Our Week in Guatemala

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The purpose of our week in Guatemala is to live with people in the town of San Lucas Toliman, work alongside them, and learn from them about their lives, successes, hopes, and aspirations.

 

This is an immersion trip. We are there not so much to DO but more to LEARN. We will do work, but the purpose is to learn about the people and community we live in.

 

Students should be open to new experiences, meeting people, learning from and sharing with others. In the process we will do work, but it will always be what the community asks us to do with them.

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In Guatemala you will live in a warm and caring community that has welcomed Cabrini students for 14 years, with not a single problem. In addition, hundreds of visitors have come each year for decades to this community to learn from wonderful people, meet, work, and worship with them, and form bonds of friendship.

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Some details:

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• The cost of the trip will be $1,100 for Cabrini undergrads total. This included air fare, room, board, and transportation in Guatemala. $250 is due with the application, by November 2023 registration at the latest, $450 by Dec. 10, 2023, and $400 by Jan. 18, 2024. (Checks made to Cabrini University and given to Dr. Zurek or the person at the desk in the Wolfington Center)​ . 

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• We will leave Philadelphia on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, early morning of spring break. We will return the following Saturday, March 2, 2024, around midnight ​

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• The class will meet on a date and time each week that works for everyone, all spring semester. ​In the second half of the course, we prepare to go to Washington, DC, to the US Capitol to speak to Congressional staff about what we learned.

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• In San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala, you will live in a safe hotel and eat all meals at the mission, with other visitors.

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• During the day, we work alongside members of the community in physical labor, ranging from painting to building roads and stone walls. Some physical exertion is to be expected. But Dr. Ward and Dr. Zurek work alongside you and so it is not more than good, sweaty work!

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• The meals are specially prepared for us, and while the community tries to prepare meals that North American visitors will love to eat, expect that you will have to stretch your taste buds because the heart of the Guatemalan diet includes black beans and tortillas.

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• We will worship several times with the community.

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• We will respect their customs: Mayans are more quiet and reserved that North Americans and so we will act like guests in their community.

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• We are there as guests, so we do not take photos as if we were tourists.

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• The mission includes a small hospital with a doctor and nurse. Each year one or two students get diarrhea, which is treated by the doctor. Pure bottled water is supplied by the mission and hotel.

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• You should have all your vaccinations up to date for college, but no additional shots are necessary. You must have completed your COVID vaccinations.

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• Each evening, we meet as a group and reflect on the day. You should be ready to share with one another. 

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• We don't go out at night and we do everything together, so don't expect to go off on your own. We are guests in a warm community, but, as you would in any place not your home, you remain in the safe hotel area at night.

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• You should pack everything in a carry-on bag, as we do not check bags. 

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• Where we stay is spring-like. In the 80s during the day and 50s (fleece) at night.

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• We drink bottled water only and bring a Nalgene-like bottle to fill each day.

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• We wear comfortable work clothes each day. Two pairs of jeans and T-shirts are all you will need. On Sunday, you should wear something a bit nicer to church. See photo. We don't have bare arms or shorts on the street. Mayans are modest. You can have a pair of shorts for the evening in the hotel but not on the street.