So what now?

We will continue to make our experiences present on campus through GLASS (Grinnell Latin American Solidarity Society), a group all 10 trip members have founded and that has met 1-2 times a week upon our return. As a group, our members have supported Latin American activities on campus, contributed to ongoing discussions of migration, and presented our trip to groups of students and adults (ranging from local girl scouts to the division of student affairs). We are constructing a 10 day photography exhibit of our trip and informational fair by collaborating with groups with whom we’ve began to establish relationships. As a part of a long term goal, GLASS will continue the organization of School of the Americas trip that has been done in the past by multiple groups (and historically the job of SOL -Student Organization of Latinos and Latina, increase awareness and sensitivity towards migration issues in addition to our more short-term goals. Those goals include screening a documentary through FILMS related to immigration and connecting that to our guest speaker, Eli, a leader of Group Cajola. We have also been working through SPARC to create a calendar or book of our 10 days that makes our art active versus passive. So the publication will not just be Guatemala at a glance, but Guatemala in the larger context of migration, exploitation, bravery, hope, etc. that will include photos and some writing. Through collaboration with pioneer diversity counsel we will throw an outdoor graffiti show, whose topic this year is political art, to continue the discussion of arts role as active.  Finally, we are working with continuing our relationships with the fair-trade organizations in Guatemala by collaborating with the women’s weaving co-op Y’abal on our senior stoles, and connecting students directly to coffee farmers from Nueva Alianza to highlight direct trade versus indirect.

 

Guatemaya

A final reflection at we enter the snowy land we call Grinnell, IA. Leaving Guatemala was difficult. It was difficult to say goodbye to the friends we had made, Jenny and Jhonathan, at the airport. As we departed, it was difficult to wave goodbye to the beautiful green mountains knowing that we would be landing into icy hills. I did not miss Grinnell one bit after our adventures in Guatemala…

On the last day in Antigua during discussion, we wrote down a word that describes our whole experience in Guatemala, except Jhonathan put Guatemaya at the center instead of Guatemala. Guatemaya makes reference to the people of Guatemala, descendent of Mayans, and to changing the view that the country is truly Guate “mala”.  Words such as educative, solidarity, knowledge, humbling, green, coffee, chingon, and inspiring were written down on the sheet. I put empowering. I think the trip through Guatemala’s history, culture, cities, foods, music, struggles, and triumphs empowered me in the sense that it enlightened me. I learned not only of individuals’ stories or the story of a community, but also about the structural problems that are causing the struggles that we witnessed. I learned where my coffee came from and what I’m supporting by buying Alianza coffee. I felt empowered as a consumer because it was reiterated how my choices as a consumer are important in supporting or not supporting a corporation. I felt empowered to see people standing up to the mining, standing up to landowners, and governing their communities. I felt more alive and in touch with myself after hiking the volcano. The fresh air refreshed my lungs and brain. Being in that sacred place brought me peace and serenity. I felt empowered after burning my fears and worries at the Mayan cosmovision ceremony and leaving with a greater connection to the earth. I took in the natural beauty of the country and the knowledge of the people through the lessons they taught us.

On this trip, not only did I meet new people from Guatemala, but I got to know the people in the group better. We learned and grew as a group. Although the group dynamic was set in Grinnell, the group bonded more each day as we met challenges and gained new knowledge. I  have to say, my compañeros are some amazing Grinnellians that are going to do great things. I connected with Cassie and her love for the environment, which reignited my own respect and passion for preserving nature. I am excited to see the art that Martin and Amy will make in the future, perhaps inspired by the political art we saw. I would like to talk more with Enrique about his thoughts on politics. I would like Jason to teach me more about the education system in the US. Its always great to talk to Kiyan and connect our experience to all the concepts we learned in our seminars, both Economic and Spanish. James’ interest and respect toward the unfamiliar and unknown are sure to help in his chemistry experimentation and musical compositions. I loved that my fellow co-leader, Marlu, went on this trip and is as excited as I am to bring it back to SOL. Gabe learned with us and grew with us too, so he shared the same struggles and confusions as we did. I appreciated his knowledge of theory and his opinion as an educator as we all struggled to wrap our minds around some hard concepts.

The most important thing about the trip was that it was not a classroom setting. We weren’t graded on our thoughts or feelings about what we were learning. For once, I didn’t have to structure my thinking to please a grader. We openly talked about our thoughts, ideas, or feelings in any way that helped us process the information. We were honest with each other and with ourselves. I was able to let go of my fear of saying something wrong and be able to say what I really thought, even though what I was saying might not have been clearly thought out. It was a hands on experience, a real world experience, a human experience, and a humbling one. Seeing the world, actually seeing other parts of the world, brought a different perspective to the world we live in (being the US of A), which is actually really different than from the rest of the world. Talking to people, actually talking to people that are affected by the policies we talk about in class, taught me more about economy, political science, sociology, Spanish, anthropology, history, etc., than I will ever learn in Grinnell or any other institution. Because sometimes, being institutionalized isn’t enough. Sometimes taking a walk with a farmer is what we need to learn how a seed grows.

-Tanya S.

Nueva Alianza Day 8/9

Monday/Tuesday, January 13-14 2014
These two days were were hosted by a rural community called Nueva Alianza. We met Kevin, a man our age who has worked in and for the community since he was very young. He told some of us that he was at one point in Xela, or a neighboring city, but couldn’t fit in. Instead, he is a leader in the community fighting for the youth programs, education/ and unity between all the families. On the first day in Nueva Alianza, we took a tour of where all their programs take place. For example, they had a bio-diesel, purification of water, macadamia, and coffee projects. In addition Kevin and the 8 families that are still unified (out of ~60), choose to do everything in an organic fair-trade manner. It struck me that only 8 families choose to stay together (which I didn’t find out until the evening bonfire), and the extra costs and time that go into being organic. Like making coffee consumable takes OVER A YEAR. From growing, breeding, and the >5 steps it takes to make it in final form.
I couldn’t be more grateful for our hosts and everything they were willing to share.

Fair trade is a fad, I have noticed that. But what I haven’t realized, that every sticker of certification costs rural communities thousands. I look forward to how we can be responsible consumers of fair-trade at Grinnell and in my family. A problem that fair-trade tries to solve is the despair between money earned based on gender, children exploitation, and large amount of gain the middle man gets by exploiting rural communities (who often aren’t informed of their rights).

 

-Amy

Antigua–Dude, you’re white here.

I decided to write my final reflection in English so that we could have some of our follows that haven’t had a chance to experience my point of view on the trip can now do so. That was wordy. I think I’m better at this in Spanish haha. Well, we got to spend our last day in Antigua, which was a very long drive; I think everyone shares the same sentiment when I say that we won’t be taking another road trip or driving in Iowa for A WHILE!

After just about 80% of us getting sick in some way shape or form, we were ready to have our last day be relaxing and spent as tourists. OH MY GOODNESS. When we weren’t bombarded by people selling their products and creations in the streets, we were being looked at as foreigners, which for me, was a different feeling. During the previous parts of the trip, I always felt comforted by the fact that although I was from the US and lived a luxurious life (or so everyone thought), I was still able to speak with and connect on some level through my spanish. And ofr ht efirst time during this trip, although I identified as “other” in the US, comfortable walking through a Latin American country to which I had never been, I was being categorized as the “other”, the rich, white “other”. For me, this was a very strange feeling, it made this day a little bit difficult to enjoy in the sense that it was a very relaxing day for shopping (who does that?? go to a foreign country and “shop”. UGH. First world problems. Privilege…every other word that you can think of. Patriarchy).

After a day and night here, we gave our last reflections and decided that it was not up to us to “help”, but to walk with people that suffer and struggle. Because they are not helpless, and we aren’t saviors. They are our brothers and sister. We are all HIJOS of some struggle. And all that we can do is be there to walk with them in solidarity. That is why SOL is starting a new chapter at Grinnell for social and political activism called “Grinnellian Latin American Solidarity Society”. Add us on Facebook, more to come !!

El amanecer, mosquitos, y , Ah, un latte

Después de nuestra última aventura escalando el volcán Chi’Kabal, nos mudamos de nuestro hostel el Black Cat en Quetzaltenango (Xela) a un pueblito en La Palmera. En este pueblito se encuentra una planta de procesamiento para purificar agua, huertas de nueces de macadamia, y, café. Creo que Enrique fue el más emocionado de todos ya que es adicto al café y le encanta el café Guatemalteco. Cuando estuvimos allí, nos demostraron una hospitalidad tan hermosa, con buena comida, paciencia y tanto agradecimiento. Se supone que es una comunidad que se esta tratando de restablecerse después de tanta batalla contra los propietarios de su tierra. Así que, para promover más turismo y aumentar conocimiento sobre su tierra y todo lo que producen, nos tomaron por el pueblo para mostrarnos cómo y lo que producen.

Sabían que para una taza de café, toma más de un año para crecer la planta de café, luego toman aún 40 horas más para procesar el café para poder tomarlo. A, y lo más interesante y decepcionante es que el café de primera clase ni siquiera es disfrutada en el su propio país de nacimiento. Para mi, esto demostró un poco de la ironía y crueldad de países de primer mundo cómo los EEUU. Nosotros les estamos comprando el mejor mais, solo para venderles tortillas de regreso. Así, estamos destruyendo las economías de tantos países, pero aún estamos disfrutando los frutos–de primera calidad– de sus batallas y trabajo duro. Después de muchas discusiones, SOL decidió que haremos nuestra parte al comprar y promover el compro de café orgánico directamente del productor. Estaremos planeando ponernos en contacto con la gente de Nueva Alianza para poder crear un “SOL Blend” para vender durante el mes de Latin Heritage (Patrimonio Latino).

Day 10 Reflection Antigua Guatemala-Gabe Barela

Day 10 (and our second to last day) in Guatemala proved to be a bittersweet day.  It was sweet in the fact that we had a very relaxed day and got to spend several hours being “tourists” in the beautiful city of Antigua. It was bitter in that the trip is almost over and I am not quite ready to give up the beautiful scenery and great group of students I have gotten to work with while I have been out here.

Aside from the great opportunity to relax a bit via retail therapy in Antigua day 10 also brought about a great closing activity and next steps workshop led by the in country coordinators.  The closing activity included an opportunity to speak with each student and co leader individually to share how I valued and learned from them during the trip.  Although, I do not really get emotional during these types of activities, I found myself choking back a lump in my throat as I expressed to each student and in country delegate how much I appreciated learning from them during the trip and building a closer relationship that would extend into the future.  I was reminded of how fortunate I am to be around such phenomenal and engaged students and how great it was to work with the in country delegates over the past 9 months.

The next steps activity was also very inspiring because it provided a chance to hear more about what students got out of the trip and equally important, what they planned to bring back to campus.  I was impressed by the passion and intentionality students conveyed as they discussed creating partnerships with the groups we visited and discussed lobbying various campus committees to consider where food and other items come from.  Additionally, students demonstrated tremendous creativity in discussing art based projects they wanted to bring back to campus.

It will definitely be hard to say goodbye to beautiful Guatemala, the in country coordinators and the group in this setting, but I am definitely excited to get back to Grinnell and cross paths with the wonderful students I have gotten to know better these past 10 days and continue to work with them as we share this phenomenal experience we had together!!

Antigua, aka gringolandia

We left Nueva Allianza in the morning to go to Antigua. Before we left, we gathered with the community members that had hosted us and said our thanks. We were thankful for the great food, for the beds, for the tour, the coffee, the water, and the lesson about where our coffee comes from. Then we made our way to Antigua, away from the green mountains and toward a tourist town.

As our driver said when we got there, welcome to gringolandia. There were so many tourists. Even though we arrived late in the evening, people were still walking around central park. It was a safe city because of the amount of tourists, we could take as many pictures as we wanted now and carry around backpacks. The contrast was remarkable. Compared to the capital, Xela, Nueva Alianza especially, Antigua was made for tourists. The cobblestone roads were preserved, there were plenty of shops that sold relics and trinkets of Guatemala, there were a variety of restaurants, and still lots of motorcycles. The amount of things to buy. So many commodities.

After breakfast at a  beautiful, secret garden, organic restaurant, we were given time to explore Antigua. We were tourists in Antigua and could act like it. Kiyan would stop every few feet and take pictures because she finally could. We all finished buying our gifts for family and friends with the amount of stores that sold Guatemalan weavings, paintings, earrings, and chocolate. Indeed we were tourists, just enjoying the act of being able to shop in a different country.

The evening session was really about the group. Before leaving to go back to Grinnell, before all the work would start and we would find ourselves in snow again, we reflected on the 1o days that we spent together in a different country. A fond memory from that last session was when I realized that Martin and I had come a long way from Pomona. We went to different high schools but were from the same city. We went to the same college in the same town. Now we were on the roof of a hotel in Antigua, Guatemala watching the sun set on the last day of our trip with 10 other amazing people, including Jenny and Jhonathan. It was sad to think we would be leaving our new friends, but it was exciting to think we would begin programming at Grinnell for the grant. We would bring back those memories to Grinnell. We would try to bring in a speaker for everyone to hear the struggles we heard, pictures so people could see the struggle we saw, and videos for people to see the journey we took as a group. Hopefully people will listen and look.

-Tanya S.