We had a busy last few days in Guatemala, finishing up classes, a few more activities in the afternoon, and trying to complete any last minute shopping. One of our favorite activities was a tour of a macadamia plantation, where their focus on sustainability was both interesting and educational. For two other afternoons, we split up into two groups. Some of us took a bicycle tour of the cities near San Juan, visiting various churches and ruins while learning history. While half of us were on a bicycle tour, the other half were in the kitchen making a traditional Guatemalan dessert. Some of us made mole, fried plantains in a chile chocolate sauce, and some made empanadas con leche, a sweet version of an empanada with frosting in the middle. We all had a great time learning new vocabulary related to cooking and ingredients, as well as trying the new food.

On our last day in Guatemala, the school invited our host families to lunch to celebrate our graduation. After a meal of pollo asado, we were given diplomas and took pictures with our teachers and families. In was a bittersweet moment, while we were happy to spend time with everyone we had met, we were sad that we would have to leave.

We left San Juan for the airport at 5:30 in the morning in order to catch our flight to Costa Rica. 

-Anna and Claire