Hello from Julie!

Hey there, my name is Julie Barwig. I have just joined Nicole, Ja, and Sarah here in Guatemala. This past December I graduated from the University of Georgia, where I learned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and International Affairs.  I’m so excited to be back in Central America. I spent the previous summer interning in Panama and a spring break in Nicaragua with the UGA campus chapter of Manna.

I’m going to be running the after-school intermediate English class for the students at primaria Coopertiva, the environment committee at basico Central, the healthy schools initiative, as well as working on setting up a community garden at both Central and Coopertiva. I’ll mainly be focusing on my English class as well as the environment committee at first. I’ve developed an avid interest the environment and conservation in the last few years, so these programs really reflect what I am passionate about; I am beyond thrilled to begin.

I arrived in Guatemala on January 5^th, so I’ve been here about a week already. It’s been a week of getting my bearings to how life runs down here. And so far, it’s honestly been truly a week full of laughter as well as learning. Nicole, Sarah, Ja, and Jess have welcomed me wholeheartedly and that has made the transition to living here almost seamless. With them, I have experienced some of my Guatemalan firsts: I used the back of a pick-up as legitimate transportation, I have seen the most amazing lake nestled within a couple of gorgeous mountains, and I spent an afternoon shucking corn with a Guatemalan family, just to name a few. 

 The beginning of my time here has been wonderful, and I can’t wait for programs to begin in a little over a week! 

-Julie