UU students and teachers stuck in Guatemala

A group of thirteen UU Bachelor’s students was in Guatemala for a three-week language programme in the city of Quetzaltenango. Afterwards, they had planned to do anthropological fieldwork in several locations until mid-April, as part of a graduation project.

The UU has since called for all students abroad to return home, because of the corona crisis. For this group, however, it seems like that’s impossible, because last night, Guatemala banned all incoming and departing flights for the next fourteen days.

The students and two teachers are now staying in a hotel in Guatemala City, close to the Netherlands embassy and the airport. One Master’s student of Cultural Anthropology, who’s also doing fieldwork in Guatemala, will likely join the group sometime this week. She’s at a different location, about an hour away from Guatemala City.

A spokesperson for the UU says the university is in close contact with the group and that the ministry of Foreign Affairs is aware of the situation, and is working with the embassy to find solutions.