We're catching up on Spring Break reports from Guatemala, where S&T students are once again conducting water quality studies and learning about the local culture. The students left last week and are spending the remainder of this week in Guatemala. This dispatch is from last Thursday:

We had planned on observing some of the Holy Week festivities here in Chichicastenango in the morning. Unfortunately, today was a break from the festivities, so we changed our plans. We went to Hogar de los Ninos (orphanage) in Lemoa, a town about 30 minutes from Chichicastenango. There we did some water quality testing, but spent most of the time playing with the children. All of the students got to ride a chicken bus (a brightly colored school bus that drives like a race car). It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. After we returned from the orphanage, we spent some time in the local market at Chichi. Some students bought masks while others bought hammocks. The rest of the evening was free. Tomorrow we hope to see some Holy Week festivities early in the morning and then leave for Antigua. We will report back soon. -- Adam Nanney