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GUATEMALA|
Politics & Development in the City
2
of 2 reflections
There are so many memorable experiences
that I took away from my time in Guatemala
and Cuba, but one of the most life changing
was the 10 days that I spent with my indigenous
family in the Guatemalan highlands. With
a four-room house basically built from
concrete and a tin roof, this family had
five kids and one on the way. I was immediately
surprised by the simplicity of their lives.
They spent a lot of family time and helped
each other out within their community.
I think the children taught me the most.
It’s amazing how much fun they can
have with a simple rubber ball. They didn’t
need video games, TV shows or Pokemon
cards to have a good time. Those moments
of playing games, singing, and dancing
with the kids brought me home, not back
to Minnesota, but home in a different
way. They brought me home to see the simple
child that still lives within me.
– Chelsea, Spring 03HECUA taught
me how to learn about culture. Field work
– talking with people on the streets,
in the markets... asking tons of questions,
listening, watching, comparing.
Talking with students from other study
abroad programs makes me even more appreciative
of the perspectives, practical steps,
and people the program exposed us to.
I think I learned, above all, that "así
es" is almost never true.
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