Six Weeks at Trama Textiles: One Volunteer's Life in Quetzaltenango

I’m Emily, I’m 23, and I’m from New York. I’m travelling through Latin America for four months with my friends Anat and Rachel. We found Trama Textiles on Workaway and were immediately drawn to the mission, so we decided to make a stop here for six weeks on our journey. 

 

Fundraising for the Cause: Trama's Sunset Party at Casa Kiwi

My first project at Trama was helping plan the sunset party at Casa Kiwi. The objective of the party was to spread awareness about Trama, raise money, and sell some of the beautiful products that we have in the store. I was bartending for most of the night which was really fun. I got to learn how to make palomas, mojitos, margaritas, y piña colada; always a useful skill to have! It was also very interesting to talk to all the people that attended because it was a diverse crowd. In total, we fundraised Q5,530 for Trama, which is going to make a huge difference. 

The Almaya Fund: Supporting Weavers and Their Children

One of the highlights of my time at Trama was researching and writing about the Almaya Fund. The Almaya Fund raises money for the weavers and their children. It supports Trama’s mission, ensures that the women can keep weaving, and funds the Trama children’s education. The name “Almaya” means Maya soul, reflecting the spirit of the women behind the cooperative. 

 

A Day in the Life of a Trama Volunteer

I wake up at around 8 and head straight to Spanish class for 9. I do an hour of Spanish in the mornings from Monday to Thursday, and it has been helpful for the work at Trama. Then I come back to Trama House and have a lovely breakfast with Anat and Rachel. It usually consists of some delicious yoghurt from Xelaco or eggs from the market. Currently I’m working on a weaving project, so I’ll come down to Trama’s weaving school in the morning for a couple of hours. Trama breaks for lunch at 1 so I go back up to the house, eat, and maybe go for a coffee at Chinajul. Our volunteer work begins at 2 and we normally stay until Trama closes at 6pm. 

Nights Out in Xela: Cerveza, Trivia, and Zumba

We typically cook dinner for ourselves with the fresh vegetables from the market or sometimes we go to the street market vendors in Parque Central. Then, tonight is a Tuesday, so we’ll go to Antigua Cerveza to have their delicious IPA beers and hang out with our new friends from Xela. On Thursdays, we normally go to Paddy’s for their trivia night and on Mondays, there’s a great Zumba class at Energym that we love going to. 

 

The Best Street Food in Parque Central

My absolute favourite is pupusas. There is an incredible pupusa stand in the Parque Central. I would describe a pupusa as a thick corn tortilla stuffed with beans, cheese, or sometimes meat. They put pickled cabbage and tomato sauce on the top. I’m vegetarian so it’s a really good option because most of the street food options here are very meat heavy. I also adore this fried plantain stand outside of the Municipal Theatre. They top the plantains with cream and sugar - it’s the perfect sweet treat.

Learning To Weaving On The Maya Backstrap Loom

I am currently weaving a table runner. The main colour is turquoise and then, running down the sides, it has white, light purple, and dark purple. This is my second project; my first project was a grey and burgundy scarf which has been coming in handy during Xela’s cold nights. I would say that the weaving process takes a lot of focus and precision. When you understand it, it becomes very meditative and satisfying. Now I’m finding it relaxing and enjoyable, but that didn’t come without a few trials at the beginning of the learning journey.

Why Emily Chose Trama Textiles

I thought it seemed like a great opportunity to discover more about Maya culture first hand. The chance to learn how to weave on a backstrap loom also felt like a unique experience. I also wasn’t aware of the issue with the middlemen in Guatemala taking a huge cut from the weavers, and when I read about it on Trama, I thought that the mission was really important and that it was something I wanted to be involved in. 

 

What she’ll be carrying home with her that won’t fit in the 40L rucksack 

I have lots of warm memories from the wonderful people that I’ve met here – everyone has been so welcoming and willing to help. I think it has made me want to be more welcoming to people in my own life.

Advice for Future Trama Volunteers

Bring sweaters because it gets cold during the night which I didn’t know before. There is a second-hand shop called Megapaca where you can buy clothes for a very good price. I also recommend getting your fruit and vegetables at the market. The produce is fresher and cheaper than in the supermarkets.

 

Trama Textile's In Emily's Own Words

I would describe it as a warm and welcoming environment brimming with creativity and passion for a good cause. It’s full of people that want to help from all different walks of life. I have learned a lot from the rich history and culture here. I am very grateful for the Trama community and everything that the people here have taught me.

 

Contact us to learn how you can be the next Trama Textiles volunteer and read other volunteer interviews to get more information on what it means to be welcomed into the Trama family. 

 

Written by Rachel White