Over spring break the Art and Spanish Departments teamed up to take students on a week long trip to Guatemala to experience Holy Week. Holy Week is a cultural celebration where people participate in special church services and processions. 

“Mrs. Breunig and I wanted to offer this trip to both Spanish and art students. Holy Week in Antigua is a cultural experience unlike any other and offers both groups of students amazing opportunities,” Spanish teacher Jody Ziemann said.
On March 23, the group left BHS at 2:30 a.m.. After a delayed flight, they flew to Antigua where students stayed in homestays for five days. 

“The homestay was culturally enriching and also fun,” sophomore Jack Gerber said. “The food was really good and it was fun to attempt to talk to our host, who only spoke Spanish.”

Over the next few days students got a taste of Guatemala’s culture through museums, salsa lessons, food, and by attending a soccer game.

“I really liked watching the soccer game between Antigua and Guatemala City because it showed the culture and community of Antigua,” freshman Gwendolyn Bruce-DeMuri said. “The girls were fortunate enough to have a son around our age in the homestay we stayed at that showed us around with his grandma. They brought us to a church and we got to see what it was like to be part of their culture.”
While some students and parents got sick towards the end, the trip ran rather smoothly and everyone was able to get a feel of the country’s culture and environment. 

“Overall it was a fantastic experience with many highlights, including hiking the Pacaya Volcano, seeing the Palm Sunday procession, creating the processional sawdust carpet, and exploring the archeological site of Tikal,” Ziemann said. “Everyone was respectful, friendly and helpful to one another and always seemed to be living their best life as a tourist.”