As my flight landed in Guatemala City on March 1 to start my second School the World corporate service trip, I sent a hope into the universe that I would return to this airport six days later whole and happy. On my first School the World trip to Panama in 2024, I came home with a broken foot. Aside from that, the trip was amazing. I met some incredible people, but the experience felt incomplete. I missed out on a lot during the last two days because of my injury. 

Coming back to do it again was a no-brainer. Why? 

First, I’ve always loved to travel and experience different cultures. If I can also help make a difference in people’s lives at the same time, so much the better. Second, I knew it would give me a chance to meet people from other companies in an environment where we can all be authentically ourselves and truly form new friendships. 

Third, and most importantly, I’m a huge believer in School the World’s mission to make education more accessible to communities living with extreme poverty. It was a beautiful thing to witness the excitement in the community during the week we were there. Everyone was 100% invested in the project and committed to ensuring the children — and the community as a whole — will have a better future. 

Another nice perk was seeing my co-workers in person. I live in Columbus, Ohio and work remotely. My employer, IvyWise, and most of my colleagues are in New York City. While I love working from home, I also feel like I’m in a bubble. I don’t connect with my co-workers in the same way I would if I saw them in the office. School the World provides the opportunity for me to share a truly meaningful and transformative experience with colleagues I don’t see very often — it’s team building at its best. 

While I was with more of my colleagues in 2024, it was just me and my co-worker, Kevin, this year. We were in Panama together in 2024 and this was his third trip. 

While we waited for our ride at the Guatemala City airport, we met some other people we would spend the week with. Together, we met our van, which drove us about an hour away to Antigua, a historic city known for its Spanish colonial architecture and nearby volcanoes. We arrived a bit late, but we were able to meet up with the rest of our group at dinner. We would get to know them much better in the coming days. We spent the night in Antigua, looking forward to meeting the community and starting work the following day. 

Monday morning, we left early for the drive to Quiché — home to the Kʼicheʼ, who are one of the Maya peoples. We would be spending our days in the community of Tululché 1 and staying at a hotel in in Santa Cruz del Quiché every night. But before we checked in to our hotel, it was time to meet the community and get started on our work. 

I can’t even describe the feeling when you arrive in the community for the first time. It was a celebratory atmosphere, with music, streamers, balloons, and children walking out with signs to greet us. The joyful vibe was infectious. We celebrated with games, music, and dancing, and each of us introduced ourselves to the community. 

I admit, I cried more than once during the welcome ceremony because the children were so sweet and affectionate. Eventually, they had to go home, and we had to start our work. After many hugs and high fives, we parted ways, and the School the World team got to work painting the new classroom building. 

This wasn’t School the World’s first time in Tululché 1. A school already existed. We were there to help finish two additional classrooms, install a playground, and plant trees. After painting for two hours or so, we called it a day and headed to Santa Cruz del Quiché to check into our hotel. 

During the week, we filled and carried many buckets of water. We mixed concrete by hand. We formed a line around the building to pass buckets of concrete to the men who were laying the floors. We painted exterior and interior walls, which included murals in both classrooms. We planted trees. We taught classes. We played with the kids at recess. We visited homes in the community to learn about their daily lives and help them with their chores. (Most of us had the opportunity to help make tortillas.)

It was hard work, but we laughed a lot. We danced and sang. We posed for both serious and silly photos. We experienced joy. And every day without fail, the children would run out to greet us when we arrived. Every hug, every smile, and every high five made all the hard work worthwhile. We would leave the community every day, dirty and tired but happy. This wasn’t just corporate service. It was much more than that. It was cultural exchange and bonding over this shared experience. 

Before we knew it, it was Friday — dedication day! This ceremony was like the welcome ceremony, only with more speeches. The children performed some of their traditional dances. We performed for them, too. And after the certificates were passed out and the speeches were done, we dedicated each of the new classrooms and the playground. Then the community served us lunch before we parted ways for good. I was sad to leave the community for the last time, but I will always hold them in my heart. 

Friday afternoon was spent driving back to Antigua and checking into our hotel before heading out for our final dinner. On Saturday, most of us headed back home. A few people in our group extended their stay. 

The universe heard me. I did indeed return to the airport six days later, whole and happy. And now that I’m home, I have had a lot of time to reflect on this experience. Yes, it is probably cliché to say that it makes me appreciate what I have even more. However, that is true. And the children reminded me that I can choose joy no matter what my circumstances are. They had joy in spades, even with their limited resources. I am forever grateful that I got to experience that joy for the all-too-brief week I was there.