Haley Soares - Guatemala 2017

I will admit, at the beginning of this trip I was already itching to go home. I was scared and confused and the lack of familiarity was terrifying. The first week was long and painful. I dreaded all of my tutoring lessons because they were too long, I was uncomfortable, and I was not confident in my Spanish speaking skills. I was sick to my stomach every day before teaching at San Pedro because I was convinced that the kids hated me and that they thought I was stupid because, yet again, my Spanish skills were embarrassing. I was also super scared of my host family.

Now, we have two days left and I wish I could stay here forever. My tutor and I have built a strong relationship and the four-hour lessons fly by because they are focused on meaningful conversation (and quite a few card games). Meanwhile, at San Pedro, I feel much closer to my students. They greet me with hugs and smiles, and saying goodbye to them for the last time today was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. And every day after San Pedro and tutoring at Sevilla, I take comfort in knowing that I can go to my host family and truly feel at home. I can already tell that leaving is going to be painful.