Some things I’ve learned:

The best way to come to Guatemala and expect to accomplish anything is to be completely unprepared for what you’re doing and what’s going to happen.

If you want to run things your way you need to be supplying the money.

Business should be different from charity. If you’re helping people by giving them jobs, treat them like employees.

When someone singles you out from a crowd to molest, don’t take it personally, it’s only because you were closest.

Beauty and ugliness are equally mixed in everything, and if you ignore one I’ll only hurt worse when it inevitably appears again.

Strength of character and responsibility are learned, not instinctive, traits.

It’s ok to be disappointed and want to do more, it’ll keep you working and it’ll keep you honest.

Abandoning anything is not an option, even with the promise of coming back. Be prepared to let it run without you and take the turns that it may or have the strength to kill it yourself.

Be open, alert, flexible, aware of both sides of every issue, non-judgmental, and adaptive.. just in case your plans change.

Protect the people that mean the most to you, even if it means not punching someone that insulted them in the face. Figuratively and literally.

People with good hearts still do shitty things.

People who seem shitty can have good hearts.

Human nature will surprise you. For the better and especially for the worst.

It’s better to walk into a room and assume that everyone likes you, then make relationships from there. At least then you’ll be able to give yourself the chance to change their minds.

Look up, not down. The sky’s much more interesting than your feet.

Sometimes pigeons are cute. Especially when a really old lady wearing a mardi gras necklace like legitimate jewelry keeps two as pets on the counter of her tienda. Especially when they have their own little cardboard box house and beside it a hoard of shiny objects and bottle caps.

Things work out. Usually I have no idea how. A little responsibility and flexibility seems to help.

Nobody knows what you just went through unless they did it with you.

Get over yourself. Get over myself.

The world is not small. It’s interconnected, but it’s not small.

Good hot chocolate can solve alllll your problems.






Some things I’ll be happy to return to:

Potable tap water

Septic tanks

Vehicle exhaust laws

A general respect for women and people of different races.

A personal vehicle

Thai food

MY CATS

Domesticated dogs

Strong coffee

More than 3 pairs of pants, without 2 always being dirty

Dancing that doesn’t need 6 months of practice before it’s presentable

Weaving

Making art for my own sake

A different watch that doesn’t smell bad

Being able to pick out my groceries, rather than asking someone to bring it to me from behind a counter