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Spotlight On...
Guatemala – Land of Eternal Spring
From time to time, we hope to feature articles written by SRV parents and friends. If you would ever like to contribute an article, please contact Dana.
The balmy, perfect weather was just one of the many surprises awaiting my daughter Arielle (a former SRV student) and me when we arrived in Guatemala in July with our church's youth group. The soaring mountains and volcanoes (Guatemala has 33 volcanoes!) were another. Then imagine our delight when we met an SRV alum on our first day there! Christy Laborda ('92) was spending the summer in Guatemala as part of her seminary experience at Virginia Theological Seminary, and elected to spend the week with our group of 22 teenagers from across the Philadelphia region. What a joy to sit out under the stars at night (no mosquitoes!) and share stories of SRV with Christy and hear her speak fondly of her 9 years at the School. She loved hearing all of the school news and updates. I have promised to mail her a new SRV t-shirt and CD very soon!
After we settled in Antigua, a city built by the Spanish colonists in the 16th century and filled with architecture from that era, we met our Guatemalan counterparts–15 young people from the local Episcopal churches. It was endlessly rewarding to watch our teens as they experienced a different culture firsthand and made new friends using another language. Highlights of these days together included painting a school in a remote village, traveling to a Pacific Ocean beach known for its black volcanic sand, and, of course, visiting an Internet caf&eacut;. Climbing the stairs of a 9th century Mayan temple was an exhilarating experience as well. We shared our Philly culture as our friends taught us the salsa and helped us to navigate the city. Our farewell dinner with them took place in a former monastery built in 1553 (it's now an inn). That night the dessert happened to be Torta Tres Leches, a treat SRV's Main Circle students made last year while studying Central America.
Our group then traveled to the stunningly beautiful Lake Atitlan region of Guatemala, where the Mayan people and culture are more evident. Many of you will remember SRV's assembly last December where we celebrated the culmination of our cultural study of Central America with Raices Culturales Latinoamericanas. We were lucky enough to visit three of the villages whose textiles were featured that day. These Mayan textiles are renowned worldwide for their beauty and intricacy. In this region we witnessed a solemn Mayan fire ceremony which combined ancient symbols, dancing and music, while the afternoon included a church service in three languages - English, Spanish and Qui-che. A final highlight was watching our teens bargain confidently in Spanish for souvenirs (futbol /soccer jerseys were #1) in Chichicastenanga, one of Central America's largest outdoor markets. Ten days passed so quickly!
As we prepared for the flight home, it was easy to reflect on the joys that visiting Guatemala had afforded Arielle and I: the tremendous experience of witnessing another culture and yet finding so many things somehow familiar to us. I look forward to the time when Mariah (Main Circle) and I can make the same journey.
