Category Archives: Adventures

Photo Dump and Project Finalization!

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Hey everyone! I have officially made it back home and have completed my Lumos project. 🙂 I’ll provide a more in depth report of what I’ve done with my presentation coming up, but wow has it been a dream. This opportunity has opened a path into my future that I thought I wasn’t sure I would be able to have, and I’m forever blessed. For now, here’s another photo dump and thanks for following along in my journey!

Here’s my younger sister in Spain visiting before starting her study abroad program through Belmont in Paris for a semester! This was her first time in Spain, so it was only right to try and show her around as much as I could

We explored Toledo (a city just about an hour south of Madrid) too! It was so incredibly hot... It was the hottest it had ever been in the region this weekend...  but regardless we pushed on!

We even saw the Bolivian festival that was set to happen that weekend as well on Gran Vía! We didn’t stay for too long, but it was amazing to see the traditional dances and music on the street!

Then, the following weekend after my sister left for Paris, I went to Marbella, Málaga to see the beach again as my last trip before having to come back home the following week. This trip was amazing and don’t even get me started with the seafood! The food was incredibly fresh and quite literally the best seafood I’ve had.

Once I got back to Madrid, I spent the rest of the week resting and visiting the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum and a park nearby that I’d never gone to before. The Thyssen museum is located just a few minutes away from the Prado and had beautiful artwork as well.

And of course, more peacocks along the way!

And I even got to see the renovated Bernabéu stadium which seemed like a huge spaceship after work being done since 2019! The stadium is now undergoing its final completion phase, and should be ready for full use soon. It’s an incredible work of architecture, and the time and effort shows it all.

This trip has been incredibly special, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world. These last two weeks have been tranquil yet still very exciting to explore parts of the city I’d never seen before. I’ve learned so much, and the connections I’ve made here are some that I’ll never lose. Not only had this experience taught me to step out of my comfort zone, but it has pushed me to be a better version of myself. Whether it be improving my Spanish, trying new foods, or exploring places solo, it all has expanded my capacity of who I am as an individual. No matter how small a detail like this may feel, it builds who I am, and I’m incredibly proud of what I have been able to do abroad here in Madrid, and it has motivated even more to pursue what I want to do after this. I look forward to more adventures ahead with this experience now with me! Again, thanks for following along my short but meaningful journey. 🙂

My Final Week – A Turn Back To Reality (pt. 2)

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Along with my last blog update, there has been a lot of other things I’ve been able to do as well outside of the work I’ve been doing. One of the most exciting moments being my sister coming into town to visit before she started her study abroad program in Paris this semester through Belmont!

When my sister came, I was able to show her around the city and take her to many places she wanted to visit as well. For example, the day that she arrived, we walked through the Prado Museum and Retiro Park after she took a needed break from a relatively long flight. There, we saw as much as we could of the beautiful artworks as well as the more notable ones. Then, we walked all the way to one side of the park that had the roaming peacocks since she had been wanting to see them for a while. After some much needed sleep the next day having done a good amount of walking all through her jet-lag, we continued on our exploration throughout the area. This included a day trip to Toledo, a beautiful town about an hour south of Madrid where the town was built around castle ruins. The town including Madrid that weekend was incredibly hot with the heatwave going on that we were trying our best to hide in the shade as best as we could all day. However, the heat wasn’t going to ruin her weekend and the remaining days were filled with showing her around Sol, Gran Vía, Fuencarral, and El Rastro as each are very well known locations nearby one other. Of course there are many other places as well, but these were the places that stood out to her. Overall, her visit to Madrid for the first time went smoothly, and I’m super grateful to have been able to be with her when she did.

The next activity I was able to do over the following weekend was take a weekend trip to Marbella down south again by the beach! Here, the weather was amazing and the seafood was incredibly fresh. During August, many people escape to the beaches because of the heat, and Marbella showed exactly just that. Here, I was able to enjoy some time off again and enjoy the heat away from Madrid’s concrete oven-like heat for a few days. Gratefully, the weekend passed by smoothly, and I was able to get back to Madrid right as the heatwave was predicted to pass. Now, Madrid has cooled down an immense amount, and the summer is coming to an end. With September just around the corner, and a few days left in my trip, it’s been an impacting experience filled with joys of learning. There’s so much I’ll be taking home with me from here, and we’ll see what these last couple days have in store for me 🙂

Another blog and photo dump coming soon! Keeping up with this blog has been a blast, and I can’t wait to show you all what more beautiful things I’ve been able to see!

Week 1 – Traveling, Settling in, Exploring

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Traveling

During my last week in Nashville, Tennessee I packed away my apartment and decided on the essentials I would be taking during my 20 week internship. I spent my last few days before my flight at my mom’s house preparing for my journey to Belize, seemingly packing my life into one suitcase and a carry on. My internship in San Ignacio, Belize will be at San Ignacio Community Hospital rotating throughout all of the hospital’s departments. My first stop was Atlanta, GA in which I then took a flight to Belize City. Upon arrival immigration and customs were excited to hear that I would be spending 20 weeks in their country. As I left the airport, I was met by one of my hosts in Belize. The drive from Belize City to San Ignacio was about two hours long during which my host, Jaime Marin, spoke about cultural differences between Belize and the United States.

Belize has a diverse population with influence from all across Latin America, most speak three languages which are English, Spanish, and Creole. Jaime explained to me the social-economical hardships many face in the country, rising health issues, and limited resources. He seemed to be concerned about the culture shock  interns in the past had experienced. “There isn’t any fast food like McDonald’s or grocery store like Walmart in this country” was the first of many examples he explained as being different. I explained being Mexican-American and being comfortable to adapting to new environments when traveling which eased him as we approached San Ignacio. Jaime explained to me that locals and people I would be working with may look at me differently because of my American nationality due to common stereotypes and misconceptions. However, he encouraged me to always be open and tell locals about my own journey as a first generation Mexican-American.

Settling In

My host in San Ignacio is Nancy Marin along with her husband Jaime Marin who will both guide me throughout the next 20 weeks in not only my internship, but adapting to the rhythm of life in San Ignacio. Unbeknownst to me, Nancy is the first female political leader in Belize to lead a political party. Apart from this, she also owns an Ostrich farm which also serves as a restaurant! Given this, wherever I go, the locals I meet always know who I am staying with in town which has brought a safe feeling when being so far away from home.

My first day at the hospital this week consisted of me having a meeting and tour with the chief of staff. He reminded me that the medical system in Belize is often times limited in resources such as tools/equipment and especially out of stock on medications. He described healthcare as often times making due with what you have available.

Public healthcare is paid by taxpayers in Belize, therefore, it incurs no additional cost to its citizens. Even medication fulfilled at public pharmacies like the one located inside of San Ignacio Community Hospital are free of charge. During my first week at the hospital I rotated between the emergency room, outpatient clinic and the pharmacy. A few of the things I saw this week consisted of two open wounds that needed stitching (one of which I saw part of the ulna bone visible), a diabetic foot consumed by gangrene with an open wound infection which needed emergent amputation, and a suprapubic catheter which I had never seen before. At the pharmacy, I learned that many antibiotics used in the United States as acne medication are used in Belize to treat other conditions. I also learned that most medications prescribed here are not FDA approved, but many other medications do overlap. I also noticed that patients receive antibiotics here more often than in the United States which has made me question antibiotic resistance and the pros and cons of medicating an illness right away.

Exploring

The day after I landed, I visited the Xunantunich Mayan Ruins, it was my first time seeing pyramids from thousands of years ago in person! The journey up the pyramid was nothing short of exhilarating, with steep steps and no railings- you had a view of everything. From the top of the pyramid, you could even see past Belize into Guatemala. As we walked out, I even got a video of monkeys nearby the pyramids!

Towards the end of my first week I walked into town to do my laundry at the closest laundromat, during my wait I walked to the market where I bought papaya, dragon fruit, and apples. I even had a breakfast burrito with tamarind water for a total of $3USD. While eating my burrito, I was asked a question I have become accustomed to for over the past week, “where are you from?” I answered that I was from the United States. As I paid for my food and spoke to the cook in Spanish, the man who had asked me where I was from turned back around and asked me how I was fluent in Spanish. The workers and clients eating around me all paused and asked what had brought me all the way to their country.  I explained my parents speaking Spanish to me throughout my childhood as they originated from Mexico and me interning at the hospital for the next 20 weeks. Over the past week I realized that me speaking Spanish was more surprising to locals than me being American which was quite surprising, but it always made for a great conversation.

At the end of my first week in Belize, I visited the botanical gardens. The gardens included a bit of a hike and some adventuring! I was able to walk through a rainforest trail as well as a medicinal trail that explained how each tree/plant was used as medication. Along the trails we had two companion dogs walking side by side to us almost leading us through the trees. My favorite part of this self-guided tour was either going up the fire tower to find a stunning panoramic view of the rainforest or eating from the botanical garden’s fruit!

Photo Dump!

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Here is a photo dump of the past couple weeks of what I have seen day to day exploring and traveling around Madrid for work 🙂

These pictures are from small towns called Villaconejos, Titulcia, Navalcarnero, and Carabaña – places I went with my coworker to attend and assist people who needed help with finding resources and could not make it down to Madrid themselves. From what I have noticed, many of these towns are incredibly small and only have locals or immigrants (mostly Latin American and Morrocan) living there. Nontheless, the towns are filled with life and have their own, respective charm to them!

And here are some photos of what my work has looked like:
These are from Casa de Américas where the Bolivian presentation took place to announce the official date of the celebration on Gran Vía on August 16th! The building was incredibly beautiful and is a consortium for strengthening bonds with Spain and America (particularly with Latin America):
Here are some photos of what I have seen outside of work including places I have been for the first time/some that have changed since I have been here!:
Candelada – a beautiful town with natural mountain pools!
El Rastro – a part of Madrid that becomes a bustling flea market on Sundays! Here, there are a diverse range of goods and specialty shops where historic sites line the area as well as typical bars. One of those historic areas also being La Latina where August celebrations occur as people are on break.
And... some more photos of different parts of the city!:
Watching the sunset at a park called “El Parque de las Siete Tetas”, walking towards a park called “Campo Grande” and crossing a beautiful bridge on the way, seeing ducks and an immense book fair in Retiro, as well as simply passing by the streets of Madrid.

Calm Season

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Another two weeks have gone by and it´s been a mix of good work and some time off. With July ending and August starting, many businesses and stores are closing for break and vacation. I´m not quite sure if this is what it´s like in other parts of Europe, but in Spain, the end of July and all the way through August are dead periods where not much goes on within the country. During this time of break for many, there are a number of local events that happen as well as construction throughout the city that take place during this time. This can range from renovations, reconstructions, and new roads and you see this all take place throughout the summer months. Initially, there is little construction that progresses into more cranes, bulldozers, and concrete being placed around the city. This has increased traffic and commute times a generous amount, but because there are less people around, the traffic and construction cancels out.

This is all to say, work has been less busier than usual. My coworker and I are traveling less around the city and are spending more time reaching out to people electronically while organizing paperwork. With many people who we have on file on vacation, it’s harder to get in contact with them. However, this doesn´t stop the work we are trying to get done for when break ends. There´s still plenty to do in order to prepare for the upcoming season of work here and I´m grateful to be a part of it. This past week, the organization was invited to attend a presentation at Casa de Américas about a celebration coming up representing Bolivian culture on August 16th. Many other Bolivian based organizations, reporters, and people who work in Casaméricas were there to present and support the occasion! There were a couple performances of traditional dances that we would be able to see that day as well.. It was incredible to see the cultural differences between Bolivia and Spain from simply a few snippets of dances. That Friday was also a national holiday for Spain, so I was able to have a day off of work and have a longer, relaxing weekend. 🙂

With a little more time off to myself, I´ve been trying to figure out what I can do to maximize my opportunities in what I can do here. Even though I´ve visited many places around the city by myself and with friends, I´m trying to go out of my comfort zone and try exploring different parts of the city that many tourists don´t go to. In attempting to do this, I´ve noticed that the Spaniards continue to take advantage of their time as a community. Many local and smaller restaurants and bars continue to be filled with people throughout the night getting together with family and friends. This aspect is one that I admire about Spanish culture and wish that there were more places in the U.S. like this. I think we’ve become accustomed as a country to see bar culture, especially during the evening, as places of parties while having drinks. Here, people see bar culture as places to enjoy spending time with other people while conversing and eating tapas throughout the day. Not to mention bars are typically also places for families and kids at any point in time!

Side note: pictures will be posted soon!

New Experiences :)

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Hey everyone! Here’s another update for you all about what has gone on since the last:

To start off, my roommates and I with a few other friends went to Madrid’s Pride weekend celebration on the 5th! I had never gone to any in the U.S., and I had heard that Pride weekend in Madrid was filled with fun events for all, so I couldn’t not go. Unfortunately, I did not celebrate the 4th of July with a backyard barbecue with family, but I was able to talk and reflect on the day with my roommates wondering what our families were up to that day. Of course, we knew it was going to be a day of celebration, but Madrid had a couple places to recognize the day for the Americans that were there. Since then, the following the days I was able to spend time with my friends during the evenings after work watching the sunset while having a picnic at a park nearby, going out to eat tapas throughout the city, and exploring places outside Madrid. This past weekend I was able to go about an hour and a half outside the city to a town called Candelada and spend the day there at their natural pools that was filled with water purely from the mountains by the city. It was beautiful to see... I had never seen water so clear. Then, the following day, I was able go out to a park and play basketball and paddle with a friend. I hadn’t played basketball in so long, and padel was something I wasn’t accustomed to, so it was a day of learning and fun. For those that don’t know what paddle is, imagine tennis but with a softer and larger pickle ball paddle where the court is lined with a wall/barrier where you can play the ball off of. It’s an interesting sport to say nonetheless, but very entertaining to play.

In terms of work, l’ve had a mix of working with people directly with my coworker to more administrative work compiling/organizing paperwork for those that we had seen over the last couple days. In terms of in-person work, my coworker and I spent a few days last week at the organization’s other office location in Usera where we hosted more courses for those looking for basic assistance in finding work around the area. I was able to assist them 1 on 1 to teach them how to start writing one as well as using the technology they had to their advantage. Many of them struggled navigating their phones and computers, so it was a mix of teaching them how to use one as well as conversing with them to better learn about their abilities and characteristics. From establishing better understanding of their past work experience and their potentiality working here in Spain (depending on if they had necessary paperwork or not), I was able to assist them the best I could and redirect them to more professional help if they needed whether it be on the phone or in person.

Otherwise, in terms of these recent past two weeks, this is practically all! Spending time with friends, going out to explore more parts of the area that l’ve never been to, and eating good foods has been the routine so far. It’s been a continuing wonderful experience here so far, and I’m grateful for the work that l’m doing for the organization as well as the locals here.

To more adventures ahead 🙂

 

Meaningful Observations and Insightful Experience

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These past two weeks has been one for the books. Since the last blog, I visited the Reina Sofía National Art Museum, went to Madrid’s Chinatown, saw my host family in Valladolid (the kids LOVED the snacks), hung out with friends, and had very productive days at work.

Having already visiting the Prado Museum here in the past, the Reina Sofía was one I really wanted to visit for a while. The artworks of Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso were amazing to see, especially Picasso’s famous Guernica piece. There were so many other artworks of many Spanish artists that filled the museum, and walking around I noticed it was primarily a museum of modern and contemporary art. The Prado museum holds more classical European works with pieces of Diego Velázquez, Francisco Goya, and El Greco. Of course, this isn’t all but simply the names that stand out the most. This is to say, the Reina Sofía museum was amazing and cannot be compared to the Prado museum due to their distinct and differing artworks. Each holds intrinsically beautiful pieces that make the museums what they respectfully are.

One of my roommates and I this day also went to the Chinatown of Madrid where there was a diverse array of stores, foods, and culture. If anyone reading now has been to cities like New York or Chicago, seeing their Chinatown and the one here is quite similar but still holds their unique qualities. Having been to the Chinatown in New York, I feel as if there was a more diverse range of people that would visit the area than Madrid. Here, you see a mostly concentrated Chinese community roaming around together which is a fact that I recently learned working with my organization here. Apparently, many of the Chinese immigrants in Madrid like to stick together, and stay within their community than to expand out. This is to say, that there is somewhat of a cultural difference in being in Spain versus the U.S. When I think of Nashville, yes, we do see more concentrated areas of immigrants or people of color around the city. However, I noticed that I feel as if it’s still somewhat more diverse when roaming around in Nashville, compared to here. In Madrid, even myself as an Asian, if I walk around certain parts of the city that may have a much smaller racially diverse population, I experience being looked/stared at as I walk by. It’s definitely an odd feeling but something that I’ve become accustomed to while having been here in the past and today.

Next, my trip to Valladolid was one I truly cherished. Seeing my host family again after a while was so fun, and I was able to see the kids’ triathlon competition! Once they were done, we spent time at the pool at their grandparents’ house eating wonderful homemade lasagna and playing paddle. We celebrated the recent birthdays of the daughter and the dad, and it was a beautiful day to spend time with one another. Although it was only a day trip, I made the most out of it as I could and couldn’t be more grateful for their hospitality.

I also had an incredible last two weeks at work. Going through paperwork, the data we collected while going to different parts of the city, and taking calls, I’ve learned so much about what the recent immigrants in this community seek for. Many people are in search of job opportunities but face difficulties finding them due to their lack of paperwork. Thus, they seek the organization’s help to find places that take in individuals without them while we help them through the process of getting those paperwork done. My coworker and I went back to Villaconejos after a while to assist a Moroccan family receive their paperwork as well as sign other individuals up for Spanish classes to better their speaking, writing, and reading abilities. We also went back to Carabaña to help others as well, and I was able to practice speaking English with someone who asked for time with me to talk. It’s been a great two weeks of experience since the last, and I continue to look forward to what I can learn about myself and this community through my work with this organization.

I’ve realized that my last post has been deprived of photos, so here are some that I’ve taken since then!

Side note: It’s been sweltering hot these last few weeks... According to many of the locals, the Madrilenian summer heatwave has begun early.

Settling In

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Hey everyone! Today marks already my 13th day in Madrid, but I feel like I’ve been here forever.. Time flies when you’re having fun! This week has been one to remember. I thought my coworker and I had a very productive time going to a town west of Madrid called Aldea de Fresno (one of which we visited once last week), and helping a number of immigrant women. Instead of traveling from one town to the other like the week prior, this week we spent everyday at Aldea de Fresno with the same group of women teaching them about Spanish work culture, what to expect, helped perform mock interviews, and even revised and created their CV’s. We did lots of activities with one another that brought a lot of laughter and connection amongst the group, and I couldn’t be happier with how much more comfortable these group of women felt after.

Each day was blocked off with presentations, a snack break, then an activity or using computers to help them manage their way through job sites. One thing my coworker stressed to them was the importance of being able to use technology. Nowadays, being able to function a laptop or computer can go a long way in any type of work that they do. This would go along with using our phones to good use as well. Being able to navigate a job sites, social media, or any platform that can bring employment opportunities was a big step in their journey here in the country. It was interesting to see the contrast of how some women knew how to navigate a computer whereas some didn’t really know how to at all. These women I helped out to the best of my abilities from logging in, navigating to websites, and even using the touch pad to their advantage. However, even with their slight challenge towards technology, I knew that each woman in the room was incredibly strong, diligent, and could work in any sector that gives them a chance. Of course, we talked about the significance of communication, body language, and managing stress as well, but we primarily spent the most amount of time showing them the reigns of technology.

Another important topic we addressed was workplace discrimination. How it affects us, what we could expect, and why we may experience such treatment. As immigrants, we made clear that even though much has changed and Spain’s community has become very diverse, there is still signs of discrimination in the community. People of color, those in the LGBTQ+ community, women in general, and even disabled individuals are typically treated contrastingly. In Spain, many people of color are seen working in the cleaning, cooking, and personal service industry. One note that I never realized that my coworker mentioned was that when looking around, there is not one colored Spanish law enforcement officer walking around the city at all. She explained how many years ago there used to be job listings that said they were looking for “Spanish only” but those have been taken down since laws changed towards promoting more diversity and less discrimination. Hearing all of this made me realize that the U.S. truly isn’t any different still, and we continue to see discrimination throughout the country. Hopefully, bringing awareness to this topic allows these women to stay in a relative headspace in what they can expect, and will allow them to stand strong in what they have the opportunity to do.

Now that is to say, I didn’t just do work and nothing all week. With the work part summed up as best as I can without stretching it out too far, I did some other personal activities after these days as well. This week my roommates and I met other people within our program and spent some time out together. We had dinner at an amazing all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant and also went to the pool the following day. It’s incredible to see just how busy the city is now that it’s finally summer break for many people because everywhere we went was packed. Most places have been a mix of tourists and locals, but it has been fun nonetheless. I think the mix of commotion in the city brings more productivity out of all of us, and it gives me joy to do the little things whether that be taking a simple walk to the grocery store, going to the gym to workout, or having conversations with my roommates. Although I do love tranquil days as well, there is something about blending into a bustling city that places me in a focused headspace. And not to forget, this Sunday I’ll have the chance to travel back to Valladolid where I studied abroad through Belmont the last two summers and see my host family! I brought their favorite American snacks (Goldfish and Nerds) that they asked for a year prior, and it’s the birthday week of the daughter and dad, so I can’t wait to see their reactions and spend the day with them.

That’s all for now! Until the next blog. Hasta pronto 🙂

Finding My Rhythm

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Hola from Spain! I have officially completed my second (technically first) day of work (yesterday was more of an orientation and getting the hang of their system/what I should expect to do), and I couldn’t be more excited for what I can learn from this experience. Some updates of what has happened over the last 3 days since arriving early Saturday morning: first, as I was in the process of moving into my apartment officially, I had the chance to hang out with Belmont’s study abroad program that is happening right now in Valladolid! They were in Madrid for the weekend, so I was able to reconnect with friends and professors. I was incredibly grateful to see them again post graduation, and plan on visiting them one more time before they leave this month.

Second, it is SO hot here. The heat has been keeping me sweaty everywhere I go, and it’s crazy to hear that this isn’t even as hot as Madrid can get during the summer. There are many people here on vacation touring from all over the world, and there seems to be a consistent trend of sun hats and umbrellas to keep the sun out of their faces. However, I can’t complain because, overall, the weather has been sunny with little to no clouds. It does make it a bit dry, but I would take dry than sticky and humid any day!

Third, my roommates moved in Sunday, and I was able to hang out with them during different points in time as each was arriving. That night was Carlos Alcaraz’s French Open finals match and because the TV in our room wasn’t working at the time, one of my roommates and I went to a nearby bar to watch the game! The environment was electric with many people from all over the world coming in to support Carlos’ win against Jannik Sinner. Then, shortly after, the UEFA Nations League final played where Portugal and Spain went head to head. Unfortunately, Spain lost in the penalty shootout after overtime, but it was a great match to watch nonetheless. For Spain to have two sports represented in respective finals matches was amazing to see since the city was fully alive throughout the evening. If only Spain could have pulled through at the end of the soccer match, but I guess you could say we win some and lose some!

To finish this quick recap, I think I’m starting to find my pace around what I’m doing and helping the organization. Today actually, I learned so much about the process in which it takes for immigrants to find jobs and be legalized to work here. Just like the U.S., Spain also has undocumented immigrants that work and organizations such as the one I’m working with has social workers and labor relations staff that attempt to find ways for these people to receive the documentation they need and work legally. Seeing and speaking with my colleague I’m shadowing, they told me that immigrant women tend to have the hardest time finding jobs, and they typically assist them more than men. We traveled to Carabaña, a small town (pueblo), which is about a little over an hour east of the city center but still in the autonomous community of Madrid and met with immigrants who lived in the area. Here, I was able to organize files/documentation as well as see in person the process in which a person working in labor relations assists those that need jobs and proper documentation.

In the meantime, here are some photos that I’ve taken recently. I’m excited to see what more I can experience 🙂

 

“No es adiós, es un nos vemos” – Versión en español

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¡Hola, amigos y familia!

 Ha pasado aproximadamente un mes desde que regresé a casa desde Guatemala y definitivamente hace unas semanas debería haber publicado este blog. Me he sentado más de una vez a redactarlo, pero cada vez que lo he intentado me encuentro sin saber qué escribir. Quiero presentar mis recuerdos de las aventuras y los seres queridos con el máximo respeto, pero la tarea se siente desalentadora. ¿Cómo puedo poner en palabras los siete meses de experiencias inolvidables y de las personas preciosas que ayudaron a dar forma a mi tiempo en Guatemala, así como dar forma a lo que soy hoy en día?

 Mis últimas semanas en Guatemala estuvieron llenas de dulces celebraciones y tiempo que pasé con mis seres queridos. En mi último día de clases de cocina, el chef Elliott y sus estudiantes me sorprendieron preparando una deliciosa comida de sándwiches, rosa de Jamaica para beber y pastel de postre. No tenía idea de que esto estaba sucediendo y me sentí muy honrada y agradecida por su amabilidad. Después de que todos tuvimos la oportunidad de compartir algunas palabras entre nosotros, participamos con entusiasmo en la comida, compartimos historias y nos reímos juntos. Algunos de mis mejores recuerdos de mi tiempo en Monte Cristo los hice en la cocina: cantar con los estudiantes mientras cortábamos verduras, aprendimos a hacer rellenitos juntos, y nos reíamos cuando no podíamos entendernos. Siempre tendré estos momentos cerca de mi corazón. Aquí hay una foto del chef y yo, así como una con los estudiantes en ese último día:

 Durante mi última semana, me propuse pasar una noche jugando juegos de cartas y recordando con mi familia anfitriona de Antigua. Félix, Are, Mariana y Samuel fueron las primeras personas que me dieron la bienvenida de Guatemala y me apoyaron durante toda mi estadía, incluso cuando no vivía con ellos. Realmente son mi familia y ahora los extraño mucho. Después de comer y compartir recuerdos de todos los momentos que pasé en su casa, recordé lo hermoso que es tener personas en mi vida que me importan profundamente y que sienten lo mismo por mí. La vida no tendría sentido sin personas a las que amar y con las que compartir experiencias. Decir adiós a esta familia fue extremadamente difícil, pero como me recordaron, “no es adiós, solo es un nos vemos.” Lamentablemente, no pude hacerme una foto con ellos durante mi última visita, así que aquí hay algunos de los momentos anteriores juntos:

Las despedidas seguían llegando, por mucho que quisiera que se detuvieran. Cuando finalmente llegó mi último día en Monte Cristo, se sintió muy agridulce. Después de que terminó la reflexión por la mañana, mi madre anfitriona, Verónica, y mi abuela anfitriona, Doña Micaela, me llamaron al frente del salón. No sabía lo que habían planeado, así que me sorprendió cuando comenzaron a agradecerme por mis contribuciones en la escuela. Sus amables palabras me conmovieron tanto que ni siquiera pude responder. Para mí, fue un honor haber ayudado en las áreas de inglés, cocina y música durante mi tiempo con Monte Cristo. Había aprendido más de los estudiantes de lo que ellos podrían haber aprendido de mí. Después de que mi abuela anfitriona me diera un abrazo, ¡me sorprendí de nuevo cuando los estudiantes comenzaron a traerme regalos! Di un abrazo tras otro mientras cada estudiante venía a despedirse. Fue un momento que nunca olvidaré. Después, nos hicimos una gran foto de grupo en el patio. ¡Éramos tantos, que apenas cabíamos en el marco! También quería asegurarme de tener una foto con cada clase, así que después de todas mis clases de inglés ese día, me aseguré de que nos tomáramos una foto juntos. Rudy (el profesor de música) y yo también tuvimos, por supuesto, que tocar una última canción juntos en la guitarra. Elegimos “I’m Yours” de Jason Mraz porque era una de nuestras canciones favoritas y una que habíamos aprendido juntos unas semanas antes. La música es tan especial en el sentido de que realmente es un lenguaje universal. Estoy muy agradecida de que Rudy y yo pudiéramos compartir nuestro amor por la música juntos durante estos pocos y cortos meses. Aquí hay algunas fotos de mi último día en Monte:

 

Antes de irme de Guatemala, también tuve la oportunidad de regresar a Santa Cruz por unos días y pasar tiempo con mi familia anfitriona allí, así como con mi familia de Casa Gloria. ¡Estoy tan contenta de haber podido hacer esto! Me divertí mucho poniéndome al día con todos, jugando interminables juegos de Uno, sentándome alrededor de la fogata haciendo s’mores y buscando chocobananos con los niños. Pude almorzar con los niños en Casa Gloria, participar en un último devocional e incluso asistir a la iglesia con ellos nuevamente. Los había extrañado mucho y estaba muy agradecida de poder volver a verlos a todos. Aquí hay algunas fotos de mi visita:

 

 Después de regresar a Chimaltenango de mi visita a Santa Cruz, pasé una última tarde en Monte Cristo. Caminé por el campus disfrutando de su belleza y reflexionando sobre todos mis recuerdos allí. Conocí a los cerditos que acababan de llegar para el programa de agricultura y también les canté a los estudiantes por última vez. Cantar para los estudiantes fue un momento especial que cerró el círculo. Canté “You Are My Sunshine”, que fue la primera canción que toqué y canté para ellos, así que me pareció apropiado que también fuera la última. Aquí hay algunas fotos de esa última tarde:

 

Ese mismo día, mi familia anfitriona en Chimaltenango se reunió para una cena de despedida. Comimos pepián, uno de mis platos guatemaltecos favoritos, recordamos, reímos y cantamos juntos. No podría haber soñado con una mejor y última noche juntos. Fue, por supuesto, muy agridulce, pero elegí vivir el momento, agradeciendo a esas personas y mis experiencias con ellas. Dicho esto, fue increíblemente difícil decir adiós al día siguiente. El viaje al aeropuerto fue sombrío; no quería irme. Mientras mis abuelos anfitriones me acompañaban a las puertas del aeropuerto, comencé a llorar, sabiendo que me despediría de ellos por un tiempo desconocido, posiblemente para siempre. Todos nos abrazamos y lloramos, y de alguna manera, incluso en medio de toda esa tristeza, fue suficiente saber que nos amábamos. Aquí está la última foto que tomamos juntos antes de irme (y antes de que comenzara todo el llanto jaja):

Mientras leía algunas de las entradas de mi diario, me encontré con este párrafo de una semana antes de salir de Montecristo. Lo comparto ahora porque siento que explica con precisión lo que estaba pensando y sintiendo mientras me preparaba para partir. Dice: “Al concluir mi tiempo en Monte Cristo, he pasado muchos momentos pensando y reflexionando sobre todas mis experiencias aquí en Guatemala. Siento cada vez más triste mientras me preparo para irme, porque esta vez, no solo me voy de Chimaltenango, también me voy de Guatemala. Vivir en este país durante los últimos siete meses ha sido una de las experiencias más increíbles de mi vida, y estaré eternamente agradecida con todas las personas que lo hicieron posible”.

Antes de cerrar esta parte final, me gustaría compartir algunos recuerdos, algunos buenos, otros no tan buenos, de mi tiempo en Guatemala que nunca quiero olvidar. Obviamente, esta no es una descripción completa de mi tiempo allí, ya que una lista nunca podría capturar realmente todas las experiencias y personas maravillosas que viven en mi corazón. Dicho esto, aquí hay un par de recuerdos que sobresalen:

  1. La fiesta de primera comunión de Samuel (mi hermano anfitrión en Antigua)
  2. Vincularse con Mariana (mi hermana anfitriona en Antigua) a través de la lectura y la música
  3. Sentir que me iba a morir de frío mientras escalaba el Volcán Acatenango
  4. Las muchas veces que me sentí incómoda debido a la barrera del idioma
  5. Jugar cientos de rondas de UNo con los niños en Santa Cruz
  6. La forma en que Michelle (mi hermana anfitriona en Santa Cruz) siempre intentaba colarse en mi habitación para saludarme
  7. La paciencia constante de Meyli (la secretaria de Casa Gloria) con mis deficientes conocimientos de español  
  8. Jugar lucha libre con los chicos de Casa Gloria
  9. Ver fútbol con Emerson (mi hermano anfitrión en Santa Cruz)
  10. Los abrazos frecuentes de Sulmi (mi hermana anfitriona en Santa Cruz)
  11. Buscar chocobananos alrededor de un millón de veces con mis hermanos anfitriones 
  12. Ir al médico dos veces con niños de Casa Gloria y sentir que no podía entender nada
  13. Visitar el museo de arte en Antigua con mi amigo Adrián
  14. Hacer dos masas de pastel en tiempo récord con Anna (mi amiga estadounidense en Santa Cruz)
  15. Reír y tener conversaciones increíbles con la profesora de inglés de Monte Cristo
  16. Accidentalmente decirle a un estudiante de Montecristo que “a menudo” en inglés era “desnudo” en lugar de “a menudo”... ¡Gritos!
  17. Aprender sobre la vida, la familia y la historia guatemalteca de Don Mario y Doña Micaela (mis abuelos anfitriones en Chimaltenango)
  18. Cantar “Un Idiota” con Quinto

Gracias, amigos y familiares, por sus pensamientos y oraciones a lo largo de este viaje de siete meses. Estoy eternamente agradecida por todo el apoyo que recibí a través de llamadas telefónicas y mensajes de texto mientras estuve fuera. La tecnología es increíble, ¿verdad? Saber que tenía gente en casa que me apoyaba y me animaba fue muy alentador, especialmente cuando extrañaba mi hogar. Y a todos los que leen este blog en este momento, gracias. Gracias por interesarse en mis aventuras durante los últimos siete meses, por celebrar mis éxitos y llorar mis pérdidas junto a mí. Estaré eternamente agradecida.

Con mucho cariño,

Jenna/Jordy/Nicole