¡Hola todos! Hello everyone! Our names are Flory and Katherine, and we got to be LDDs (Leaders of the Day) today! It was nerve-wracking at first, but with the help of our group, we were able to overcome our anxieties and excel in our day today. Together, over the last few days, we were able to plan and create our proposal on what we’d like our community action project to be. Today, we had the honor of presenting our proposal to the director of the Carlos Garbay school, Lorena Coronel. After our presentation, we received feedback, which we used to establish our final plans for our projects. Afterwards, we visited Cacha Pucaratambo, an indigenous community that welcomed us to their culture. We were able to eat Pambamesa, a traditional way of sharing a meal when a group of people are working together to complete a project. As a snack, we also got to eat… cuy (GUINEA PIG… optionally of course)!! Then we were able to tour their community center, which included a museum and garden. Here, we learned about their history and culture; from how they were liberated to how they continue to preserve their culture today. Lastly, they were kind enough to let us optionally partake in a cleansing ceremony.
After returning to our hotel, we were able to discuss our experiences and attitudes about these activities during a self-reflection.
Katherine here! I have always loved learning about other cultures, and being able to immerse in one that we would not typically see in the U.S. is an unforgettable experience for all of us. Seeing how passionate this community is about protecting their identity reminds us of the hardships they had to overcome and continue to overcome every day. As a group, we felt connected to this indigenous community; while we may not be able to understand all the situations they have gone through, we are able to empathize with them in order to learn and grow in our own lives.
Flory here! Preserving culture was a lesson many of us were able to enjoy as we went through these activities today. As we reflected on how we felt, what we saw, and what was learned, many of us grew a greater appreciation for the life many indigenous people live. They live their lives caring for one another while also embracing and appreciating what the Earth provides. This allowed us to rethink the social norms in the United States and consider a slightly different way of living, allowing us to better appreciate our communities in Massachusetts.
¡HOLALALALALALALA A MI FAMILIA! ¡Los extraño y los amo mucho, hablo con ustedes pronto! #mwah #slay – Su favorita hija
HI MAMI! HI PAPI! And everyone else… Love you soo muchhh and misss youuu! I hope everything is well and just wanted to say thank you for teaching me to appreciate being Guatemalan. Te amooo muchismo and can’t wait to see you when I get back. Vive Guateeee