Archer Abroad trip to Guatemala was ‘life-changing’

By Nelly Rouzroch, Multimedia Editor|February 12, 2016

Archer girls sit in a circle for a discussion about permaculture in Guatemala. The trip took place over Thanksgiving break. Photo Courtesy of Stefanie Daehler.

Over Thanksgiving break, 11 Archer students escaped the fast-paced Los Angeles lifestyle and immersed themselves into Guatemalan culture to learn about permaculture and sustainable living in Central American society.

“The Guatemala Archer abroad trip was the most life-changing experience… We learned some lessons that we could never learn in school,” Maya Winkler ’18 said.

The 11 students that went on the trip include Alyssa Downer ’17, Anabella Ronson Benenati ’17, Annie Moore ’17, Claire Sulzer ’17, Delilah Hamlin ’17, Halle Jacobs ’17, Malia Rouvi ’18, Maya Winkler ’18, Rachel Pike ’17, Sophia Rusoff O’Neill ’18 and Sophie Evans-Katz ’18.

The program designed especially for Archer by Where There Be Dragons took the girls to San Lucas Tolimán for the week-long excursion and focused on the concept of permaculture.

“Before I went on this trip I knew nothing about permaculture,” Sophia Rusoff O’Neill ’18 said.

“Permaculture is a way of living that doesn’t disrupt nature,” Malia Rouvi ’18 said. “We talked with a lot of locals about what they do in their daily lives and how they implement permaculture.” 

The girls talked to local Guatemalans to get a sense of what life is like throughout the country and to learn about their culture.

“We talked to a very influential woman who was a part of this town, who didn’t have kids. [She] owned her own business and was showing other women their capabilities in Guatemalan culture,” seventh-grade dean and trip adviser Jerilyn Joel said. “I thought it was very empowering to hear these people’s stories and learn about their culture just through talking.”

The girls also participated in service work by helping locals plant a garden.

“It was most impactful because I was so inspired by how inspired Archer girls were,” librarian and trip adviser Stefanie Daehler said.

Click on a photo below to begin the slideshow.

  • Anabella Ronson Benenati ’17, Rachel Pike ’17 and Maya Winkler ’18 stand together for a photo after hiking up a mountain in Guatemala. Photo Courtesy of Stefanie Daehler

    '

  • Halle Jacobs ’17 and Claire Sulzer ’17 pose for a photo by Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. Photo Courtesy of Stefanie Daehler

    '

  • Archer girls stand by a sign at IMAP, the Mesoamerican Institute of Permaculture, where they worked on the trip. Photo Courtesy of Stefanie Daehler

    '

  • Malia Rouvi ’18 and Maya Winkler ’18 pose for a photo together after hiking in Guatemala. Photo Courtesy of Stefanie Daehler

    '

  • One of the many lakes the girls visited in Guatemala. Photo Courtesy of Stefanie Daehler

    '

  • A small town the girls visited while in Guatemala. Photo Courtesy of Stefanie Daehler

    '

  • Halle Jacobs ’17 and Sophie Evans-Katz ’18 pose for a photo by the lake. Photo Courtesy of Stefanie Daehler

    '

  • Two Guatemalan women stand side by side with the items that they made. Photo Courtesy of Stefanie Daehler

    '

  • View of the lake from a mountain the girls hiked. Photo Courtesy of Stefanie Daehler

    '

  • Sophia O’Neill ’18 poses with her clay owl. Photo Courtesy of Stefanie Daehler

    '

  • Delilah Hamlin ’17, Maya Winkler ’18 and Malia Rouvi ’18 pose a photo by the lake. Photo Courtesy of Stefanie Daehler

    '
Navigate Left
Navigate Right