Happy Hoods at Home

By Jessica Hoffman

It is crazy to think that almost an entire semester and summer has gone by since my study abroad program in Guatemala! The trip was truly a life-changing experience. I had done and seen things I had never done before. Life in Guatemala, their values, norms and beliefs, are so much different than in the United States. It is a true gift to have this type of perspective on a whole other culture. So often I feel I take for granted such basic things like a nice home, food security and good health. I feel so fortunate to get to live my life and have these experiences that really help me grow as an individual. After Guatemala, and seeing what life is like in other parts of the world, I feel there is really no reason not to be happy and appreciate the problems that I am presented with.

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Friends, I’m home!

By Jessica Hoffman

I have been in the United States for about a week and I do not feel completely settled in yet. At first it felt a little weird being back in a fast-paced, crowded country. The morning after I returned I treated myself to a nice breakfast at a small café in Phoenix. The entire place was packed and we felt rushed to give up our table for the next diners. After quickly finishing breakfast, I braved the busy streets to get myself home.

The whole experience felt strange and stressful after weeks of eating in empty, relaxed restaurants all over Guatemala. I miss wandering the streets of Antigua and stumbling into a new restaurant whenever we got hungry and then explore more when we were finished. In Guatemala there is also a refreshingly friendly culture; everywhere we went strangers would say hello, good morning or smile and wave. When I got home I was expecting that same type of interaction but quickly realized that people often didn’t even make eye contact with me; if anything I’ll get a head nod or a smile.

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Taking home happiness

By Jessica Hoffman

We are officially on the last days of the trip. It has flown by so quickly. The last few days we have been spent working and relaxing in gorgeous Lake Atitlan. At the beginning of this trip I had no idea what to expect. I did not know anyone I was going with, any of the professors or even how sustainability and happiness are connected. I have been exposed to so much in just two weeks and have learned an incredible amount.

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On the road with Gus

By Jessica Hoffman

Traveling, traveling, traveling. It seems like we have been running all around the country in just a few days. The bus, which we have named Gus, almost feels like a second home. It has been the location where many of our deep sustainability and happiness conversations have taken place. It was our sanctuary when we needed an escape from the Zacapa heat and our makeshift beds for quick naps in between activities on a busy day. We even custom decorated it with streamers and ribbon for a birthday celebration.

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Change agents in Guatemala

Jessica Hoffman

After a ten hour travel day consisting of two flights and one short drive from Guatemala City to Antigua, we arrived at Hotel Rustica around midnight. The following two and a half days consisted of exploring the streets of Antigua and hoping not to get lost. I packed in as much as I could during our free time. Most hours were spent seeing the ruins of cathedrals, running around the Mercado and venturing in and out of different cafés and shops.

As a group we also had many field trips to various organizations around the area that are combating various sustainability challenges. At some of these sites organic surprises have occurred, greatly enriched this experience. One of the first incredible experiences for me was at Ecocomal, a company that makes high efficiency wood burning stoves. This is where we met Marco, the business owner.

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Next stop, Guatemala!

By Jessica Hoffman

Five months ago I decided to take advantage of the incredible opportunity to travel abroad to Nepal with the Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives’ Global Sustainability Studies Program. I eagerly submitted my application, applied for scholarships and started researching everything I could about my host country. Once accepted I purchased my plane tickets, visited the travel clinic through ASU’s Health Services and enrolled in a seven-week pre-departure course.

By the end of the course I was finally feeling prepared for my weeks abroad. I had learned key phrases, greetings and some cultural norms. We were taught valuable lessons to strengthen our global perspective, for example the difference between Cultural Relativism — the effort to understand a practice on the basis of the cultural meaning of the society in which it takes place, and Ethnocentrism — judging the behaviors and decisions based solely on our American values and standards. However, in the last week of the course, just two weeks ago, a sudden turn of events halted all of our study abroad plans.
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