Lake Atitlan, our base for the core of the trip, is widely considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. For good reason – towering volcanoes surround the lake, green mountains slope into turquoise blue water, and small communities bustle with life. We’ve been staying in the quiet town of Cerro de Oro, one of the least developed on the lake. It’s a great base for exploring the rest of Atitlan.

During our day here so far, we have done a lot. We’ve jumped in the water from docks, the roof of an old house, and the jumping platform at San Marcos. We’ve walked through the quiet neighborhood behind our main Airbnb, where friendly children, shopkeepers, farmers, and friends of CCS have welcomed us with warm smiles and interactions. We’ve eaten delicious food, including a meal cooked for us by private chefs and Pollo Rapidito from the town square. We’ve taken Spanish lessons. We’ve gone by boat to San Marcos and San Juan, where very different faces of development and tourism stand out against the undeveloped realities of Cerro de Oro.

Today, the group is out exploring in two groups. One is trying to understand the history of this area – how long have the residents of Cerro de Oro lived here? How many people have moved away? What jobs have people done in the past? What was the role of the Civil Conflict in this area of Guatemala? When did foreigners first start coming to the lake? The other is investigating life on the lake today – what do people do on a daily basis? What is school like here? What do people do for fun? Do people get to visit other parts of Guatemala? What language(s) are most commonly spoken in people’s houses? The goal is to see how these two general time periods – the past and the present – relate to each other.

It has been quite fun to watch our young group of travelers truly immerse themselves in this place. This is a curious, diverse group. Veteran travelers have helped those who are participating for the first time understand how to navigate all sorts of things. Our freshmen and sophomores have brought excited energy. The students from Stuart Hall have become indistinguishable from our Seahorses – same for Mr. Kim, the chaperone from SH.

Next, we’re going to spend tomorrow down on the Pacific Coast. Some of the group will head out fishing, with the chance of catching sailfish and marlin. There rest will explore El Paredon, a small surfing village nestled between a mangrove delta and the ocean. They’ll paddle through the protected waters of the mangrove reserve, swim in the ocean, and speak with tourists and locals who are making a living off of the growing industries in El Paredon. Both groups will enjoy a farm-to-table feast at a regenerative farm not far from the coast to celebrate Thanksgiving.

But, really, the giving of thanks has already begun. We are thankful for this wonderful and complicated country, for the fortune of getting to explore together and with purpose, for the picture perfect days and cool nights, for the healthy food we get to feast on everyday, and for much more. This is a place everyone should visit if they can – a somewhat overlooked corner of the world that is unique but where issues and complex ideas play out in ways very similar to other parts of the planet. We are thankful for language and the ability for all of us to learn more Spanish as we find ourselves immersed in it.

Please enjoy some pictures from our days on the lake!