Office of Student Life
Leadership and Community Engagement

Guatemala: Constru Casa - Winter

Serving to build homes for families from under-resourced communities in Antigua, Guatemala 

Community Partner: Constru Casa 

Trip Dates: December January 3-10, 2026

Location: Antigua, Guatemala 

Number of Participants: 12 

Price: $2000 

Apply for a Buck-I-SERV Winter trip! (applications available mid-August)

Included in participant fee: 

  • All logistical and travel expenses: All transportation costs (transportation to and from John Glenn Columbus International Airport), roundtrip flights to and from Guatemala, in-country transportation in Guatemala (shuttles/vans coordinated through Espiritu Maya), and homestay (with entire group) in Antigua, Guatemala. 
  • Contribution to Constru Casa for facilitating week of service/alternative break experience (contribution covers the cost of constructing a home). 
  • Supplies needed for service projects (ex: tools and work gloves). 
  • GeoBlue Supplemental International Insurance enrollment and coverage for duration of trip/travel. 
  • Buck-I-SERV supplies/swag: Individual items (t-shirts, water bottles, fanny packs, and pens for each group member) and group items (first aid kit, disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, deck of playing cards, and thank you card for community partner). 
  • Buck-I-SERV Events and Training: Winter Kick-Off and Welcome Back events with catering and pre-trip education and training. 
  • All group meals during trip and group activities during trip: Hike at Pacaya Volcano, visit to Lake Atitlan, salsa dance class, and cooking class. 

Travel and housing: 

  • Participants will fly roundtrip to and from Guatemala City, Guatemala 
  • Upon arrival in Guatemala City, the group will be picked up via shuttle and transported to Antigua. Shuttles will be arranged for transportation throughout the week. 
  • Housing is accommodated as a homestay in a private home in Antigua. 

    • Please note that service housing provides a unique opportunity to build community and embrace simplicity, often staying in welcoming spaces like religious buildings or community centers. While accommodations may be rustic—such as sleeping on cots or air mattresses, making use of community kitchens and showers, and limited hot water for showers—they foster meaningful connections and a deeper focus on service and reflection.

  • A packing list will be provided to participants and discussed during pre-trip meetings leading up to departure. 

What to expect: 

  • Constru Casa aims to improve the quality of life among Guatemalans living in extreme poverty through the provision of basic housing. 
  • Participants will work with local masons and homeowners to construct homes with concrete blocks. The group will volunteer from approximately 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day. 
  • The daily routine is physically demanding and may consist of digging foundations, carrying materials, mixing concrete, laying concrete blocks, painting and more. 
  • Please note: A valid passport is necessary at time of application for this INTERNATIONAL trip. Passports must have expiration date of at least 6 months after the return date of the trip (ex: July 2026)