Attached are some video clips of the construction work team at Cerro del Nino and of the children at the school we built in Cerro del Nino.  The construction team was working on building two more classrooms for this community.  Through Global Visionaries and the community, 4 new classrooms have been built over the past 5 years.  Students hauled cement bricks and sand up 1/2 mile hill, hand mixed cement with stone and water, cut re-bar with hand saws, created human bucket brigades to move the mixed cement to pour the concrete and assisted the mason workers move materials.

The work team at the coffee farmsworked with the growers in digging holes to plant new trees that shade the coffee plants, picked coffee, learned the entire process from growing coffee beans to grinding and brewing a cup of coffee, as well as learned the difference about fair trade and equitable pay for farmers. The hospital work team were not allowed to film, for patient protection and privacy issues.  They worked by giving love and attention to the patients, many of whom are long term patients.  The hospital is not a typical hospital, as we know one to be.  This is more a long term care facility for mentally and physically disabled Guatemalans, many of whom are never visited by family.  The reasons vary, but most families do not have the finances nor the means to care for their disabled family members.  Many work 7 days/week and so can not visit the patients.  Our students engaged patients in conversation and gave loads of love!! Also included are video clips of “Semana Santa” = Holy Week for the Catholic religion.  Students witnessed some of these processions in Antigua.  They are religious celebrations leading up to the Catholic holiday “Easter”. The soccer game clips are from the “chipane-gringo” soccer match between the Guatemalan and US students are final day in Antigua.  The chapines won the soccer match, but lost the basketball match. We had some fun cheering on the sidelines!

Hello everyone!! I want to start off by saying I had a wonderful experience in Guatemala.  I learned new things, met new people, and even ate new things!! One special thing I got out of the whole trip was I learned so many things about leadership skills and especially mine.  I learned that people come from different backgrounds, which makes them work in their own special way.  As a leader, it’s crucial to find a way that works for everyone.

Also in Guatemala, I met some great Chapines (Guatemalans) which really helped me when I was practicing my Spanish.  I feel I’m ahead of my game when it comes to conversation in Spanish.  I’m super excited about that because that’s one thing I was striving for when I left Seattle.

This is just a preview of all the beautiful and amazing things I’ve done in the incredible Guatemala.  If and when you see me, feel free to ask questions and see pictures!

Gracias to all who supported me!! Cleressa Brown

Just writing in from Guatemala after a week of work, school, and games.  During the past week we have had the chance to see a lot of Guatemala, both good and bad.  On our first day in, right after we got off the plane, we took a trip to the local dump called “zone 3″ and it was horrible.  It was a huge hole carved out of the ground about a mile down, and many more wide, all filled up with trash.  Just a small glimpse of the garabage of Guatemala, and it really made us think of the trash of the United States and the rest of the world.  

As for work I’m construction and we’ve had quite a bit of work to do.  Our plan is to build part of a school in a part of Guatemala called “Cerro del Niño” whcih means the Children’s Hill in english.  You think that hills are bad in Seattle, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve had to carry blocks of cement and bags of sand up it.  It is easily the steepest hill I have ever had to walk up in my life, and that goes for all the other kids in our construction group as well. 

Sealth students are happily preparing for their work and adventure in Guatemala.  Students have turned in school work, packed their bags, and most importantly, are thinking about their leadership potential and what they will learn about themselves and the world.  Hasta pronto!