Guatemala City (Weeks 3-3.5)

Hola! Sorry that I haven't blogged in awhile:/ My camera has been having a shutter problem on and off throughout the trip and it won't take that many photos.. It's torture! We have been staying with our host families for about a month (I will blog about that later)  But for now, I've decided to write about Guatemala City. We stayed at the Cross Cultural Solutions home base in Guatemala City with another group of students (to give you some context about 30 people in four bedrooms). It was a tight squeeze in our "compound" but we all made it out in one piece. Not only have I been improving my Spanish this trip, but my French as well. I have been translating everything into French... My group is pretty tired of hearing my constant translations but I bet my high school French teacher would be proud of my growth. Although I am improving my French, it's not helpful in Guatemala so I have taken a couple of Spanish classes along with everyone else in my group. We have also been working with anacafe (The National Coffee Association) and going into local national reserves to pick up trash, learn about ecosystems/sustainability, etc. During our free time we do laundry (well, not ourselves) just walking to the lavanderia to drop it off. I have introduced the group to "Slamwhich" and I have been kicking everyone's butt. We also got to go to a local chocolatiers house and watch her make chocolate from cacoa beans (pronounced ka-cow). Along with the delicious chocolate comes my new obsession, El Pinche. I have been three times and am itching to go back. I have been unwilling to admit this but it's better than Chipotle. TBB also went to Sabana Grande with the Cross Cultural Solutions group. We also began to research topics for our first media project. I settled on Waste Managment as a result of my research last year on waste managment in Barcelona for Model United Nations. For the most part life was great in the compound but with that being said, I shut my finger in the front door (which is made of metal) and I didnt even cry!!

A private reserve 

Andrew is excited to be picking up trash 

Claire and I at the reserve

Private Reseve

Claire learning how to roast cocoa

Cocoa beans

Morgan getting a tattoo in Guatemala City

Ants carrying leaves in a huge line from the tree 

Sabana Grande. Drake is that you? @ Matty

Sabana Grande 

Meg (left) and Caroline (right). Caroline was my roomate for a month straight haha!

University Museum. Learning about Myan ruins before our trip to Tikal and Semuc Champey

Peter, one of the program leaders said "Clare, look it's Mickey Mouse!!!!"

That's all from Guatemala City!
Clare