The trip to Guatemala began with a visit to the in-country EWB Guatemala office and staff. The team was grateful to meet the staff members who had been crucial in helping continue project work during the pandemic and successfully implement, construct, and begin new projects. The meeting helped to strengthen relationships.
The first project the group visited was the Aldea Patzac Elementary school project. They spent their second full day in the community. EWB-MN completed the project during the pandemic through remote implementation. The goal was to visit the community, assess the completed school, latrines, and retaining wall, and celebrate the project's success with the community. "The celebration was amazing," remarks Cole Arends. "It stunned me to see the number of people benefiting from the school and how grateful they are to have the school."
The second project the team visited was a water distribution project the chapter is kicking off this year in Santa Elena. The crew spent their third full day in Santa Elena. The goal of the visit was to meet with the local community leaders, see the location of the well that the community is currently digging, and get any information needed for the next travel team.
The final project the group visited was a high school project currently under construction. The high school is in Aldea Rio Azul. The team spent two days at the site. Because of the pandemic, the project was assessed and designed fully remote with the help of the in-country staff. It was wonderful to see the project in person and during construction. The team's goal was to access the site, address concerns that surfaced during construction, meet those helping with construction, and the community members benefiting from the project. The group also put some sweat equity into the project and helped carry CMU blocks from the side of the road, where they were delivered, onto the site.
The goal of the last full day in Guatemala was to enjoy beautiful Guatemala and celebrate a successful trip. The team got to visit Lake Atitlan in the morning and afternoon. They took a boat ride on the lake and had lunch overlooking the water. For the evening, the crew traveled to Antigua. They explored the town, bought souvenirs, walked around the town center, and indulged in a great meal to finish the trip.
"Overall, the trip was a success," says Cole Arends. "The team accomplished what we wanted at each site and had a lot of fun. We built relationships, made memories, and our projects are one step closer to helping those in need!"
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