Well as they say, it’s better late than never! It’s taken me
a while to get to this post because I knew it was going to be hard to write. I had
so many incredible moments during my last few weeks in Santiago and it’s going
to be really difficult putting everything into words, especially my emotions
during the time. I was incredibly sad but at the same time I felt so happy and blessed
for my experience and all the amazing things the schools did to say goodbye to
me. The weeks were filled with bittersweet moments and time flew by as fast as
the colibri for which I am
nicknamed. I left with a heavy bag
(67 pounds, oops!) and heart, knowing that sooner rather than later I would
return to the beautiful country which had been home to such an absolutely
amazing part of my life.
My last week of school was one that I will never, ever
forget. Liz and David were in Santiago for a visit, which was really cool
because when I first arrived in Santiago they were there with me. I felt like I
had really come full circle and it was nice seeing them again. My despedidas
(goodbyes) started on Monday. I was told by the principal of Panul, Lucia, that
the kids had prepared a little something for me. When I left school the
Thursday before, she handed me a program. I could hardly believe it!! A
program?!?! There were songs, dances and poems listed that would be performed
by all the grades. There was even a slot for me to do a speech, which made me
quite nervous. I couldn’t think of anything more amazing, it was like a ton of Acto Civicos all just for me- a dream
come true!! When I arrived on Monday, they had exceeded every expectation I
had. They had created a big poster with my name on it and there were tons of
people chanting my name and clapping. Lucia started with a really beautiful
speech thanking me for my work and then the kids’ presentations started. The 2nd
and 3rd/4th grades sang adorable songs about friendship
that were then followed by a little boy in kindergarten who did a Michael
Jackson dance that stole the show. I had tears streaming down my face because
it was so cute!! Here's a clip :)
First grade did a dance to a ranchero and 4th
grade did a traditional dance in pairs. Later, 4th and 5th
grade did an acrostic poem with my name and it was so pretty and kind. They
gave me a copy of it at the end and it will be something that I hold near and
dear forever. Another boy, Cesar, did a Michael Jackson dance that was amazing
as well! At the end, each grade gave me a gift and of course, I shed a few
tears. It was all too kind! Never in my life had anyone done something so
amazing for me and I didn’t know how I could ever thank them. I did my speech
and in true Guatemalan fashion, it was a tad bit long and I had a lot to say.
They were all so special to me and I wanted them to know it. It was a beautiful
day…
At Chu’ul, it was an incredible week. All the teachers took
me out to a surprise lunch in town and gave me a beautiful embroidered wall
hanging. It was so nice of them to go out of their way to do something special
for me and again, I was left feeling so blessed and amazed by their kindness.
At school, the sixth graders planned a whole special event for me with a
gorgeous cake and many beautiful gifts. All the students beaded jewelry for me and
my arms were about covered to my elbows with all of them! The sixth grade teacher
Micaela even embroidered a huipil for
me which was such a surprise and so thoughtful! One student Jose painted a
beautiful scenery and some of the girls wrote me really thoughtful letters
which brought me to tears. One of the most surprising and special moments of
the day was when Rebeca’s mom came in and gave me a scarf she wove. I knew how
much time and effort it took to make it and it was absolutely stunning. She was
so sweet and said so many kind things to me that I was left speechless. I had
never even met her and she was so generous. It was a really special moment that
I will never forget and a testament to the kindness of Guatemalans. They are
such welcoming, thankful and thoughtful people.  |
| The second graders. Too cute! |
The second, fourth and fifth graders gave me really pretty presents
as well and sang songs and showered me in hugs. I couldn’t stop thinking of how
lucky I was to have gotten to know all of them. To thank them and say my
goodbye, we had ice cream parties at Panul and Chu’ul on my last day. The kids
were really excited and it was a great last way to get together. I gave each
and every one of my students big hugs and told them how much they meant to me.
That night, I got to say goodbye to a lot of my friends at a restaurant in town
and one of my friends even gave me an incredible sketch he drew of me! I took
off early in the morning. It was a spectacular, blazing blue-sky day and I
couldn’t stop thinking of how beautiful of a place it was.
 |
| Daniel the ice cream man and the kids at Panul |
There are so many things I love about Guatemala. Among about
547 other things, I miss all the beautiful textiles and how colorful everyday
life is. I miss buying muffins for 15 cents, bags of piping hot handmade
tortillas and the mountains of avocados that fill the central square in the
morning. I miss how businesses paint right on their buildings and how amazingly
they can replicate any logo. I miss the view of the city from Panul and how the
colorful buildings of Santiago are built right into the lush hills. I miss
hearing reggaeton in the market and 80s hits on chicken buses. I miss the
winding, narrow streets and how there is barely a straight road in the entire
country. I miss seeing women carrying things on their heads and the liberal use
of hair gel of Santiago’s male population. I miss seeing tiny girls in traje. I
miss tuc tuc rides and knowing every day when I woke up there was some sort of
adventure waiting for me. I miss my copy store. I miss laughing with my friends
at Milpas. I miss meeting amazing people doing amazing things all the time. Of
course most of all, I miss the kids. They welcomed me into their world
unconditionally with open arms and invited me to become part of their lives. I
shared in so many amazing moments with them and for children who have so
little, they are so giving. Anyone can agree that they are enthusiastic and
full of life and make you feel incredibly loved. They are all so artistic and
have so many talents. It’s weird to think that they are now so far away from me
and they will all grow up and go on with their lives and I won’t be there to
see it. I knew them for such a short period of time but they made such a huge
impression on me. I know I will go visit a lot and stay in touch because I
really care about them. I’m going back in October for a visit for the 6th
grade graduation. I’m already counting down the days! I get butterflies
thinking of our reunion :)
I am now working a lot and saving up as much money as I can.
I am going to go to Chiang Mai, Thailand and get a certification to teach English
abroad this November. I loved my experience in Guatemala and am dreaming of
having many more experiences like it in the future. I will be forever grateful
to the Sparks Foundation for giving me this opportunity. I never could have
fathomed how much it would have made an impact on me and how much I would fall
in love with the kids. The Sparks are really generous and an amazing, giving
couple. I am so thankful that they came into my life! I am so excited for the
future and what it will bring. I’ll always look back on my time in Guatemala
with really fond memories. There are some experiences that come into your life
and leave as a fleeting memory, drifting away with time until all that is left
is an insignificant patch in your heart. I think that my time in Guatemala was
just the opposite. It came into my heart with a powerful force, etching a space
deep within where every emotion is stored. A place where experiences live on
and you are reminded of what you felt as if were yesterday. A living memory of
all that was wonderful.
¡Hasta pronto Santiago y gracias por todo!
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