Sunday, May 6, 2007

Updated: February 7th, 2006

We´re in Guatemala! We´ve been here since Thursday, February 2nd and it has been VERY interesting thus far. We flew into Guatemala City and caught a bus into Antigua, where we are living now and will be for the next 6 weeks.
We are living with a Guatemalan family who rents rooms to volunteers and Spanish students that are studying in the city. When we first arrived there were five girls from Holland also living there!

One of the first things we realized when we arrived was that it would be very useful to know a bit of Spanish, so we decided to sign up for a Spanish language school in town. We´re studying there for one week and after will begin volunteering with Camino Seguro (Safe Passage) on February 17th. We will be volunteering with them for one month, after which we are planning on traveling for a week... and then home!

Antigua is a lovely place... beautiful cathedrals, green parks, cobblestone roads and colourful storefronts. From what we have read and heard, it is very different here than the rest of Guatemala. We feel very safe here and the people are very friendly and helpful. Brianna got a little sick from food the other day, but other than that things are great!

Camino Seguro has two sites... one is based in Guatemala City and the other is in San Pedro, which is a 10 minute drive from Antigua. Today we visited the site in San Pedro, called Casa Hogar, which provides a home and schooling for approximately 40 children who come from the most abusive/neglectful families in the Guatemala City dump. They have a wonderful facility and offer the children much more than they ever could have dreamed of otherwise, including a swimming pool! It was really exciting to see what we will be taking part in.

We´ll update the website again once we start volunteering. Pictures included! Thanks for reading!
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Safe Passage, the program we volunteered with, provides intensive school support to hundreds of children that live at the Guatemala City garbage dump. Without Safe Passage, these children could not afford the uniforms, books, supplies, and the enrolment fee required by public schools.

The children also receive assistance from local staff and volunteers (that's us!) with homework and tutoring as a part of a daily education reinforcement and activity program.

Close to 500 children come to Safe Passage every day to participate in the range of educational and recreational activities provided by the program.

Children are provided with: -Assistance with enrollment fees, school supplies, books and uniforms; -Educational reinforcement and tutoring; -Daily program of sports and recreational activities; -A healthy lunch and snack; -Support to stay in school; -Reimbursement of medical expenses; -Assistance in the form of clothes, shoes and food supplies, which they earn attending the program; -Vacation program consisting of educational reinforcement and recreational activities; -Frequent visits to the children's home or school in an effort to further support the children in their education.

GUATEMALA GUESTBOOK

submitted on October 8, 2006 10:41 AM EST Name: Diane Caron How do we know you: Pine Tree Camp Why are you cool: I am unique in my own way. Why are we cool: The both of you very special people. What is your favorite dessert: Anything Chocolate. Other comments: Hey Chris, you can handcuff me anytime! LOL! I miss you guys like crazy



submitted on March 12, 2006 4:23 PM EST Name: lance white How do we know you: I dated both of you in the 90's. Why are you cool: I sweat a lot-- so I am hot, not cool. Why are we cool: Chris is not cool-- just Bri-- What is your favorite dessert: Bri pie and Chris pudding Other comments: happy friggin birthday Bri!



submitted on March 8, 2006 3:06 PM EST Name: sturgeon brown How do we know you: from the movies Why are you cool: I’m in the friggin movies for Christ sakes Why are we cool: you watch me in the movies What is your favorite dessert: anything not at a craft service table Other comments: I played a horse in Brokeback Mountain



submitted on March 5, 2006 5:02 PM EST Name: Uncle Zeke How do we know you: I allow you to know me Why are you cool: I choose to be Why are we cool: you know me and you both look good in slacks What is your favorite dessert: pie, sea-weed pie Other comments: adopt me



submitted on February 28, 2006 10:15 PM EST Name: big Bruce How do we know you: from some half-baked potato induced daydream that rattled your spines into a coupled vision of a mountain god--me Why are you cool: I have no name Why are we cool: fire-side chats What is your favorite dessert: the north arctic--but you have to drop the second 's' first Other comments: bi-ya



submitted on August 11, 2005 7:02 PM EST Name: Laura Antranigian How do we know you: Pine Tree Camp. Why are you cool: cause I just am... Why are we cool: Cause you make this world a better place:) What is your favorite dessert: ANYTHING CHOCOLATE! Other comments: I miss & Love you both so much



submitted on June 10, 2005 11:24 AM EST Name: Kathleen How do we know you: I am the cutest niece ever Why are you cool: 'cause I am so cute Why are we cool: 'cause you think I’m so cute What is your favorite dessert: anything aunt b gives me ... and ice cream Other comments: I miss you "b" and "kiss" hugs and kisses



submitted on June 10, 2005 11:10 AM EST Name: T-Smack How do we know you: I am who I am and made you Why are you cool: Because of the universe Why are we cool: you are both diggity cool What is your favorite dessert: ice cream Other comments: yo yo please check your phone messages!



submitted on June 10, 2005 10:24 AM EST Name: Shellie How do we know you: I fed beer to Chris Why are you cool: because of u Why are we cool: because you are u What is your favorite dessert: wine Other comments: way to go