Guatemala Immersion Information
General Information
Service can be a life-changing experience! God calls each of us to serve one another, and here at the Newman Center we offer a number of opportunities for students to respond to the call.

One of the possibilities each year is the opportunity to spend Spring Break serving some of the very poorest people in the world. A group of Newman Center students and staff will travel to Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala at the invitation of the Parroquia Santiago Apóstol (Parish of St. James the Apostle).

While there, we will have the chance to interact with the people of the town by joining in their liturgies, walking the town, and working side by side with them in the construction of a home. In addition, we will take time for our own group reflections and prayer time, a vital part in understanding your experiences.

What this is …
This is a chance to learn about the social justice teachings of the Church both through some classes and by seeing some aspects of the Third World situation firsthand.

This is a way to see another culture and to learn a little bit about what it is like to be them.

This is an opportunity to give a little something back to a world that needs your help. A chance to work and sweat and help build something that will directly benefit the health and future of a family in need.

What this is not …
This is not a vacation! You will live in crowded quarters, cook and eat your own food, get dirty, and most likely, leave your comfort zone.

This is not a time for partying or spending time with your boyfriend/girlfriend. You will, however, have a chance to make friends with folks who will value this as a shared experience that you will never forget.

How This Works
The program has two components, the social justice course portion and the immersion experience portion.

Social Justice Course
In preparation for going to Guatemala, the group will meet for 6 classes. The classes will be conducted as group discussions that will cover some aspects of the Church’s teachings on social justice. We will also cover specifics of the immersion trip, including topics dealing with passports, vaccinations, what to bring, how to stay healthy, and other expectations. We will also discuss the places we will visit, some history of Guatemala, Spanish colonialism, the Mayan T’zutujil people, and the recent political situation.

Class Topics
The class will meet weekly, on Tuesday nights at 8:15 pm, beginning in January. Some of the course topics include:

Dignity of the Human Person
Community and the Common Good
Rights and Responsibilities
Option for the Poor
Dignity of Work
Solidarity

Service Immersion Experience
During Spring Break, the group will fly from Tulsa to Guatemala City, Guatemala and then travel by private bus to the town of Santiago Atitlán.

The group will be housed in the parish’s guest rooms. While these are close quarters, the compound is safe and secure. It includes two kitchens where the group will be responsible for preparing its own meals. This allows us to control the quality and safety of the food as much as possible.

A portion of four days during our stay will include working on the building of a home for a local family. The poorest families in the area live in traditional houses with dirt floors, cornstalk walls and tin roofs. Most are without any electricity or plumbing. The new homes, while very simple, are made from cement and local stone. They are much safer, healthier and will last for generations.

While there we will also participate in the weekly Masses, visit the parish school, serve lunch to the schoolchildren, as well as have time for our own discussions and prayer time.

As time allows we will visit the towns of Panajachel and Antigua. Panajachel is a tourist town alongside Lake Atitlán. We will have the chance to see and purchase from a great variety of handmade textiles and other products. Antigua is the former colonial capital of Central America. It has preserved many of its former building and will give you an idea of what colonial times were like. It is also the home of numerous Spanish language schools and has a modern flair.

Scholarship Credit
Group members will earn scholarship credits for each of the social justice classes that they attend. These credits will help defray the cost of the immersion experience.

Other Important Facts
• The size of the immersion experience group is limited to 15 students. You must submit an application in order to be considered.
• The overall cost of the immersion experience is about $900. The scholarship credits will cover approximately $600, depending on the number of classes attended. Each participant will be expected to cover the rest of the expense (approximately $300).
• The following is covered: air and ground transportation, room and board at the mission, hotel costs in Antigua, airport exit taxes, and some other meals.
• The following is not covered: passport application fees, vaccinations, optional trip insurance, snacks, optional lunches in Panajachel and Antigua, souvenirs, other incidentals. You may also have to pay for other items related to the work project, such as work gloves.
• For more information about the content of the classes, please contact Steve Nelson by calling the Newman Center at 918-599-0204.
• In the past, students have generally brought about $100 in spending money for souvenirs, snacks, and other incidentals.
• While at the mission, we will assist a local work crew in the construction of one or more homes for the poor of Santiago Atitlán. The work will be strenuous, most likely including digging the foundations for the homes.

Immunizations & Malaria Preventative
Vaccinations are voluntary and at the discretion of the individual student. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following: typhoid, tetanus, and hepatitis A. Some students have also elected to have an MMR booster.

Santiago Atitlán is located in the western highlands of Guatemala and is not an area subject to malaria. However, many students in the past have elected to take a malarial preventative as a precaution.

It is important that you discuss these issues with your parents and consult your private physician. It is also important that you act quickly as some of the vaccinations need a few weeks to take effect.

More detailed information can be found on the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/camerica.htm

Forms
Immersion Program Registration Form
Passport Services - U.S. State Department (passport applications)