Guatemala Reflection: Interpersonal Development

Going into Guatemala for my internship, I didn’t have a lot of stereotypical expectations, since I had been to the country before. I am also half Hispanic, and am pretty familiar with the culture, food, traditions, etc. That was definitely helpful in doing ministry!

Delicious tacos in Guatemala!

I understand a decent amount of Spanish, but have trouble speaking it. That’s one reason I love working with children: I can have simple conversations with them. J I tried to learn more Spanish while I was down there . . . but full immersion for a matter of months will be necessary for me to get anywhere close to fluency!

My appreciation for the Hispanic culture only grew on this trip! I love how relaxed they are relative to the American culture. People are not worried about getting sued for every little thing they do. Children have more freedom at a younger age to do things that would be considered “unsafe” for American children (play in the streets, stay out after dark, etc.) It’s almost like stepping back a generation or two.

Learning the #1 Guatemalan game: soccer! Aka futbol. ;-)

Their approach to time is far more relaxed than the American culture as well. If you tell someone an event starts at 2:30 p.m., most of them will arrive sometime between 3 and 3:30 p.m. It’s hard if you’re trying to actually start at that time. But if you’re expecting it, it’s not a big deal. :-) That was part of developing tolerance and respect for another culture and the way they do things! I learned a lot about “going with the flow” and doing whatever was asked of me, whenever it was asked of me. Even if that meant unloading groceries at 11 p.m. ;-)

To be continued . . .