A Googler's Guatemalan Adventure
Volunteer: Barb Gilles
Age: 40
From: Chicago, IL
Occupation: Advertising Sales at Google
CCS Program Site: Guatemala City, Guatemala (Insight Abroad)
What made you choose Guatemala City?
For me, it was location. I was interested in seeing Central America because I had been to South America before. The one weeks are more limited, and then the timing—it was Thanksgiving week, so that allowed us to take a couple days without having to take a whole week of vacation, and we had to do it before the end of the year. We really talked it up to the staff in the Chicago office; it’d be really great to get more Googlers involved.
What surprised you?
When I first signed up, my hope was that I’d be working with children. When I found out I was going to be working in the elderly care facility, I was a little bummed. But after the first day, I realized I loved it. But I was really surprised at how much I got into it and that I had as much fun as I did.
Describe your placement experience.
In the mornings when we arrived, we went to work on painting the areas around the planters to brighten them up. The wash basin where the women all washed their clothes needed to be scrubbed and painted. And then the afternoons, would just be hanging out with the ladies, playing games, or just talking.
What Cultural & Learning Activities did you take part in?
We went to a local museum that had a lot of artifacts from the ancient Mayan culture. And we climbed the Pacaya Volcano. We were on a hill next to it, and we saw it erupting. I had never been that close to an active volcano before. We went to an area outside of Antigua and saw a traditional Mayan wedding ceremony. We got to visit a shantytown, and also drive through some of the more ritzy areas...so we got to see the both extremes. It was really a wide range of activities, stuff that we probably wouldn’t have seen if we were tourists. That was something I really appreciated that the in-country staff really thought about what were the most important things to us, the most exciting things to be seeing since we were only there for a week.
What do you miss most about your program?
I think I miss the ladies, they were just so charming. They were so wonderful to work with, it was fun to see them every day and try to speak to them in Spanish. And just seeing how happy they were to see us. We really felt in those four or five days that we made a difference in their lives.
Why do you think other people should volunteer abroad?
First and foremost you get to experience another culture which is extremely important, to know about other areas of the world. And the second is the volunteering adds in a whole new aspect. Being able to help people less fortunate than yourself. I think it’s also great to be able to show people outside of this country that we care about them, and I don’t know that they’ve felt that recently.
Any advice for future volunteers?
It was something I’d been thinking about for a long time, because it was an overall great experience, something I’d like to repeat again. You just have to do it; you have to go for it. Everyone will take away something different from their trip, but I think the common theme about it is that it will change your life.
