Personal Narrative: My Life In Guatemala

Guatemala is a small country in central America, bordered by Honduras, Belize, El Salvador, and Mexico. Guatemala is best known for their indigenous Mayan culture and excavated ruins of the Mayan empire, nature, and their world class coffee. If you visit Guatemala, you’ll see that it is unique in many ways.

In 1964, Guatemala was being run by a military junta, violence was a part of every day life, the economy was in shambles, and jobs were scare (Cuevas, 2011). It was in this setting that a young man, my future father-in-law, took a chance at a better life for he and his family. Enticed by rumors of prosperity in the United States, Alex and his brother Rene saved their money to journey to Chicago, leaving their families behind in a search for hope that was borne of desperation. Alex left his wife Ruth with 20 Guatemalan Quetzal, the equivalent of $20 dollars, and their three children, Vivien, 5, Ingrid, 3, and Marvin, a newborn baby. What experience lay in store for he and his family? How would they fare in an unknown country, without

Each house-- painted a very vibrant, dazzling color, purple, orange, yellow, green, and pink. I had never seen houses like that in the United States the usual house colors are gray, white, tan, blue, very dull colors. The sight of these vivid houses was just a small glimpse of this beautiful country. As I nervously traveled without my family for the first time the lush terrain of Costa Rica dotted with colorful houses welcomed me.

As I stepped out of the airport, followed by my family, I was unprepared for the snowfall and icy pavement that is so commonplace in January in Michigan. If I had thought enough about it, I would have worn winter boots on the plane and maybe brought my puffy white coat to block the wind. Instead, I stood shivering in brand new, pink ballet-flat shoes, while snowflakes filled my eyelashes.

My parents have always raised me to be grateful for what I have. I live in a safe and wealthy town with a superior education system, I have amazing friends and family, a roof over my head, and proper food and clothing.

My country that i researched is Guatamala . The country of Guatemala is in Central America .On September 15 ,1821, guatemala officially proclaimed its independence from Spain.the guatemala flag has three vertical stripes two blue one white crest has two swords two guns and a parchment scroll bearing the date of Central America's independence from Spain, September 15 , 1821.i will be talking about the crest and how guatemala took their independence from spain,how the flag was created

What was the process of my conversion like? I’ll begin with this year, all the way back to my trip in Guatemala. I struggled to understand what belief was and what being a follower of Christ really was. I was trying to understand the faith with my own intelligence, which constantly failed me. On top of that I was living without morals, saying, doing, and thinking whatever I pleased. This all, plus sickness, made my trip to Guatemala very challenging. As the year went on I still tried to live in Christ on my own will, which isn’t living in Christ at all. I would read his word but only some days instead of every day. What I didn’t realize is that I need his word every day. Because this world is evil and unclear, but his word gives ultimate clarity.

My father had cardiac problems. He used to Nicaragua. I was eleven when he suffered a stroke. Immediately my brother toke him to the hospital but there was not a cardiologist not a neurologist available. The only neurologist available was in Managua the capital which is approximately four hours away from Jinotega It was too late when we arrived to Managua he had passed away. Three hours later he started breathing .That was defiantly miracle. My father had an intestinal surgery two weeks after. Then he returned back to the U.S. My Father couldn’t move half of his body and he was losing weight. He saw the doctor and they found out that, Nicaraguan surgeon mistakenly left a small residue of a contaminated gauge in his body due to that my father

It was a Monday in the summer of 2015. I was riding in an old 11 passenger van with 30 other people, on our way back from playing soccer. Most of the people were Guatemalan children screaming at the top of their lungs as the van rocked side to side as we drove up a narrow, winding, mountain road without guide rails. In the summer of 2015, I went to Guatemala for ten days, on a mission trip. My team (18 youth and pastors of East Side Church of God) and I visited four different Indian vilages: Chupol, Paquisis, Sacbichol, and Agua Escondita. We spent two days in each village and slept in each village’s church.

In this assignment, the instructor Ms. Cross assigned us to do a virtual collage describing ourselves and our lives. In other words, to build a collage that depicts our self-concent. According to S. Verderber, Sellnow, and F. Verderber (2015), self-concept bases on “…the interpretations we make about our personal experiencesand how other react and respond to us”. (p.19.). In this collage I relate my personal experiences from when I lived in Venezuela,to my hobbies, my personality, my relationships, and my ambitions.

One of the most amazing experiences I've had occurred last year, when I participated in a mission trip to Honduras. My family and I volunteered at an orphanage and surgery center. There in Honduras, my perspective on everything changed. I saw how lucky I was to have a family who loved me and took care of me, and how I need to appreciate them instead of taking it for granted. I realized how fortunate I was to live where I live, in a nice house and in a safe neighborhood.

I have an early memory from freshman year of a classmate explaining how her entire family since her great grandfather had attended the same university. I also vividly remember my astonishment at hearing this girl’s remarkable academic lineage; it was the first time I had heard any like statement. I am not sure exactly when I learned I was a first generation American— I think I assumed all kids my age were of immigrant parents— but I know the fact was definitely highlighted in my mind when I heard my peer. This revelation brought to light that I may not be the same as other girls as I had previously thought. I cannot say that this has drastically changed me. I view myself in the same way I did before, however just more conscious of the differences between people. Never was this realization made clearer to me than when I volunteered in the Dominican Republic this spring.

My grandparents have special celebration. They have married 45 year. My mother, my brothers and sister and me make long trip to Guatemala to celebrate. We carry a special gift it is a picture of all family. My tio, tia and primos going to. We like to visit our grandparents and especial celebration. Our family cooks special food of Guatemala for celebration. I remember we all had good times together. I miss my abuelita and abuelito. This is the name we say for grandparent in my country. The celebration is fun we see friends and play. My grandparents very happy. I want to stay in Guatemala but my Mom say we come back to America.

When I was younger, we would go to Mexico every year. My Grandpa would always give us a bag of our favorite candy. The day when we would leave to go to Mexico, I would stay up late and look at the beautiful view of every city we went through. I would sleep so late that it would make me think that we would be in Mexico already. The city that I really like was Oklahoma City, when I saw all the tall buildings. When we were driving we went under the highway bridges, and I always thought that it would break, because there would be semi- trucks that are driving on it. I would always close my eyes and pray that it would not collapse on us. We would always stop in Pearsall, Texas and stay at the same hotel. I would always happy to go to the hotel because

I traveled for 3 months, going to panama Costa Rica, from the beaches learning to scuba dive to the mountains where I understood and worked with the idea of permaculture. Traveling I felt strong and free. It was not only about the idea of going to new places but the idea of traveling with people who have such vibrant and high energy as well as meeting new people from all over the two countries. It is the kind of people who you can just feel their energy. These are the kind of people you meet from being in cities. I believe its cities like Boston with smart and outgoing people everywhere that helps me strive for more. That is how I see Boston University and more than anything I would like to continue my strive to learn, not just from the teachers,