Guate"buena"
My trip to Guatemala was spurred by my trip to Ecuador. This trip however, would be a dual trip. During the day I took classes at La Union in Antigua, Guatemala . During the afternoon and evening, I went with a fellow student to volunteer teaching English at a school in a rural area nearby. The trip only lasted just over a month, but I learned a tremendous amount about Spanish language and culture. We set a precedent for future University of Cincinnati students in Guatemala, since we were the first group to travel to this location and gave our reviews of the program.
During the month, I lived with a very gracious and generous host family in nearby Ciudad Vieja. They asked about my day and cooked for me, and we played games like chess, tops, and hide and seek with the kids Marlón, Diana, and Frida. I brought down some Skyline chili packets one day and cooked some chili to show them a taste of Cincinnati. They were a great host family and I am grateful for all they taught me during my stay.
In La Unión, I spent my time with one teacher, Diana Najera. The program paired each UC student with one teacher and for seven hours every day each student did coursework with the teacher. Diana taught me how to properly use the subjunctive and explained grammar in a way that made rocket science seem like arithmetic. She corrected me on my errors when speaking but in a subtle way. We moved quicky through the material and even had some time left over at the end.
Diana was a very intelligent and knowledgeable person as well. In between exercises we talked about anything and everything. We discussed our pasts, the Guatemalan election, societal issues, religion, and philosophy to name a few. Speaking with her made me focus less on the fact that I was speaking Spanish and more on what I was saying. Before long, I was able to put together cohesive and persuasive arguments. I also learned so much about Guatemalan culture. For example, machismo (a type of thick sexism) is rampant in Guatemala and many women do not feel free or feel they always have to be in the care of a man. I learned that Guatemala is actually not a poor country, but the disparity between the rich and the poor is so great that many are left destitute. Gracias a Diana, I learned much much more than anything a textbook could cover. Since then, Diana was let go for standing up for a coworker over a health insurance dispute. I wrote her a letter of recommendation for her next job, and she has found another teaching job at a similar school.
The late afternoon and evenings were spent at San Antonio Elementary on a large hill about 10 miles out from Antigua. While Antigua itself is a richer touristy area, this school was in a town that was just the opposite. The poverty seen around these parts rivaled what I saw in Ecuador. Fortunately, this nonprofit school was donated and has been offering children from 4 to 14 a place to obtain an education. They were fortunate to have a native teacher teach English, but she could only come one day a week.
In addition to being a helping hand around the school, I taught English to first graders. I mainly taught numbers, colors, and simple phrases that would be good to know since these children had had minimal exposure to English beforehand. I often ended up sharing my lunch the host family packed me because a few of the children did not get to eat until dinner each day. This was probably the hardest part of the trip, seeing these children try their hardest to learn on an empty stomach. Yet the kids always seemed excited whenever one of us students came to visit.
While I loved teaching these kids, I know I am not meant to be an English teacher. I wanted to help them in a concrete way that I could see. This is why I chose to volunteer in a public health clinic in my future study abroad trip. I love the service aspect, but I want to be able to help others with what I learned in my education.
Every day was long, between classes, volunteering, and activities with the host family. As a break from routine, we drove as a group on the weekends to destinations around the country. The country is a truly beautiful place.
This trip made me fall even more in love with Latin America. The structure was great to have as my first study abroad experience, but now I am ready to venture out on my own. After working and learning in Guatemala, I knew that I wanted to utilize my Spanish. I also knew I had to be working in healthcare. Down the road, I plan to return to Guatemala and visit the many friends I made and offer my assistance as a health provider to those who need it.
Below are a few pictures from this incredible experience.
Note: I did not take a picture at the school because it was a cultural issue.
During the month, I lived with a very gracious and generous host family in nearby Ciudad Vieja. They asked about my day and cooked for me, and we played games like chess, tops, and hide and seek with the kids Marlón, Diana, and Frida. I brought down some Skyline chili packets one day and cooked some chili to show them a taste of Cincinnati. They were a great host family and I am grateful for all they taught me during my stay.
In La Unión, I spent my time with one teacher, Diana Najera. The program paired each UC student with one teacher and for seven hours every day each student did coursework with the teacher. Diana taught me how to properly use the subjunctive and explained grammar in a way that made rocket science seem like arithmetic. She corrected me on my errors when speaking but in a subtle way. We moved quicky through the material and even had some time left over at the end.
Diana was a very intelligent and knowledgeable person as well. In between exercises we talked about anything and everything. We discussed our pasts, the Guatemalan election, societal issues, religion, and philosophy to name a few. Speaking with her made me focus less on the fact that I was speaking Spanish and more on what I was saying. Before long, I was able to put together cohesive and persuasive arguments. I also learned so much about Guatemalan culture. For example, machismo (a type of thick sexism) is rampant in Guatemala and many women do not feel free or feel they always have to be in the care of a man. I learned that Guatemala is actually not a poor country, but the disparity between the rich and the poor is so great that many are left destitute. Gracias a Diana, I learned much much more than anything a textbook could cover. Since then, Diana was let go for standing up for a coworker over a health insurance dispute. I wrote her a letter of recommendation for her next job, and she has found another teaching job at a similar school.
The late afternoon and evenings were spent at San Antonio Elementary on a large hill about 10 miles out from Antigua. While Antigua itself is a richer touristy area, this school was in a town that was just the opposite. The poverty seen around these parts rivaled what I saw in Ecuador. Fortunately, this nonprofit school was donated and has been offering children from 4 to 14 a place to obtain an education. They were fortunate to have a native teacher teach English, but she could only come one day a week.
In addition to being a helping hand around the school, I taught English to first graders. I mainly taught numbers, colors, and simple phrases that would be good to know since these children had had minimal exposure to English beforehand. I often ended up sharing my lunch the host family packed me because a few of the children did not get to eat until dinner each day. This was probably the hardest part of the trip, seeing these children try their hardest to learn on an empty stomach. Yet the kids always seemed excited whenever one of us students came to visit.
While I loved teaching these kids, I know I am not meant to be an English teacher. I wanted to help them in a concrete way that I could see. This is why I chose to volunteer in a public health clinic in my future study abroad trip. I love the service aspect, but I want to be able to help others with what I learned in my education.
Every day was long, between classes, volunteering, and activities with the host family. As a break from routine, we drove as a group on the weekends to destinations around the country. The country is a truly beautiful place.
This trip made me fall even more in love with Latin America. The structure was great to have as my first study abroad experience, but now I am ready to venture out on my own. After working and learning in Guatemala, I knew that I wanted to utilize my Spanish. I also knew I had to be working in healthcare. Down the road, I plan to return to Guatemala and visit the many friends I made and offer my assistance as a health provider to those who need it.
Below are a few pictures from this incredible experience.
Note: I did not take a picture at the school because it was a cultural issue.