All good things must come to an end, even Guatemalan adventures.

It is 5:45 a.m. and I am standing in the midst of a growing heap of suitcases, boxes and duffel bags in the lobby of Guatemala City's Princess Hotel. The students filter into the lobby, decked out in the same blue and white AYCC t-shirts they wore on their arrival, nearly a week ago.

The people of Guatemala made the trip a great experience for Dara Watson. All photos by Jason Sangster © CARE 2001.

But while the clothing may be the same, the atmosphere of the group has changed considerably in the course of six days. The group I see is no longer quite so wide-eyed, quite so anxious. This is a self-assured bunch of young adults now; a group that really came together.

Just past 6 a.m., Mama Mia Redd directs us to start heading out with our carry-on luggage to the shuttle buses parked in front of the hotel.

For a final time, we huddle on to buses, to be transported through Guatemala as a group. There is a reflective mood during these final moments in Guatemala.

"Heading home, I just keep thinking about what more we could do," says Scarlet Pressley-Brown, community affairs manager for Delta. "Because even a small investment in something like education or small business development has a major impact on the communities of Guatemala."

"What will you miss the most?" I ask the AYCC members.

There are answers involving the adorable children, who looked to us as movie stars. Others will miss the lush Guatemalan scenery. Rosie Wilde says, "It's been a really busy week. But I wouldn't trade a single moment of it. Not even when I was really exhausted."

AYCC students got a big kick out of the Guatemalan school children they met, many of whom benefit from CARE's programs.

There also are pledges to keep in touch, to host picture-exchanging parties, to remain devoted to the causes that attracted them to the AYCC in the first place.

For Charles Ford, the trip to Guatemala strengthened his desire to pursue relief work as a career on his road to the White House. "Field work is something I've always wanted to do," he says. "This trip not only reaffirms that passion, but magnifies it." Now more than ever, he says, he wants to study additional foreign languages.

The arrival at the customs counter in Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport is a bittersweet time.

"I wish I could've stayed longer, but it's nice to be back in a familiar environment," says Meredith Schisler.

"Although I'm tired and a little bit cranky, it was an experience of a lifetime," shares Hannah Cho.

Lauren Thompson agrees. "Every summer I try to do something enriching that makes me learn," she says. "This trip definitely taught me a lot."

The trip helped forge friendships and broaden the AYCC students' understanding about the world around them.

So will the rest of the summer pale in comparison to this week? Probably, most group members agree.

"I'd much rather be traveling around some other country than sitting around watching TV in Atlanta," says Annie Lipsitz.

For group leader, Mia Redd, the trip has been nothing short of wonderful. "This trip has exceeded my expectations," she beams, eyeing her flock of youths. "Far exceeded."

"It was nothing like I thought it'd be, but in the best way," says Dara Watson of her week away from home. "It was a great experience!"