Experience Guatemala's Beauty & Culture

February was a whirlwind of a month, especially because it’s our busiest tour season of the year!

Every February, CoEd takes travelers on the GLP Tour and the Snapshot Tour. The GLP Tour offers a fun and unique opportunity to serve alongside other Rotary-connected individuals from around the world, all while seeing the communities where Rotary dollars have impacted education. It’s an exciting week packed with school visits and activities that reinforce the value of “Service Above Self.” The Snapshot Tour is exactly what it sounds like—a snapshot of Guatemala and CoEd’s programs! Whether you’re a longtime supporter of CoEd or entirely new to our work, the Snapshot Tour is a great way to experience the beauty and culture of Guatemala, in addition to seeing the impact of our programs firsthand.

Both tours were full of incredible memories that we can’t stop thinking about… so here are some highlights of just a few of our favorite moments!

(Tip: Click on the photos to enlarge them and scroll through the gallery!)

Receiving Warm Welcomes at School Visits

At each school visit, the students and teachers greeted us with bright smiles, lively cheers, and folklórico performances. Some of the welcome ceremonies even kicked off our visits with a literal bang! The fireworks may have been a surprise, but nothing blew us away more than the excitement and warmth that the schools shared.

Seeing the CoEd Programs in Action

Reading about our programs is one thing, but seeing the results demonstrated by the students and teachers themselves is incredible in its own right! With each school visit, tour participants observed and connected with students through various activities related to the programs.

Spark Program teachers demonstrated how they keep students engaged with the books they read and the students wowed us by acting out stories.

Technology Program students showed off their tech skills, using Canva to share fun facts about themselves with tour participants.

At Textbook Program schools, students worked with participants to create poster presentations that synthesized the materials in their textbooks.

Enjoying the Beauty of Guatemala

It’s no surprise that the country nicknamed “The Land of Eternal Spring” has an abundance of lush scenery to admire. A stunning boat ride across Lake Atitlán’s clear waters took tour participants to San Juan La Laguna, where we enjoyed even more bright colors from the streets, the vendors, and a weaving cooperative. With a landscape and culture that are both splendidly vibrant, Guatemala is a country that shares a wealth of beauty and kindness with its visitors.

Tour participants on the Lake Atitlán boat ride

Casa Flor Ixcaco weaver explaining the weaving process

Weaving materials and equipment at Casa Flor Ixcaco

Meeting Incredible Rise Students

Rise Program students never fail to amaze us with their determination and work ethic, and tour participants got to experience their brilliance firsthand by speaking with some of them during our trips. At the CoEd office in San Lucas, we celebrated recent graduates and got to know the interests and aspirations of Rise students in small group discussions. We were also generously welcomed into the homes of a few Rise students, who shared their incredible stories and accomplishments. They even taught tour participants how to make tortillas and candles, and one student demonstrated how she created an electrocardiogram using computer programming!