Piedras, Payasos y Pelucas de Rojas

It is Tuesday, and another week has flown by! This past week has been incredibly eventful, and I have had my share of “so-far-out-of-my-comfort-zone-I-can-hardly-believe-it” moments. I thought that college had gotten me used to those; but I am now realizing that ‘contentedness’ is a feeling that never comes when a challenging situation presents itself. However, I do believe that my time at Creighton helped me break out of my shell and learn to cherish those moments, which has definitely helped me squeeze every ounce of laughter and learning that I could out of the past week. 

First off, a quick update on the Spanish: things are going well! Most days I learn a lot, and some days my brain decides it has had enough and turns off for a while. I am realizing that learning a new language may be one of the hardest things I have ever done, and that is a little intimidating. It has been a great ride so far though, and I have a great group of people to share the joys and frustrations with. I am starting to understand a lot of what people are talking about on the radio, and I even watched “The Hunger Games” in Spanish (without subtitles!) the other day.

Helping make chocolate from raw cacao last week. And then we got to eat it. Yummmm.

Now, a little bit about the title of this post (which translated, says: Rocks, Clowns and Red Wigs). I had a free weekend in Xela, which turned out to phenomenally eventful. On Saturday, I explored the city with my group and we found a rock climbing/bouldering complex. I cannot tell you how excited this made me; I started getting into this sport with my friends last spring and love it! I am still a little sore but definitely plan to go back later this week.

On Sunday, I attended the much-anticipated birthday party of my 10-year-old host sister, Dulce. I was absolutely blown away. Over the past week, I would usually come home to half a dozen people in my house working away at things for the party: making party favors completely by hand, baking cakes, creating decorations, filling piñatas with candy. And this Sunday, it all came together with over 100 people at the outdoor party. This is where the clown comes in – my family got one to host the party for a few hours, and it was hilarious! He had us laughing and making fools of ourselves…and then he had ME making a fool of myself in front of a hundred Guatemalans, most of whom were friends of my host family that I had never met.

My host parents and Dulce at the birthday fiesta...just a few minutes before I got volunteered to dance in front of everyone!

 

I got selected (and also ‘volunteered’ by my family) to join my host dad and five other Guatemalan men in a dance competition. The competition involved putting on a red wig and strutting around the party showing off your best moves – which, if you know me, are fairly limited. I was the last to go, which helped because I was able to get a few ideas from the other guys. Before I knew it, I was wearing a red wig dancing like the biggest gringo (a.k.a. white American) in front of a lawn-full of people. And the even crazier part? I loved it.

Dulce and I at her fiesta :)

 

This moment – and the birthday party in general - ended up being a lot more influential than I was expecting. As I was making a fool out of myself, somehow the inherent barriers between myself and the people around me – cultural, linguistical – started to melt away. I have never felt more like a part of the family and a part of their lives down here. And that makes me so happy and proud that I took that risk to make a fool of myself. It makes me wonder…what would happen if we were all willing to do that, all of the time? I think one of the biggest things that holds people back – myself included – is the fear of failure or looking like a fool. But, if we could let that go and just go for it, I think the world would be a more open, inviting place.

A view of Xela from one of my friend's rooftops. How gorgeous is this?!

 

This Sunday marks the end of my first month in Guatemala. Time is flying by, relationships are growing deeper, and I am having the time of my life. Tú estas en mí mente y en mí corazon. Nos vemos pronto.

Paz,

Nico

Voy a intentarlo.

Hola, todos! I am well into my second full week in Guatemala, and the days seem to be flying by. The last week has held some great challenges, triumphs, and plenty of opportunities to learn more about the language, culture, and myself. Here are a few updates and reflections from my adventures in Xela --- as always, feel free to check out Facebook for picture updates if you need a break from reading! 

I went to my first fútbol game this week - the crowd was insane. Go SUPER CHIVOS!

I feel like I am starting to get a great routine going here, which is a really exciting realization. My mornings usually start out by joining some friends at a track or trail to go running and/or yoga at a small, incense-filled place titled “Yoga House.” Getting up before 6 AM for this has been a big change from my college lifestyle, where that was all-too-often an acceptable time to go to bed (mom, you will be happy to know that I am going to be earlier and getting plenty of sleep J).

The title of this post, “Voy a intentarlo,” means “I am going to try it.” That has become my mantra for everything-Spanish over the past week, and I hope to keep it going in the future. I have - and continue to - make a ton of mistakes, but I am learning quickly. We had our first exam yesterday, which entailed a half-hour oral and one-hour written component. Even just a couple weeks ago, the idea of that kind of exam would have sent me packing; but, it went really well! I have a new maestra for the next two weeks (Doris), and I absolutely love her.

We're getting used to the public transportation. Here's a typical microbus!

This past weekend, we took our first group trip: the finca. This farm community, which grows everything from coffee to corn to medicinal plants, was a two-hour trip in a packed microbus and the back of a truck through some windy dirt roads. It was absolutely beautiful! I found the break from the city very refreshing, and it reminded me of the campos in the Dominican Republic a lot. While there, we learned how to grow and harvest coffee (which is an incredibly difficult, exhaustive process), make honey, create corn tortillas, and use plants for medicinal purposes. Fascinating.

A banana straight from the tree on the finca! Delicious.

The time in the finca was a great dose of perspective for my journey in Guatemala. In Xela, although it is much different than a city in the U.S., life is pretty --- ummm --- comfortable. I sleep in a warm bed, have a warm shower in the morning, enjoy going out for a drink, and am able to stay connected via the Internet. If I were living in the finca I spent the weekend at, none of these things would be part of my life.

That got me thinking a lot about the difference between ‘wants’ and ‘needs.’ It is a much more sensitive subject than most people would like to admit, especially with the sense of entitlement that is quickly becoming a hallmark of my generation. When it comes down to it, there is a short list of basic human needs (food, water, shelter, companionship), and that is the reality that those in the finca live each day. I do not say this to endorse the idea that we all need to go sell everything and stop doing the hobbies we enjoy, because many of those gifts are important and bring true joy. However, I think the concept of the finca offers some unique perspective that can shape the ways in which we think and live our lives, and I challenge you to take some time for that thought this week. If possible, find some time in life to visit a place like the fincas in Guatemala or the campos of the Dominican Republic. Nowhere else have I found such genuinely happy people, and the perspective that I continue to gain from those experiences has helped shape who I am and how I see myself contributing to the world. 

We spent some time helping the finca community crack macadamia nuts...a great time to think about our time here so far.

And with that, here goes another week! Me haces falta.

Paz,

Nico

Una Semana en la Vida

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!

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! 

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! 

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

¡Bienvenido a Guatemala!

Aquí está: ¡mi primera actualización de mi nuevo hogar en Quetzaltenango, Guatemala!

For those of you whom that may have scared away from ever checking my blog again, the translation:

Here it is: my first update from my new home in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala!

I successfully made it to Xela (the nickname for Quetzaltenango, the city I am living in) on Sunday after a four-hour bus ride through the mountains. Xela is at nearly 8,000 feet, so I am still adjusting to the altitude. You can see the mountains from almost everywhere here. It is gorgeous!

After arriving in Xela, we met as a group at the Spanish school for a while and then were paired off with our host families. It felt a little bit like when kids pick teams at recess, since students were sent off one-by-one with families as the coordinators paired us up. I ended up with a beautiful family: Sergio (father), Carolina (mother), Gabi and Dulce (sisters), and Josúe (brother). They live in a 3-story house that is a five-minute walk from the school, near the city’s central park. 

My room for the next six months -- all moved in!

The view from my bedroom window -- gorgeous, especially in the morning :)

For the past couple of weeks, I have been pretty nervous about meeting my host family – in large part because of my lack of Spanish. I was ready to talk about my family and where I was from, but beyond that I had no idea what I would talk about with them as we looked across the table at each other. It was a pleasant surprise to realize late that first night that we had talked for hours; and I was actually able to communicate pretty well with them! My host family (especially my mother) is very patient and able to understand ‘what I meant to say’ most of the time. I am already beginning to feel more at home than I thought I would feel at the end of my time here. The biggest thing I have learned so far is: do not be afraid to make mistakes; throw yourself out there and try your best, even if it is embarrassing. That has become my mantra over the past couple of days, and I think that by continuing to be open I will learn more than I ever thought I could. Classes haven’t even started yet (they start today!), and I already feel like I am learning so much.

I have been constantly humbled by Guatemalan hospitality so far; these people, even the strangers, are more welcoming than I could have imagined. It is unusual to not receive several hugs and countless ‘holas’ every day. 

To keep this from getting too long, I am going to leave you with my most memorable experience in Xela so far…

After our orientation and placement exam at the school yesterday, we were sent home for lunch. The only problem is, I could not remember where my home was for anything. My father had walked me to the school that morning, being sure I noted all of the main intersections, but I think I had been too focused on trying to speak Spanish to pay much attention to my location. As someone who does not get disoriented easily and can usually find my way, I decided to try walking around to find some familiar landmarks. An hour later, I had yet to find anything that looked familiar and was starting to get pretty stressed out – not to mention hungry. At this point, we only had a short time left on our lunch break. It took almost everything I had, but I finally sucked up my pride and made my way back to the school to let them know that I could not find my house. Gladys, the woman who runs the school, smiled and said “Es normale. Muchos estudiantes tienen una problema mismo en al primer día.” Her words comforted me a bit, but I was still more embarrassed than I would like to admit. Gladys’ daughter offered to walk me home and I graciously accepted. This time, I paid much more attention to the camino (path/way).

The more I am in Xela, the more I get excited for what this experience holds. I am unbelievably thankful for this opportunity, and I have already learned so much. Guatemala is a beautiful country, and it is an honor to call this place home for the next six months.

Until next time, paz.

Níco

P.S. I have successfully made it from my house to the school AND the central park more than once now – making progress!

Guatemala, here I come!

Becca, another Creighton grad also in the program, and I are just boarding our flight for Guatemala from Dallas, TX! After an early morning and a lot of traveling, I am getting so excited to be there. We are going to stay at a hostel tonight and travel to Quetzaltenango with the group in the morning. I will keep you posted!

T-minus 48 hours!

Well, here it is! My first blog post, on my first blog. The beginning of a life-changing year.

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...

In Omaha, getting ready to board the Megabus to Chicago! Six months-worth of my life in a suitcase and two backpacks.