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 A Special Mission

Asociación Centro de Estudios de Español Pop Wuj (pronounced "pope-woo"), set in highland Guatemala, is a collectively owned and operated Spanish language school that has been serving an international crowd of students since our immersion program began in 1992.  It takes its name from the title of the great epic saga of the Maya-Quiché people, Pop Wuj (The Book of Time). Through a unique mix of intensive language study and social service projects, students come to a better understanding of the political, social, and cultural realities of Guatemala, while contributing to a better way of life for families in the rural areas surrounding Quetzaltenango.  Working side by side with their teachers and community members, students have found themselves moved and inspired by their experiences here at Pop Wuj both in the classroom and in the community environments.

Centro Pop Wuj is a cooperative wholly owned by the teaching staff. After the teachers draw a modest wage and take care of expenses, the remaining income is dedicated to financing the thriving rural development projects and educational endeavors that the school has undertaken and nurtured over the past ten years. If you choose to study with us, the money you spend will do more than teach you Spanish―it will help relieve a little of the severe poverty in which so many Guatemalans are now forced to live. If you are so inclined (and the vast majority of our students are), you will also have the chance to work directly on the projects, side by side with the beneficiaries of your financial assistance.

Most important among these projects is Pop Wuj's scholarship program for local youths. Once wholly endowed by our student's tuition, the scholarships are now subsidized by a grant from Isabel Allende and private donations from previous students. Through these contributions, Pop Wuj currently provides critical financial assistance to over 80 Guatemalan students. Many of our scholarship recipients are from rural areas where associated education costs would prohibit the completion of their education.