During winter break I went with a group of 8 people to volunteer with Constru Casa in Antigua Guatemala. We helped build a home for a young couple looking to start their family. While in Guatemela we were able to go on different excursions that allowed us to learn a lot about the culture.

I learned how important it is to make sure that everyone has a safe place they can call home. Homelessness is very prevalent in the United States, but it seems as if our government doesn’t make homelessness a priority. After this trip, I realized I wanted to help fight against homelessness especially here in Columbus. The winters aren’t as cold in Guatemala compared to the US. I can only imagine what it’s like to experience the winters here without a house.

While we were there we were able to interact with the family. The wife’s nieces lived in the house next to them and we were able to play with the kids and give them toys. Some of my peers had taken Spanish before the trip, so they were able to communicate with the kids and in turn build a deeper connection with them. This made me realize how important it is to learn other languages because it allows you to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. The couple was also very involved in the process, they would help us carry buckets of sand up a steep hill. Observing the dedication and hard work they put in truly earned my utmost respect for them.

Overall, this trip taught me how important it is to interact with people from different parts of the world. Being able to immerse myself in the culture and put myself in other people’s shoes will benefit me in my future career. I aspire to become an attorney and learning how to interact with different people is crucial. My goal is to learn more languages and visit more countries. I would also like to continue to be an advocate for diversity and inclusion.