Gracias a Guatemala!

To start off your day, here is a picture of me hanging out with the Santa Catalina  Arch.
I'm gonna miss this lovely landmark. 

Only 120 hours left in until we depart the Land of Eternal Spring. Wow, 4 months abroad will teach you invaluable life lessons. Like always bring toilet paper with you wherever you go. Or Crocs will save you from breaking an ankle on cobblestone streets.

But in all seriousness, the culture and people of Guatemala have taught me so much about humanity and my respective place in the contemporary world (the SAU concept would be proud). I have learned that people in poverty are some the most talented, resourceful, and joyful people I have ever met. I have learned that it gets easier and easier to engage with a culture the longer you are there. I have learned that every place in the world, while scared by tragedy or atrocity, is marked by natural beauty too.

While I am ready to embrace this next chapter of my life, I am having a tough time letting go of this one. This experience was so rich and beautiful, that I know that resulting reverse culture shock will be just a little difficult.

If I could encourage every college student to study abroad, I would. It is an invaluable experience that allows for personal growth and development, stretching, bending, and breaking comfort zones, and making you all that more knowledgeable, open minded, and marketable. You cannot really put a price tag on a cross cultural experience, but ignorance can become quite expensive and keep you stuck in a cycle of poverty.

Thank you Guatemala for literally changing my life!

Hasta Luego!