I wanted to combine Spanish study and volunteer work in Guatemala, having visited Guatemala as a backpacking tourist in 2005 and falling instantly in love with the country and its people. I was interested in learning Spanish and spending some time volunteering in the Mayan highlands, since I didn't have a chance to explore many of the cities and villages in this culture-rich region during my first visit.
Pop Wuj was one of the schools that offered both language instruction and high-impact programs. They also run a free clinic and day care for working mothers, but I was specifically interested in the safe stove project, having read about this type of volunteer project in other Latin American countries. I was also volunteering graphic design with another organization called Proyecto Payaso and this was a good fit for my packed schedule.
The project was run from the school and every Wednesday we would gather at the school to meet our teachers, other participants and the village liaison, Lety. We gathered tools, mostly spades, levels and machetes and at around 8:30am, Lety would bring us to catch a local camioneta (chicken bus) to one of the rural villages on the outskirts of Quetzaltenango.
Once we arrived at the home, we would assess what needed to be done and tasks were delegated. Often a stove was in an advanced phase, like adding the chimney, and sometimes it was in an earlier phase, like laying down the concrete brick foundation. When the chimney is added there is some roof-cutting involved with fairly primitive tools, but usually a teacher (or Lety) completes the more questionable-safety tasks. I have mixed concrete, chopped and sculpted concrete blocks, applied layers of cement to the base and installed the stovetops, the "planchas" We usually spent about 4-5 hours working alongside the family.
When I was there last year, the program was not limited to students of Pop Wuj, it was open to all, and had no fees except transportation by local bus to and from the villages.
I'm very interested in sustainable tourism and indigenous culture in Guatemala and would like to either participate more on projects like these in the future or actually create and run similar programs in other developing nations. Working and interacting with families in rural communities gave me an understanding of how the majority of the population of Guatemala lives that I would never have gotten simply backpacking.
I also felt my language practice time was more productive and meaningful when engaging directly with a community of Spanish speakers. My Spanish improved immensely through my interactions with these beautiful families and the experience was incredibly enriching.
It was wonderful to actually contribute a small part of a big improvement on the health and economy of very poor families. I'm actually headed back next month to work with Proyecto Payaso, who I continue to volunteer with from my home in the Bronx.
