Hello Everyone,
Our official school year has come to an end, but there are a few of us teachers and students who head for Italy and Greece tomorrow afternoon on our first ever Optional Summer trip to Europe! We leave Houston from IAH and fly on Lufthansa Airlines to Frankfort, Germany where we will catch our connecting flight to Rome, Italy to begin a 9 day land trek through Italy and Greece and ending with a 3-day Greek Isle Cruise. Keep checking the blog for updates and Video Journals about our trip.
Bon Voyage!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Last Full Day in Glorious Belize
Hello everyone,
We are writing this as the sun is slowly setting over the town of Dangriga, Belize, a wonderful coastal town near the second largest coral reef in the world. We left Flores, Guatemala on Monday morning and crossed the border into Belize. Going through immigration/customs was relatively easy, each student following directions and properly filling out their paperwork.
Belize is a very laid back country. We jammed with Pen Cayetano, the founder of the Garifuna punta rock movement, bought handmade Garifuna drums from a world renowned drum maker and ate some of the best fried food known to man (Highly recommend fry jacks-fried dough bread served at breakfast).
Today, we spent the day out on the water snorkeling and fishing. Three of our students caught enough fish to feed our entire group of 19 people and our wonderful hosts and new Belizean friends.
As this is our last day, we are doing our last minute packing, trying to jam all the souvenirs into our carry-ons and trying to do some last minute laundry. We are ending our trip on a high note with a wonderful party celebration on the rooftop of our hostel.
Airport information for parents are as follows: We will depart from Belize City at 3:50 pm and arrive back in Houston (IAH)at 7:25 pm on Continental Airline flight CO 1652S. Please arrive at the airport no later than 7:30 PM.
See you all tomorrow!
HOLA
P.S. Just because our trip is coming to an end, that does not mean our blog is. Please continue reading our blog as we post more in depth detail about our trip and pictures.
We are writing this as the sun is slowly setting over the town of Dangriga, Belize, a wonderful coastal town near the second largest coral reef in the world. We left Flores, Guatemala on Monday morning and crossed the border into Belize. Going through immigration/customs was relatively easy, each student following directions and properly filling out their paperwork.
Belize is a very laid back country. We jammed with Pen Cayetano, the founder of the Garifuna punta rock movement, bought handmade Garifuna drums from a world renowned drum maker and ate some of the best fried food known to man (Highly recommend fry jacks-fried dough bread served at breakfast).
Today, we spent the day out on the water snorkeling and fishing. Three of our students caught enough fish to feed our entire group of 19 people and our wonderful hosts and new Belizean friends.
As this is our last day, we are doing our last minute packing, trying to jam all the souvenirs into our carry-ons and trying to do some last minute laundry. We are ending our trip on a high note with a wonderful party celebration on the rooftop of our hostel.
Airport information for parents are as follows: We will depart from Belize City at 3:50 pm and arrive back in Houston (IAH)at 7:25 pm on Continental Airline flight CO 1652S. Please arrive at the airport no later than 7:30 PM.
See you all tomorrow!
HOLA
P.S. Just because our trip is coming to an end, that does not mean our blog is. Please continue reading our blog as we post more in depth detail about our trip and pictures.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Survival of the Fittest
Hello once again to our loyal readers!
We arrived safely in Flores once again after our short little jaunt through the Peten Jungle region of Northern Guatemala. We are all extremely tired and smelly, but glad to be back in a place with toilets and showers. However, the jungle trek was an amazing opportunity to see spider monkeys swinging from tree limb to tree limb over our heads and the nesting point of the endangered Scarlet Macaw. We also hiked in to the Mayan ruin of El Peru and became some of the very few people in this world who will ever experience the Mayan ruin while it was in its beginning stages of excavation. Our tour guides took wonderful care of us, feeding us well at meal times and supplying our group of twenty with plenty of water and providing shelter. It was hardly any work for us except for hauling ourselves up some steep paths to El Peru.
This will be a short update, more to be added later. Tomorrow is yet another early day (up and ready to leave at 5:00 AM) to go visit Tikal and then on Sunday we will all go to Mass and then take a six hour bus ride to Hopkins, Belize.
Until next time!
HOLA
We arrived safely in Flores once again after our short little jaunt through the Peten Jungle region of Northern Guatemala. We are all extremely tired and smelly, but glad to be back in a place with toilets and showers. However, the jungle trek was an amazing opportunity to see spider monkeys swinging from tree limb to tree limb over our heads and the nesting point of the endangered Scarlet Macaw. We also hiked in to the Mayan ruin of El Peru and became some of the very few people in this world who will ever experience the Mayan ruin while it was in its beginning stages of excavation. Our tour guides took wonderful care of us, feeding us well at meal times and supplying our group of twenty with plenty of water and providing shelter. It was hardly any work for us except for hauling ourselves up some steep paths to El Peru.
This will be a short update, more to be added later. Tomorrow is yet another early day (up and ready to leave at 5:00 AM) to go visit Tikal and then on Sunday we will all go to Mass and then take a six hour bus ride to Hopkins, Belize.
Until next time!
HOLA
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Arrival in Flores
Hello again!
We officially left Quetzaltenango last night at 18:00 (Have to love 24 hr time) and spent the night traveling by our own private coach to Flores, Guatemala. It was a twelve hour jaunt, but we arrived safely in Flores early this morning around 6:45. We are currently staying in the Los Amigos Youth Hostel, surrounded by the local birds, a dog, and a cat or two who roam the hostel freely (the dog constantly begs for tummy rubs).
After spending all night on the bus and eating a delicious breakfast (highly recommend the Energy Avocado Shake with granola), we plan to spend the rest of the day just vegging out, possibly heading to the lake later this afternoon for a swim and visiting the local zoo (monkeys, jaguars, and birds oh my!). Tomorrow, we plan to head out on a three day jungle trek which includes visiting the Mayan ruin Tikal. Everybody will have their Big 4: Water Canteen, Rain Gear, Bug Spray, and Sun screen.
We will update once more after our jungle trek!
Have a happy Tuesday!
HOLA
We officially left Quetzaltenango last night at 18:00 (Have to love 24 hr time) and spent the night traveling by our own private coach to Flores, Guatemala. It was a twelve hour jaunt, but we arrived safely in Flores early this morning around 6:45. We are currently staying in the Los Amigos Youth Hostel, surrounded by the local birds, a dog, and a cat or two who roam the hostel freely (the dog constantly begs for tummy rubs).
After spending all night on the bus and eating a delicious breakfast (highly recommend the Energy Avocado Shake with granola), we plan to spend the rest of the day just vegging out, possibly heading to the lake later this afternoon for a swim and visiting the local zoo (monkeys, jaguars, and birds oh my!). Tomorrow, we plan to head out on a three day jungle trek which includes visiting the Mayan ruin Tikal. Everybody will have their Big 4: Water Canteen, Rain Gear, Bug Spray, and Sun screen.
We will update once more after our jungle trek!
Have a happy Tuesday!
HOLA
Sunday, April 5, 2009
G-U-A-T-E-M-A-L-A
Hello everyone!
On our way to the third church, we came across an Easter procession. The small town where this church was located paved its streets with colored sawdust into a pathway for the processio
n. The people worked hard for two days creating this intricate sidewalk full of floral and other pattern arrangements. After talking with one woman who was working on the pathway, we went to Karen's aunt's house for hot chocolate and sweet bread. The hot chocolate was delicious and extremely thick. It was a great end to a great day.
The path to Laguna Chicobal was a 1.81 km hike uphill through very dusty paths. While the guide said it would take 15 minutes to get there if you walk fast or 40 minutes if you walk slow, we determined they were wrong. It took about an hour
and a half (for our group anyway) to hike to the laguna. Once we made it to the top, the view was amazing. The lake in the center of the crater is very sacred to Mayan culture. Forty days after Easter, the Mayan people will hike in and perform a ceremony to make it rain. We don't get to experience this ceremony, however, we did get to view a few flower alters around the perimeter of the lake.
It has been a long six days full of adventures. We have hiked not one, but two volcanoes. Our first volcano was the Volcan De Pacaya, an active volcano an hour south of Antigua. It was a 2 km hike to the top of the volcano and the hike up was very long, but not too difficult. As we continued up the path, there were Guatemalans offering "taxis" to the top, which were horse rides. Three of our students were lucky enough to "hail a taxi" and Natalie describes the ride as b
umpy, but fun. We had a wonderful guide named Joaquin. He graciously led us through fog and loose terrain to a spot of the volcano where we could see a bit of lava flow right below us. Our pictures may not have turned out quite the way we wanted, but we have some awesome pictures of black silhouettes against a bright red background. These photos will be posted at a later date. The top of the volcano was warm enough that if you stayed still too long, you would burn and if you stuck a stick in the hot vent it would catch on fire. The descent from the top of the volcano was cool because Natalie says so.
umpy, but fun. We had a wonderful guide named Joaquin. He graciously led us through fog and loose terrain to a spot of the volcano where we could see a bit of lava flow right below us. Our pictures may not have turned out quite the way we wanted, but we have some awesome pictures of black silhouettes against a bright red background. These photos will be posted at a later date. The top of the volcano was warm enough that if you stayed still too long, you would burn and if you stuck a stick in the hot vent it would catch on fire. The descent from the top of the volcano was cool because Natalie says so.On day three, we took a six hour bus ride from Antigua to Quetzeltenango. In Quetzeltenango, we are enjoying a wonderful family home stay with Karen and Marta, the niece and sister of Kiki from Sandy´s Market (Kiki gave the presentation of Guatemala at the Silent Auction). Karen has been gracious enough to be our wonderful tour guide for our time spent in Quetzeltenango (Also known as Xela). On our first full day in Xela (Day 4), we discovered the best thing in the world: sliding down a concrete slide on pieces of cardboard. We were at Cerro Baul, an outside park overlooking Quetzeltenango. S
tudents and teachers spent two and a half hours sliding down the "peligroso" and trying very hard not to fall on their butt at the end. After visiting Cerro Baul, we visited three churches. The first one we went to was the first church built in the Central Americas, dating back to the 1500s. It was closed, but very pretty on the outside. The second church we visited was San Andreas. It was an ornate decorated church, painted yellow and known in Guatemala as being the most intricate church for its influence from both the Mayan and Catholic religions.
tudents and teachers spent two and a half hours sliding down the "peligroso" and trying very hard not to fall on their butt at the end. After visiting Cerro Baul, we visited three churches. The first one we went to was the first church built in the Central Americas, dating back to the 1500s. It was closed, but very pretty on the outside. The second church we visited was San Andreas. It was an ornate decorated church, painted yellow and known in Guatemala as being the most intricate church for its influence from both the Mayan and Catholic religions. On our way to the third church, we came across an Easter procession. The small town where this church was located paved its streets with colored sawdust into a pathway for the processio
n. The people worked hard for two days creating this intricate sidewalk full of floral and other pattern arrangements. After talking with one woman who was working on the pathway, we went to Karen's aunt's house for hot chocolate and sweet bread. The hot chocolate was delicious and extremely thick. It was a great end to a great day.On day five, we ventured to our second volcano, this one dormant with a large sacred Mayan lake in the middle of the crater. The Laguna Chicobal is roughly an hour and a half away from Quetzaltenango and hard to get to in our rented turismo vans. The first van got a flat tire and half the group was let out not too far from the trail head. However, the second group was not so lucky. Their van couldn't make it up the hill and therefore the passengers had to get out and walk up a steep dirt path. They were tired before they got to the trail head.
The path to Laguna Chicobal was a 1.81 km hike uphill through very dusty paths. While the guide said it would take 15 minutes to get there if you walk fast or 40 minutes if you walk slow, we determined they were wrong. It took about an hour
and a half (for our group anyway) to hike to the laguna. Once we made it to the top, the view was amazing. The lake in the center of the crater is very sacred to Mayan culture. Forty days after Easter, the Mayan people will hike in and perform a ceremony to make it rain. We don't get to experience this ceremony, however, we did get to view a few flower alters around the perimeter of the lake.Somehow, the way out of the crater involved climbing 580 steps. This felt like murder for some of us, but we were rewarded later in the evening with a trip to a hot spring, Fuentas Georginas. The hot spring was an extremely awesome, relaxing pool. The water was warm and very relaxing to our sore muscles. One word of caution, you must take a cold shower once you are finished swimming in the hot spring in order to avoid being sick. The cold shower helps your body readjust to the cold temperature much more quickly than letting yourself gradually cool down.
Today, Sunday, is Palm Sunday. Two students experienced a traditional Guatemalan Catholic mass. After mass, HOLA students and staff visited the open market. Quetzaltenango's open market happens on the first Sunday of each month and artisans come from all over to s
ell their goods: musical instruments, jewelry, and hand stitched bags. We had a wonderful afternoon relaxing and looking at all the street vendors.
ell their goods: musical instruments, jewelry, and hand stitched bags. We had a wonderful afternoon relaxing and looking at all the street vendors.After spending the afternoon shopping, Karen´s aunt invited us to her small town of Salcaja for lunch. She served us a wonderful meal of chicken served in a ranchero sauce with vegetables, blue corn chichitos, rice, and fresh squeezed mango juice. After the meal, we showed her our appreciation by presenting her with a historical picture of Quetzaltenango and a card signed by all of the students. This chance opportunity was a great way to conclude our time in Quetzaltenango.
Tomorrow, we plan to take care of a couple of logistics here in town before catching a bus to Flores in the early evening.
Until next time!
HOLA
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Arrival in Guatemala
The HOLA students and staff have arrived safe and sound at the Hotel Pasaje in Antigua, Guatemala, a city roughly 25 minutes away from the capital. Antigua used to be the capital of Guatemala until a major mudslide occurred and then the capital moved to Guatemala City.
The flight seemed longer than two hours for most of us, but we made use of our time getting caught up on our journals or sleep. Antigua is beautiful with cobblestone streets and colorful buildings surrounded by green tree mountains. We plan to stay in Antigua for two nights, spending the rest of today acclimating ourselves and then tomorrow we will tour the orphanage where we will drop off the trunks of hygiene products and blankets we brought with us, as well as touring an active volcano (No worries though, it will be a light hike to the volcano).
That is all for now. Until next time!
The flight seemed longer than two hours for most of us, but we made use of our time getting caught up on our journals or sleep. Antigua is beautiful with cobblestone streets and colorful buildings surrounded by green tree mountains. We plan to stay in Antigua for two nights, spending the rest of today acclimating ourselves and then tomorrow we will tour the orphanage where we will drop off the trunks of hygiene products and blankets we brought with us, as well as touring an active volcano (No worries though, it will be a light hike to the volcano).
That is all for now. Until next time!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Drum Circle
Below are our students' Djembe (African Drumming) performance at our Silent Auction. Please note the video is not that high in quality, but our students still did an excellent job.
Song: Sunu
Song: Sunu
Song: Bomba
Song: Belize Funk
Initial Itinerary
ITINERARY Outline
1) Houston to Guatemala City airport
2) Antigua -- visit Casa de Fe orphanage -- deliver donations
3) Quetzaltenango -- stay with family and friends of Sandy's Market -- city tour and volcano
4) Coban (central Guatemala) 2 day stay in Mayan Village -- see Proyecto Eco-Quetzal website
5) Flores -- visit to Tikal and El Peten jungle
6) Cross into Belize -- Hopkins, Belize -- drumming center
7) Belize City to Houston
Note: Click on Photo to enlarge.
PeaceJam Poetry
The following poems were written by HOLA students about the themes encountered during our reading of I, Rigoberta Menchu. These poems were given to Ms. Menchu as a gift at her book signing.
WARRIORS OF THE NIGHT
By Tarik B., age 18
It was nearing dusk with a scarlet red sky.
Every so often the Quetzales sang with a very sad cry.
The layout of the terrain was surreal and serene.
Trees as tall as sky scrapers and vegetation as dark as hunters green.
The darkness falling more and more by the minute
Both soldiers and guerrillas, frightened, not knowing of the others limit.
One side with fire arms and orders yet ever so cumbersome
The other, agile and all knowing of the forest, only fighting with the minimum.
Both with their wits and weapons ready to fight.
Unknown which side will be left fighting after the night.
Sugar Cane
By Azure R., age 12,
Sugar from the sugar cane,
Brown and sweet.
Sugar from the sugar cane
Makes me jittery and jumpy
Sugar from the sugar cane,
A mile away from eating a beet
Sugar from the sugar cane
It’s smooth or lumpy
Cutting the sugar from the sugar cane
So very sour
Working and working
It’s hard not to be a quitter,
Sugar from the sugar cane
Working hours and hours
Sugar from the sugar cane
It’s not sweet but bitter
Finca (A Haiku)
By Natalie A., age 11
I really try
Work hard at finca
Makes me cry.
Finca Life
By Jessica W., age 11
Finca life is never easy
Picking cotton and coffee beans
The coffee beans are very greasy
Watching out for the spraying planes
Make the plants green
The Guerillas
By Josh S., age 14
The guerrillas trained themselves to be deadly
They trained to protect their people and their own
They got themselves prepared and ready
They fought for their family and for those who moan in pain
People were tortured to death and lost their lives
They were skinned, burned, and cut
When they were captured, they believed what the soldiers believed were lies
They were burnt by fire, skinned and cut by machetes
Which are known as big knives.
Poem
By Denis R., age 15
She went over a hill
To find a pill
And take a chill
At the hill
She was eating a pie
Hoping not to die
Her brother fell ill
Because he couldn't get a pill
Birth Ceremony
By Christian A., age 12
The day you’re born is very special
You could be like a bull
All the traits are the same and sometimes even the facial
Even when the sky is full
Haiku
By Christian A., age 12
Rigoberta how
Have you escape the
Torture of them?
Guatemala
By David S., age 17
Guatemala is a beautiful place
Too bad they stole it from us
We are forced to work in the finca
Just to get some money
We learn to read the bible
And we bless the poor
It’s very sad when a loved one dies
They’re lucky if they live past 5.
Untitled
By Ariel S., age 16
The people have been collected and raked
And the U.S. wishes it was faked
All was good till Arbonz bailed
I think we should have sailed
I’m really glad that people hadn’t failed
They raked you up to demonstrate their power
I’m glad you lived to tell this tail
And now the people tower
Poem Untitled
By Isaac A., age 16
When the poor become rich
And the rich become poor
Then society’s long desired stitch
Has them oppressed more and more
The Menchu Way
By Reece H., age 17
She came in the night
Put up a fight
Keeping her family tight
She finally saw the light
She worked hard
To make a living
Worked in the yard and
Kept on living
Untitled
By Anthony S, age 12
I eat corn
I work on the fields
I grieve for the fallen
I am only human
Poem #3
By Izzy A., age 14
I can eat corn
From a factory
Or a village
I can be indigenous
And I can be Christian
But
If I
Don’t
Have a
Choice
Its
Not
So
Great
To be
Me
Anymore
The Cry
By Aaron M, age 18
Oh the injustice
Absolute tyranny
I am tired of all that disgust us
I talk and no one is hearing me
My people starve to the bone
I cry
It is carved in stone
That people shall not die
Poem Untitled 1
By Emily, Age 13
Corn under my feet
It smells really bad
Corn I’d like to meet
Oh em gee its 4 new fad
Maize is the new craze
I always go into a daze
I hope I get the raise
Right now I am in such a phase
WARRIORS OF THE NIGHT
By Tarik B., age 18
It was nearing dusk with a scarlet red sky.
Every so often the Quetzales sang with a very sad cry.
The layout of the terrain was surreal and serene.
Trees as tall as sky scrapers and vegetation as dark as hunters green.
The darkness falling more and more by the minute
Both soldiers and guerrillas, frightened, not knowing of the others limit.
One side with fire arms and orders yet ever so cumbersome
The other, agile and all knowing of the forest, only fighting with the minimum.
Both with their wits and weapons ready to fight.
Unknown which side will be left fighting after the night.
Sugar Cane
By Azure R., age 12,
Sugar from the sugar cane,
Brown and sweet.
Sugar from the sugar cane
Makes me jittery and jumpy
Sugar from the sugar cane,
A mile away from eating a beet
Sugar from the sugar cane
It’s smooth or lumpy
Cutting the sugar from the sugar cane
So very sour
Working and working
It’s hard not to be a quitter,
Sugar from the sugar cane
Working hours and hours
Sugar from the sugar cane
It’s not sweet but bitter
Finca (A Haiku)
By Natalie A., age 11
I really try
Work hard at finca
Makes me cry.
Finca Life
By Jessica W., age 11
Finca life is never easy
Picking cotton and coffee beans
The coffee beans are very greasy
Watching out for the spraying planes
Make the plants green
The Guerillas
By Josh S., age 14
The guerrillas trained themselves to be deadly
They trained to protect their people and their own
They got themselves prepared and ready
They fought for their family and for those who moan in pain
People were tortured to death and lost their lives
They were skinned, burned, and cut
When they were captured, they believed what the soldiers believed were lies
They were burnt by fire, skinned and cut by machetes
Which are known as big knives.
Poem
By Denis R., age 15
She went over a hill
To find a pill
And take a chill
At the hill
She was eating a pie
Hoping not to die
Her brother fell ill
Because he couldn't get a pill
Birth Ceremony
By Christian A., age 12
The day you’re born is very special
You could be like a bull
All the traits are the same and sometimes even the facial
Even when the sky is full
Haiku
By Christian A., age 12
Rigoberta how
Have you escape the
Torture of them?
Guatemala
By David S., age 17
Guatemala is a beautiful place
Too bad they stole it from us
We are forced to work in the finca
Just to get some money
We learn to read the bible
And we bless the poor
It’s very sad when a loved one dies
They’re lucky if they live past 5.
Untitled
By Ariel S., age 16
The people have been collected and raked
And the U.S. wishes it was faked
All was good till Arbonz bailed
I think we should have sailed
I’m really glad that people hadn’t failed
They raked you up to demonstrate their power
I’m glad you lived to tell this tail
And now the people tower
Poem Untitled
By Isaac A., age 16
When the poor become rich
And the rich become poor
Then society’s long desired stitch
Has them oppressed more and more
The Menchu Way
By Reece H., age 17
She came in the night
Put up a fight
Keeping her family tight
She finally saw the light
She worked hard
To make a living
Worked in the yard and
Kept on living
Untitled
By Anthony S, age 12
I eat corn
I work on the fields
I grieve for the fallen
I am only human
Poem #3
By Izzy A., age 14
I can eat corn
From a factory
Or a village
I can be indigenous
And I can be Christian
But
If I
Don’t
Have a
Choice
Its
Not
So
Great
To be
Me
Anymore
The Cry
By Aaron M, age 18
Oh the injustice
Absolute tyranny
I am tired of all that disgust us
I talk and no one is hearing me
My people starve to the bone
I cry
It is carved in stone
That people shall not die
Poem Untitled 1
By Emily, Age 13
Corn under my feet
It smells really bad
Corn I’d like to meet
Oh em gee its 4 new fad
Maize is the new craze
I always go into a daze
I hope I get the raise
Right now I am in such a phase
Peace Jam with Rigoberta Menchu
This past semester, the students have read I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala translated by Elizabeth Burgos in preparation for their trip. I, Rigoberta Menchu is about the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu's early life in Guatemala during its civil war. Ms. Menchu grew up as a young indigenous peasant woman to the K'iche'Maya ethnic group, suffering through injustice and hardships that included the murders of her parents and brother by the Guatemalan military. Ms. Menchu has dedicated her life to getting the rights for the Guatemalan indigenous people, as well as publicizing their everyday plights during the civil war. After being exiled to Mexico in the early 1980s, Rigoberta Menchu met with Elizabeth, an anthropologist from Venezula and conducted a series of interviews that lasted twenty-seven hours. From those twenty-seven hours of tape, I, Rigoberta Menchu came about.
By a sheer stroke of luck, our principal discovered that Rigoberta Menchu herself was coming to Houston March 27-29 as
the guest speaker for PeaceJam Houston. PeaceJam is a non-profit foundation looking to create a new generation of young leaders who will create positive changes within themselves, their communities and the world through the insight and motivation from Nobel Peace Laureates such as Rigoberta Menchu, The Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu.
On Friday, March 27, our students and staff went to Rothko Chapel, near the Menil Museum, to hear Rigoberta Menchu speak about ending racism and hate. It was an absolute wonderful experience having read Ms. Menchu's novel about her early life and then hearing her speak in real life and drawing inspiration from her continuous effort to fight for the rights of the indigenous people of Guatemala. Six of our students were also able to participate in the PeaceJam conference with Ms. Menchu.
By a sheer stroke of luck, our principal discovered that Rigoberta Menchu herself was coming to Houston March 27-29 as
the guest speaker for PeaceJam Houston. PeaceJam is a non-profit foundation looking to create a new generation of young leaders who will create positive changes within themselves, their communities and the world through the insight and motivation from Nobel Peace Laureates such as Rigoberta Menchu, The Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu.On Friday, March 27, our students and staff went to Rothko Chapel, near the Menil Museum, to hear Rigoberta Menchu speak about ending racism and hate. It was an absolute wonderful experience having read Ms. Menchu's novel about her early life and then hearing her speak in real life and drawing inspiration from her continuous effort to fight for the rights of the indigenous people of Guatemala. Six of our students were also able to participate in the PeaceJam conference with Ms. Menchu.
Monday, March 2, 2009
This is a blog used for information, student writings, and travel updates about/for the Houston Outdoor Learning Academy, located in the Heights area of Houston, Texas. The Houston Outdoor Learning Academy, HOLA, is a non-profit 501(C) (3), full-time non-traditional school for students in grades six through twelve (ages 11-18) who wish to combine their inquisitive nature and enthusiasm for the outdoors with personal academic growth in an educational setting that uses a hands-on approach to enhance self-esteem, multiple intelligences, academic knowledge, social skills, and personal development.
As part of the student's education at HOLA, there are two trips taken each year: a backpacking trip in the fall and an international trip each spring. This past fall (Octobe
r 2008), the school traveled to Taos, New Mexico and spent three days backpacking in the Wheeler Wilderness area and climbed Wheeler Peak, the highest peak in New Mexico at 13,141 ft. This Spring (March 31-April 16, 2009), the school will be traveling to Guatemala and Belize in Central America. Our trips are specifically designed as an educational experience and more than just a vacation. Our school has a great group of students who work very hard at fundraising and preparing for their trips by learning about the culture, history, and language of the country(ies) we travel to each year.
Stay tuned for further information/journal entries about our trips!
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