By Brynleigh Allen

Coming to Guatemala was definitely not my ideal way to spend Thanksgiving. I came into the trip with a very negative mindset and more of a mindset of thinking what could go right with this trip? People told me that Guatemala was so dangerous and I needed to always keep my head on a swivel, which really put a lot of fear into my eyes when we landed. I felt really uncomfortable, especially when I made it to the outside of the airport.

Outside of the airport, everyone was staring us up and down like they had never seen Americans before. This interaction made my anxiety a whole lot worse. It put me on edge for when we went into town. I was sure I’d get pickpocketed, sick from the water, among other things. However, when we went to the first restaurant, I found some familiar foods while also trying new ones.

When I paused and looked around, I realized people were extremely friendly, and not as sketchy as described. I felt better. The people we met on the first day were all so positive and enjoyed life. I realized that the people here really don’t have it all that great all the time but they always keep a smile on their face. It really proved to me that materialistic stuff isn’t what really makes you happy in life. It’s the people around you, which is what I love most about our trip.

One of the examples I really felt this was when we were at the cliff jump spot when everyone around me was chanting my name when I  feared jumping off and it made the experience overall more worth it. I felt so lucky to have people who were like that to push me out of my comfort zone and help me to try new things. Although I haven’t had cheez-its yet, I have in fact tried lots of foods and treats I really like because people convinced me to try. I have learned a new way to approach life.