Ana Luiza Goncalves - Guatemala 2017

The humidity when I stepped out of the plane was something I had felt many times before. Every year I feel this when I arrive in my home country of Brazil. The first thing I noticed once we arrived in Guatemala is how similar it is to the country where I was born. This similarity was comforting but also strange and unexpected. From the stray dogs to the super thin, low quality toilet paper, I felt very at home and an instant connection to this country known for its coffee and Mayan background. Being in Guatemala, I noticed how privileged we are here in the United States. One difference in Guatemala that I don't feel in Brazil or the U.S. is having to worry about what I was eating and drinking constantly. Walking down the street, you'll definitely see fresh fruit being peeled and street food being made, so holding myself back from eating them and getting sick was one of the biggest struggles for me. Overall, my experience in Guatemala had some very familiar and comforting parts but it made me realize how easy our life is at home and how privileged we are to have clean water and food we don't have to constantly worry about.