Tag: Guatemala

Most Study Abroad blogs would have you thinking that every moment of every waking day of these trips are happy- that there are no melancholy moments, no brief seconds where you miss something, no seconds where you feel any tinge of blue… and they’re right, for the most part. The only time that really trumps the happiness you feel while studying abroad is when you say your goodbyes. Goodbye to your homestay family, goodbye to your friends from different countries and states whom you may never see again, and goodbye to the countries themselves.
In the words of our amazing Study Abroad trip coordinator, “The hardest part is going back.” And you weren’t wrong Milly. I know that I am going to miss so much about being in Antigua- the way that the volcanoes rumbled in the night, the beautiful people of Antigua who wore traje and represented their Mayan culture, the storefronts on every building that confuse the heck out of you because they all look the same- and most of all, I will miss my study abroad friends and faculty that helped me to adjust to these whole new worlds of Guatemala and Belize. As sad as this blog post may seem, it is only the reality of what many study abroad students must face. We have to adjust and come back, whether these homes be in the States or on a whole other continent, the fact of the matter is that students always come home. And as much as I hate to say it, study abroad broadens your horizons, but it always leaves you wanting more. Seeing parts of the world that some people have never seen, things that are not in the textbooks, people that have never been asked these questions… it really changes you. So, although every study abroad student must face returning home to the familiar, you never really return home the same way you left it. And to me, that means much more than any textbook or lecture ever will.

The sun began to peek through my blinds on the morning of May 31st. It was finally the date I had seen stamped all over emails since I had applied for the Maymester program last fall — departure day. I finished packing my clothes and double-checked for my passport. As my dad drove me to the airport, I didn’t know what to expect for the next month (which ended up being one of the best of my life).

Now on June 30th, I watch the sun fade below the horizon from my patio in Dallas. I fumble around my home, but it seems different now. I seem different. I am different. I came home with only a month more of time in my possession, yet a lifetime more of experiences and memories. A lifetime more of awareness.

Whenever someone hears I just got back from Guatemala and Belize, the first question they ask is, “What’s your favorite thing you did?” It’s hard to choose when I have done so much — hiking a volcano, going to a black sand beach, visiting ancient ruins sites, feeding a wild monkey, swimming with sharks and manta rays — but what has stuck with me the most from this adventure is not a touristy attraction that people want to hear about, but the new feeling in my heart and opening of my eyes.

The reality of third world countries was shocking to me. My heart hurts every time I think about Janial, an 11 year-old boy I played volleyball with who no longer attends school because he has to help his dad sell fruit, or Magdalena, a woman whose husband was murdered brutally and randomly in the civil war. These people have drastically different lives from mine simply because of where they were born. Humans should not have to choose between food and medicine, sacrifice education to put food on their family’s table, and live each day wondering if they’ll be able to earn even a dollar.

This is not to say that there are not things I prefer about Guatemala and Belize. In America, it’s easy to plug in our earbuds or open up our screens and create our little life bubbles to block out the world. In contrast, no one in these countries disconnects from their surroundings while walking the streets. Instead of people avoiding eye contact with me, I felt welcomed and part of the community from a simple “hello” or “good morning”. I really enjoyed getting away from such an individualistic society as the US for a month.

These same little life bubbles we find shelter in allow us to be oblivious to the struggles of millions of other people. We get so caught up in ourselves that we forget to appreciate our access to clean water, plentiful amounts of food, higher education, comfortable homes, or even just the sense of safety and security that governments are supposed to give ALL of their people. These are the things that are the hardest but also the most important to think about. Real people with real lives and families live this reality everyday.

This is supposed to be a “goodbye” post, but I can’t imagine that this is the end of my connection with the places I visited, the incredible professor I had, or the amazing friends I made. So to Guatemala, Belize, Dr. Runggaldier, and my peers — see ya later. Thank you for the greatest month of my life.

When the program first started, I was extremely nervous because I hardly talked to anyone in class and now I was going to be stuck with them for a month in a foreign country. I contemplated just dropping from the program because what was I doing going to a foreign country with people I hardly knew. I’m so glad that I didn’t since it ended up being one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I couldn’t have asked for a better group to experience all of this with.

Being able to stand at the archaeological sites and learn about even the tiniest of details about their architecture and background was incredible. It’s hard to visualize an ancient city when reading about them but once you’re at the site there are no words to describe it. The place just sort of comes alive and you can’t help but imagine what life must have been like back then. The research aspect of this program allowed me to connect with some of the locals in a way that I would have never imagined. They were so open about many controversial topics like religion, identity, and gender roles. I was able to learn more about them in one sitting than I would have reading about them.

I didn’t think that I would get so attached to a place that I’d only be living in for less than three weeks, but that is exactly what happened with Antigua. I started missing it as soon as we left. I couldn’t help but think about my homestay family and all the amazing people I met there. Waking up to the sight of volcanoes and the sound of the birds outside my window is something that I’ll never forget. Antigua is a small city that holds a special place in my heart. I hope to someday return and fully experience everything that this city has to offer.

A piece of advice that I’d give future students of this program is to bring rain boots 🙂 If you’re going during the rainy season your shoes will get wet and they will stay wet for days!

(Photo: Hayley is prepared!)

(Photo: Skipping in the rain – go Cheyenne!)