New Horizons (Team 1)

The wait is finally over! Our group met at 1am this morning to depart for the Buffalo airport. We got through security without a hitch. While we waited for the first flight, we had an intense conversation about the Jonas Brothers getting back together. Our faculty accompanier Chad took a siesta during all of this. Our first flight from Buffalo to Miami left at 6:15am. While some of the group was anxious for flying, all agreed that it was a positive experience. From there, we had a layover in Miami and departed for Guatemala City at 12:13pm. After we arrived in the airport, we had a 3 hour drive to the San Lucas Mission. On the drive, we saw many vendors selling merchandise on the road. The drive also included curvy roads and some driving maneuvers that were different than anything we had ever experienced before. The culture in Guatemala is so unique. Once we arrived at the mission, we met some of the long-term volunteers and got settled into our rooms. We spent some time looking at the beautiful views from our hotel, which oversees mountains and a lake. Then shortly after, we had a delicious home cooked meal for dinner. Every single person in our group ate the food that was prepared, even though we had some fears! The night concluded with a reflection on our full day of travel, our first noticings, and all that we are looking forward to. It was a long day but it was all worth it in the end. We’re all excited to see what this week holds and can’t wait to catch up on our sleep tonight!