More Research Papers

Guatemala and Spiritual Ascension

It is profoundly interesting to me that we have so many different cultures, all with rich history, and all on one planet. And each of these cultures has its own spirit and its own stature. Every place that I’ve been across the globe has given me a different sensation and a different perspective on life and the way I live. My experience in Guatemala was the perfect way for me to bring myself out of the comfort zones I was so accustomed to in America. I was able to be out in nature with absolutely no connection to the outside world, which to me was possibly the most refreshing situation ever. I was able to lie down and simply listen to and absorb the disjointed orchestra of the jungle. Offbeat rhythms and sounds no instrument or sampler can produce. It was the truest form of music I have ever come across, and as a musician it set the mood that Guatemala as a whole captivated me with.

I’ve found that Guatemala has a very different value system than America, and I think that is what I liked most about it. Although people in Guatemala can sometimes not have a lot of money, they still value their life just as much if not more without money and they seem much happier that way. When I returned to America after being in Guatemala the first thing I noticed is that people in America were noticeably more stressed out and depressed. It made me immediately want to go back to Guatemala, where everything seemed so much more pure. It’s like the whole time I was in Guatemala there was some kind of spiritual entity that was trying to communicate something with me, and it wasn’t until I got back to America that I realized what that something was. It was a way of life. And ever since I’ve learned of this way of life I’ve been able to incorporate it into my own life.

Nathan Levenson

High Tech High International

Semana Santa in Antigua

Semana Santa (the Catholic celebration of holy week) is one of the most significant times of the year for the people in the city of Antigua, Guatemala. Semana Santa occurs every year between March 22nd and April 23rd and goes from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. Tourists from around the world come to watch the elaborate processions, see the brilliant alfombras (traditional carpets), and watch the entire city participate in activities that imitate the passion, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The event begins on Palm Sunday when holy figures of Christ and the Santisima Virgen de Dolores (Holy Virgin of Sorrow) are carried from the churches and through the city streets, by men dressed in purple robes with white waistbands. It has a festival vibe with music and food to celebrate Christ’s last days on Earth and it continues until that Thursday.

On Thursday of Semana Santa, residents of each street work together with close friends and family to create the beautiful alfombras (traditional carpets) out of colored sawdust and sand, flowers, native plants, and pine needles. The origin of the carpets goes back to the early days of Semana Santa when the locals would throw pine needles on the cobblestone roads for padding on the procession route (that would come the next day). Each year, they would add something new, such as different kinds of flowers, and it grew to a competition between each street on who could make the best one. Today, the alfombras incorporate beautiful colors and intricate designs that express religious and contemporary images, and still each year they become bigger and better.

Preparations begin at 3:00 am on Good Friday for the mock trial and sentencing of Jesus. Participants dress up as characters from the trial such as Roman soldiers and Pontius Pilate, and reenact the scene. At 7:00 am, a religious figure of Jesus carrying his crucifix (which can get up to 3 and a half tons) is carried on the shoulders of a team of 80-100 men (who work in shifts) who parade through the carpet-covered streets of Antigua. Behind that group is another group of women dressed in white carrying a smaller float of the Holy Virgin Mary. Following Virgin Mary are smaller groups who carry the figures of San Juan and Maria Magdalena, and the funeral march band. In the afternoon, the figure of Jesus is replaced with an image of him being laid to rest and carried around the city. Before any of these holy figures are used in the procession, there is a special ceremony held for them at the church. The hermandades (brotherhoods) are each assigned to a figure, and they construct alfombras in front of the display and a decorative backdrop made of paper behind the display. The church community then makes offerings such as fruit, candles, bread, and flowers around the alfombra. At 4:30 on Good Friday, the city is covered with black paper and everyone dresses in black to symbolize the death of Christ. A silent procession is led by someone bearing the crucifix and is followed by hundreds who carry banners engraved with Christ’s last words on Earth and the pronouncements of God. Bystanders of the procession pray and mourn as the crowd goes by, and the image of Christ is put to rest at the churches at 11:00 pm.

Holy Saturday continues with more funeral processions and is led by an image of a devastated Virgin Mary and followed by many women dressed in black. On the last day of Semana Santa, Easter Sunday, the city rejoices with festive processions to celebrate the ressurection of Christ. Masses are held in all churches and firecrackers can be heard throughout the day.

Our group was in Guatemala when the processions were very upbeat were still celebrating Christ’s last days on Earth. The first time I experienced it was when we first got into Antigua and were walking to our host family’s houses. We could hear the music from about a mile away and when we reached the procession route, it just hit us. It looked like a sea of purple marching to the same few songs that the band played. The vibe gave me a feeling of how much determination and effort was put into this celebration, and how connected the city became to pull it all off. There are so many adjectives that I could use to describe the experience but the first that comes to mind is inspiring. What these people do every single year is amazing, and I would love to return to Guatemala someday and witness the whole week celebration of Semana Santa.

Rachel DeNoble

High Tech High International

The Research Papers

Animal Trade

The two largest illegal trade rings in the world are weapons and drugs, but many people do not know that animal trade is the third largest illegal trade in the world. People also don’t realize that the greater majority of the animals being traded are to be used as pets, and not as fur. In Guatemala there is a high amount of animal trade due to the jungle and the large amounts of exotic animals that live there. Animals that are often traded include: spider monkeys, howler monkeys, iguanas, parrots, toucans, wild hogs, lizards, jaguars, and ocelots (for their fur).

Having just gotten back from Guatemala myself I would say that if somebody was aiming to catch a monkey it would be relatively easy. When I was at Tikal I would simply look up at the trees and see monkeys easily. I also stayed at a wildlife rescue center called ARCAS. ARCAS is an animal rehabilitation center, so they don’t just take care of the animals, they also teach them how to be wild again. Teaching animals to be wild includes dehumanizing them and so ARCAS staff and volunteers do have to be a little mean. They teach the animals their basic survival skills, like how to get food and water, how to interact with other animals of their species, and how to move through the jungle.

All of the animals at ARCAS come from the illegal pet trade. One monkey at the center somebody had as a pet, and that person is now going to go to jail. I also heard from one of the volunteers that a hotel in Guatemala has a toucan just sitting out in the lobby as an attraction, and that someone else in the hotel had a howler monkey chained for the same purpose. I also witnessed some monkeys in captivity. While in a bus traveling from one city to another, I saw a front yard that was covered in vegetation much like the jungle, and there were chained up monkeys in the front yard that everyone could see. The pet trade needs to be stopped because it is cruel to the animals.
My experience at ARCAS was amazing. It felt really good to help out, feed and care for the animals. You really knew that you were making a difference, and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. The atmosphere was amazing; the facility was built directly into the jungle. I would definitely recommend for someone to go volunteer at ARCAS.

Mason Petrancosta

High Tech High International

The Mayans

The Maya are possibly the most graphically stereotyped ancient civilization ever. Vivid images of tribal wars and blood sacrifice are usually the first things that come to mind when we think about the Mayans.

But the Maya were highly sophisticated. The impossibly high temples and pyramids stand as testament to their mastery of architecture. The Mayans even quarried limestone, and laid down large tiles until they could build their entire civilization on flat, even ground. And such feats are even more impressive knowing that they accomplished this without the aid of the wheel or other simple machinery. The Maya had no telescopes or equipment for cosmic observation, and yet their knowledge of the stars is clearly demonstrated by what they left behind. The Maya had two calendars, a daily calendar for keeping time, and a religious calendar for holidays and rituals. Amazingly, their daily calendar consisted of 365 days, just like ours, even compensating for discrepancies such as leap years! Almost everything about the Maya reflected their fascination with the stars. Their entire religion revolved around these mysterious glowing entities, and they built great pyramids upon which to observe them.

Just as their buildings were enormous, the Mayan empire was colossal. The influence of the Maya spreads from present-day Guatemala, to Belize, Western Honduras, El Salvador, and southern Mexico! But they were not a single and connected empire. The empire of the Maya was separated and split up like Greek city-states. This mostly had to do with the geology of Central America. The Peten/Yucatan peninsula is a single immense mass of limestone jutting into the Gulf of Mexico. Such even terrain allowed for Tikal, the greatest of the Mayan cities, to be built. However, in the highlands of Mayan territory, the land is broken and constantly changing with mountains, ravines, rivers, and jungles. Likewise, the cities of the Maya were also broken up into smaller settlements. Decades of alienation from other Maya led to the separate development of these ancient city-states. Even though the cities were similar religiously and artistically, the Maya language evolved differently from one city to the next. Their languages became so disentwined in fact, that a Mayan from the lowlands would never be able to communicate with a Mayan from the highlands or vice-versa.

Thus, the Mayan cities became their own societies, so separate from each other that hostilities often arose between them. For example, the Mayans of Tikal invaded and conquered a neighboring city, Uaxactun, in order to capture slaves and resources. Many wars and skirmishes occurred between cities; however these conflicts between cities were not what led to the downfall of the Maya.

At about 900-1000 A.D. the Spanish arrived in Central America looking for land, money, and power. Drawn like moths to a lamp, the Spanish salivated over the massive amounts of gold and jade the Mayans possessed. Armed with gunpowder, the vast numbers of the Mayans began to wane due to the new technology of the Spaniards. But smoke and fire was not what caused such a massive empire to fall.

In actuality, the Spaniards did not cause the untimely demise of the Mayans. Many of the great Mayan cities were abandoned before the Spaniards came, and many more fell in the years to come. This mystery has plagued modern archeologists for centuries. Some believe that the Mayans fell victim to a long series of droughts and famines caused by solar cycles, and yet, the Mayans were excellent astronomers. Some would argue that they should have foreseen this and prepared beforehand. Some think that the Mayans burned too much of their rainforest for agriculture, causing detrimental effects on the atmosphere such as dry spells, or unfertile soil. Many suspect that the vast number of slaves rioted and overthrew the government sending the entire civilization into disarray. Countless theories surround the mysterious downfall of the Maya, but the question is not why did the Mayans disappear, but why did they abandon their great cities.

A day in Central America will yield encounters with many indigenous Mayans still living in the land of their ancestors. So although their great stone monuments lie in disrepair, their blood and their culture live to this day. Even the Mayan religions and traditions continue to be practiced. But the Maya hold an importance in Central America that transcends that of the region’s cultural heritage. Most Central American countries are third or second-world nations meaning that their governments are poor. Since these countries lack a stable economy, they export and sell a valuable commodity that they have, unfortunately, in limited supply: wood. The rainforests of Central America are but a fraction of their original size and splendor. Miles upon miles of rainforest have been cut down to fuel the economy. But were it not for the Mayans, the rainforest might already be gone. Each year, millions of tourists are drawn to the Mayan ruins. Eco-tourism is one factor that is saving the rainforests of Central America. These tourists pay to take tours, stay in lodges, eat food, and buy souvenirs, bringing a potentially inexhaustible source of income to Central America and combating the need to destroy one of the most bio-diverse ecosystems on the planet.

For me, visiting the Mayan ruins was the most incredible and awe-inspiring section of the trip. I could literally feel the presence of past lives there, as if I was staring through a window into the past. Unexplainable auras hung suspended in the air, as if the ancients had made these monuments of stone to tell me a story, and were whispering secrets in my ear. I sat on a single stone for an hour, trying to put my sense of awe onto paper, and though many inspirational words flowed from my pen, nothing can really explain that sort of connection with the past: Knowing that someone was here before you… Sensing the lifetimes that have come and gone right beneath your feet… It was absolutely amazing…

Adam Burnier

High Tech High International

Guatemala, a New World

This trip brought to me a world of new experiences, the likes of which I have never embarked on before. The Mayan ruins at Tikal and Uaxactun were incredible for the sheer impossibilty that a civilization with such few resources and so ancient could have built the stone behemoths that greeted us upon our arrival. The buildings towered impossibly high, and implanted a vivid image of the Maya civilization into my mind´s eye. I could not escape the feeling that I was tresspassing into a different world. When I touch the walls and imagine the stories they could tell, I feel a sense of mystery, overpowering and almost nauseating. Later, we visited Antigua where we were allowed to shop at the market. To state it bluntly, the market was enormous. It was a maze of stalls all selling foods, meat, arts and crafts. The sounds and smells of the market (some more pleasant than others) infiltrated my senses sending me on a cultural experience unlike any other. What struck me most about the market was the desperateness and determination that the people possessed to sell their goods and make a living for their families. An old woman in a stall offered dirty cabbages for high prices, while a vendor three stalls down would be selling perfectly good cabbages for the same price, and yet both sat in their stalls expecting buyers. The market and all of guatemala was both eye-opening and envigorating and is a place I will never forget as long as I live.

Adam Burnier
High Tech High International

Tikal

Being out of America was not a new experience for me. Ever since I went to France when I was ten I have loved simply being somewhere where I have no experience surviving in the society. For me, American life is tedious and boring. I like to do things that take me out of my comfort zone and make me reflect on my life in America. Different societies interest me. Especially ones that existed thousands of years ago. Visiting the Mayan ruins in Tikal and Uaxactun were definately the most interesting and inspiring part of my time in Guatemala. To think that such a monstrous society rose and fell before any of us even existed simply boggles my mind. What did the people of that time think about? What were their daily lives like? How does ancient Mayan society compare to our own? These questions were constantly running through my head while I was walking up and down the temples of Tikal. While I was there I couldn´t help but feel the presence of some antediluvian entity trying to communicate with me. It made me wish I could have been alive to witness the creation of such a mystical place. To me, the Mayan ways seemed to reach out from the mist. Like something palpable. Like an idea. It was easily the most intense spiritual experience of my life, and I know I will never forget it. My time in Guatemala has truly made me realize how much I love getting out of my own society and experiencing a new kinds of connections with other societies that exist in the past or present.

Nate Levenson
High Tech High International

March Guatemala 2008

Sitting in an internet cafe is not half of what I have learned and experienced on the Guatemala trip. I´ve experienced physical activity, responsiblity, communicating with people of a different language, and just plain culture . As far as physical activity goes there is nothing like hiking up hills all day to get to your destination, at Arcas a animal rehabilltation center was so much work and so cleansing to a body that has not been given so much physical ativity lately. I feel as if I have much better health today then I did on March 8th.The responsibilty is great as well. I volunteered for a reason I could have said no I won´t help your cause, but I did. I loved getting to know the volunteers at Arcas they are amazing people who lead amazing lives, from knowing three languages, to travling the world, and just helping animals that need to get back on their feet to a better life. These people are amazing. Not just the volunteers , but the people of Guatemala they are what I would call so sincere and the nicest people I have encountered they just know how to make you feel welcome. I will defintely be coming back Gautemala is rich in culture, but also rich in welcome and beauty. I have learned so much I have sharpened up my Spanish skills, by talking to the locals and my host family and I have learned that the Mayans still celebrate the Mayan religion which I thought had died out. I have even learned about my self as well knowing that I have a great personality, I don´t have to wear make up, and I can still be happy and live life with out so many worries. I am still a carefree girl and I can let my hair down if I want to. I am so thankful for this trip it´s my favorite of the two (China last year) and I know that this trip has changed my life. So I want to thank Jen and Tiffani for taking to some of the most amazing places ever. Viva Flores, Viva Antigua, and Viva Guatemala.

Tatiana Willis
High Tech High International

World School students boarding the ARCAS boat after spending 2 days working with and learning about local Guatemalan wildlife.














World School students, standing on ancient ruins in Tikal.














Students playing "Simon Says" with local children in Uaxactun














Guatemalan child at Casa Del Mundo Hotel on Lake Atitlan

Students walking through the jungle at ARCAS. We toured the property, viewing monkeys (Spider and Howler), jaguar, macaw, ocelot, crocodile, and many other animals.














Students playing a game, waiting for lunch at ARCAS. We ate well: beans, rice, tortillas, and more beans, rice, and tortillas!















Sara cleaned the spider monkey cages. She had a little trouble keeping the broom away from the monkeys. Theses animals were rescued and are going through rehabilitaion to be released into the wild...












Students arriving in Flores, 1st night in Guatemala. We were headed to ARCAS, a wildlife conservation organization.

Sara and Jen- World School Guatemala Leaders. Notice the ruins in the background, towering above the rainforest canopy. These ruins were built in 600 B.C.

Guatemala Trip February 2008

Hola,

Last night we returned from Guatemala after an action packed week of nonstop adventure and excitement. We all learned so much about the history of the country and culture. The best part for all of us was trying to communicate with the people of Guatemala and especially the children. One day we even played Simon says with the Mayan children of the Uaxactun area. These were things we will never forget along with all the other adventures. But lets get through the itinerary.

After a long day of traveling from the East Coast to Guatemala we flew straight to Flores where we stayed two nights at ARCAS-the wildlife reserve. It was a once in a lifetime place that was so unique and important to the Guatemalan ecosystems. This place is set in the middle of the rainforest and accessible by boat. After a hike to get to the top of the hill we saw our volunteer cabin. This was a 4 bedroom 2 bathroom house that is basically a cabin. Because we were volunteering its important to know that it was a rustic setting and definitely authentic to the area. The first night we had a small meal of mostly vegetables and talked to Alejandro the director of ARCAS. He explained to us what sorts of things we would see and how important the property is for the rehabilitation of animals (most of the animals are harmed by animals trafficking and taken to ARCAS). The next morning we took a tour of the facilities and started on our service projects. We cleaned two of the cages and put new branches in for the birds to live in a cleaner environment. This was a good time to learn more about the animals of ARCAS and talk to the other volunteers that stayed at ARCAS. Later in the day we swam in the lake which was great! Afterwards we went for a challenging hike part of which was rock climbing and grabbing on to whatever vines we could. ARCAS may not have been our dream vacation spot but the things that we learned and saw made all the difference in the start of a great trip.

The next two days were spent at the Mayan ruins. This was definitely an awesome experience. We climbed higher than the rainforest canopy to the top of a thousand year old pyramid. The tours were definitely better due to our tour guide, David. He gave us a whole new outlook about the ruins and the life of the Mayan people. After the first four non-stop days we got to take a break on our flight back to Guatemala City.

Then we drove about 45 minutes to Antigua which was definitely a cool town full of Guatemalans and tourists. There were so many people out during the day and the cobblestone streets were filled with people shopping, and eating. After a good dinner we went right back to our hostel to get a good night sleep before our two day peddle-paddle tour began. We met Matt the next morning at Oldtown Outfitters. After a two hour ride towards Lake Atitlan we got out and started to practice our mountain biking skills before our 25 mile mainly downhill ride. After 15 miles we stopped for a picnic lunch overlooking the lake. Then we biked another 10 miles to the village of Panajachel. From there we took at boat to an awesome hotel that is built on a cliff overlooking the lake. After a day of biking it felt great to jump into the water. La Casa del Mundo is definitely a cool hotel with some really good food too. Everyone loved the hotel and were happy to have some time to relax. The next day we woke up and hiked 4 miles to the village of San Marcos. There we met the group that kayaked and we switched places. Kayaking was great and spending time on this gorgeous lake was amazing. Matt gave us some good information about Guatemala and the volcanoes surrounding the lake.

The peddle-paddle tour was exhausting and rewarding. After so much excitement we all felt like we were invincible. The last day was for the Volcano Pacaya hike. This volcano is active and we could hear and see the shifting lava rocks. The hike was pretty steep and definitely dusty. We had to make sure we kept our mouth shut and sunglasses were a must to keep the dust out of our eyes. Throughout the hike we stopped to see some amazing vistas of the volcanos and surrounding flora and fauna.

The trip was filled with amazing experiences. Throughout the trip we talked to so many people and the 13 of us in our group all became so much closer. Most of us enjoyed our experiences and took back so much insight about global living and to be more conscientious about how people live and things to do in our area to help the environment. The trip right now is fresh in all of our minds but things I will never forget are talking to the Mayan and playing Simon says with them, we experienced bartering in a few markets and learned so much about the culture. We all talked to people from around the world and enjoyed the people we met including our host families and tour guides. Everywhere we went there were new things to experience. Global traveling isn't just about seeing a new country its about experience everything that you can. On this trip to Guatemala we definitely took in so many aspects of the country-from culture, adventure, history and the people; everywhere we looked was something everyone could enjoy. The trip opened our eyes to different issues and types of people things that I will remember forever.

For those of you on the trip to Guatemala in March, if you read this, it is definitely important to know a few things and remember to bring some things. The currency is quetzal and it is easy to transfer money in the airport or any banks in the markets. The conversion rate in 7:1 so it is easy to buy a lot of local gifts. Things that are definitely important to have are a towel (1 is enough) for swimming in the lakes and for showering at ARCAS, and at the host families. Also remember to bring a flashlight or headlamp. This is important for ARCAS and in some places in Tikal. Also bug spray is a must in the rainforest. There's is no reason to worry about malaria or any other disease besides drinking the water. Everywhere we went fresh water was available to us and we filled our water bottles. A watch might be helpful because there is some independent time and we had to stay on a tight schedule. Most important I enjoyed the trip as much as I did because I kept an open mind and really seized every moment. This trip isn't just an ordinary vacation is its a learning experience that really helped to give everyone a different mind set about respect, and different cultures.

Kerry Fechter

Manasquan High School

World School Guatemala Program

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