This is a guest blog post from our student social media ambassador, Raven. Currently studying abroad on the semester program, “New Activisms, Human Rights and Social Justice” that travels to both Guatemala and Costa Rica during the semester.
Reflecting on my two months in Guatemala, as a part of CGEE’s New Activisms, Human Rights and Social Justice program, I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity, not just to visit Guatemala, but to see it through the eyes of the locals. We visited many different areas of western Guatemala, from the city of Xela to the lake town of San Antonio Palopo, from the coffee Finka of Santa Anita to the historical city of Antigua, and within each location we had the opportunity to hear from local Guatemalans about their stories, histories and culture. This is why a study abroad experience is so impactful, you are not just visiting these places as a tourist, but being given the opportunity to connect with the land and its people, as well as reflect on your own identity and homeland.
The most important part of the semester, to me, was a Mayan ceremony we participated in at the end of our journey. All the speakers, families and activists we met throughout our travels were kind and passionate, and our Mayan spiritual guide for our ceremony was no exception. She invited us to speak to the earth, with the beautiful blue waters of Lake Atitlan beneath us, and to discover more about ourselves as global citizens.
Originally I was scared to travel abroad, to a new country with people that I didn’t know, but I know now that I had no reason to be afraid. Our wonderful program facilitators cared so much about us and our wellbeing, and it really felt like we were a family. Although our extensive travelling could leave us feeling exhausted at times, it was worth the experience of seeing so many new things and learning to adapt to new places. While I am excited for the next two months I will spend in beautiful Costa Rica, I am sad to leave the resilient, welcoming and extremely lush country that is Guatemala.
