Saturday, January 24, 2015

Summary by Karthik Devakumar of Teaching July 2014

            The highlights of my trip to Guatemala were teaching piano to the locals, visiting a coffee plantation and visiting the Pyramids at Tikal.
            The first couple of weeks in Guatemala were an eye-opening experience. Teaching the children of “Ciudad Vieja” was to some extent a challenge, but well worth it in the end. Coming up with creative ways, jokes, and methods to teach and get the kids interested in learning was of great use. Two of my own students, Guadalupe and Janerky have come a long way, from not knowing the values of the notes to being able to play complete songs.
            The coffee plantation was also another intriguing event. The coffee ban outer layer to my surprise tasted like bell pepper. Also it was cool to learn that women are more productive than men when it came to working in the fields, and that coffee could be used for soaps and moisturizers.

            The Pyramids at Tikal were an awe to learn about. It was a surprise to learn that it took 52 years to make each layer of a pyramid. Along with that, the hikes were great. The wildlife was abundant. On the trail we saw howler monkeys, coyotes, and tarantulas.
            I thoroughly enjoyed my experience teaching and touring in Guatemala.


No comments:

Post a Comment