way! As you read these blogs, you most likely already know that we visit Violeta each morning and afternoon for food. Today was special because, for lunch, we had slow-cooked pork and rice, which was super tasty. To shine a light on the work that each group is doing, a highlight of… Read more: Guatemala: Tuesday, April 30, 2024
  • Guatemala: Monday, April 29, 2024
    Hola everyone today we started our second week of working meaning each group has switched locations. Group 1 (my group) who consists of Victoria Boss, DJ Faivre, Reece Gannon, John Hagan, and Shayla Narodowg finished up at Brillo de Sol last week and are now working at Jardin De Amor in Santa Maria de Jesus. Group 2 consisting of Matilda Laux, Jacob Nutter, Will Tedstone, Jenny Verrilli, and Aidan Weir moved from Santa Maria de… Read more: Guatemala: Monday, April 29, 2024
  • Guatemala: Sunday, April 28, 2024: 
    After a long night of enjoying each other’s company by the fire, the group was supposed to wake up at 0400 to climb to the summit and get a better view of El Fuego and the sunrise. We could not do this due to inclement weather so we slept in until about 6:15 AM. We cleaned up camp and enjoyed some more once-in-a-lifetime views of the volcano. We all concluded that we may never see… Read more: Guatemala: Sunday, April 28, 2024: 
  • Guatemala: Saturday, April 27, 2024
    Today marks day 11 of our trip. We ate pancakes and pineapple at 0715 for breakfast before we got on a bus at 0800 to take us to our two-day adventure at Volcan Acatenanago. We arrived around 0930 and embarked on our long journey up the volcano. Just a little background of Acatenango. Acatenango is part of the Sierra Madre mountain chain that runs through Central America. It is a dormant volcano that sits next… Read more: Guatemala: Saturday, April 27, 2024
  • Guatemala: Thursday, April 25, 2024 
    Today marked the fourth day of our working experience here in Guatemala. We had breakfast at Violetta’s, which consisted of an omelet, watermelon, and black berries. Violetta is a very generous lady who always makes sure we are full before we leave. After breakfast we separated back into our groups and headed off to our respective work sites. My Group, Group 3 headed off to San Antonio. Today we were lucky enough to receive a… Read more: Guatemala: Thursday, April 25, 2024 
  • Guatemala: Wednesday, April 24, 2024:
    We went to breakfast at Violetta’s at 0700. Breakfast today was delicious French toast topped with papaya and banana and some optional orange juice. Each group worked from 0800 to 1200 and then went to our Spanish lessons from1330 to 1630. We broke up into our three groups and left for work right after breakfast. My group, group 1, set off in the chicken bus to Brillo de Sol to meet Captain Lennon, Smitty and… Read more: Guatemala: Wednesday, April 24, 2024:
  • Guatemala: Tuesday, April 23, 2024: 
    Today was our second day working and taking Spanish classes. At 0700, we started the day at Violetta’s for some delicious waffles and fruits for breakfast.After breakfast was over, my group (Group 2) took a chicken bus up to Santa Maria de Jesus to work at the school. Today, we focused on sanding and painting the staircases and railings. In between working, we all got to play with the little niños (or children in Spanish)… Read more: Guatemala: Tuesday, April 23, 2024: 
  • Guatemala: Monday, April 22, 2024:
    Day six was our first work day and our first day of Spanish classes. We went to breakfast at Violetta’s at 0700. Breakfast today was eggs with salsa, refried beans, ham, and plantains. The work day lasted from 0800 until 1200 and Spanish class took place from 1330-1630. Following breakfast, we split into our groups, met our guides, and departed Antigua. My group, group 3, consisted of Zachary Bohnet, Christopher Ely, Ryan Hunt, and Alex… Read more: Guatemala: Monday, April 22, 2024:
  • Guatemala: Sunday, April 21, 2024
    On day five, we woke up at 0730. We all then prepared for our day and had breakfast at Violetta’s Tienda. Breakfast consisted of local fresh fruit and a delicious breakfast burrito. An excellent thing about Guatemala is that you can not go wrong with the food.  Today the team was given a free day to explore the city with others. DJ Faivre, Matilda Laux, Alex Barbour and Victoria Boss all went to the local… Read more: Guatemala: Sunday, April 21, 2024
  • Guatemala: Saturday, April 20, 2024:
    Hola from Antigua Guatemala! Today’s weather was about 70 degrees and partly cloudy. Our 8:00 breakfast at Violetta’s consisted of pancakes and watermelon, with a choice of water, tea or coffee for our drink. We then took a bus ride to Iximche Park to see the Mayan ruins. This bus ride took about an hour and 30 minutes.  Upon arriving, we met Vinny, our amazing tour guide for the day, who had tons of experience… Read more: Guatemala: Saturday, April 20, 2024:
  • Guatemala: Friday, April 19, 2024:
    This morning was our last day in the Quetzalroo hostel. We ate pancakes and fruits for breakfast and made our way to CONRED. CONRED stands for Coordinadora Nacional Para La Reducción De Desatres. In translation, that is national coordinator for disaster reduction. This is Guatemala’s version of what FEMA is in the U.S. We toured their facility and they showed us their EOC and the GIS system that they use with all their data. They… Read more: Guatemala: Friday, April 19, 2024:
  • Guatemala: Thursday, April 18, 2024:
    ¡Hola! Breakfast this morning was at 0615 before we made our way to the US Embassy in Guatemala City. The Embassy building is new and a state of the art facility. At the Embassy we were briefed by representatives from the State Department, USAID, HSI, and the DOD. The USAID briefing discussed their goals of preventing human suffering and making communities more resilient. They also talked about the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance which Professor Lennon… Read more: Guatemala: Thursday, April 18, 2024:
  • Guatemala: Wednesday, April 17, 2024
    Hola from Guatemala City! Today was a day full of travel, going from Boston, to Miami, and eventually reaching our destination of Guatemala City. After around 6 hours of being miles above the earth and full of anticipation, we have finally touched down in Guatemala. A stress free travel day was a perfect start to our 25 day adventure in this new country. We got to our hostel at around 1930 local time (2 hours… Read more: Guatemala: Wednesday, April 17, 2024