Category Archives: Lumos Project

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 🙂

 

Final Touches… (Ready, Set, Go!)

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Hey everyone! There’s officially t-minus 2 days until I leave for Madrid, and I’m scrambling to get my suitcase packed and ready to go. I tend to be a procrastinator, but I’ve made efficient progress with the help of my sister! What really makes this process great too is having a sibling that is also getting ready to study abroad. It’s been an exciting process for the both of us since we plan on seeing each other once she arrives in France in August. This past semester has been filled with many fruitful conversations of what we could accomplish while abroad, and I’m so excited to be able to share this experience with her directly and indirectly. However, while planning and orienting myself for this new opportunity, I’ve made my see you later’s to many of my friends these past couple days, and I could not be more excited. It is a bit bittersweet leaving people for some time, but everyone I have talked to has been nothing but supportive for what this program entails, and I am incredibly grateful.

With just a few days left before I leave, I’ve gathered all the materials I need to enter Spain with ease and begin my journey to learning more about the country’s approach to serving their immigrant/migrant communities. Since graduation, I’ve taken some time to set some running goals of mine while I’m there. Of all of them, I wanted to emphasize the importance of having a meaningful time abroad, learning as much as I can, and enjoying my time there in the process. Since I’ve never spent an extended time away from home such as this, I want to go into this experience cultivating a joyful environment for myself and others filled with rich memories. Being able to make new connections, learn new skills, and develop an international foundation that I can bring back to the U.S. to better serve the community is what I hope to do by the end of this program.

But in all honesty, I’m pretty nervous to embark on this journey without the immediate help of other peers from home. Although I’m sure I’ll spend much of my time stepping out of my comfort zone, bettering my Spanish speaking and professional skills, and meeting new people, I still can’t help but feel some nerves diving into this. I’ve spent two summers studying abroad, but those were expertly planned experiences that I never had to worry about. Now, I’m in the shoes of the planner, and it is a bit more overwhelming than I thought it would be. Yet, I like to approach these new challenges with an “I can do this” and “nothing can stop me” mindset and tackle them head on because I won’t let hindrances add on and negate my ability to accomplish my goals. All in all, I’m incredibly excited to head on over across the pond and can’t wait to pour my experiences however I may contribute and share what I’ve learned out into this blog throughout these next 3 months! To those reading, thanks for accompanying me on this journey. 🙂

“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

“It’s Not Goodbye, It’s See You Later”

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Hola friends and family!

It’s now been about a month since I’ve returned home from Guatemala and DEFINITELY a few weeks since I should have posted this blog. I’ve sat down more than once to draft it, but each time I have attempted, I find myself at a loss for what to write. I want to present my memories of adventures and loved ones with only the utmost respect, yet the task feels daunting. How do I put into words seven months of unforgettable experiences and precious people that all helped to shape my time in Guatemala, as well as shape who I am?

My last few weeks in Guatemala were filled with sweet celebrations and time spent with loved ones. On my last day of cooking classes, Chef Elliott and his students surprised me by preparing a delicious meal of traditional sandwiches, rosa de Jamaica to drink, and red velvet cake for dessert! I had no idea this was happening, and I felt so honored and grateful for their kindness. After we all had a chance to share a few words with each other, we eagerly partook in the food, shared stories, and laughed together. Some of my fondest memories from my time at Monte Cristo were made in the kitchen: singing with the students while we chopped vegetables, learning how to make rellenitos (a dessert made of plantains and black beans) together, and laughing when we couldn’t understand each other. I will always hold these moments close to my heart. Here is a picture of the chef and I as well as one with the students on that final day:

During my last week, I made it a priority to spend an evening playing games and reminiscing with my Antiguan host family. Felix, Are, Mariana, and Samuel were the first people to welcome me into Guatemala and supported me throughout my entire stay, even when I wasn’t living with them. They truly are my family now and I already miss them so much. After eating and sharing memories from all of the times I spent in their home, I was reminded how beautiful it is to have people in my life that I care about deeply and who feel the same about me. Life would be pretty meaningless without people to love and share experiences with. Saying goodbye to this family was extremely difficult and I shed more than a few tears, but as they reminded me, “no es adiós, solo es nos vemos” (it’s not goodbye, it’s only see you later). Sadly, I did not get a picture with them during my last visit, so here are a few photos from previous moments together:

 

The goodbyes kept coming, no matter how hard I wanted them to stop. When my last day at Monte Cristo finally rolled around, it felt very bittersweet. After the reflection was over in the morning, I was called up to the front of the room by my host mom, Veronica, and host grandmother, Doña Mikaela. I didn’t know what they had planned, so I was taken aback when they began thanking me for my contributions to the school. Their kind words moved me so much that I couldn’t even respond. For me, it was an honor to have assisted in the areas of English, cooking, and music during my time with Monte Cristo. I’d learned more from the students than they could ever have learned from me. After my host grandmother gave me a hug, I was surprised again when all of the students started bringing me gifts! I gave hug after hug as each student came to tell me goodbye. It was a moment I’ll never forget. Afterwards, we all took a big group photo together in the courtyard. There were so many of us, we barely fit into the frame! I also wanted to make sure I had a picture with each class, so after all of my English classes that day, I made sure we took a picture together. Rudy (the music teacher) and I also had to, of course, play one last song together on guitar. We chose “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz because it was a favorite song of ours and one we had learned together a few weeks before. Music is so special in that it truly is a universal language. I’m so thankful that Rudy and I could share in our love of music together during these few, short months. Here are a few pictures from my last day at Monte Cristo:

 

Before I left Guatemala, I also had the opportunity to return to Santa Cruz for a few days and spend time with my host family there as well as my Casa Gloria family. I am so glad that I could do this! I had a blast catching up with everyone, playing endless games of Uno, sitting around the campfire making s’mores, and looking for chocobananos (frozen bananas dipped in chocolate) with the kids. I was able to eat lunch with the children at Casa Gloria, participate in one last devotional, and even attend church with them again as well. I’d missed them so much and I was so grateful to be able to see everyone again. Here are a few photos from my visit:

After returning to Chimaltenango from my visit in Santa Cruz, I spent one final afternoon at Monte Cristo. I walked across the campus taking in its beauty and reflecting on all of my memories there. I met the little piglets that had just arrived for the agriculture program and also sang to the students one last time. Singing for the students was a special, full circle moment. I sang “You Are My Sunshine” which was the first song I’d ever played and sang for them, so it seemed only fitting that it be the last as well. Here are some pictures from that last afternoon:

That same day, my host family in Chimaltenango all gathered for a goodbye dinner. We ate pepián (one of my favorite Guatemalan stews consisting of chicken, roasted tomatoes and peppers, and potatoes), reminisced, laughed, and sang together. I couldn’t have dreamed up a better, final night together. It was, of course, very bittersweet, but I chose to live in the moment and be thankful for those people and my experiences with them. That being said, it was incredibly hard saying goodbye the next day. The ride to the airport was somber; I didn’t want to leave. As my host grandparents walked me to the doors of the airport, I started crying, knowing I would say goodbye to them for an unknown amount of time, possibly forever. We all hugged and cried, and somehow, even in all of that sadness, it was enough to know that we loved each other. Here is the final picture we took together before I departed (and before all of the crying started haha):

As I was reading through a few of my journal entries, I came across this paragraph from a week before I left Monte Cristo. I’m sharing it now because I feel that it accurately portrays my thought process as I prepared to say goodbye. It says: “As I wrap up my time with Monte Cristo, I have spent many moments thinking and reflecting on all of my experiences here in Guatemala. I feel a bit more weight as I prepare to leave, because this time, I’m not only leaving Chimaltenango, I’m leaving Guatemala as well. Living in this country for the past seven months has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life, and I’m forever grateful to all of the people who made it possible.”

Before I close out this final blog, I’d like to share a few memories from my time in Guatemala that I never want to forget. This is obviously not complete as a list could never truly capture all of the experiences and wonderful people that live on in my heart. That being said, here are a couple memories that stick out:

  1. Samuel’s (my host brother in Antigua) first communion party
  2. Bonding with Mariana (my host sister in Antigua) over reading and music
  3. Feeling like I was going to freeze to death while climbing Volcán Acatenango
  4. The many times I felt uncomfortable due to the language barrier
  5. Playing hundreds of games of Uno with the kids in Santa Cruz
  6. The way Michelle (my host sister in Santa Cruz) always tried to sneak in my room to say hi
  7. Meyli’s (Casa Gloria’s secretary) constant patience with my subpar Spanish abilities
  8. Arm wrestling the Casa Gloria boys
  9. Watching soccer with Emerson (my host brother in Santa Cruz)
  10. Sulmi’s (my host sister in Santa Cruz) random hugs
  11. Looking for chocobananos about a million times with my host siblings
  12. Going to the doctor twice with kids from Casa Gloria and feeling like I couldn’t understanding anything
  13. Visiting the art museum in Antigua with my friend, Adrián
  14. Making two pie crusts in record time with Anna (my American friend in Santa Cruz)
  15. Laughing and having incredible conversations with Monte Cristo’s English teacher
  16. Accidentally telling a student at Monte Cristo that “often” was “desnudo” (which means naked) instead of “a menudo”… whoops!
  17. Learning about life, family, and Guatemalan history from Don Mario and Doña Mikaela (my host grandparents in Chimaltenango)
  18. Singing “Un Idiota” with the seniors at Monte Cristo

Thank you, friends and family, for your thoughts and prayers throughout this seven-month journey of mine. I am eternally grateful for all of the support that I received through phone calls and texts while I was away. Technology is incredible, right? Knowing that I had people at home rooting for me and cheering me on was so encouraging, especially when I was missing home. And to everyone reading this blog right now, thank you. Thank you for taking interest in my adventures over the past seven months, for celebrating my successes and mourning my losses right alongside of me. I am forever grateful.

Much love y hasta luego,

Jenna

Semana Santa

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Hola friends and family!

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter spent with your loved ones! Here in Guatemala the whole week leading up to Easter, Semana Santa, is filled with celebratory activities and time spent with family. This week is also a holiday which meant we had a week off from classes!

We started out the week by preparing for Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday). The night before, we stayed up until close to midnight making bouquets out of palm, purple flowers, and ribbon (picture #1). These bouquets are carried during the processions on Palm Sunday (“ramo” actually means “bouquet,” interestingly enough). Then, the morning of Palm Sunday, my host family and I all woke up early to make an alfombra, which is a carpet made out of flowers that is put in the middle of the street in order for the people in the procession to walk over (picture #2-3). As soon as the alfombra is walked over, everything gets swept up and thrown away, so the beauty really only lasts for about twenty to thirty minutes.

We celebrated Semana Santa throughout the week, as well, by gathering with extended family, sharing meals, playing games, and watching movies together. We ate traditional foods like salted fish and ceviche, tamales and chile rellenos, and, of course, beans and tortillas. I also had the opportunity to drive to Antigua with a few cousins from the extended family to watch the processions there. The Antiguan processions are known to be the biggest and most impressive in the whole country, and thousands of people from around the world travel to see them. Because of the large amounts of people who attend, the drive to Antigua that normally takes 45 minutes, took close to two hours. All that time spent in the car was worth it, though, because the processions and the alfombras were incredible (pictures #4-6)!

During this week, I was also able to spend time with my host mom’s parents who live just outside of Antigua. My host mom’s dad is a marimba instructor, so I had the privilege of receiving a mini lesson from him. Luckily for me, the marimba is very similar to the piano, so I had no trouble learning which notes were where. The main difference is that the piano is played with your fingers while the marimba is played with mallets. I learned a few techniques like where to place the mallets and how to sustain notes, and even learned a simple song! As a musician, it was very meaningful for me to get to learn a little about an instrument that is so important to Guatemalan culture!

In other news, I recently heard from Jenna at Casa Gloria that Ria, the dog I rescued, was adopted! Jenna told me that Ria went to a wonderful family where she will be very loved and happy (picture #7). This was very exciting news for me and also such a beautiful reminder of what simple acts of kindness can do for both humans and animals.

As always, thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Much love y hasta la próxima,

Jenna

Semana de Expresión

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Hola friends and family!

My last few weeks have been busy with exams and Semana de Expresión (Expression Week). At the end of every quarter, Monte Cristo students are rewarded for making it through their exams with a week of fun activities including cooking and dance competitions! The students have been practicing and planning out their ideas for weeks and it was a lot of fun to watch their hard work come to fruition. Heads up – there are a LOT of pictures in this blog!

To start things off, the students took their quarterly exams for their music and dance classes by showcasing to the whole school what they have learned so far. The senior class asked me to join them in singing a song to start out the program and I, of course, couldn’t say no, so we sang a classic called, Un Idiota, together while the music professor accompanied us with guitar. Un Idiota is an extremely dramatic love song which made it hard for us all to keep straight faces throughout the performance, but thankfully we managed!

We started out la Semana de Expresión with a cooking competition (pictures #1-4)! The students were paired up with a classmate and were required to come up with a unique dish and prepare it for a panel of judges. I was extremely impressed with how creative the students were and how tasty all of their dishes were! Some of my favorites included Oreo pancakes, apple pound cake with strawberry topping, and baked ribs. The overall winner was a chicken lasagna in the shape of a Bundt cake – both creative and delicious!

Day two included a spelling bee, jeopardy, and math games! I have to admit, I originally thought a spelling bee in Spanish would be quite easy, because unlike English, Spanish is a phonetic language which means that words are always spelled exactly like they sound. As I played along in my head, however, I discovered pretty quickly that it was harder than I’d anticipated! Later we moved onto the math/science games which included things like sudoku and strategy exercises (pictures #5-7). The students had ten minutes to complete the game/exercise at each station, so they had to move quickly and think on their feet!

Day three included competitions in drawing, dancing, and reenacting skits! Although I am musically inclined, I am not necessarily great in other artistic areas, so to say I was impressed with the students’ abilities, especially their drawing skills, is an understatement (pictures #8-10)! For the dancing competition, each grade had to perform a traditional and a non-traditional dance. I had only seen a few of the dances prior to the competition, so it was very fun to get to see what the students came up with. One of my favorites was a traditional country line dance that included swinging a few of the members around in the air! Finally, the skits brought great amounts of entertainment and laughter and was a great way to end the day.

We ended la Semana de Expresión by celebrating Monte Cristo’s 21st anniversary! We all gathered in the dining hall to commune and celebrate this special moment together (picture #11). We ate lots of delicious food, drank unhealthy amounts of horchata, and sang happy birthday to Monte Cristo! Afterwards, the seniors started singing Un Idiota with their music teacher, while I stood nearby watching. No one had informed me that we were singing the song, so I just assumed they were doing it for fun. Well, as the chorus came up (where I came in when we’d previously performed it), the seniors started frantically motioning for me to come over and join them. I had no idea that we would sing the song together again, but it ended up being such a beautiful moment and one I’ll hold in my heart forever.

As always, thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Much love y hasta la próxima,

Jenna

 

Travel and Cooking – A Few of My Favorite Things!

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Hola friends and family!

It’s hard to believe that I only have a month left here in Guatemala, the time has flown by! I have already mentioned more than once to my host family how I don’t know how I will be able to live without fresh tortillas at every meal, the gentle Guatemalan sun, and, of course, all of the family and friends I’ve made once I return to the States. I have come to love my temporary home here and I will dearly miss everyone I’ve met along the way.

At the same time, homesickness has started to settle in a little bit. I used to think that homesickness could only happen to a person if they were extremely unhappy with the situation or place they were in. I have learned, however, that this is not necessarily the case. While there have been challenges throughout my time here, I love the work that I am doing in Guatemala and everyone I have met who I’ve had the opportunity to share life with. Simultaneously, I miss the familiarity of home, I miss my family, and I miss taking my dog on walks. It is a strange in-between-state to be in, but I’m learning that it’s okay to enjoy my experiences here while still missing home. And that being said, I am extremely grateful for the technology we have today that allows me to stay in touch with my loved ones in the States! What a blessing to be able to remain in close communication virtually even while separated physically.

In other (more positive) news, I flew to Costa Rica for a quick trip a couple weeks ago in order to maintain my visa status in Guatemala. As you might remember, I am required to leave the country every 90 days. During my time there, I spent my days relaxing in the ocean, touring Manuel Antonio’s national park, and watching gorgeous sunsets (Pictures #1-2). I also saw sloths, dolphins, and so many monkeys (Pictures #3-4)! Additionally, I tried the traditional Costa Rican dish called casado. In Spanish, casado means “married man,” so I’m not quite sure why or how this dish got its name, but I do know that it is absolutely delicious! It includes rice, black beans, plantains, salad, and tortillas. This is honestly very similar to traditional Guatemalan food, so I felt right at home while I was eating it. Besides the extreme heat and humidity, the trip was a wonderful experience!

This week in cooking classes, we made rellenitos, my absolute favorite Guatemalan food! The very first week of school, the Chef asked me what Guatemalan dishes I enjoyed, and I promptly replied, rellenitos! Rellenitos are, essentially, a fried plantain patty filled with refried black beans. I know they sound strange, but I promise, they are so yummy and sweet! My host mom in Santa Cruz made them often which is how I grew to love them. The Chef was a little surprised by my answer, but promised we would make them at some point during the semester, and we finally did! The students had a lot of fun showing me how to prepare them and I was excited to learn! The kids and I ended up making over 100 rellenitos in total (pictures #5-6)!

As always, thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Much love y hasta la próxima,

Jenna

Spring Is Here!

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Hola friends and family!

Although the mornings here in Chimaltenango are still chilly, the days are starting to heat up and spring is in full swing! Flowers are blooming left and right, filling the streets with color. I have been thoroughly enjoying all of the sunshine, especially because it felt like I spent two months in constant rain last fall. I know it’s still cold for most of you who are reading this, but I hope you’ve been able to catch a few glimpses of the sun here and there!

As I briefly mentioned in my last blog, it has been very fun building relationships with the kids and getting to know them better. Every day they open up more…and also get a little crazier, but so it is with teenagers! Last week, I was asked to cover the 9th grade salsa class because the teacher was not able to make it. For those of you who know me well, this is pretty comical. The only types of dances I know how to do are The Cupid Shuffle and The Cotton Eyed Joe. So naturally, this is what we did! We all had a blast, especially the kids, because line dancing is far from the structure of salsa that they are accustomed to.

In other school-related news, just a few days ago, I was asked to accompany the kids on the bus route after school. All of the teachers had a meeting together that afternoon, but the problem was that an adult is required to be on the bus at all the times. The solution: me. Of course, I readily agreed when the school coordinator asked me if I would be willing to ride with the kids, but I also had to chuckle to myself a bit because I’m barely older than some of the seniors, yet I was the designated “adult.” Nevertheless, it all went well, I managed to keep everyone under control, and even was able to chat with one of the 7th graders almost the whole way!

Additionally, my host family and I went to Antigua last week to watch some of the processions that were taking place. As we near closer to Easter, these processions become more and more frequent. Essentially, the processions include giant floats of Jesus and the Virgin Mary that are carried throughout the streets of Antigua (pictures #1-2), preceded by a few people burning incense and followed by a huge band of drums, tubas, and many other instruments. My two host brothers were helping to carry the floats, so it was fun to get to watch them do that and experience the massive crowds that the floats draw. During my time in Antigua, I was able to visit my previous host family, which is always a blast, as well as meet members of my current host mom’s family, as she is originally from Antigua.

Lastly, I received news from Jenna in Cobán, that Ria, the dog I rescued in December, is ready for adoption! Jenna sent me a before and after picture of Ria’s recovery and I could not believe my eyes (pictures #3-4)! She is so big and healthy now! It makes me incredibly happy to think that the tiny, abused, and malnourished puppy that I rescued just a few months ago is doing so well and will be able to be adopted into a loving home soon!

As always, thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Much love y hasta la próxima,

Jenna