To those of you that know me and are reading this should not be suprised by these first two statements:
1. I am sick. Now, I don't have some crazy fever or intestinal "issues" but I do have the common cold, which is both annoying and inconvenient. I should have known that my immune system can't handle airports, so next time BRING AIRBORNE.
2. I am in another country and I still cannot fully accept a compliment.
Let me elaborate on that last one. Months leading up to this trip, and even since being here, I have heard numerous times about how I am such a great person for giving up my spring break to help people (sounds familiar right?) From reading my fellow group-mates blogs we all seem to hear the same thing. But like them, I feel like I have recieved so much more than I have given these last couple of days. The most important being a new perspective, so here's a small list of some things I have learned since saturday:
1. The Guatemalan people are beautiful- from their hand-made skirts and blouses to radiant smiles all I can think about is how naturally beautiful they are and how welcoming they have been the entire trip. I couldn't even count how many times I've heard, "good morning, good evening, etc" while walking by someone. That's something that really doesn't happen back at home. Half of the time even at Gannon I can walk to class and attempt to wave to someone I know who ignores me. A simple smile truly does go a long way. Just one of the many comparisons I have made while being here.
2. Maybe I don't dislike children as much as I had thought. Really the only reason why I don't necessarily care for kids is because the majority that I have been exposed to are ten years old and own an iphone, xbox, ipods, ipads, flat screen tv's in their rooms, among other things I literally don't even know the name of AND THEY WANT MORE. Now, I'm not saying all children in the US are like this, just the majority that I have spent time with. The children here though are much different. I can't even verbally communicate with them and my time playing ball and giving high fives has meant so much to me. I literally played catch with a little boy for 45 minutes the other day. No words were exchanged, but a ton of laughs were. The children are so friendly, all they want are hugs and to play, whether it's on a pile of dirt or with a stick, they don't care. plus they are literally ADORABLE.
3. The Guatemalan people are such hard workers and it's definitely something to be admired. Today we went to the women's center and had the oppurtunity to try some of the things the women and men here do daily. Among them was trying to lift up a 40 pound bundle of fire wood on your back. I struggled, to say the least, and 40 pounds is not the typical weight of what these men carry- but 150 pounds is....and a lot of the times IT'S UPHILL. Just two days ago, before starting the stove building project, we had to gather dirt from the families' back yard to the inside of the house. Between using a hoe to break up the land and carrying huge bags full of the dirt we collected I have never been so exhausted. The entire time we walked up and down the hill we kept passing a women hand washing her families' clothing (about 2 hours). The entire time we collected and carried the bags of dirt I was thinking about my parents reading this and being mad that I don't help them mulch, so I got you this year Dad.
4. Education is a privilege, so maybe I should stop and think about that instead of being constantly stressed and angry at the world about tests, homework and everything else I complain about. From the time that Father Greg came to San Lucas, he always had a vision of forming a school and providing the Guatemalan people with education. Since the school was formed, literacy rates have jumped from 3% to 85% which is nothing short of amazing and the education has given the people the power to improve their lives and provide for their families. Coming from the US, particularly from a small town living in the suburbs, I guess I've always taken education for granted and kind of assumed everyone was offered an education, but that is not the case. I want to stop and appreciate the education I have had the privilege of receiving, something that's easily taken for granted.
I still do not believe that I am a good person because of the service I have rendered (and will continue to) this week, because honestly, we weren't really needed for any of the projects we have helped with. Felipe could have built the stove just as great and probably faster without us, but the service Isn't really what makes me a good person. The willingness to take myself from the comfort and security of what I know to a new country (where I don't even know the language) to attempt to UNDERSTAND the lives of another culture does make me a good person. I can think of a list of people I have encountered in my lifetime that don't think of other's struggles and hardships, nor do they care. I still have a long way to go in order to be deemed a, "good person" (to my own standards) but I think returning to my life with more appreciation and willingness to strive for solidarity I am on my way.
-Char(lene) Lichota
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