The RYS service project started on the 1st of July, in the center of the 500-year-old capital city Antigua, Guatemala, with an orientation. Thirty-three volunteers from Cuba, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, United Kingdom, and the United States participated in the project.

For the work period participants traveled to the community of Santiago Atitlán, where some parts of the town had been buried underneath mudslides caused by hurricane Stan in October 2005.

Each day started with a thought-provoking meditation lead by either a staff member or a participant. Morning work assignments included pouring a concrete roof, painting the classrooms, building drains and a septic tank, and cleaning the waterfront of the gorgeous lake Atitlán, which is surrounded by three large volcanoes and many tiny Mayan villages.

Afternoons were filled with sport competitions, or leisure time to explore the community, interact with the local people, and discover the intriguing crafts practiced throughout the area. One day children of Santiaguito, a bilingual school in Santiago, joined volunteers of the RYS for a cultural event where everyone presented skits, dances, or songs that represented their different cultures and lifestyles. On several occasions speakers came all the way from Guatemala City to talk to the RYS participants on a variety of topics, such as "Formal education in Central America and Democracy." There were opportunities to visit several small villages around the lake by boat and to swim in the clear blue water.

In the evenings, with sun setting in the distance behind the magnificent volcanoes, there were bonfires, group discussions, and educational sessions where participants learned about each other’s cultures and traditions. One evening there was a Mayan religious ceremony at the shores of the lake, in which the Mayan priest asked the ancestors to bless the RYS participants.

Before going to bed, participants closed the days with evening meditations, writing journals, and muscle stretching.

Everyone knew that there would be a time we would have to part from one another; no one wished for it, and it came too soon for everyone. The closing ceremony included a heartfelt gift and rose exchange in which each one could express their feelings and thoughts openly. The relationships we built will last a lifetime.

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