Emma Berlage

Education Abroad, Buck-I-SERV Guatemala

1. For my STEP Signature Project, I participated in a Buck-I-SERV trip to Guatemala. We spent the week working on three houses made of concrete blocks for families in need.
2. I believe through my trip to Guatemala, my understanding of the world expanded exponentially. Experiencing life in a developing country, even for a week, taught me more than a classroom or reading about the country could ever had. I believe I developed a better understanding of the lives of those in other countries. The community in Guatemala is far greater than anything I have seen in the United States. This trip also showed me firsthand the privilege the United States and other developed countries have in the world.
3. Prior to traveling to Guatemala with Buck-I-SERV, I had never left the United States. I had also never done the manual labor required to build a house or seen a volcano. Probably the largest new experience however was interacting with the families and masons as we built the houses. No one in my group was fluent in Spanish and the families and masons did not know English very well either. This required us all to be patient with each other as well as ourselves. While frustrating and difficult at times, my group and I ended up developing a strong bond with those who worked on the house with us. By the end of the week we were joking and teasing each other and ended the last day with a lunch the family we were building for prepared. It was an incredibly gratifying experience.

On one of our off days we visited Lake Atitlan, about three hours from where we were staying in Antigua. While a beautiful and amazing trip, it gave some clear examples of privilege. Many of the towns we visited on the lake held hostels and beach homes, most of which housed people from outside of Guatemala. The lake and its tourists stimulate the economy of the region and provide many with jobs. However, it made me think about those in Guatemala who would be unable to visit the lake, due to money or otherwise.

The one experience that sticks with me even now took place on the work site. The houses were made with concrete blocks and when they were delivered to our work site, we had to walk them down a long alley. There were hundreds of blocks and the task looked very daunting as we began. However, within ten minutes of starting, family members and their neighbors started helping. Each time a person came down the alley on their way home, they would stop what they were doing a start helping. One woman carried two blocks on her head at a time. One man consistently pushed ten blocks in a wheelbarrow with no shoes on. The sense of community that was in Guatemala was inspiring and I know that is an experience I will not soon forget.

4. With a specialization in Nonprofit Management, I hope to one day work for a nonprofit organization. On this trip, we volunteered at a nonprofit called Constru Casa. This organization was a perfect example of the far-reaching impact nonprofits can have around the world. Building a house for a family does not just give them a place to live; it givesthem security, a healthier lifestyle, and so much more. Volunteering with Constru Casa further solidified my career path and what I want to do after graduation.