Peace Corps Guatemala: An American's First Footsteps

My personality is a pendulum that oscillates between being good and bad. The good encompasses what is expected, working hard, following orders, staying in the system, but cooking my own food and sleeping a little cold are also parts of this entity. The bad is the security guard on my shoulder keeping the bullies out. It doesn’t permit me to scream in defiance, but if she is there, I hold myself differently. With the bad, a subliminal wavelength reveals itself to not mess with me.

I needed both to survive in Guatemala. The good to find a routine, to learn Spanish, and to make friends. But I never would have left the United States without the bad. The bad is essential to leave the comfort zone. It got me to hike volcanos and use chaotic public transportation. It convinced me to switch host families and jobs when they weren’t working. It got me to handle the fleas in my bed and the phone that got stolen. And in the town where I lived, it was challenging to be the only agnostic person, the only white person, and the only non native Spanish speaker. The bad is how I stayed tough in situations where the only option was to stay tough. The bad convinced me the experience I had was perfect despite its setbacks.