{"id":53046,"date":"2025-04-08T03:31:06","date_gmt":"2025-04-08T10:31:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carpediemeducation.org\/?p=53046"},"modified":"2025-04-11T03:50:50","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T10:50:50","slug":"nina-latitudes-year-in-guatemala","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carpediemeducation.org\/nina-latitudes-year-in-guatemala\/","title":{"rendered":"Spending Time in a Beautiful Place Next to a Lake! Nina\u2019s Latitudes Year in Guatemala"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Written by Nina Rafaela Shear Quitigui\u00f1a<\/strong>, 2024-25 Latitudes Student<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hello, my name is Nina \"wave\" I\u2019ve been volunteering at a project called IMAP (Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute) in Guatemala for more than a month, and I\u2019ve loved it.<\/p>\n

One of my first impressions of Guatemala was how kind and welcoming people are. I arrived in Guatemala City on February 11th. From there, our trip to San Lucas Tolim\u00e1n was about three hours. It was fascinating to watch the landscapes change as we descended into the Lake Atitl\u00e1n basin. The next morning\u2019s breakfast was delicious: fruit, beans, tortillas, fried plantains, cheese, eggs, and a wonderful tea. Everyone at IMAP was so welcoming and made sure I felt at home. On my first day, I was introduced to the director, In\u00e9s, who gave me a warm welcome and an overview of the project and its work ethic.<\/p>\n

For my first three weeks, I stayed in IMAP\u2019s volunteer housing. The rooms are spacious, with balconies\u2014usually shared, but I had one to myself. The views are beautiful, and I felt very safe. IMAP has green spaces, a communal dining room, a kitchen volunteers can use anytime, composting toilets, and handwashing stations for laundry (though laundry service is also available). Everything at IMAP is very organized and carried out with care.<\/p>\n

During my first week, we planted qa q\u2019ani<\/i> (amaranth), worked in the gardens, and began building relationships with the people and the land. On weekends, I relaxed at the lake\u2019s dock and explored downtown San Lucas. The streets are full of color and culture\u2014women selling huipiles<\/i>, fruit, baskets, and bags.<\/p>\n

San Lucas Tolim\u00e1n is in the municipality of Solol\u00e1, located in the southwestern part of the country beside Lake Atitl\u00e1n. The lake is surrounded by eleven beautiful towns that offer everything from zip-lining and volcano hikes to restaurants and artisan shops. Some of the most well-known towns include Panajachel, Santa Cruz, San Pedro, San Juan La Laguna, Santiago, Santa Catarina Palop\u00f3, San Marcos, and San Antonio Palop\u00f3. It\u2019s easy and safe to get around the lake by boat (lancha<\/i>).<\/p>\n

As a permaculture center, IMAP provides a wide variety of volunteer work. I\u2019ve helped with garden maintenance, transplanting, preparing planting soil, bagging compost, drying fruit in a solar dehydrator, assisting our neighbor Don Carlos in his garden, and\u2014my favorite\u2014caring for the amaranth plants.<\/p>\n

Amaranth is an ancient Central American crop considered a \u201csuperfood\u201d for its nutritional value. It\u2019s been amazing to see the process unfold\u2014from fertilizing to planting to watching it grow. Georgia (another volunteer) and I have been in charge of the amaranth. Even when the sun wore us out, we always rewarded ourselves with delicious chocolate-covered ice cream bars for just 5Q. Charlie, one of the team members, is always ready to offer you one!<\/p>\n

Halfway through my stay, I decided to move from IMAP into town to live with a host family so I could immerse myself more fully in the culture. The Lec Agcot family welcomed me warmly. Mrs. Chona made me feel like one of her own from the start. We\u2019ve shared meals, walks, and conversations. I\u2019ve learned local recipes and family traditions\u2014like Sunday lunches, when extended family gathers to eat together. We even went on a hike with her son and his family. There are beautiful trails nearby for small hikes and walks.<\/p>\n

Helpful Tips I\u2019ve Learned Here:<\/b><\/b><\/h4>\n