Conversely, Guatemalans will ask how much your left shoe cost you without a second of hesitation. Living in such a money-obsessed, impoverished community has been difficult and bitter, and at the increased exposure to the question "How much?", I find myself fretting for my personal financial future.[...]
Posts Tagged ‘lavidaidealist.org’
One Day on Earth: What Story Will You Tell?
One Day on Earth is asking you, me, and the rest of the world to film something you're inspired by on that day, with the hope of creating a time capsule that documents our collective struggles and triumphs. You don't have to be a seasoned filmmaker to participate—cell phones and digital cameras wo[...]
August 19th, 2010 - 7:49 am § in Around Town, Culture, Good Ideas, Guatemala, In the Field, Volunteer
Lessons in Purchasing Power and Investment
I have tried my hardest over the past few years to bury the key concepts and bold lettering that were force fed in business school, a process heavily aided by the acquisition of two new languages and ether-like Chinese rice wine. Last week, however, I was reminded of the purchasing power of American[...]
Dreaming of Rainbow Sheep
In May, I attended Uruguay’s first gay marriage. It was an accident: we overshot a restaurant on the Calle Sarandí and found ourselves amidst unfurling pride flags and a loudspeaker declaring “los mismos derechos para los mismos nombres.” It was, admittedly, also a publicity stunt. Urugua[...]
How to Learn a Language
Immersion, immersion, immersion! Sadly, I never learned the amount of Spanish I had hoped to while volunteering in Chile but now in Guatemala, I’m more than making up for it. Staying with a Spanish speaking family is the best possible immersion you could hope for and great fun, too. My Spanish[...]
How to Choose a Volunteer Placement Abroad
I was thinking about what made me decide to volunteer as a Kiva Fellow in Peru and Bolivia, and I thought it would make sense to share some of those thoughts with potential volunteers. Here are some of my considerations (grouped into the categories professional and personal): Professional Employmen[...]
Location, Location, Location
As my Introduction to Marketing professor told us on the first day, it’s all about location, a rule that spreads well beyond the world of advertising and real estate. Too often in life, people allow their to geographical position to define them. Tyler seems trapped by the repetition of Chicago a[...]
