Our first day is all about grounding in la madre tierra, mother earth and understanding who we are and where we came from. We’ll also begin by building connections with the members of our group…here we’ll see just how much in common we all have.

We begin our journey with an anthropologist to discuss WHO ARE SALVADORANS. There is no one way to describe or define a guanaco (Salvi slang for country person). With such a rich and deep culture hailing from all parts of the world, it’s important we learn where exactly we all come from. We’ll learn from a historical expert about our Indigenous roots to all the many migrations and history of colonization that happened in El Salvador. Here we discover what exactly makes up our blood, and who exactly are our ancestors.

We’ll continue into a welcome dinner where we’ll learn more about each other, our backgrounds and set intentions for this journey we’ll embark on together.

On our second day we’ll go from learning from a professional to learning from our elders. Today we are heading way out into the mountains of corn fields to a very small town to meet one of the last Nahuatblantes. Many Salvadorans have Nahuat-Pipil Indigenous roots and we'll go to meet a native wisdom keeper of Indigenous lifeways and language. Here we’ll attempt to understand what was taken from this community and the current realities the Indigenous community exists in. Indigeneity is complex, but this trip is a space for us to acknowledge the truth of our history. Between learning, understanding and joy, we’ll sing, eat lots of hand-patted tortillas for our ancestral meal and celebrate the deep roots in our bones.

The second half of our day brings us to Lago Coatepeque, a stunning volcano lake where we can decompress, process and relax. The turquoise water is surrounded by volcanoes making the water a warm but refreshing temperature with an island in the middle previously dedicated to the Mayan Gods. We will enjoy a boat ride around the still waters, read books, and relax in hammocks.

We couldn’t learn about El Salvador without visiting the farming communities which make up an essential part of our identity as well as economy. Today we go out to understand those who maintain the agricultural traditions of the land. Coffee used to be a main export for our country and still exists as one of the best coffees ever grown! We head out to the mountains to learn about coffee cultivation and the intricate process to make the drink loved by millions worldwide.

Upon returning from our excursion, we’ll keep the connection to earth going as we learn to make our own pupusas! We’ll get in the kitchen with local Pupuseras to show us the way. After some time to relax and our bellies full of pupusas, we’ll prepare for one of the hardest sessions of the journey, our class about the Civil War.

The Civil War affected all of our families. Every single one of us has a civil war story and have been consciously and unconsciously impacted by the ongoing consequences of this war. Our session will be followed by a closed group discussion where we can process what came to the surface for us.

Many of us only know this story through our family’s perspective and may not even know all of the details as to WHY it happened. So today we will hear from someone who never left El Salvador and stayed and fought. He was recruited at 13 to be a child soldier and explains why the war happened, the things they fought through, what was the outcome, and the current state of the country through his lens.

Taking a deep breath from the previous day, we’ll dive into the healing oceanic waters with champion surfers who will teach us how to SURF LIKE A SALVADORAN! Don’t worry, no swimming is required and you are not expected to learn how to surf in one day!

Then we will head to the far end of the country to camp at the ‘edge of the world’ at Espiritu de la Montaña. There you’ll be surrounded by plants, stars, and serene views. This is an extremely special and magical experience that cannot be explained but only experienced. On our excursion we’ll learn about Mountain conservation and Lencan spirituality as we’ll hear stories about the Goddess who lives on this mountain and allows us to enjoy it.

We’ll wake up to the breathtaking views of spirit mountain before we depart for the jungle for another session to encounter the painful past in our country’s history. On this trip we are here to open our eyes to what really happened and the traumatic realities that have shaped communities in El Salvador.

We’ll head to Mozote to meet one of the last remaining survivors of the 1981 Mozote Massacre which took hundreds of innocent lives. We follow the Route of Peace to meet our educator at the site of this tragic event where we will learn directly from her everything that happened here. This is a tough experience, but necessary, so please prepare yourself.

Then we will head back to Playa El Tunco where we will be exhausted but greeted with a River Ceremony where we will sit in circle to center our grief and healing.

Today on the timeline of our journey we transition from the past to our present. So far we’ve learned about our roots and gained knowledge about our nation's history, but today we learn from our peers about what is being done in the country here and now to build safer and brighter futures.

Today you’ll meet with community members to discuss the gang wars, violence prevention and the transition out of being the world’s most dangerous country in the world to Latin America’s safest country in the world! And you’ll see the people who have worked so hard to maintain that on a community level.

Then it’s time for some fun in San Salvador where we’ll explore the city, visit local attractions and eat delicious food! And for our final session, we’ll look ahead to the future. So, what is in store for El Salvador? You learn from an economist about the adoption of Bitcoin (all sides of the story!) and where El Salvador is headed on an economic and social level.

We’ll end the day in celebration with a beach barbecue and dance party!

On our closing day we’ll take time to reflect on our journey with intention. We’ll share a ritual of gratitude by drinking cacao, a native plant which indigenous communities sat with to honor the heart and the land. In our final moments we’ll prepare to re-integrate into our lives outside of the trip in meaningful ways so that we take all that we gathered along our journey.