Jake Gunther - Guatemala

“¿Doñde está la fiesta?” (Where is the party) is the phrase I am greeted with upon most mornings by my home-stay father. To which my roommates and I begin playing music, dancing, and starting our day off right with a laugh.

Arriving in Guatemala, I knew there would be a lot of learning curves. Being a foot taller than my shower head was just one of the things I had to get used to. Being away from my family and among my peers 24/7 was another. But most importantly; immersing myself in a totally different country, culture, and language was what I have found to be most empowering. Whether it be around the dinner table, in the classroom, or one on one with my Spanish tutor Hugo, I am required to force myself to communicate in Spanish. At first this was difficult. I had trouble finding the words to express my emotions or questions. And I struggled at piecing together a sentence without stumbling on a word or two. But, as time went on I was able to develop my skills and succeed in delivering the message I sought out to.

As I am more and more exposed to the lifestyle here, it becomes more and more evident that the world I am accustomed to is

far from the same as this one. Despite this fact, I've had little trouble making friends, creating bonds, and conversing about a range of subjects. This idea of human interaction is beautiful. No matter the background, we are able to find a common ground of connection. Throughout my stay I have cherished every exchange of words, laughter, and smiles and I will continue to hold onto this into the future.

Even though it is often difficult to understand rapid Spanish, whenever I hear my home-stay father ask about the party, I for sure will always happily direct him to the location: right here.