When UW junior Maia Donohue went west for the summer to visit friends in L.A. and San Diego, he never imagined that within the next four months he would end up living in Guatemala, losing his car and ultimately deciding what he wants to do with his life.

In a summer road trip that brings to mind the quests of such legendary figures as King Arthur and Lancelot, Donohue wound his way through California, Mexico and eventually Guatemala, where he happened upon a run-down orphanage in need of some help. His time at the orphanage resulted in his decision to return to Madison and finish his degree, as well as produce an upcoming art show in Fond du Lac featuring the work of the children he met while in Guatemala.

But before all that, there was just Maia and his trusty Saturn car. After briefly living in Oakland, Donohue, age 26, drove down the California coast with stops in L.A. and San Diego, after which he decided to continue on to Mexico. Winding through back roads and mountain trails, Donohue and a friend made their way across Mexico with no plan and no destination.

When their car broke down in the middle of a desert, Donohue found a local man who repaired it with a steak knife, wrench and electrical tape.

When his friend’s passport got stolen outside of Mexico City and he had to return home, Donohue just kept going alone, determined to find some sort of purpose for his trip. And when he hit the end of Mexico, he decided to just keep on going to Guatemala, even though he had to abandon his car and ride on a chicken bus to get there.

While in the city of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, Donohue met a young German girl named Rebekah who was volunteering at a local orphanage for the summer. The girl persuaded Donohue to visit the orphanage the next day, and after only one day, he decided he had to stay as long as he could.

Hogar de Niños de Jerusalem was home to approximately 60 kids ranging in age from infancy to 16 years. Initially, Donohue helped rebuild the roof in the boys’ dormitory. He first became acquainted with the children during its construction.

“The first day I got there, all the kids just came running out and swarmed around me,” Donohue said. “They were so curious about everything and so sweet.”

It was not long before Donohue’s mom, Nancy, a divorced art teacher living in Fond du Lac, flew down to Guatemala to meet him.

“She’s always been pretty adventurous,” Donohue said. “And when I called to ask her if she would come teach the kids art, she said she was pretty much already packed.”

Working together, Donohue and his mother taught the kids to use watercolors, ink and a weaving technique Nancy created, resulting in approximately 60 to 70 pieces of original artwork to take back to the states. This artwork is now on display at the Windhover Center for the Arts in Fond du Lac to raise money for the orphanage. The show, which starts Sept. 15, will run three days to a week and ideally bring in enough money to help the Guatemalan children.

As for Donohue, his summer south of the border inspired him to return to Madison after a four-year hiatus to earn his degree in communicative disorders.

“Basically I left really confused and came back with a clear idea of what I wanted to do,” Donohue said. “It was a big strengthening experience. I figure if I can get through that, I can get through anything.”

Donohue intends to use his degree to explore language and ultimately help others.

Sounds like a good idea for someone who not only survived, but flourished after four months in a foreign country where he not only knew no one but also spoke not one word of the language. That’s right: Donohue accomplished all that without even knowing Spanish. And you thought your summer job was hard.