Eco-Agricultural Conservation in Guatemala

I had an incredible time in Guatemala. My host family was incredibly kind and caring, and incorporated me totally into their family. I got the opportunity to work with De La Gente, a coffee cooperative that facilitates direct trade opportunities with local coffee farmers. Every two days we would work with a new farmer, helping him out with whatever he needed done that day: hiking into the mountains to pick coffee cherries, sorting beans at the farmers houses, or washing and drying the cherries. It was a great opportunity to see into the lives of these farmers, and I really felt like we were helping them, as you could see the effects of our work immediately. I had a fantastic time learning Spanish as well, with the farmers in the morning, but I also took classes in the afternoons, and my host family was always happy to converse with me and help me if I needed it! I also got to live with some incredible other volunteers, and they truly made the experience unforgettable.