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.
- Day 3 (1/29/2026)
Written by: 3/C Boden Poirier Today, we went into Marshall, where Seamus, Sam, and I helped put up lights in the Marshall High art studio with the guidance of Mr. Herrera. We also assisted with cleaning up part of a site that Demo Group A had worked on. It was an old bar. At first, I was surprised by how destroyed the building still looked a year and a half after Hurricane Helene, so I… Read more: Day 3 (1/29/2026) - Day 2 (1/28/2026)
Written by: 4/C Thomas Richardson Today (1/28), we drove into downtown Marshall, NC along the French Broad River. This area that was deeply affected by Hurricane Helene. While in the area, we met Rachel Bennett, a Community Relations Liaison for the Marshall Relief Alliance, a local non-profit organization. She walked us around town and told us various stories about the town’s history and how they are recovering. She mentioned the frequency of severe disasters and the impact of… Read more: Day 2 (1/28/2026) - Day 1 (1/27/2026)
Written by: 4/C Matthew Holton Today, January 7th, we have finally arrived in Asheville, NC after a 3 day delay due to the winter weather crossing through the United states. We arrived at Logan Airport at 7:00 am for our 9:45am flight. We boarded around 9:20. Before we took off they had to de-ice the plane. That took 30 minutes. After all of there inspections were done, we headed to the runway. The plane was… Read more: Day 1 (1/27/2026) - Day #24 – Last day in Antigua – Friday 30 January 2026
Post by David Krise Today marked the final chapter of this unforgettable journey. My day began like so many others here in Antigua —a 0620 wake-up call and a short walk to Violetta’s for breakfast. After discussing our plans for the day, we met our mentors outside and split off to our sites. My group has spent the week supporting Jardín de Amor in Santa María de Jesús. As you may already know, it provides… Read more: Day #24 – Last day in Antigua – Friday 30 January 2026 - Day #23 – Thursday 29 January 2026
Editor’s note: Today we are offering our dear readers a reward for their loyalty – two blog entries for the price of one. The first is from 1/C Olivia Coffren. The second is from 2/C Nicholas Paolini. Blog Post # 1 – Olivia Coffren At the start of the day, my group headed back to Santa María de Jesús to continue our work at the school. After hopping off the chicken bus, we walked through… Read more: Day #23 – Thursday 29 January 2026 - Day #22 – Wednesday 28 January 2026
Hello again, it’s 2/C Andy Aguado-Scheyer, and I have the pleasure of writing my second and final blog for the trip. Breakfast at Violetta’s today consisted of waffles with maple syrup, accompanied by watermelon. The groups ate until around 0715, then headed outside to meet our respective mentors. My group is in San Antonio this week, so we have the pleasure of working with Ivey who is one of three local mentors who assist us… Read more: Day #22 – Wednesday 28 January 2026 - Day #21 – Tuesday 27 January 2026
Post by Kevin Roth At the beginning of this week, all the groups rotated to their last work locations. Yesterday, my group started working in Santa María de Jesús, a mostly Mayan town with a population of 21,795. It is about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) south of Antigua, and both municipalities are in the department of Sacatepéquez (a department is the Guatemalan equivalent of a state). The Guatemalan & Department of Sacatepéquez flags Today we… Read more: Day #21 – Tuesday 27 January 2026 - Day #20 – Monday 26 January 2026
Post by Ryan Madison. After an enjoyable and relaxing weekend at the lake, we are right back in the swing of things and finishing our last week of work in Guatemala. This week, my group is going to San Antonio to work at the community center. San Antonio is a small town outside Antigua, with a traditional Guatemalan atmosphere. The community center we are working at this week is “Asociación Creando Oportunidades.” They have a… Read more: Day #20 – Monday 26 January 2026 - Day #19 – Return from Lake Atitlán – Sunday 25 January 2026
Hello again, my name is Nick O’Brien (also known as OB), and I’m coming back on here to write my second blog of the trip. For the most part, today was a travel day, with some free time before our 3rd and final work week. Just for a little background, this past weekend we were fortunate enough to take a trip up to Lake Atitlán for some much-needed relaxation. During this time, my classmates and… Read more: Day #19 – Return from Lake Atitlán – Sunday 25 January 2026 - Day #18 – Lake Atitlán – Saturday 24 January 2026
Post by Tyler Dambach Today is our second day at Lake Atitlán. We woke up around 0730 and had breakfast at 0800. Breakfast was a buffet that included eggs, tortillas, fruit, and beans. After we ate breakfast, we enjoyed a beautiful view of the lake while sitting in the sun. At 1000, we joined Professor Cadwalader on an adventure to go cliff jumping in a nature reserve outside the town of San Marcos. San Marcos… Read more: Day #18 – Lake Atitlán – Saturday 24 January 2026 - Day #17 – Lake Atitlán – Friday 23 January 2026
By:Ryan Essam The morning began with a slightly later wake-up than usual, around 0700, which was a welcome change from the normal 0600 routine. By 8:00 sharp, we were at Violetta’s for breakfast and to pick up our bagged lunches for our trip to the lake — both of which were just as appetizing as always. Around 0915, the bus arrived, and we began our journey to Lake Atitlán. The bus ride lasted roughly three… Read more: Day #17 – Lake Atitlán – Friday 23 January 2026 - Day #16 – Thursday 22 January 2026
-Post by 2/C Evan Pierce My day in Guatemala began, as always, with a 0600 wake-up call, followed by three cups of coffee. I feel bad for anyone who has not experienced the delight of Guatemalan coffee. It lacks the bitterness and acidity of coffee I am used to. I did not know what I was missing. I fear I have reached coffee enlightenment, and there is no going back. I can never enjoy a… Read more: Day #16 – Thursday 22 January 2026 - Day #15 – Wednesday 21 January 2026
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… Read more: Day #15 – Wednesday 21 January 2026 - Day 10 (1/20/2026)
Written By: 4/C Sabrina Andrews Today was Day 10 of our Experiential Learning trip in Black Mountain, North Carolina. We woke up at 0630, put on our boiler suits, ate breakfast, and got ready for inspections at 0800. On the way to our destination, Ms. Trout drove us to Dunkin’. Today, my group and Mr. Jache’s group were working with Hearts with Hands for the demolition and rebuilding of a porch that was destroyed by… Read more: Day 10 (1/20/2026) - Day 9 (1/19/2026)Written By: 4/C Luis Ramirez Today was our 9th day of our Experiential Learning trip in Western North Carolina. We started the day with a 0630 wake up and then a quick breakfast and then got ready to begin our day of volunteer work. We split into two groups, one of which went back to Marshall to continue assisting the community there. The second group; the one I was in, ventured to Hot Springs, NC… Read more: Day 9 (1/19/2026)
- Day 8 (1/28/2026)Written By: 4/C William Shanahan Today we went to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. This morning, the Rates were very kind and made us eggs and bacon for breakfast. This was a nice change of pace because we have only been having a quick breakfast every day. Dr. Cheek warned us to watch out of the window to see the damage of Hurricane Helene on Interstate 40. The ride was roughly 2 hours, and when we started getting… Read more: Day 8 (1/28/2026)
- Day 7 (1/17/2026)Written By 4/C Thomas Daley Today we started our day by waking up at 0630. We ate breakfast, prepared for the day by dressing warmly in our boilersuits, and as my group had a different project today, we headed to our job site at 0830, about a half an hour later than the rest of the cadets. When we arrived there, we were greeted by a man named Steven, one of the main contributors to… Read more: Day 7 (1/17/2026)
- Day 6 (1/16/2026)Written By: 4/C Austin Bessette We were up bright and early this morning at 6:30 a.m., and I was genuinely excited for the day ahead since it marked my first day doing demolition work. Breakfast consisted of Jimmy Dean sausage, egg, and cheese croissant sandwiches along with strawberry Oikos protein yogurt, which gave us the energy we needed before heading out to Marshall. Our worksite for the morning was the Grateful Organic Diner, a building… Read more: Day 6 (1/16/2026)
- Day #14 – Tuesday 20 January 2026
Hello again, this is Jonathan Isabelle, and I am one of the two seniors on this trip. Last week, my group worked in San Antonio at a community center that provides classes for children living in poverty. Before this experience, I didn’t truly understand what poverty looks like in a developing country. At first glance, you would never guess the hardships these children face. They walk into the center with joy and pride. Their smiles… Read more: Day #14 – Tuesday 20 January 2026 - Day #13 – Monday 19 January 2026
This is Professor Cadwalader hijacking the student blog. Today (Monday 19 January 2026) was the first workday of week two, and the morning came early for the climbers recovering from conquering Volcán Acatenango. It will be a short but busy week. On Friday, the team travels to the La Iguana Perdida hostel on the banks of Lake Atitlán for some well-deserved “R&R.” Normally, each of the three teams works at one of the three primary… Read more: Day #13 – Monday 19 January 2026 - Day #12 – Volcán Acatenango – Saturday 18 January 2026
My name is David Krise, I am a sophomore at MMA, and I have the privilege of writing today’s blog. Today, our goal was to descend Acatenango. Waking up to a stunning, cloudless sunrise at an elevation of over 13,000 feet is an experience I wish everyone could enjoy. The view from our camp included a clear view of Volcán de Fuego, and we had seen and heard its activity throughout the night. (Fuego,… Read more: Day #12 – Volcán Acatenango – Saturday 18 January 2026 - Day #11 – Volcán Acatenango – Saturday 17 January 2026
Hello all, my name is 2/C Nick Paolini and I have the pleasure of writing the blog for Saturday 17 January 2025. I woke up this morning earlier than I needed to and, after dozing in and out of consciousness and scrolling TikTok more than I’d like to admit, I finally swung out of bed, excited for what was ahead – hiking Volcán Acatenango. Acatenango is an over 13,000-foot-high dormant volcano that sits next to… Read more: Day #11 – Volcán Acatenango – Saturday 17 January 2026 - Day #10 – Friday 16 January 2026
Hello all, my name is 2/C Andy Aguado-Scheyer and I have the pleasure of writing today’s blog. I woke up around 0600 and got ready for the day. For breakfast, Violetta served oatmeal and a ham-and-cheese omelet with mixed cut-up fruit. Following breakfast, CAPT Lennon picked me up in front of the Purpose Hostel, where we are staying. We headed up to San Pedro Las Huertas to work on a retaining wall project at “Brillo… Read more: Day #10 – Friday 16 January 2026 - Day 5 (1/15/2026)
Written by 4/C Jillian Mara Today we started off with a meeting discussing the terms that were used at the Swananowa committee meeting last night such as Long Term Recovery Groups (LTRG) and National Voluntary Organizations Active In Disaster (NVOAID) and how they impact the community. At 0900 a Search and Rescue (SAR) meeting was run by Dr.Coonan explaining the different search patterns and the radio communication language. We discussed SAR terms that are used… Read more: Day 5 (1/15/2026) - Day 4 (1/14/2026)
Written by: 4/C Andrew Leduc Today we woke up at 0630 to get ready for a big day of work in the town of Marshall, North Carolina. The UOD (uniform of the day) was boiler suits. In the morning Mr. Burke’s mentor group was in charge of setting up breakfast. After breakfast, room 1 was responsible for cleaning up. This included vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, wiping down all the flat surfaces, and making sure breakfast was… Read more: Day 4 (1/14/2026) - Day 3 (1/13/2026)
Written by: 4/C Braeden Olmstead Today, we started the day by waking up a little later, which I enjoyed. This was because we had a long day at FEMA. We drove to the FEMA Joint Office, which was located in a fairly upscale area. When we arrived, we had to present our IDs to security, who took them and issued us visitor passes. Overall, the security process was thorough. We arrived at a meeting room… Read more: Day 3 (1/13/2026) - Day 2 (1/12/2026)
Written by: 4/C Joshua Cortez The day began with a wake-up call at 0630, and we felt well rested after the previous day’s strenuous activities. We had until 0730 to complete our morning routines and requirements. The uniform for the day was the at-sea attire: polo shirt, khakis, brass belt, name tag, cover, and MMA fleece, Eisenhower jackets. Breakfast was a quick meal, allowing us time to prepare our lunches. We loaded into the vans… Read more: Day 2 (1/12/2026) - Day #9 – Thursday 15 January 2026
My name is Kevin Roth, and this was my day in Guatemala. I woke up at 0600 to get ready for the day. At about 0645, some of the group started to walk to Violeta’s for breakfast, but since my battle buddy (AKA OB) wasn’t ready, I stayed behind to wait for him. You can’t leave a man behind. We started our walk over, and once we arrived, everyone had already finished half of their… Read more: Day #9 – Thursday 15 January 2026 - Day #8 – Wednesday 14 January 2026
My name is Ryan Madison, and this was my day in Guatemala. I got up at 0630 to get ready for breakfast at Violetta’s. During breakfast, we had a moment of excitement when a stray dog ran into the tienda. After Violetta shooed the dog away, we enjoyed a healthy breakfast of pineapple, eggs, sausage, and tortillas. Following that, OB and I headed back to the hostel to wait for Captain Lennon. We had been… Read more: Day #8 – Wednesday 14 January 2026 - Day #7 – Tuesday 13 January 2026
My name is Nicholas O’Brien, and I am a junior. Today was our second work day of week one. My goal for the day was to work as hard as I could to help the kids at the community center. The day started off great with a 0615 wake-up and a cup of coffee. After getting ready, we started heading over to Violeta’s for breakfast at 0650. Violeta is an amazing lady who is an… Read more: Day #7 – Tuesday 13 January 2026 - Day #6 – Getting to Work in Guatemala – Monday 12 January 2026
My name is Olivia Coffren, and I am a senior and one of the team leaders for the Guatemala trip. Day 6 was our first real workday in our small groups. We started the morning early with breakfast at 6:50 a.m. at Violeta’s. Breakfast was pancakes with fresh fruit, which was perfect before a long day ahead. While we were there, we met Scott, the director of Buena Onda who is the person Professor Lennon… Read more: Day #6 – Getting to Work in Guatemala – Monday 12 January 2026 - Day #5 – Sunday 11 January 2026
My name is Tyler Dambach. I am a Junior at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and I will be writing today’s daily blog. We woke up around 0800 after spending our first night at the Purpose Hostel in Antigua. We started off the day by waking up and spending some time around the hostel, mainly taking in some sunlight on the roof top area before going to breakfest. We headed over to Violeta’s for our first breakfast… Read more: Day #5 – Sunday 11 January 2026 - Day #4 – Saturday 10 January 2026
The day began early, with a 0600 wake-up call and breakfast in Tikal. After several long, adventure-filled days, the morning felt calm and procedural, one last breath of the jungle before a full day of travel. From Tikal, we boarded a bus to Flores, watching the dense green landscape slowly give way to more developed towns. Flores felt like a brief checkpoint between worlds, a reminder of how quickly environments can change in Guatemala. We… Read more: Day #4 – Saturday 10 January 2026 - Day #3 – Tikal – Friday 9 January 2026
My name is Evan Pierce. I am a junior at Mass Maritime Tikal is the historical hub of Mayan civilization and was a site to behold. In total we spent nearly 8 hours walking through the park, which contains Mayan ruins and pyramids dating from 500 BC to 900 AD. We did this on two separate trips to the site – the first for sunrise and the second for a guided historical tour. I usually… Read more: Day #3 – Tikal – Friday 9 January 2026 - Day #2 – Getting to Tikal – Thursday 8 January 2026
My name is Thomas Thayer, I am a sophomore on the Guatemala Trip. Today our plan was to fly from Guatemala City to Flores, Guatemala and then to take a bus to Tikal. Tikal is the destination for the next three days of the trip. The goal is to learn about Mayan culture while touring the lost city of Tikal. We woke up early on Thursday to try and see the sunrise but it was… Read more: Day #2 – Getting to Tikal – Thursday 8 January 2026 - Day #1 – Getting to Guatemala – Wednesday 7 January 2026
My name is Jonathan Isabelle. I am a senior and one of the team leaders for the Guatemala trip. Today our goal was to leave Boston and to get to Guatemala City tonight. My day started off bright and early with an icy drive to Logan airport at 0530. Our trip involves flying from Boston to Miami, and then from Miami to Guatemala City, Guatemala. I met ten other students and Professor Lennon at the… Read more: Day #1 – Getting to Guatemala – Wednesday 7 January 2026 - Day 1 (1/11/2026)
Written by 4/C Miles Felcman Today we woke up at 0430 to start our day, got dressed into our classroom blacks and met downstairs for some breakfast, we had PopTarts and apples. Our mentors told us how the day was going to go. We loaded into a bus and made our way to Boston Logan International Airport, arriving at 0635. Everyone was given their boarding passes and went through TSA, the group made it to… Read more: Day 1 (1/11/2026) - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/31/25 – Work Day # 14 & Final Blog Post - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/30/25 – Work Day # 13 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 -01/29/25- Work Day # 12 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 -01/28/25- Work Day # 11 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 -01/27/25- Work Day # 10 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/26/25 – Return to Antiqua from Lake Atitlán - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 -01/25/25- Lake Atitlán – Second Day - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/24/25 – First Day at Lake Atitlan - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 -01/23/25- Work Day # 9 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/22/25 – Work Day # 8 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 -01/21/25- Work Day # 7 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 -01/20/25- Work Day # 6 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/19/25 – Volcano Hike, Day Two - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/18/25 – Volcano Hike, Day One - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/17/25 – Work Day # 5 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/16/25 – Work Day # 4 - EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/15/25 – Work Day # 3Written 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/15/25 – Work Day # 3
- EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/14/25 – Work Day # 2 - EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/13/25 – Work Day # 1Today 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/13/25 – Work Day # 1
- EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/12/25 – Hike and Swim at El Pillar - EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/11/25 – Cultural Immersion EventToday 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/11/25 – Cultural Immersion Event
- EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/10/25 – Day at the Embassy + Arrival in AntiguaWritten 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/10/25 – Day at the Embassy + Arrival in Antigua
- EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/09/25 – Day at CONREDToday 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/09/25 – Day at CONRED
- EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/08/25 – Arrival to Guatemala City - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala 2025 – 01/07/25 – Travel Day - EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 12For 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: EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 12
- EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 11By: 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: EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 11
- EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 10By: 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: EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 10
- EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 9By: 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: EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 9
- EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 7June 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: EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 7
- EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning: Day 6June 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: EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning: Day 6
- EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning: Day 5June 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: EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning: Day 5
- EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 4Volunteering 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: EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 4
- EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 3: Hurricane Katrina DayBy: 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: EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 3: Hurricane Katrina Day
- EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day TwoBy 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: EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day Two
- EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 1: Travel Day and Settling InBy: 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: EM | New Orleans Experiential Learning Day 1: Travel Day and Settling In
- EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Saturday, May 11, 2024:
- EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Friday, May 10, 2024: - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Thursday, May 9, 2024: - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Wednesday, May 8, 2024: - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Tuesday, May 7, 2024 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Monday, May 6, 2024 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Saturday, May 4, 2024: - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Friday May 3, 2024 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Thursday, May 2, 2024 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Tuesday, May 1, 2024: - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Tuesday, April 30, 2024 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Monday, April 29, 2024 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Sunday, April 28, 2024: - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Saturday, April 27, 2024 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Thursday, April 25, 2024 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Wednesday, April 24, 2024: - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Tuesday, April 23, 2024: - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Monday, April 22, 2024: - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Sunday, April 21, 2024 - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Saturday, April 20, 2024: - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Friday, April 19, 2024: - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Thursday, April 18, 2024: - EM | 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: EM | Guatemala: Wednesday, April 17, 2024