Day 6

Today we said goodbye to Xela. After breakfast, the group piled into a spacious bus and headed toward Tecpan to visit the Mayan ruins of Iximche, which means “Corn Tree”. We took a tour of the site with our guide, Alex, who was extremely knowledgeable about the life of the people that once lived in Iximche.

The interactive tour gave us a perspective of the social, political, and cultural aspects unique to the Mayan culture. Specifically, we learned how to properly climb stairs and enter buildings in such a way that would not disrespect the Sun, a god highly praised by the Mayans. We also were introduced to the idea of the duality of the Mayan culture as evidenced by their careful architectural planning. In one plaza, there were two opposing structures, one in honor of the Sun and the other in honor of the Moon. These symbolized light and dark, life and death, and good and bad. We all were able to absorb the culture and gain a better understanding of early Guatemalan life.

We left the ruins for a lunch break and then continued our journey to San Lucas Toliman. The ride was certainly one that any thrill seeker would have enjoyed. As we approached Lake Atitlan, the breathtaking view of the scenery offered a welcome distraction from the winding mountain roads. 

After our successful arrival and check-in at the Mission, we shared a dinner of chicken, potatoes, vegetables, and bread with another group of students from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Lauren, the volunteer coordinator of the Mission, gave us a brief orientation at the end of dinner. We learned what is expected of the group during our stay and were given information about what tomorrow has in store for us.  Stay tuned for our first day of action at the local Mission in San Lucas Toliman.

-Cassie and Matt