While in Guatemala, students are able to communicate with their families and the PHA community by recording their experiences in a blog. The blog provides an unedited, uncensored insight into the students’ experience abroad.
Excerpts from the Blog
“The kids love learning. It is the best feeling knowing you are going to help better a child’s life. It’s an even better feeling when they ask you ‘when are you coming back?’”
-Marcos, June 2009
"Although we’re tourists, we aren’t just walking around taking pictures. We are also trying to help the societies here and understand the social aspects. It’s so nice to be able to proudly explain what Junior Journey is and what we are doing.”
-Arely, June 2009
“Something that we are all realizing as a group is that this trip is no longer mainly about us and immersing ourselves in a different culture, but about the families that were greatly affected and our role in restoring what they had. After working there for a couple of days now, I feel that as a group we came together and offered all that we had.”
-Betsie, June 2010
“I’ve been quite an adventurous person on this trip – more adventurous than I thought. I climbed a volcano, hiked at Lago Atitlan, and biked a little, and I did all this after pulling my muscle in my left thigh during salsa class!”
-Rachelle, June 2009
“Altogether, I'll be extremely sad to leave such caring individuals, but now that I've experienced their presence I trust that with the right oversight, resources, and inspiration (such as we're trying to instill) they'll move on capably and survive the best they can in the circumstances that are Guatemala's (and poorer San Pedro's) reality.”
-Elias, June 2010
“This trip has reinforced my desires to travel more and immerse myself in something meaningful.”
-Maelys, June 2009
“Overall, I think this trip has taught me more about who I am as a person and what it means to really care about other people than anything else. The Guatemalan people are truly amazing with their ability to continue smiling even though their houses are destroyed and their country is still recovering from the disasters that have continuously struck them. The faces of the people are tired and you can tell they are worn out, but they still have time for a smile or a wave, if you give them one.”
-Juliana, June 2010
“The kids in Antigua value their education so much and they really love to learn, something that not many kids in the US have. Each day is a challenge, but with these kids they smile regardless of the down points in life. If people in the US had the life and positivity that these children had, then this world would be a better place. Everyone´s heart would be warm and everyone would smile!”
-Rachel, June 2009