From Mystical Atitlan to the top of Volcan Pacaya

Hola! The past week has been incredible, from the Mystical Yoga Farm to the city of Antigua. Lake Atitlan was absolutely beautiful. Every morning at 6 we woke up to the amazing view of three giant volcanoes towering over the bright blue waters of Atitlan. We then made our way to our meditation and yoga class. It was a great way to start the day! We think that the best way to sum up our time at the yoga farm is by sharing everyoneā€™s favorite or most memorable part so here we go:
Brittany: The yoga farm was all really great, but my favorite part had to be meditating before breakfast and jumping into the lake afterwardsā€¦ also when Maya, the cat, left a mouse head under Jordanā€™s bed.
Brynn: My most memorable moment was when Hannah stepped on a toad.
Soma: The cocoa ceremony brought us to different dimensions.
Chris: Sitting on a hammock looking at the serene beauty of Lago Atitlan.
Ryan: Probably the sauna and jumping into the lake afterwardsā€¦ also the tea ceremony.
Avery: Outdoor showers! PS hi mom, dad, and Eric
Hannah: Participating in the ā€œlove tunnelā€ activity where we boosted each other up by showering each other in compliments.
Joe: Paddleboarding and swimming in Lake Atitlan.
Wade: Hanging with all of the guys in the cabin and all of the amazing views.
Rachel: The morning of silence.
David: The sauna!!
Lexi: Waking up from the sound of a flute and then going to yoga and meditation class.
Katie: Waking up to the beautiful view of the volcanoes and Lake Atitlan from my bed.
Jordan: I loved all of the delicious vegan food even though it might have poisoned us. I will also never forget thanking our food in song before every meal.

For our student directed travel, the group decided to go to Antigua! Antigua was once the capital of Guatemala, so it is filled with beautiful old architecture and a vibrant culture. We found a great hostel and also a lot of delicious food. We spent a lot of time wandering the streets of Antigua, including doing a walking tour guided by the one and only Avery Olah-Reiken. Today we hiked up a volcano called Pacaya. The hike was hard, but the incredible view at the top definitely made it worth it! The volcano is still active so we actually got to roast marshmallows over the hardened lava. Thirty feet below us there was magma and we could definitely feel the heat. Tomorrow weā€™ll be heading to Guatemala City to partner up with G-22 and enjoy our last week in this beautiful country!

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