On our last Sunday in Antigua, I decided to spend time alone and visit Central Park. All around me are hard-working street vendors, women selling fruit, lively musicians, and large families enjoying the cool evening weather of the highlands. Before leaving the US, I was nervous about how different the environment may feel or how differently I may be perceived. As a Black and Mexican woman in America, I am often reminded in various ways how my cultures are perceived. Whether it be negative or positive, I am constantly aware of what separates me from the majority. But, here in Antigua, I am surrounded by the kindest people I have ever met and people from all walks of life. In the park, there are musicians from France playing music from America while tourists and locals enjoy the beautiful sounds they are making. We each come to Antigua for our own reasons, whether that is to visit the gorgeous and powerful active volcanoes, study the rich Maya culture, or try amazing Guatemalan food. Regardless of these reasons, we all come together in this one place to experience something new that adds a story to our lives. One story I will tell for the rest of my life is about the incredible people that we got to meet in our homestay. Our homestay family, Doña Ana and Don Carlos, often host people from all over the world. When we arrived, a 35-year-old woman named Ivana from Slovakia was already staying in the home to learn Spanish. Soon after, a 24-year-old man named Mao from Japan arrived and began his Spanish lessons in Antigua. Although we come from different countries and life experiences, these two incredible individuals would change the direction of our study abroad and we would grow to become a small family. Each day that we had breakfast, lunch, and dinner together, our conversations grew from simple formalities to understanding what makes each of us the people that we are today and sharing lessons and stories to help each other in the future. Ivana studied economics in Slovakia but began traveling all around the world to gain new perspectives and find her passion. This led her to begin living in Antigua and begin her journey of learning Spanish. Mao worked in the business sector in Japan but came to Antigua to learn Spanish because the following year, he would begin living and volunteering in Paraguay to teach students about computers. These incredible individuals taught me that regardless of where you begin in life, there is always room for growth and to find your passions. I am forever grateful for the experiences I had living with Doña Ana and Don Carlos because, without them, I would have never met these extraordinary people I get to call my friends.
Last Day in Antigua with our Host mom (from left to right, Carlos, Chisom, Shiang, Me, Jordan, Ivana)