University of Cincinnati- Service Learning in Central America
In March of 2012, a group of twenty students from the University of Cincinnati including myself, spent Spring Break in Guatemala, Central America volunteering with Habitat for Humanity to help provide three very deserving families with homes. During the week, we spent long hours on the construction site working alongside local masons who spoke Quiché, a Mayan language, communicating with them through the little Spanish we all knew along with the help of those students who were Spanish majors. During the evenings and on the weekends, we were able to experience the Guatemalan and Mayan cultures first-hand through eating their traditional foods, shopping at their markets, speaking their
language (to the best of our ability) and being exposed to their religious
rituals. We also had the opportunity to hike through cloud forests and a habitat reservation for Quetzales, the national bird of Guatemala. Through this study-abroad trip, not only did we help provide three families with homes, but also learned an immense amount about the families' culture and experienced some breathtaking views of Guatemala's beautiful landscapes.
Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit housing ministry with the mission of creating “a world where everyone has a decent place to live.” For more information or to volunteer your own time and labor, visit http://www.habitat.org/
Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit housing ministry with the mission of creating “a world where everyone has a decent place to live.” For more information or to volunteer your own time and labor, visit http://www.habitat.org/