What inspired you to travel abroad?
I was always interested in going abroad, especially once I started studying agricultural science in Germany. Learning about different forms of agriculture in University has shown me how diverse it can be and urged me to go abroad and see it for myself. I have been in different climatic zones and regions with different agricultural practices before, like Europe, Africa and Siberia. I felt it was time to explore one of the most important regions for agriculture in Central or South America.
Why did you choose INLEXCA?
I found this program through recommendations of friends who shared their experience with me. The positive feedback encouraged me to take a closer look at their programs. I was surprised about the variety of different programs that they are offering for specific fields of interest. I found a few agricultural topics that interested me in Costa Rica and Guatemala and ultimately chose Guatemala since I was a bit more interested in Guatemala than Costa Rica. Also, the prospect of working in a high quality coffee plantation sounded very interesting to me.

The Pacaya volcano. Making marshmallows over lava. My first volcano.
What was your favorite part about Guatemala?
Being in a Latin American country for the first time, Guatemala really left a lasting impression on me. The tropical climate and volcanic surroundings presented nature in a way that I was totally unfamiliar with. What I liked most was the cultural environment. Both Latin American and Mayan culture meet each other and present different cultural festivities, clothes, food and traditions. That's what made Guatemala special for me. On top of that, I got to work in Antigua, a historically significant city which is beautiful and full of surprises.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
It was for the first time traveling completely alone for a longer period of time. This was obviously a challenge for me since I didn't have much experience with that kind of traveling and working abroad, especially since I came with 0 Spanish skills. But it also meant that I could plan my time completely free of consideration of other travelers and I could pick the places that I want to visit myself which gave me an extraordinary amount of freedom and made my trip unforgettable, especially traveling with my motorcycle.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
I was supported by various local staff which gave me a lot of tips and helped me settle into this unknown environment. No matter if it was a nice place to eat, a cool location or cultural programs, my mentors always had helpful ideas or suggestions. I could talk to them about any questions or problems I had. Not only that but they also quickly became good friends with whom I spent time in my freetime as well like watching a football game, going for a ride on motorcycles or having a nice dinner. I am especially grateful for the tremendous amount of help I got when I contracted Covid-19 at the end of my stay. They relieved me of so much stress during that time. I will never forget that.

Semuc Champey, the first stop of my long road trip. And yes, you can swim there.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I wish I had more time learning the language. I learned a sufficient amount of Spanish to get by. However, visiting a Spanish speaking country really was the perfect opportunity to really learn a good amount of Spanish, but I wasn’t able to. I also wish I had bought my motorcycle sooner. I got it about one month into the program and in the first month I felt quite limited in the amount of things I could do since there wasn't much going on in the immediate surrounding of my host family's house. This led to me stay at home quite often after work during the first few weeks.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
A typical workday would usually start at 5:30am. I would make myself breakfast and get ready for the day. The drive to my workplace, the Finca Colombia, would take me about 40 min on my motorcycle. Before that I would have taken the bus which took about twice as long. Work started at 7am. Working on a coffee farm usually had a lot of repetitive fieldwork with some special work like cutting trees or loading trucks. At 11am, I took my lunch break until 12:30pm. Work was finished by 4pm. After that I would get some food in town and 3 times a week I took salsa lessons in Antigua. After that I would come home pretty exhausted, have dinner with my family, and go to bed.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
I took salsa lessons 3 times a week after work. During the week I had little time to do other stuff due to work, however, on the weekends I would usually find something to occupy myself with. I started exploring the surroundings and visited local sights in Antigua and nearby. The first bigger trip was to lake Atitlán where I went for a weekend with friends. After that I had some more trips like climbing the volcanos Acatenango and Pacaya. Once I had my bike I also did some road trips to the Pacific. At the end of my stay, I did a long trip for a week on my bike.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
I stayed with a host family in Santa Lucia Milpas Altas in the mountains close to Antigua. The family was lovely and I felt welcomed immediately. They were a large family with grandparents, parents, and kids. They were very nice and brought me along to their daily routines and activities like going to church, football practice, going to the market, or helping in the community. They offered me a unique look into their lives and how their daily routine goes. This helped me learn and understand more about the culture and people that I was surrounded with. I still have contact with them to this day.

My supervisor, Pablo, at the Finca Colombia
What is one thing every future participant should know about before their program begins?
You should definitely prepare yourself before going. Learn about the culture, the does and don'ts. Try to find places you want to visit before going but schedule everything in advance. You might find some things spontaneously. Try to learn some words in the local language before going. It might come in handy since at airports many people might not speak English. Don't forget to bring some medicine for a headache or stomach pain. Also, bring antibiotics as well as protection against insects and mosquitos.
Would you recommend INLEXCA to others? Why?
I would recommend it. It was a great experience to which I look back with a lot of good memories. The main reason for my experience was so good was the helpfulness of people in the organization and my program. This opened up doors for me in this country and culture and gave me the opportunity to explore it. They helped me before leaving my home country until my departure and beyond. That was incredible. Paperwork and dealing with local bureaucracy would have been a nightmare without my mentors and my time in quarantine due to my Covid-19 infection.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
The things I learned and saw will always be with me in my future life. That benefited me not only personally but also professionally. Going out of the comfort zone and trying something new is always a challenge met with hesitation, but it is definitely worth it. It helps you grow. It also might help break down some prejudice that we have in the global North. All in all I would say the biggest benefit of going abroad is the experience that you make and take home with you.

My loyal companion, the Yamaha Crux, that I bought in Guatemala and drove every day.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
I am definitely more aware of my consumer decisions. I have seen first hand how working in tropical agriculture looks and with what problems it is associated. These are things like working conditions, health and wealth. I have also seen what an impact certificates of sustainable and fair productions have on the people working there. These are things like doubling some wages of simple workers, encouraging their children to go to school etc. I have also seen the impact of climate change in this region where vulnerable societies or ideginous people have to deal with the massive changes. This is often caused by our way of living.
Did your program provide specific pre-departure Covid support? If yes, tell us what kind of support you received.
I was aware of the risks of traveling abroad during the pandemic. The program briefed me on the current situation and Covid-19 laws and explained to me in detail the risks. They also presented what measures they take, what recommendations they had, and how I should behave due to the pandemic. I had a bunch of preparation videos as well as leaflets to read. Also, the mentors updated me on new laws.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Traveling abroad normally goes with purpose like going on vacation or traveling for work. That was the case for me. However spending a lot of time in a country like Guatemala or any country of the global South should come with self-reflection. You are going to a country as a very privileged person. Most of the people that you will see and meet will never have the same opportunities as you. Thus you should spend time truly learning about the country and culture, not only for the Instagram pictures. Self-reflect on how your lifestyle affects these people and what consequences it has.