Mahana Lugo and Kristen Bylsma are taking our next group to the Lake Atitlan region of Guatemala in March 2024 as a Western Michigan University study abroad course. This course is available to both undergraduate students as a Western Essential Studies course (IPE 3050) to meet the World Languages and Cultures component, as well as … Continue reading Trip and WMU course planned for March 2024
One of the most inspirational things that I have seen through trips with Transformational Connections is a community that has taken over ownership and stewardship of a valley that was previously owned by a large coffee company. As a collective and with a loan from the Catholic church they purchased the land from the company … Continue reading A community empowered and directing their future
Western Michigan University students, find more information and apply for this course at https://broncosabroad.wmich.edu/ Happy traveling! Amazing students from 2023 course and trip
February marks the beginning of our new fiscal year at Transformational Connections, and with the new year comes a new slate of officers. Our current leadership transition will help to spread the responsibilities of running a non-profit organization and allow some of our new board members to get more involved. After several months of selection … Continue reading New Year, New Leadership
Who would have thought flying a kite could bring so much joy? Attending to the Santiago Sacatepequez and Sumpango Kite Festivals on November 1st, All Saints Day, in Guatemala was fun, but becoming involved added a completely different element! Mahana had the excellent idea of buying a kite. At first, we tried to run with … Continue reading A Celebration of Life with Kites
We left beautiful Panajachel to go to another gem of Guatemala: Antigua. On our way we stopped by Iximche, which is an archeological site. Iximche was a pre-columbine city founded in 1478, only a few years before Spaniards came to the continent America. The city was founded by the Kaqchikeles to host the people of … Continue reading Two Extraordinary Cities in Guatemala
While in Chuk-a-Muk today (10.28.2018), we were introduced to a medicinal garden. The importance of this parcel of land shouldn't/couldn't be taken for granted. The variety of plants we were exposed to had a myriad of benefits; from helping a nursing mother lactate, to providing pain relief. Space was created to get our hands dirty. … Continue reading Planting Hope
Today was a day filled with new experiences for all. We visited with Mayan Families, an organization that seeks to support the community around them in many ways. Staff invited us to see the preschool program that is run for students in San Jorge, an "aldea", or small town of Panajachel. This program seeks to … Continue reading Reaching Out with Mayan Families
Today was a busy day touching four organizations that Transformational Connections has partnered with. We had breakfast with a Women's Coop (Ijatz) which had also been a former location of IMAP. From there, we traveled to Quixaya which is a slightly lower elevation. Quixaya was a former coffee plantation that went bankrupt, but hadn't been … Continue reading Three Paths to Sustainability
Our group headed to IMAP today first thing in the morning. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and conversation with IMAP staff and gathered for a discussion about permaculture, its role in society and why IMAP practices it. It is clear that there is deep passion and value regarding permaculture at IMAP as it relates to learning from … Continue reading IMAP and San Lucas Toliman
