Intern Edition

Los Cinco Sentidos

Coming to your senses in Guatemala

Reported and produced by Sara Bokhari

When I returned to Washington D.C., after two weeks in Guatemala, I noticed something amiss. Customs went smoothly, my apartment was fine, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

Listen Now

For the next few days, I had a buzz in my ears and a cloud around my head. I trudged through the gray city streets wanting to say "Hola!" to strangers or order "un café con leche, por favor."

I finally figured out what was missing: Guatemala's constant assault on my senses.

La Vista (sight)

Whether I was at Lake Atitlán, on the main street, or in an artisan's shop, my eyes took in a constant stream of colors. The scene was always changing – from the shifting greens, blues, and purples of Lake Atitlán to the shiny red and yellow tuk-tuks that raced through town with a load of gasping passengers.

El Oido (hearing)

Most late afternoons were dominated by grays, browns and blacks, and the sound of rain plinking on the tin roofs filled the air. Rainy season in Guatemala lasts from May to October, which meant a constant musical downpour. The rainstorms easily transform crystal waterfalls into angry torrents that rage through entire streets in minutes.

El Olfato (smell)

After the rainstorms, water dripped off tree branches and collected in puddles, and a crisp fresh scent filled the air. In the Highlands, far from the pollution of the city, constant showers washed away the grit and grime. The air carried a fresh, cold sweetness that I gulped in deep breaths.

El Gusto (taste)

Every meal came laden with fresh vegetables and fruits. Each bite of mango, papaya, or watermelon unleashed an explosion of flavor. The best fruit was entirely new to my taste buds – the bright pink pitaya. With a taste like kiwis, strawberries, and honeydew melon, I found myself licking my lips after each bite.

El Tacto (touch)

Maybe it's not the best translation to use "el tacto" to explain emotional stimulation – but the people I met in Guatemala made the most indelible of imprints on my consciousness. The relationships, smiles, and help from strangers and friends alike are what I ultimately treasure most from my trip.

Sara Bokhari

Colorful handicrafts for sale in a market in Antigua, Guatemala.

Reporter's Notebook: Consulting at Lake Atitlán

It could have been a horrible two weeks - with daily torrential downpours, a work schedule that ran from 8 a.m. to midnight, tremendous language barriers, and fruit salad as the only vegetarian option available for nearly every meal.

But my trip to Guatemala was, quite honestly, one of the most deeply memorable and enriching learning experiences I've ever had.

I was part of a group of 16 students from the George Washington University who were participating in a consulting practicum in conjunction with Universidad del Valle de Guatemala. We were tasked with developing a "Marketing and Communications Strategy and Action and Benchmarking Analysis of Community Based Tourism for the Lake AtitlÃ¡n Region of Guatemala." If that sounds like a mouthful on paper, imagine what it looked like in practice!

As a class and as consultants, we had spent many weeks beforehand researching and preparing for the trip. Upon arrival we found a whole new set of challenges and unexpected surprises.

On one of our first days of field work our group packed into two motorboats to cross Lake Atitlán and see what different forms of tourism look like in practice. Our first stop was in San Juan la Laguna -- a community that's embraced the principles of community based tourism to develop economically while maintaining its traditions and culture.

The community is more than 90 percent Tzutujil, an indigenous Mayan group -- a factor that plays into the tourist experience in San Juan. As our boat puttered to a stop and we drifted toward the dock, we were greeted by a tour guide from the local community association. He led us toward the center of the town, stopping to point out an area used for Mayan ceremonies. Here, we stood inside a circle that was marked with 12 signs around the edges. The signs were painted in four colors -- red, black, yellow and green -- and represented the Mayan calendar.

We proceeded onward in our tour, each selecting a tiny sapling to plant after participating in a Mayan ceremony at the top of La Cruz, a mountain that towers over the village. As we hiked up the trail we were surrounded by lush greenery and an ever-changing landscape. I had planned to rest once I reached the top where I'd be able to catch my breath. Instead, I found my breath was completely knocked away by the stunning vistas of the Lake from the top of the mountain.

One of the most striking features of the lake is its ability to look entirely different minute by minute. The shifting blues, greens and purples of the lake contrasted with the bright white clouds to create a vibrant kaleidoscope from which it was difficult to peel my eyes away.

After satiating our visual sense, our group formed a circle around a small fire to begin the ceremony. The sweet smell of incense wafted up into the air and the distant noises of the town below us mixed in with the sounds of the ceremony. First reciting in Tzutujil, then in Spanish, and finally in English, the guide led us step by step through the ritual. With each word and action our relationship with the trees we would plant strengthened, and I found myself looking at my tiny sapling with a new-found appreciation. With the sun beating down on our backs we placed our saplings into the soft earth, patting the rich, dark soil tightly around the tiny trunks before trekking back down the mountain.

The return trip across the lake was an adventure in itself. Each afternoon, the rain clouds would begin rolling in over the mountains and across the lake. The thick, cold raindrops plunked steadily down and the high winds caused the water to lash against the sides of the boat. At times, a particularly strong wave would crash into the boat and create the sensation that we would flip over. But despite the choppy ride, we arrived safely to our destination. Wet and tired, but excited for the days ahead.