Leave your things in the room. We'll pick them up later," advises CARE Guatemala staff member Eileen Rivera, in the lobby of Quetzaltenango's Hotel Modelo. It's scarcely 6 a.m. and we listen to her instructions with sleepy, yet attentive, ears.

"We'll have breakfast on the road," she says reassuringly.

With that, we leave our hefty suitcases behind and pile into the three vans and a station wagon that have become our homes away from home during this weeklong odyssey.

Two hours later, true to Eileen's word, we find ourselves situated in a rustic, one-room cafeteria, nestled in the mountains of Cabrican, awaiting our morning meal. This is the place where CARE Guatemala field representatives typically dine when viewing projects in the area, Eileen tells us.

Its yellow walls are inviting, as are its kitchen fixtures on one side of the room and its long picnic-table-like tables and benches on the other. Within minutes of sitting down at the tables, breakfast is served. There are eggs, beans, bread, tortillas and a blend of coffee unique to the area that's sweeter than American coffee.

Groggily, we wolf the food down and offer a "gracias" to the establishment's chefs. Then it's off again -- this time to visit the farmland of Alonzo Ramirez.

The trek to Ramirez's property is a journey in and of itself. His land is located deep in the heart of Carbacan's picturesque valley, and is reachable only by foot. The twenty-minute hike provides us with luscious panoramic views of the mountains and fields surrounding us and offers us a means of walking off our hearty country breakfasts.

Upon reaching Ramirez's plot of land lined with rows of young corn plants, we learn that Ramirez is among those in the region benefiting from a CARE program designed to combat soil erosion.

With CARE's help, he was able to implement

The poplar roots, he tells us through Eileen's quick interpretation, don't go down into the ground like a nail. Instead, they expand like a sort of cobweb, preventing the maximum amount of soil erosion.

That adds up to crucial dollars and cents. Ramirez currently harvests 4,800 pounds of corn a year.

After viewing the fruit of Ramirez's labor, it's back up the steep hillside we go. But, how much more difficult the ascent proves to be than the descent! We huff, we puff, we sweat, we sigh. Many AYCC students pause along the way to catch their breaths, strip off jackets, and rearrange backpacks.

At last, some 30 minutes later, we assemble at the top of the steep incline.

"I can hardly breathe!" exclaims Meredith Schisler.

"Who's sick? Who needs water? Who's thirsty?" calls out CARE staffer Elie Perez. Hands fly up into the air as we struggle to come to terms with the high altitude conditions.

After chugging some agua and gathering some steam, it's off to another tree-related site: the agroforestry project at the Xacana Grande Don Trancito Lopez land.

It is here that the Atlanta Youth Committee representatives become more hands-on with respect to soil erosion prevention techniques. And I mean hands-on.

"Who wants to plant trees?" asks Eileen. Hands fly up into the air and a line for saplings forms.

The intended spot for our young trees is down deep in another mountain valley lined with more young corn crops.

For the second time today, getting there is half the fun. We spy a horse along the way down the steep decline, as well as a pig and a Holstein cow that greets us with a "moo."

Upon reaching the area where the trees are to be planted, we are greeted by a group of local farmers who explain to us the importance of strategically planting trees on inclines to prevent erosion. With that said, they guide us, one by one, to a series of predetermined locations within the cornfield to plant the seedlings.

Dara Watson goes first. She is directed to dig a hole, cut off excess roots with a machete, plant the tree, and pack down the topsoil.

The University of Georgia-bound student follows the instructions step-by-step, rounding out her planting process with a little dance atop the top soil; a sure-fire means, she says, of making certain the soil is pat enough to allow her young tree to prosper.

The rest of the AYCC members follow suit, acquiring quite the collection of dirt under their fingernails in the process. In about six years, we are told, our young poplars will reach maturity.

Our work done, it's time to hike once again -- this time to vans waiting to take us back to Quetzaltenango to gather our suitcases.

Upon reaching the Hotel Modelo, we find not only our suitcases waiting for us, but sack lunches as well. There are meals of chicken awaiting the meat eaters, cooked vegetables and potato salad for the vegetarians. And there's rice pudding for dessert for one and all.

Grabbing hold of the sack lunches, we pack back into the vans, teeming, this time, with our bulging suitcases. And this time, the drive is, well, no drive in the park. It's a four-hour odyssey to Guatemala City. That means more games, more laughter and

The lush green terrain bisected by mammoth rock formations fades to black as day turns to night. At last, one by one, our vans pull in front of Guatemala City's Princess Hotel.

What a week it's been since we spent our first night here! The hotel that was the site of our hello to Guatemala is now the site of our farewell to Eileen, her assistant, Paola and to the faithful and ever-patient CARE Guatemala drivers.

There are hugs. There are "gracias." And there are the vows to stay in touch.

Then it's off to a last supper at the Chili's Restaurant next door to the hotel. Gathered around a long table, giggles erupt as the restaurant's karaoke bar is discovered. For the students, the temptation is too great to resist. Within moments of ordering food, they are ordering music selections to which they can sing along.

Spirits are high. It's been a tremendous trip, student after student confirms in voice, song and smile.

"It's been a really busy week, but I wouldn't trade a single moment of it. Not even when I was really exhausted," shares Rosie Wilde.

But once again, exhaustion does loom, as does an early morning wake-up call. So it's off to bed -- or at least to pack -- on this, our final night in Guatemala.

This journal entry was written by Mary Pflum. She is a free-lance writer accompanying the AYCC in Guatemala.