Pre-Departure

Well before the sun comes up tomorrow, Felipe, my partner, and I will start our journey to Cancuén. Some eight hours from Guatemala City by a couple buses and a culminating boat ride, we will embark for a few days to build consensus for the next school.

Starting soon, we will begin to document our joint experience. As a short introduction and preview to our collective blog:

Felipe Chub Jolomna is a 23 year-old who recently graduated from Ak'Tenamit's first institute last November with a title in Sustainable Tourism. After finishing middle school near his home in Sayaxché, Felipe traveled to the Guatemala City in order earn sufficient funds to continue with his studies.

Without a reasonable option to continue on with his studies near his home, Felipe heard of a school nearly half way across the country from where he grew up. This school was unique in its efforts to avoid cultural barriers, teach Felipe's Maya cosmovision, celebrating Maya ceremonies, and view his Maya language as an advantage and not a point of shame.

His journey speaks to how determined an individual he is. For many reasons, Felipe's peers from the communities that surround his, encounter too many obstacles to continue studying past primary school. The bloodiest region during the Armed Conflict, families still struggle to meet basic needs; education often at the top of this list.

Felipe's story is not unique. Ak'Tenamit, although half way across the country, houses almost 100 students from the area around his community. But for every student that has been able to overcome the innumerable obstacles to continue their studies, countless are left behind.

From the beginning of Ak'Tenamit's involvement in Cancuén, Felipe has been right along side. It was he who accompanied the organization's Board of Directors to act as a liaison between his home where he grew up and his new home where he became an educated, young man. Going forward, Felipe will be the school's local coordinator. As a recent graduate, he has been given the great responsibility of representing Ak'Tenamit in each of the communities from which students will arrive. For the organization, he is an incredible resource and a true success story.

Felipe had to travel half way across the country in order to continue his studies due to a lack of opportunity near his home. Education for this young man has paid off, and he feels it his responsibility to pay that forward by helping to develop a school in his own backyard.

Stay tuned for how our consensus-building trip goes. And remember, this page and soon-to-be blog are ways to make you all feel a part of this process. So keep reading and posting.

Saludos,

Jesse