Culture Shock – Page 5

Arrival into Site: The First Morning

January 5, 2017 First Person ForeignBlank Slate

On my first night: As we eat, I look over at Doña Clara at 88 years old as she calmly eats. As her daughter teaches me K’iche words, she erupts in laughter, her body doesn’t[…]

La Capacitación | (The Grit and the Polish of Training) 75 Palabras in Guatemala

December 17, 2016December 17, 2016 First Person Foreign75 Words in Guatemala

Week 3 of training, I ate 5 tortillas during one lunch because I loved them so much and came home and broke the key to the house. Out of all the things I’ve managed to[…]

Tienes Sueño | 75 Palabras in Guatemala

December 4, 2016December 4, 2016 First Person Foreign75 Words in Guatemala

On Sunday, November 27, I slept in. I slept in late. I slept til 1:30pm don’t tell nobody. When I wake up on the weekend, my host brother sees my drowsy figure appear and asks[…]

Piropos | 75 Palabras in Guatemala

November 17, 2016November 20, 2016 First Person Foreign75 Words in Guatemala

I went to Guatemala City for a doctor’s appointment. As I waited for my ride, a gentleman named Hector introduced himself to me. He was the guard in the building I just left. He asked[…]

Un Ratito | 75 Palabras in Guatemala

November 15, 2016November 15, 2016 First Person Foreign75 Words in Guatemala

My first day in the Ciudad, Guaté, I was picked up by a private driver to go to a medical appointment. After the appointment (about an hour long), I speed-walked to a local restaurant to[…]

Weak Sicks Week Six

November 13, 2016November 13, 2016 First Person ForeignChanges

Nothing came out how I thought it would. At the moment, I feel fine. Not too stressed or overwhelmed, but I am aware that the events of this week were all at stormy sea. Week[…]

Canche | 75 Palabras in Guatemala

October 30, 2016February 19, 2017 First Person Foreign75 Words in Guatemala

Canche means “blonde” but it has expanded its scope to simply mean “white folk.” And don’t confuse canche with cancha, because cancha is “soccer field.” Even though I’m not blonde, I’m a lot closer to a canche[…]

Week Three Came in like a Wrecking Ball

October 28, 2016February 19, 2017 First Person ForeignChanges

Two weeks in and come Tuesday of the third week, I was NOT feeling it. Not feeling training, not feeling the other volunteers, the staff, the classes, the tone, the schedule, the emphasis, nada. NOT[…]

Machista | 75 Palabras in Guatemala

October 26, 2016February 19, 2017 First Person Foreign75 Words in Guatemala

La cultura machista has come up several times, with my host mom and my first Profe Eduardo. Our Training Director doesn’t ever use that term, she only says that there are defined gender roles and[…]

¡Ánimo! | 75 Palabras in Guatemala

October 26, 2016February 19, 2017 First Person Foreign75 Words in Guatemala

Amanda and I went running for the first time together on my second week here. It was like two gringas were released from captivity and everyone was watching us run to freedom. I felt like[…]