It´s not good news when...

It´s not good news when you are ever helping push a small bus, really anywhere. But that is the situation I found myself in on the way from Antigua to Semuc Champey. It´s an 8-hour trip, and about halfway through, everything seemed great. Outside the city of Coban, we picked up a random man on the side of the road, which is actually quite regular in Guatemala. Turns out, however, that this man was a mechanic. Before long we were in a parking lot in the city, and the driver and this man were taking apart the engine. Maria, a traveler named Mats from Denmark, and I were told to go get dinner during the delay. We thought hope was all but lost for arriving in Semuc Champey that night, which was still several hours away. We ate at Pollo Campero, which is a Guatemalan version of KFC or Chik-fil-a, and when we returned, Mats and I and were instructed to help push the bus to get it going again. We laughed and helped out to get it going. They only drive a few minutes before we stopped to change mini-buses for the rest of the trip, and we continued on our way.

We did not arrive in the city of Lanquin until around 11 p.m., where we were met by a pick-up to take us to Semuc Champey. It is truly a tiny village in the middle of the jungle, and the dirt roads for this last 30-minute stretch are so mountainous and narrow that only pick-ups can traverse them. When we arrived at our hostal, we found out our room was the second story of a tiki hut that could only be reached by a bamboo ladder, and it had no door. It was quite an experience to sleep there for the night, but I was so tired that I slept wonderfully. In the morning, we planned to walk to the waterfalls and natural pools that attracts many travelers every year in spite of its less than easy to arrive at location.

Becca Calendo

One of my Spanish teachers at El Nahual told me there's a phrase is Guatemala that "eyes that do not see is a heart that cannot feel". El Nahual is a wonderful way to see and feel Guatemala. It has an organic connection to the community and the teachers are fantastic. The activities and programs are all centered around understanding the history of Guatemala, experiencing the culture and engaging in social development. It's really a beautiful place! Plus we had a ton of fun too!

Becca Calendo

Chicago, Illinois USA
Graduate Student, social work
23 years old

Dave Pietruszka

The people of Xela and the entire staff at El Nahual are wonderful! The teachers are dedicated, enthusiastic, and well-prepared, Jaime is a man with a vision, the children are wonderful, and the fellow Spanish students are unlike any other. El Nahual is much more than just a Spanish school, it's a community! Even the dogs are cool!

Dave Pietruszka

Chicago, Illinois USA
Social Studies Teacher
27 years old

Rosa Rougemont

The two months I spent at El Nahual will always be a treasure to me. From the moment I came, I was welcomed into their family, and after talking with Jaime, the teachers and the other volunteers, what I had hoped would be true about this organization's care for the community, selfless service and high-quality spanish instruction were all confirmed instantly. While there, I learned so much about Guatemala--politics, education, culture-- as well as more Spanish than I had learned in years of formal study. My teachers were extremly helpful, and language concepts that had always been difficult for me came much more easily through their help. I cannot say enough good things about El Nahual. It is a living gift to the community of Xela and to all that come to learn and serve with them.

- Rosanne Rougemont

Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA
Academic Advisor/ESL Instructor/Spanish student
26 years old

Bienvenidos!

Welcome to El Nahual's new blog, a place to learn more about the Community Education Center, Spanish School, volunteer opportunities and life at El Nahual and in Xela...

Look for these features:

- past student and volunteer testimonies

- current student/volunteer weekly journal

- El Nahual news and events

- fundraising goals

- links to relevant news articles and research about education, poverty, youth and other issues in Xela, Guatemala, and Central America

- photo and video galleries

We welcome the participation of all El Nahual's alumni, current students and volunteers...

as well as anyone looking for an ideal opportunity to gain invaluable international teaching and volunteer experience and Spanish language skills while promoting grass-roots community development!