A.J. Pressland Report: Parth PatelEnamorarse de Guatemala

As an aspiring doctor, I have always had a desire to work in the developing world. I have my heart set on spending a significant part of my career in Latin America; to me, it is a region of the world that perhaps falls into the shadow of Africa and thus is often neglected. However, I am a strong believer in the idea that one must learn before they can help. Too often, foreign aid fails to acknowledge and understand the local culture and language, rendering aid efforts ineffective. Medical knowledge alone is no good; understanding the local beliefs and having the ability to liaise with local communities is equally, if not more, important. Communication really is the bedrock of medicine. This is what drove me to study Spanish this summer.

Dónde?I decided to travel to Guatemala. Why, I hear you cry! Guatemala seemed exciting and enigmatic, a place of cultural vibrance intertwined with natural beauty. A country not oversaturated with tourists - somewhere I felt I could achieve total immersion. I had been told that the Spanish in Guatemala is spoken softly and slowly, with the articulative nature of the dialect ideal for beginners. Thus, having only just undertaken the CULP Spanish Basic course, I felt that Guatemala would be a fantastic place to develop my linguistic abilities. It was the perfect setting to embark on an adventure.

I wanted to study Spanish in the Guatemalan countryside, in the country’s mainland rather than its populous cities. My reasons for this were twofold: first, to truly immerse myself in a complete Spanish-speaking environment, and second, to witness how local communities operate and function. There was something about La Cooperativa Spanish School in San Pedro La Laguna that captivated me. San Pedro is a small village that sits on Lago de Atitlán, once described by Aldous Huxley as ‘really too much of a good thing’. Up a steep but narrow path on the foothills of Volcán San Pedro lay La Cooperativa, tucked away from the busy market streets. It is an independent

The main street in San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala

school founded and run by locals, donating large amounts of its revenue to socially conscious community projects. This is where my love affair with Guatemala began.

La escuelaLa Cooperativa is a hidden treasure in the busy village of San Pedro La Laguna. Its modest exterior disguises a garden of Eden; the classrooms were huts embedded amongst beautiful shrubbery, overlooking the beguiling Lago de Atitlán. I had five hours of one-to-one lessons every morning. Sounds intense, right?! My initial fears of this being excessive were quickly quashed after my first lesson with Magdalena.

Magdalena was 23 years old and 6 months pregnant. She had an infectious enthusiasm. During my two weeks at La Cooperativa, the ‘lessons’ felt more like engaging conversations. The day would fly by before I knew it. Magdalena and I spoke of the history of Guatemala, of how intimately the Mayan culture has fused with the Latino influence, of the cultural differences between the UK and Guatemala. It was truly fascinating; not only was I developing my Spanish at an incredible rate, but I was learning and beginning to understand what life in Guatemala was like. That was exactly what I wanted. The one-to-one nature of the lessons meant I could tailor my learning to whatever I desired. Magdalena even spent a day teaching me medical Spanish because I asked. Her exuberant personality drew out the best in me, and really empowered my learning.

Every morning I would leave my host family’s home and walk down to La Cooperativa to be greeted by my maestra, Magdalena. After a brief chat about what we did the previous evening, the first half of my morning would be occupied by some traditional ‘classroom’ teaching. After a short coffee break (Guatemalan coffee is to die for…) we would spend the rest of day conversing an array of topics, with the aim to develop my aural and oral abilities. This was something I wanted to work on - I felt my listening and speaking skills lacked far behind my reading and writing abilities. After lunch, I would lose myself in an escapade in an around the Lake.

My classroom at La Cooperativa Spanish School

Mi tiempo libre My time in San Pedro La Laguna was not all spent studying. La Cooperativa organised several afternoon activities, from film nights to salsa classes to market trips. I became great friends with the other students at the school - we’d hang out in the evenings, swearing to only speak in Spanish…

My first week in San Pedro coincided with the annual San Pedro Apóstol fiesta. Hourly ‘bombas’ would rattle through the town during the day, whilst the evenings would be filled with music and dancing. The caballeros of the village, in their cowboy hats, would treat the damas, in their brightly patterned skirts, to a tradition courtship dance. It was quite a sight.

On my first weekend, I hiked up the nearby peak La Nariz de Indio. Esteban (my guide) and I set off at 3 A.M. to reach the peak before sunrise. The hike was tough, but seeing the sunrise over the three volcanoes surrounding Lago de Atitlán was simply breathtaking. Needless to say, I was glad I didn’t have Spanish class the next morning!

I decided to take a boat across the lake to Panajachel the following weekend with Megan, a fellow student at La Cooperativa. We spent the day trekking through the nature reserve, walking amongst the canopy on high bridges, on a constant look out for an monkeys swinging by. I think I saw more butterflies on that single day that I had ever cumulatively encountered in my life! In the afternoon, we spent some time swimming in the lake, and the day ended as we watched the sun fall between two volcanoes over Lago de Atitlán. Guatemala’s beauty had cast a spell on me, and my travels through the country after my time in San Pedro only made me fall deeper in love.

Mi familia anfitrionaI stayed with José González, his wife María and their son Felix. José and his family were warm and welcoming, representative of all the people I had met in San Pedro. Felix, aged 11, and I would often play cards after María’s delicious dinner, talking about how his day at school went. Not only

Sunset on Lago de Atitlan

did a homestay allow me to practice my Spanish outside of my lessons, but it meant I could begin to understand what daily life was like in rural Guatemala. José spoke cynically of the ‘always corrupt’ government, and how the results of the upcoming election would make no difference to his life. This was a view shared by many Guatemalans. They were disillusioned by the authorities that governed the country. Guatemala is a country where you make a living of your own back; no-one helps the poor. María, who has never been out of San Pedro, was particularly interested in what life in the UK was like. She was shocked that I was 21 and not considering marriage! It was a real privilege to live in the González household, and I would like to thank José and his family for opening up their hearts and home to me.

A photo with the González family

The view from my room in the González household

Mis pensamientosMy time in San Pedro La Laguna is something I will never forget; I had some truly invaluable experiences. The Spanish dialect in Guatemala is slow and deliberate, with real emphasis and time taken to enunciate. This to me personifies this wonderful land. The language reflects the nature of the Guatemalan people. I came out here with the intention to develop my Spanish so that one day I could return, as a doctor, to help the people of Latin America. With much time to learn and reflect on my travels, however, I realised that this is no longer what I wanted. I do not just want to be another foreign aid doctor, trying to save as many lives as I can with my own hands.

This was the most important lesson I learnt; the people of Guatemala do not want foreigners to come in and pretend they know what is best for their country. Their culture is too proud to want a handout; ‘The hand that gives is always above the hand that receives’. I learnt that in order to create a sustainable difference to Latin America, one must work to empower local changemakers.Crucially, I understood the difference between aid, a potentially patronising act, and development, a two-way communication.

Instead of trying to help whomever I can with my own hands, I should help train and motivate the Guatemalan doctors, nurses and community health workers. I should liaise with governments to improve their policies and public health initiatives. My time in San Pedro showed me that Latin America does not need another foreign aid doctor, it needs an opportunity to develop. It has convinced me to pursue a career in global health and advocacy, to help strengthen the healthcare systems of Central and South America. And for that, the ability to communicate in Spanish is not merely helpful, but is crucial. I My time in Guatemala has transformed my career aspirations, and fuelled a real drive in me to make a sustainable difference. Thus, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Pressland Fund for its generosity, without which I would not have encountered such an eye-opening experience.