Well, I am officially one week in to my six-month journey in
Guatemala! The last week has been pretty unbelievable: city-wide fiestas,
classes, bonding with my group and family, a panadería, salsa lessons, awkward
“I-don’t-know-much-Spanish-yet” moments, and hiking a mountain. I wish I could
share everything I have experienced, but I am pretty sure I would be typing for
days (and that would be wayyy too long for anyone to read). If you want the
shortest version, check out the pictures I recently uploaded to Facebook.
Otherwise, the semi-short version is here….
My host family here is incredible. This weekend I had some
great bonding time with them; we went to church on Sunday and then spent some
time at a fiesta in Xela’s central park near my house. Afterward, I got to go
to their panadería (where they make pan, or bread) and watch them make some bread
in a brick oven – it was incredible (and delicious)! It was also ridiculously
hot in that building due to the oven… But I think I am going to go help out
there on Thursday with a couple friends. It will probably end up being us just
trying to stay out of the way and not get burned, but I am really excited for
the experience! Last night after dinner, I spent some time with my host mom and
sister, playing rock-paper-scissors and getting taught how to say my Spanish
‘t’ sound correctly. ¡Necessito practicar mucho!
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| Some street vendors at the fiesta in Parque Central on Sunday. |
Classes have been going really well. I was a little startled
my first day when my professor spoke absolutely NO English during the four-hour
one-on-one session, but I have been getting used to it more quickly than I
thought I would. Sometimes, he will spend 10-20 minutes trying to help me guess
a word or phrase in Spanish – frustrating, but I learn a lot from it! In all
honesty, I am a little frustrated with the language piece right now. Although I
am learning a lot, it is a difficult process, and I want to be ‘there’ already.
It is a lot of work, but I am ready to keep pushing through and working hard.
Everyone says it gets better, so I am holding on to that!
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| Our outdoor classroom where I have class four hours each day -- best classroom I have ever had! |
I have been having a great time with the twelve other
students in my group as well. We had most of the weekend free, as well as some
afternoons, so we got a lot of bonding time in at cafés and discoteques. It is
humbling and encouraging to listen to their stories, and everyone is working
toward some unbelievable goals. We hiked El Baul (a mountain just outside the
city) together this weekend and had a great time!
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| Our group at the top of El Baul during our hike, with Xela in the background. |
I have been thinking a lot this week about the idea of
‘change.’ As many of you know, graduating from college was pretty difficult for
me; I had such a good experience and met such great people that the idea of
leaving Creighton was – and still is – hard to deal with. However, during one
conversation I had with a great mentor, he said to me, “It is good that it is
hard to leave. That means this experience meant something.” That idea has been
with me a lot this week, and when we were asked to set a few goals for the end
of our six months in Guatemala, my first goal was “To have an extremely
difficult time leaving this place and the people I have developed relationships
with.” Although it may sound a bit obscure at first, I challenge you to think
about it for a while. My perspective on change – and having a difficult time
leaving someone/something – has changed a lot in the last month. If it is hard
for me to leave this place and the people I have met, it means that this
experience has meant something to me and has become a part of who I am. As I
look forward to the next six months, I can think of no better goal.
Until next time, tienes una buena semana. ¡Te extraño!
Paz,
Nico
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