A Lasting Perspective

Throughout my experience in Guatemala, I was challenged every day to see life from a new perspective. Learning not only about a new culture and the daily struggles others face, but also about appreciating what I have. It is so easy to get caught up in the routine of going to school go to work go to the gym make dinner go to sleep. It’s stepping outside the redundancy and seeing your life for what it really is that’s important; reflection. Taking the time to just stop, live in the moment, good or bad, allow yourself to feel what you feel and then go forward. I learned that being around so many people who literally have a dollar a day to spend on food for themselves and their children should not make you feel guilty, but blessed. These people do not need to be pitied, just admiration in how they can thrive and be happy through the simplest of means. They simply accept their predicament, and for me, this was just mind boggling, I couldn't help but think, if I had been born a Guatemalan, this could have been my life.  At first my reaction was, how on Earth can you be so positive and happy?! I know people who have so much more than you and they are absolutely miserable. But this is the world they know, and to them, they too are blessed, just to have the clothes on their back and their child in their arms, living and breathing.

The joy I felt on my trip to Guatemala was unparalleled to anything I’ve yet to experience. I received so much more out of this trip than was expected; thinking I simply wanted to get some Spanish under my belt, learn about their health care system, this trip brought me my own unique Guatemalan family. A piece of my heart will always be there with them and what they have shown me, not only their culture, but also helped me learn a bit more about myself and what I want out of life. I was lucky enough to be able to venture off to this third world country, meet some amazing people that have changed my life, and step out of my comfort zone and just experience life in a…well….foreign way. There is so much I can say with words on how this trip truly impacted my way of thinking, but I do hope that if you are reading this, this gives you some sort of initiative to take a leap of faith. We all have our goals and desires to achieve different things, but one thing that we must remember is that you gain nothing when you attach your self-value to something external that’s admirable or praiseworthy to you, you gain when you find that internal happiness.