5 High Schools from Southwest Washington enjoy Los Cipreses, Chicampo, Guatemala

For our courts for kids trip we went to Guatemala, specifically Los Cipreses en Momostenangos. The journey from the Portland Airport to Guatemala City was filled with excitement and nerves as we tried to predict what our trip would be like. When we made it to Guatemala City we took a five hour bus ride to the community that we would be living in for the next week. By the time we made it to the community it was late and we were exhausted from travels but excited to see where this journey would take us. Our first dinner in the community started the bonding of our group, and was full of discussion, talking about our lives and motives for going on the trip. 

Our first official day in the community was our “rest day” and it was also Easter. We were able to go on an excursion into the town and shop, and in this we were able to see how the culture in Guatemala differs from ours in the States. We were presented with a celebration from the community and then given time to get to know the members of the community. Many people in our group struggled with the communication barrier, but by the end of the week we had found ways to communicate with the community even if we didn’t know spanish.

Then we began work on the court, our second day in the community was an early start, waking up eating and getting ready to begin work. Our work consisted of carrying buckets up and down the stairs, each bucket was either filled with sand or rocks, which proved to be heavier than we thought. After getting into the groove of our work it went much smoother, as we had an assembly line down the stairs to get the buckets to the bottom safely. Throughout the three days of work we faced many challenges that we had to overcome, and on the second day people had started to get sick. Losing a single person in our assembly line proved that each and every person was an important part of the creation of the court and when on the 3rd day we lost 4 team members. Because of that we needed to improvise, switch our groups, and then continue our work and finish the court, and we did!

After each day of work we got to go on a new adventure. After work day 1 we went to a Mayan altar that was an extremely pivotal part of Mayan culture, and after exploring for some time we left and went to a National park filled with incredible rock formations, which most climbed, and we got an incredible view of the beauty of Guatemala. On day 2 of work we went on a hike down to an ancient bath where people hike to, to bathe in the natural spring water. The hike itself was not easy, it was extremely steep but rewarding when completed, and we were able to spend time at the bath and take in the scenery or bathe with the locals.

On day 3 of work we took a bus to a much larger bathhouse that also included some pools that we were able to get in and spend time in. These pools were after the 3rd day of work and the warm water was a nice relaxer to conclude out difficult work. The day after we finished the court was our 5th day in the community, also our opening ceremony. Many locals came, as well as the mayor and other political figures, to support the inauguration of our court. Seeing all of the support and all of the people who were so excited about the court really made the hard labor feel a thousand times more meaningful because seeing the people who were going to use the court and what they would use it for was an incredible experience. The afternoon excursion was a trip to a basket weaver, seeing how all the textiles around us were used. On the 6th day we were told that we were leaving the community and going to a surprise location. Leaving the community was difficult after making so many bonds with the people there, knowing that we would never see them again was very sad. 

Our surprise location was Lake Atitlan, a popular landmark located in Guatemala. When we ate at the lake, it was our first “American food” in almost a week, which after many getting sick from the food was a nice change of pace. We were able to go to a pool until a surprise tropical storm came and we were all brought back to the house we were staying in.

The next day we took a boat to a shopping town on the lake and watched an experienced textile weaver make thread and then weave with it. After our shopping we got on our last bus ride and went to a hostel in Guatemala City to stay our last night before we left. This is where we did a lot of reflecting about our trip, picking our highs and lows, reflecting on how much we have learned and grown from our experiences and the ways that we were going to change our lives at home from the ways we have been influenced by Guatemala. We had a long flight home, filled with reminiscing and reflection, and eventually we went our separate ways.

We will continue to learn and grow from our experiences, changing the way we think and how we treat others. The Courts for Kids Guatemala trip was truly something that will stay with us for the rest of our lives, and has been beyond impactful, and created a new perspective for all of us.  ~ Emilie Surface and Audrey Flak 

I knew where we were going and what we were doing but I didn’t know the people. I understand now that things are different, there is no saviorisim needed from us, just humility. ~ Kate Kesler

I learned that staying open minded and calm leads me to some of the greatest experiences and friendships that I have ever had. ~ Emily Lester

I would recommend Courts For Kids because it was a great way to get out of my comfort zone and a great way to make life-long memories. I now have life-long friends and memories from the trip alongside a better understanding of who I am.

~ Conner Orr

I learned that I really don’t have to be that self-conscious. Just laying back and relaxing both my personality and mind here provided some of the best experiences I’ve ever had in my life. Exploring is so much fun. ~ Zia Corum

This has taught me that I am so much stronger and resilient than I thought. Being away from home was hard for me at first but after getting to know people and trusting myself more, I was able to be okay and appreciate everything. ~ Lilly Osborn

I learned a lot about myself on this trip. I learned how resilient I am and how I can push through and overcome challenges whenever they arise. Learning how strong I am will help me in the future because it will serve as a reminder that I am strong and I can face whatever is thrown at me. ~ Emilie Surface

In 2019 I took over the management of the school and I had the dream of making improvements to the school but it was very difficult because we did not have resources and for a moment the dream I had disappeared and that was when, thanks to the community, we were able to buy the land which is next to the school and at that moment we dreamed again but this time our dream became a sports court for our children and only God knows how much we asked for this project. I feel very grateful to Courts For Kids and the volunteers for coming to help us fulfill our dream, there is no way to repay them but God in time will bless them for the good they came to do for our community and school. ~ Natanael Baten, School principal

When we heard the news that we had been chosen for the court project we were very happy and we organized ourselves to work different shifts on the weekends, since the preparation work was quite a bit and we wanted to be ready for when our volunteers arrived. Time passed very quickly, we didn't feel it because we knew we were doing it for our children. Sharing with the volunteers was a very nice experience that may not be repeated again and we will miss them. Thank you very much for everything you did for the community. ~ Nancy Xiloj, Community member

When the Courts For Kids volunteers arrived at our school, it was the greatest joy I felt with my co-workers because the family had grown even more. During the work we felt that we were one because we worked for the same objective, which is to bring a little piece of joy to each kid who is going to play on this court. ~ Pedro Coxaj, School teacher