Jared Wehde sent us a new dispatch from Guatemala. During the past few days, UMR students have been visiting dead people, drinking hot chocolate, possibly witnessing sacrifices, and planning projects that will improve the quality of water for some of the people in Guatemala.

The last few days have been really busy with Spanish classes in the morning and visiting CUNOC University at night. Tuesday's Spanish class entailed traveling to the public cemetary with our our instructors. We used the time to practice Spanish and learn about local culture. Many the tombs were very large and eloborate. The tenants of the cemetary actually pay rent and can be kicked out if they don't pay. This exlplains a few empty tombs.

Tuesday night at CUNOC was spent giving presentions about what we plan to do next week in Chichicastenango: collecting water quality data, surveying physical water parameters and building a ceramic water filter holder.

Wednesday morning we were escorted by the Spanish school staff to the local center, where we visited the museum, a few churches, the municipal building and a local chocalate cafe. If you ever have the chance to have hot chocalate here, you will never drink swiss miss again.

This morning (Thursday) we traveled to a local Mayan ritualisic site where sacricfices and burnings are a regular occurance. Nearby there was a family business where fiber was dyed using boiling cauldrons to produce thread for clothing and other textiles.

Our time at CUNOC University has come to an end. We said our goodbyes to the students and faculty and will be spending the next few days hiking and traveling to the project site. We are looking forward to next week and actually begining our work.

P.S. We'll be adding a few guest bloggers next week, when members of UMR's Women as Global Leaders class arrive in Guatemala for Spring Break.