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Summer 2023 荣誉学院 Trip to Greece

bc菠菜导航的学生探索希腊，这是玛丽莲·比什领导的荣誉学院课程的一部分, a senior instructor specializing in Latin and ancient Greek languages, 文学, 和文化. In addition to exploring the country, 每个学生的任务是根据旅行中探索的地点或主题完成一个研究项目, and then presented their findings at the conclusion of the course. 阅读更多

Timmy Global Health: Medical Service Trip to Ecuador

Alternative Winter Break 2020: Guatemala

Looking out the plane window, 级联, vibrant mountains covered in brilliant green forestry rose above the white, 动画的云. 这一景象令人叹为观止，给了我有生以来最热烈的欢迎. The greatest part, the adventure was just beginning. 我们在机场受到了典型的危地马拉人的热情欢迎! Bienviendo a Guatemala!” Which translates to good afternoon and welcome to Guatemala! 我们12个人, 10 荣誉 students and 2 荣誉 alumni, 然后被拖进一辆小型货车，在拥挤的城市道路上疾驶，最终通往圣米格尔·埃斯科瓦尔, a small town that rests an hour outside of Guatemala City.

圣米格尔埃斯科瓦尔是一个小的农业社区，位于多山和火山的山谷中. Not only is San Miguel Escobar home to some of the greatest views, but also the location of De La Gente, the nonprofit we worked with for the week. De La Gente, which translate to “From the People,与咖啡农合作，为“每一颗咖啡豆提供机会”.” They ensure the fair trading of coffee amongst the farming community, offer financial resources and global shipment of product, 同时也有机会教育外界如何从豆子变成杯子. Our first opportunity was to experience just that!

On our first day of our 8 day adventure, 我们在当地农民的咖啡田里开始了我们的早晨，就像危地马拉农民每天所做的那样. 农民的一天通常从早上4点到6点开始，下午3点结束，中间休息一下吃午饭. 到一天结束时，一个普通的农民可以采摘100多磅的豆子. 我们开始的时间比一般的农民晚得多，也没有完全达到配额. 我们得到了一个篮子，农民们通常用它来装摘下来的豆子. In a half hour, farmers usually fill their basket to the top. Most of our baskets were not even half filled, 但我们一起装满一个篮子，并能够像农民一样处理它. 采摘咖啡豆后，将其放入加工机中，将咖啡豆从“樱桃”外壳中取出. 然后将豆子放在干燥床上，干燥约3周. 然后，我们有机会与农民一起研磨、冲泡和品尝咖啡.

在这一周剩下的时间里，我们将有机会与农民并肩工作，共同开展有利于他们咖啡生产的项目. We primarily worked with the president of the coffee cooperative, 蒂莫, and under his direction we were able to build a rainwater collection tank. 我们用煤渣砖和水泥建造的水箱将使该地区的许多农民受益，因为他们不必从农场所在的陡峭火山上拖上几加仑的水，就可以给咖啡作物浇水. Farmers typically walk up to two hours to arrive at their farms, 他们经常在一天的工作结束后扛着庄稼下山. During our time working with 蒂莫 on the volcano, 农民背上驮着庄稼，沿着崎岖的地形往回走，这并不罕见. Seeing that we were on a time crunch, 我们必须乘坐狩猎式的卡车，沿着一条泥泞的小路到达我们的工地.

Our rainwater collection tank took about 2 days to complete, 第二天，我们为合作社的一个农民建了10个烘干床. Again under the direction of 蒂莫, 我们能够用4乘4的木板建造农民用来晒咖啡豆的东西, 黑色的面料, 和油管. 有了新的干燥床，农民就不再需要在屋顶上晒咖啡豆了. 如果没有咖啡社区的人，我们在那里完成的服务是不可能的. De La Gente确保那些花时间为农民服务的人不是在为他们工作, 但是对于他们. 确保社区和团队支持的意识将得到落实，以便使各方都感到受到重视. 因此, 我们完成的服务更多是为了学习农民的生活方式，以便对一杯咖啡的工作获得更高的尊重.

While our trip was overflowing with coffee, 我们也有机会去探索和拥抱美丽的危地马拉. We were able to tour the historical city of Antigua, visit the ancient Mayan ceremonial grounds, and spend a sunny afternoon at Lake Atitlan, 一个美丽的, blue lake surrounded by volcanoes. The major gem of Guatemala that we were able to encounter, 然而, 必须是众多的社区成员让我们在他们的桌子上坐下. Every night we were welcomed into the home of a farmer for a delicious, traditional Guatemalan dinner. We were able to hear the stories of farmers, 见见他们的家人, and feel as if we were part of their community. From attempting to make tortillas, to trying to navigate the language barrier and trying new foods, 我们遇到的每个人都鼓励我们像他们一样享受他们美丽的国家和文化. It was odd to be over 2,000 miles away and yet feel so at home.

Working with De La Gente in Guatemala offered so many new experiences, as well as new perspective on what it means to be a conscious consumer. Right before we left for our flight, 我们的导游罗纳德给我们留下了鼓舞人心的话，告诉我们在改变世界之前，我们必须先改变自己. He said that we are the present and to bring change, we need to be aware of the choices we make and, 更重要的是, how our decisions impact others. 成为一个有意识的消费者是意识到我们正在留下的影响的第一步. Buying goods and services fair trade, understanding where your products are coming from, 你所购买的公司所支持的东西不仅会影响你, but will even impact the many new friends I made in Guatemala. Being a conscious consumer might mean spending a few extra dollars, but what you will be supporting cannot be limited to a monetary value. Through being aware of our decisions, we can bring change. 这种改变可以从购买一杯公平贸易咖啡的简单行为开始，因为我知道一些了不起的农民会感谢你的.

-Jenna Ford, English Teaching major

出国留学 Spotlight: Alethia Marrero

阿莱西亚·马雷罗(Alethia Marrero)在印度留学，爱上了他们的文化，以及它教给她的关于全球化和社会正义的一切. 这个机会使她看到了商业之间的联系, 政治, social justice and technology. 她觉得自己在bc菠菜导航成为了一名知识分子，并对自己在bc菠菜导航四年中获得的经验和知识心存感激." 阅读更多