A New Life

Like I mentioned in my previous blog post, after my first trip to Guatemala, I immediately wanted to return. I was supposed to only travel for 10 weeks… but we all know what happened. I created a whole new life.

And here is how it happened!

Learning Spanish

The number one reason why I wanted to return to Guatemala was to learn Spanish. It would be a great addition in furthering my career and life. 

Learning another language is a challenge, but I believe fully immersing yourself is the best way. At Ixchel Language School, I completed three full months of Spanish classes (420 hours).

I learned the grammatical side first with majority of the tenses. It was easier to comprehend than speak but as time evolved, I improved.

My teacher was from Nicaragua and he was great. He talked a lot, shared stories, and I learned so much from him. We celebrated his birthday as well as Christmas together. We would play scrabble in Spanish and go on adventures. 

He was one of my first friends and now he is in my life forever.

Living in Antigua, Guatemala

I lived at Ixchel Language School until the last five nights of my journey.

The school had rooms available to rent so that students could wake up to complete their classes. They had a host family that would cook three meals a day Monday-Friday and cook two meals on Saturday. 

I ate all of my meals at the school and the host mom cooked a variety of traditional Guatemalan meals. But my favorite two meals were probably ham sandwiches and chile rellenos. 

I am thankful that the school allowed me to rent a room for an extended amount of time. Saying goodbye to the staff and leaving the school was bittersweet to say the least…

New Beginning

Throughout my time learning Spanish, I created a new life.

I thought I needed a visa extension after my first 90 days, but I didn’t… because I automatically have dual citizenship. 

To be honest, I changed my flight a few times because I didn’t want to leave. 

I wanted to continue and improve my Spanish so I thought continuing to be immersed in the culture would help me succeed.

I developed new friendships, volunteered with organizations, and exercised just about every day. 

Long-lasting Friendships

As many as you know, I am initially quiet/shy when I first meet people. But as time goes by, I warm up and become a fun, loving, and talkative girl.

But these are a few special friendships I created.

I became friends with a doctor that lived at the school. She worked in Antigua and would travel to her hometown every other weekend. We would spend late nights talking, go on hikes, eat together, and take lots of photos. She always provided encouraging words and gave life advice. 

I became close friends with one of the teachers from the school. I saw her every day for about two months during my classes. Then once I completed my classes, our friendship grew. I felt safe with her because she would always look out for me when we would travel to markets. Her and I are similar in a lot of ways y ella es mi amiga para siempre <3

I became friends with another girl that lived at the school. She is bilingual and we would always speak when we saw each other. But then our friendship grew in March. We would spend almost every weekend together. We would exercise, hike, eat, or visit other small towns. She always provided advice when it was necessary and the memories we shared are unforgettable (especially singing karaoke). I am grateful for the loyalty in our friendship and she will forever be one of my best friends <3

I became friends with a couple who worked with a nonprofit organization… but we all know they mean more to me than just a guy and girl. They are two of my favorite people in the world.

The guy would always look after and take care of me regardless of the situation. We shared many special memories together such as climbing mountains, eating spicy food, working in the village/playing soccer, and traveling on his motorcycle.

The girl and I developed a special relationship… Even though she wanted to practice her English, she would always make us talk in Spanish and honestly it was the best thing for me. We created many memories, but we also experienced each other’s highs and lows throughout my time in Guatemala. But no matter what, we were always there for each other. She’s like a sister and I can say that she has helped me become the best version of myself.

I attended their wedding while I was in Guatemala and the love they showed towards each other was incredible. Everything was beautiful and I am grateful to have shared that special day with them. They always look after me and my absolute favorite thing about them is their love for Christ! They mean so much to me and I love them deeply. 

Sin Límites

Throughout my time in Guatemala, I volunteered with the nonprofit organization of Sin Límites. In English, Sin Límites translates to “without limits”.

The organization primarily works in a remote village and they provide a variety of resources to all families. 

In my next blog post, I plan to explain more. 

XOXO,

Madison Archer