A little bit about how I got here (which is currently in Chicago getting ready to go down to Guatemala for six months with the Somos Hermanos program during a year deferral from medical school)...which was a long, beautiful journey. Here is the Sparknotes version:
Three years ago, I didn't like Mexican food. Beans, rice, salsa...none of it. On top of that, I did not like Spanish whatsoever. Completely despised it, actually. If someone would have mentioned to me that I would be spending six months in Guatemala to volunteer, learn the language, and experience the culture, I would have thought that person was crazy. Yet, here I am. I think a few big experiences - all intertwined - have gotten me to the place I am today and sparked my passion for Latin American culture and the Spanish language.
I spent a week in El Paso, Texas, on a service trip during my Junior year at Creighton. Growing up in rural South Dakota, I was pretty sheltered from issues like immigration during my childhood. So, it came as a big shock to me to not only realize the breadth of the issues surrounding immigration, but also that my experiences in El Paso led me to hold different views than I would have expected. In El Paso, I spent time talking with everyone from Border Patrol to illegal immigrants. I sat in on immigration court proceedings. I spoke through the USA-Mexico border fence to Mexicans whose lives were being threatened daily. And I witnessed the lives of people who were spending their days working to reach out to those in need, regardless of their nationality or legal status.
I didn't realize it then, but those experiences had begun a change in me. I had begun to open my mind and heart to things beyond my life, my home, and my friends and family. I had started to realize that, although the world is a big place, something unique connects the human race. And, whether I realized it at the time or not, I wanted to be a part of strengthening that bond.
From talking with someone in my El Paso service group, I applied for and was accepted to participate in a six-week medical service program in the Dominican Republic last summer. As I walked into my Dominican host family's home and realized they spoke absolutely no English, I freaked out and wondered what I had gotten myself in to. However, six weeks later, I left the DR with a distinct passion to pursue medicine to help people like those I had met and a strong desire to learn Spanish to enable me to establish deep relationships and serve in places like Latin America.
That was the point when I started considering taking a year off from medical school. After talking with several advisors, I decided to apply for med school and then ask for a deferral. After getting into and receiving a deferral from one of my dream schools, Georgetown, I knew I was going to go for it. Things were falling into place, and I was thankful, humbled, and incredibly excited.
A friend, Rachel, is the reason I discovered the Somos Hermanos language program that I will be participating in. Rachel took part in the program last fall, and I fell in love with the program just from listening to her talk about it. A month-late application later (and a lot of grace), here I am. Getting ready to spend half a year in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Knowing minimal Spanish, but aspiring to know so much more. Thrilled to experience the culture. And unbelievably thankful for this opportunity.So, there it is. That is how I got here: in Chicago with one of my good friends, Mike, and his family before I fly out on Saturday morning.
The last couple of weeks have been filled with some difficult goodbyes; I left Creighton in mid-June for two weeks at home, and then took my first Megabus overnight to Chicago on Tuesday. Although the goodbyes have been hard, they have helped me realize how blessed I have been, especially in the last four years at Creighton. I have some incredible friends and family.
Here goes the journey of a lifetime. Thanks for joining me.
Paz,
Nick
P.S. I think I am going to try to see how many types of transportation I can use on my way down to (and in) Guatemala. So far, the list is at: car, bus, train. Soon, I'll be adding jet. I think the boat will be most difficult...
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| In Omaha, getting ready to board the Megabus to Chicago! Six months-worth of my life in a suitcase and two backpacks. |
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