In our continual effort to ensure that every one of our services meets our demanding standards (and those of our travelers!), NETC reviews our services on a regular basis. We do this by regularly visiting our hotels, meeting with our tour guides, dining in our restaurants and participating in our
LEAP! activities – just as our travelers would – to see if any adjustments need to be made to improve our educational tours. Additionally, we’re always in search of new experiential learning opportunities that not only provide our students with authentic, cultural experiences, but also to help support local businesses and communities.
This was exactly what Tim Sweeney, NETC’s COO did on a recent trip to Guatemala. Tim stayed in our hotels, met with local guides, hiked mountains, visited archaeological sites and met local artisans. I interviewed Tim when he returned and gained insight into his experiences.
“Guatemala is attracting growing interest with our teachers so I wanted to explore potential new opportunities that may have arisen since we first introduced the program last year. Currently on our Guatemala educational tours we offer an immersive cooking experience and a visit with students at a local school, but we’re always in search of new, hands-on activities that get our travelers involved and interacting with the local culture. We want to provide those valuable authentic experiences that are hard to find when traveling the typical tourist track. So we travel off-the-beaten-path in search of new relationships and opportunities to support the small, local communities and people living there.
“Although visiting different towns throughout Guatemala was fun, my favorite part of this trip without a doubt was the opportunity to meet a few local artisans. It’s always interesting to learn about their craft, and find ways that NETC can support them by incorporating them into our student tours abroad. In Totonicapan I met a man, who works on a 100 year old textile mill weaving rugs and blankets. I was amazed at the intricate designs he created on the ancient machine and was appreciative of the hard days (literally days) work he put into each product. He had an appreciation for his craftsmanship that is hard to find, especially in today’s industry, where the majority of manufacturing is automated. I tried weaving a few rows of my own while I was there. This experience was priceless to me and provided an increased appreciation for Guatemalan culture and people. The hands-on activities and interaction with locals is what made my trip so different, and rewarding.
“I also met a potter who created some really beautiful pieces. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried using a pottery wheel, but it’s extremely difficult. Don Julio Lopez made it look deceivingly easy.”
Between visiting hotels and meeting with NETC suppliers, Tim had a few more noteworthy stops on his Guatemala trip – a hike up Pacaya Volcano and Tikal archaeological site.
"Antigua was the first place I visited. It’s a small, ancient city with a heavy colonial influence, which is evident in the architecture of surrounding buildings and churches. From there I was off on a hike up Pacaya Volcano. I’m an avid cyclist and consider myself in good shape, but I still found the hike a bit challenging. I’m sure it had something to do with the 8,000+ foot elevation! The loose gravel from the lava rock and ash below my feet didn’t help either, but it was still an amazing experience. Pacaya Volcano had a recent eruption this past May, and the lava is still so hot in some places that when my guide threw some sticks into a nearby crater, they quickly caught fire. I got a bit daring and climbed inside one of the craters (that wasn’t on fire). Inside it was a smoldering 160 degrees. So I paused for a photo before quickly climbing out. It was an incredible experience climbing the mountain and being surrounded by several volcanoes in the distance. When NETC student tour groups travel to Guatemala, they too hike the volcano, but rest assured, that path is less challenging than the one I took.
“Tikal was unbelievable. It’s the old remains of ancient Mayan civilization. Tikal’s temples and monuments towered above the canopy and offered incredible scenic views from the top.”
Tour Tim's Guatemala photos on Facebook