Backpacking and More!

Hello from the TTS21 Campus Visit!  The group is happily settled in our beautiful hotel, enjoying the smiles, hugs and laughs of wonderful company, along with the cool refreshing pool overlooking Lake Atitlan.  The break is well deserved after completing our 30 mile backpacking trip over the weekend.  The girls were amazing!  Hiking 12 miles each day up and down the steep hills (I will call them small mountains) of Guatemala with packs on is no easy task, yet the girls hiked with an even mix of dirt and smiles on their faces.  Each day incorporated several steep uphill climbs, then dramatic downward slopes that challenged the whole group both mentally and physically.  Still, after climbing uphill for several hours, everyone greeted one another with loud cheers, high fives, and plenty of trail mix. 

The trek took the group through several mountain villages, where young children greeted us and the girls watched in awe as farmers worked their land on steep hillsides.  Our packs felt a bit lighter as we watched the local farmers carry huge heavy loads of wood on their backs, all supported by a single strap around their head.  We picked up our pace as we tried to keep up with their speed up the hillsides, despite all of our intense loads.  Our first night ended in the town of Santa Catarina, which is still under construction recovering from the last earthquake that struck the area a few months ago.  The girls enjoyed taking turns relaxing their tired muscles and bathing with clean water in a local sauna, called a timescal (see picture below).  Following the sauna, the girls crawled into their sleeping bags and fell asleep in a giant circle, slumber party style.

          

The next morning arrived quickly at 6 am, but warm tortillas and scrambled eggs helped prepare the group for another 12 mile challenge.  This day´s hike was even more intense than the first, as a brief hour into the hike a steep hillside called Record Hill awaited the group.  The record is a run up the hill at 9 minutes, but with packs on, Kathryn set the TTS21 record with 17 minutes!  Way to go, Kat!   After the whole group completed the ascent, the girls took a deep breath as they learned another 2 hour climb awaited them.  Another container of trail mix later, the girls set off on the trail again.  The trek again passed through a few villages, and finally ended with the dreadful climb up the Cornfield of Death!  The girls traversed back and forth up tight ravines to reach the top, and finished the trek with another quick mile to Don Pedro´s house around 5 that night.  Fruit smoothies, a warm fire, freshly cooked chicken, and the sweetest grandchildren of Don Pedro kept the group in high spirits throughout the evening. 

Eliza and Annalise each played the guitar while the rest of the girls cooked marshmallows.  The music and fun continued as Don Pedro´s grandchildren sang the group several songs accompanied by both an accordion and classical guitar.  It quickly grew quiet as the whole group was fast asleep before 8:30 that night! 

No rest for the weary, as the group had packs on once again by 4 AM the next morning!  The girls hiked by headlamp up more hills to the awe-inspiring mirador overlooking Lake Atitlan where everyone enjoyed warm beverages and an oatmeal breakfast while watching the sunrise over the volcanoes and lake.  It was an unbelievable moment!

The backpacking trip was a definite highlight for the group so far this semester.  Homework and classes were left behind, and all that accompanied the girls with their gear was a determined heart, strong legs, and a love for the beautiful country of Guatemala.  The TTS21 family is strong as ever and cannot wait for the next challenge to come their way!  Until then, they´re going to enjoy a few more trips down the waterslide.

Que le vaya bien,

Jen

Greetings from Guatemala

Dear Parents,

It's been a whirlwind of activity since I joined the group in Xela last week. I arrived at our hostel about 30 minutes prior to your girls, after a 24-hour journey. The group arrived after a 10-hour trip from Chiapas, so we were all road weary. Still, the girls welcomed me warmly, and I passed along your hugs, letters and best wishes. There was a day of classes, preparation for backpacking and by Friday, we were up at dawn, will overfull backpacks, hiking to the starting point of a significant hike from Xela to Lake Atitlan.

I was lucky enough to join the girls for one of the three major days of hiking -- 12 miles of variable trails, roads and pathways winding through the Alaskan grasslands, the cloud forests and remote villages. The first day, we topped out at over 3,000 meters (over 10,000 feet) and gained and lost quite a bit of altitude altogether. The girls were amazing troopers, hiking steadily with out complaint. We finally made our way to Day 1's destination -- a municipal building where the girls laid out their sleeping pads in a circle, collapsed on them, and waited patiently for a much deserved pasta dinner. While we waited, three at a time, the girls hiked up to a nearby sauna-- where they could soak in the warmth and clean the dirt and grime of the day away. The next morning, I departed the group to join the parents arriving in Antigua. The girls, however, continued on their trek. I'm eager to hear how the last two days transpired and to catch up on all I missed. I know you at home feel the same way.

We'll be sure to contact you when we're all together at Lake Atitlan. Tonight the parent group and student group will join forces. We'll have a group dinner and begin our time together. We wish you could all be with us, and we promise to bring back more stories and photos to share.

Hugs to you all. You are missed!



Jennifer

Class Updates from Heather and Liz

Precalculus

Ruth and Emelia have finished the independent study portions of their Precalculus course and are enthusiastic to begin work together on trigonometric identities and equations. Both girls have worked diligently to understand and apply mathematics and have demonstrated maturity and independence in managing their workloads.

Ruth has completed her work with matrices and an introduction to trigonometry. She used matrices to solve systems of equations applied to various real-world situations such as traffic flow and nutrition. Ruth’s study of trigonometry has so far included making connections between the right triangle and unit circle definitions of sine, cosine, and tangent, and investigating properties of the graphs of trigonometric functions. She has applied sine and cosine functions to model various phenomena such as hours of daylight, motion of springs, and ocean waves.

Emelia completed her work with polynomials and rational functions as well as a study of exponential and logarithmic functions. Her studies included using exponential and logarithmic functions to model population growth, radioactive decay, sound intensity, and the Richter scale. Emelia has worked hard to achieve a solid intuition about the inverse relationship between exponential and logarithmic graphs.

Beginning Spanish
The girls in beginning Spanish have made enormous gains in their conversational Spanish skills during the first five weeks of the semester. They are doing a great job challenging themselves to apply their speaking skills to interact with native Spanish speakers on a daily basis, and come to class with an endless stream of eager questions. In Antigua, they worked with the girls of the advanced Spanish class to explore the city on a scavenger hunt. Several of the girls used their Spanish to chat with our guides while sitting around the campfire on our overnight rafting trip in Chiapas. In San Cristobal, the girls used their food and market vocabulary to grocery shop for the group. As they engage in more complex conversations, the girls practice vocabulary and phrases from class and are constantly adding to their conversational and grammatical skills.
Heather

Advanced Spanish
In Advanced Spanish the girls are really honing in on their strengths and challenging themselves to get out and practice!  They've been buying group food in the local markets, helping translate guest speakers, reading El Principito (The Little Prince), and getting to know the people around us.  Their midterm is coming up, which will consist of a translation component, an oral component, as well as a component where they need to converse with people in San Cristobal regarding the Zapatista Movement and write an essay.  Emilia's open heart and curiosity keep her asking questions and building strong rapport with the local children and young adults of the communities we visit.  She has even challenged herself to only speak Spanish with me, which has been great practice!  Annalise has the best accent and pronunciation in the class.  She excels at market days, bartering and buying food/supplies, and I feel confident sending her out and bringing back what we need at a good price.  Anna really enjoys speaking Spanish and has been pushing herself everyday to use her Spanish in everyday situations.  She leads the pack in reading comprehension and continues to volunteer her Spanish skills in our everyday activities with a big smile on her face.  Kathryn's strong speaking and translating skills have made her a leader for the girls and a strong back-up translator for myself and Heather. They are all willing to share their love of the Spanish language with the other students and teachers and are a joy to teach.


Physical Education
Whether we're in the rain forest of Lancondon or in the urban cities of San Cristobal, the girls have been getting their heart rates up and sweating!  Although they have different levels of fitness, each girl continues to push herself day in and day out.   We've been hiking through jungles, paddling down rivers, climbing the stairs of Mayan ruins, running through the streets of San Cristobal, doing strengthening circuits in plazas, and running sunrise yoga sessions...whew!  We've even caught the attention of the local howler monkeys who have been known to cheer us on from time to time.  Besides our daily workouts, the girls are getting excited about the backpacking trip from Xela to Lake Atitlan, where they'll be meeting up with some parents and spending time adventuring in the "place where rainbow gets its color" (Maya meaning of 'Atitlan').  

Liz

Class Updates from Caroline

Literature: The past few weeks have been busy in Literature and Composition class. The girls finished the final drafts of their mentor essays, took an exam on Tree Girl, and wrote poems about where they are from. We are currently exploring short fiction by authors from Mexico and Guatemala. "Chac Mool", an epistolary story written by Carlos Fuentes and chronicling a Maya statue of the rain god Choc who comes alive, gave us all goose bumps despite reading it at 1 pm in the sunny courtyard of our hostel. Later this week we will start preparing to write "This I Believe" Essays - essays that ask the writer to define his or her personal beliefs and philosophy. We continue to journal daily, and I am continually impressed with the girls’ honesty, creativity and depth of thought. We look ahead in the coming weeks to starting our second novel, a testimonial novel called One Day of Life, and preparing to read, explicate, and recite local poems to the parents during the campus visit.

History: We have wrapped up our unit on pre-Columbian America and the Maya, and have turned our focus to the history of the Zapatista Movement in Chiapas. Using articles and local speakers and presenters, we have begun to weave a story of an indigenous struggle for land and rights that has lasted centuries. The girls have been engaged in class discussions, eager to dig up the roots of the poverty they observe in the countryside and to understand the complexities of the relationship between the different cultures and people of Mexico. After midterms, we will turn our attention back to Guatemala and begin our unit on the civil war that ravaged the country for over three decades. Aided by Jennifer Harbury’s compilation of interviews, Bridge of Courage, we will explore testimony from the indigenous campesinos/nas whose lives were drastically and violently affected by the conflict. Your girls continue to impress me in their ability to make difficult connections, tackle complicated material, and ask profound questions.

Travel Journalism: These past few weeks, Travel Journalism has focused on telling stories through photography. Each student took five photos at Tikal, which attempted to relay an idea to the viewer. Then, they wrote photographer’s statements explaining their aim in each photo. The girls recently completed their first articles; both chose to write about poverty in Guatemala. Annalise told the story through the lens of the Guatemalan City garbage dump, and Kathryn focused on the difficulty rural Maya girls have in obtaining an education and breaking the cycle of poverty. Our midterm project is due next week. The students are creating a newspaper with various types of articles and photos. I will email the final product to Jennifer so she can put it on the blog. In the coming weeks, we will write longer articles in different journalistic styles, and continue to hone our interview and photography skills.

Unique Manifestations of the Human Spirit

"The world in which you are born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit." Wade Davis

TTS21 is on a quest to discover the "unique manifestations of the human spirit" in Central America. During the past few weeks, we explored the ancient Maya cities of Tikal and Palenque and discovered a culture whose devotion to the cosmos, ingenuity in architecture and technology (bathrooms in the palace of Palenque? Huge rock quarries turned reservoirs on the outskirts of Tikal?), and intimate relationship to the jungle environment in which they lived astounded us. The ancient Maya existed in a world of fierce competition for resources; Maya city states were regularly at war with each other for power and access to land. The Maya priests and kings carefully and tediously maintained relationships with their gods and goddesses who controlled nature and allowed for good harvests and healthy citizens. A deal was struck between the common laborer and the god-like king and high priests: in exchange for communing with the gods and keeping close track of the movements of stars and planets in order to better predict the weather, the people would build palaces and pyramids and give a portion of their crops to the king. During the height of their power, the Maya lived and participated in the global economy of Meso-America. With no large domesticated animals, no sail, and no wheel, they traded jade, corn, chiles, and cloth piled high in canoes with civilizations in Mexico and South America. They shaped not only the cultural landscape of Meso-America, but the land itself. The "fall" of the Maya, long a subject of intrigue for archaeologists, anthropologists, philosophers, writers, and filmmakers, holds important lessons for modern civilizations. Massive deforestation, over-population, and misuse of soil changed the environment and caused drought and famine. The story of the Maya serves as kind of warning for the modern world to treat our environment with respect and intelligence.

We discovered another manifestation of the human spirit in the colonial city of San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas. San Cristobal served as the capital of the Chiapas throughout the colonial period;
colorful, colonial buildings with large, wooden doors line the streets and catholic churches sit high on the hills overlooking the town. It's colder here than in the Eastern lowlands where Palenque and Tikal lie half buried in the rain forest, and the girls are excited for a respite from the heat, humidity and mosquitoes! San Cristobal is the urban heart of the Zapatistas, a movement of indigenous and rural poor demanding a political voice and guarantees of land. The Zapatistas opposed policies like NAFTA, which allow for indigenous land to be bought and sold as a commodity and floods the market with cheap food from North America, leaving the campesinos/nas with little ability to support themselves. Signs that this movement is alive and well are all over San Cristobal. Our daily talks with local people active in the movement give us a better idea of the plight of the poor and the indigenous in Mexico.

TTS21 looks ahead to returning to Guatemala after mid-terms to continue our exploration of Central America. We are excited to spend time with the parents and the communities around Lake Atitlan. Our perspective on and understanding of the complex world in which we live grows each day as we travel and learn together.


Caroline
History, Travel Journalism, Literature & Global Studies Teacher, CO

More Posts from your Girls

Week 5 already?! Its hard to believe it was so long a go when our adventure began in Houston. We have traveled so far since then, and it finally feels like everything is sinking in. Waking up in the freezing cold darkness of the morning to stumble down the ladder of the loft at our hostel. Having goosebumps and seeing my breath for the first time I left Boston during the peak of winter. Running up the hill while the sun chases us. San Cristobal is indescribable. I could stay here for a month! I actually feel like a student traveling abroad. Drinking hot chocolate at a cafe while the sun sets and people are everywhere around us. Internet! Laundry! A kitchen! Every place we stay becomes another home. I feel like I want to pause at every moment, have time to stop and absorb, but there is so much more for us to see on this journey!

Love Always, Maggie

Sophomore, MA

.Dear friends and family,

Hi there!  I am currently in San Cristobal de las Casas, and it's absolutely gorgeous!  I'm just settling down from an insane white water rafting trip!  I sat in a boat with four other girls, and we were taught how to paddle forward and back, and how to 'get down', prepping us for the big waterfalls!  As we made our way down the river, we hit waterfall after waterfall  which was totally frightening!  Rafting has probably been my favorite experience so far!  

Life here involves getting up early every morning to get our heart rates racing and lots of sweating.  Three meals a day and then lights out at 10pm, with a lot of activities or classes in between.  You all have no idea how much I miss you, and how many times you cross my mind each day.  So what's in store for me next?  Backpacking trip through the Guatemala Highlands, parent trip (wish you were coming), El Salvador, Nicaragua, and scuba in the Corn Islands!

Time's flying by, so I'll be home before you know it...however, I really am starting to enjoy myself here.  One month down and two and a half to go!  

Ava:

Sophomore, OH

Hi everyone!  

We're in San Cristobal!  I can't believe it's already March!  San Cristobal is very European - lots of color and cobblestone.  We have a full kitchen at our hostel so we're eating good hot meals!  I wasn't expecting it to be so cold at night...I have to sleep in my hat in a sleeping bag!  I've been learning a lot about the Zapatista Movement.  We watched a movie about its early stages and had a meeting with Don Ernesto, a restaurant owner and indigenous cooperative coordinator who has been heavily involved in the movement over the past 19 years.  Although the movement is very complicated, it involves empowering indigenous communities to establish their own education, health, and judicial/government systems, in their native languages, so they don't have to rely on the Mexican Social & Judicial Systems for support.  

We have lots and lots of Internet over the next week, so I'll be in touch!  I love you Mom and Sarah!

From Kathryn:

Senior, VA

Last night, after a long day of classes and frantically finishing up our Lit essays, we went to a movie called A Place Called Chiapas.  I've been learning about the Zapatista Movement since we've been in Chiapas, and the documentary really helped me understand it.  We learned about the affects of the movement for the Zapatista supporters and the negotiations that have been going on for the past 19 years.  

It was really cool to see first-hand accounts of how the movement affected rich ranch owners who got their land taken, poor peasants who support the movement, Marcos - the leader, and the members of 'Peace & Justice,' which is a military group that seems to terrorize the indigenous in support of the Zapatista movement.  I didn't know that much about the Zapatistas prior to arriving here in Chiapas, and it has been really cool and sad to learn about it.  I also love being in San Cristobal!  It's a really beautiful, cool, dry city and I'm excited to learn more about the Zapatistas and explore this city.  

Love you Mom and Dad and whoever else is reading this!   

From Anna:

Senior, NY

Reflections on Maya Sites, Salsa Dancing and the Natural World

on San Cristobal . . . 

Hey Mom, Dad, Dan, and all of the other TTS parents,

This past week we left our campground at Palenque to travel to the beautiful town of San Cristobal de las Casas. As a side note - did you know that howler monkeys sounded like dinosaurs? At times, our camping area sounded just like Jurassic Park! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vxlnZ8BihI

Anyway, our first night in San Cristobal was wonderful. We had a delicious pizza dinner, listened to a man named Jose Manuel talk about the EZLN movement (http://hemisphericinstitute.org/hemi/en/su10-tourism/item/879-su10-brief-historical-background-zapatista-movement), and walked through the town, glowing yellow with street lights. At one point, Ava, Mikaela, Simone, Anna, and I even salsa danced to live music in the central park! The town is alive in its colorful buildings and shops, and I´m so excited to learn more about the history of the Zapatistas and San Cristobal. 

Love to everybody at home! I miss you guys! Heart.
-Eliza, Junior, TN

 on a moment in Semuc Champey . . .

   Last night as a short flirtatious Mayan spun me around in my trackless Tom´s, I found myself more grounded than ever before (despite my lack of fancy footwork). Guatemalan salsa fed my ears in hues of roja and anaranjado. (http://www.addicted2salsa.com/videos/lesson/more-advanced-salsa-dance-moves) I was sailing in sands and tides of 1, 2, 3. Sand was moving below my feet and each time the waves withdrew and I kept losing my footing. Musical currents and someone else's hands and feet were moving my own. Tomatoes, onions, jalapenos - all the ingredients of salsa filled my lungs as the waves grew taller and the spins faster. A rain forest breeze from the open deck briefly cooled me like a spoonful of guac before it was back to the spice of salsa. "Mas despacio, escucha," broke the overwhelming colors of sand. "Stop trying to lead," Toto scowled in broken English. So I took my desperate feet out of the sand and let the ocean teach me how to swim. 

   I felt more alive as I let myself drown. I didn't notice that I was sweating more than the rain forest downpours. I didn't care that Toto probably thought I was a silly white gringa with no hips. I didn't mind that there was a room full of people watching, or that I hadn't showered in six days, or that Jon Smith in so and so thought this and that about me. I  cared where my left foot went after my right and where my right foot fell after that. I was present. I was smiling. All I could feel was my smile. All I could taste was picante. All I thought about were my feet, but in caring about them I had to let go of them completely. I was in a wheelchair of music, yet I'd never felt so grounded. I knew there was nothing else I'd rather be doing at 9:46 on that Saturday in that jungle of an ocean of sounds. In losing my feet, I found my ground. 

  So often I'm forcing myself, my own feet, into the moment, but I'm not really there. I'm caring about every other thing than what should matter. Being gone from the world of planning and conscience, into the land of presence was revitalizing. I've heard it said that dogs live their whole lives in the present - no daydreaming, no fretting over the past. Just here, just under this sun. By turning off the awareness of all of those eyes around me, I want to connect with the dog senses I've neglected while living so many years ahead of each day. I want to salsa the way through the rest of my life. 

  It's easier said than done. Here I am already reflecting, revisiting, daydreaming of moments I'm not currently living. Because, while as simple as being a dog would be, I have to appreciate my awareness of all the tenses. I can't live every second in the present or I would never grow, like I am while writing this. It´s knowing and continuing to find these moments of present "meditation" that are key to caring for myself. These moments of utter presence are the most sincere forms of relaxation and happiness. Being aware and open to finding them is the most I can promise myself right now.

-Emelia, Junior, ME

on Tikal . . .

About a week and a half ago, we all got up at 5:30 am and drove to Tikal. It was worth the early morning. The morning didn't get too hot, and we were able to focus on our tour. I loved learning about the advancements that the Maya people made, especially with reading and mapping the sun and the stars. For science, my assignment while at Tikal was to learn about and observe the relationship between humans and this environment and write a poem about what I learned. This is what I wrote:

            Roads carve through dense forests
            Winding through trees and back in time.
            And what do these roads reveal?
            Great holes - once reservoirs,
            Vast lakes that sustained life.
            Great hills that cover hidden structures,        
            Mountains that told about time and space.
            The roads wind on …
            Those people who used these roads were smart.
            They chose their corn so it would grow.
            They cut and replaced the forest.
            Trees for medicine and for food
            For dye and for building houses.
            The roads wind forward in time.
            The people steal trees from the Earth,
            And the Earth erodes and evicts its masters.
            Today roads wind by secrets of the Maya
            Still hidden by the environment
            Exacting its revenge for its suffering long ago.

-Ruth, Sophomore, MO