I came from Central America. I was born in Guatemala city, I immigrated to the United States at the age of 16 years old. It was difficult to adjust because not only I did not speak English, I had to learn a new culture and meet new friends. I started going to community college to take English classes. After three long months I was able to understand a little and by listening people talk I grasped the language. I started high school a few months later transition was easy as I knew a little bit of English. I started to make friends that had been on the same situation that came from Mexico. I considered myself lucky to have my friends and to be able to adjust to a different culture in a short period of time.
I started playing soccer (my favorite sport) my hobbies included bicycling running field and track, that made feel free to do anything I wanted to do. Three years later after I graduated from high school I follow my dreams to be a professional soccer player, one day practicing all my dreams came tumbling down as I sustained an injury and broke my leg, after 6 weeks of being with a cast I started physical therapy and in about three weeks I was able to kick a soccer ball as the doctors and the medical staff told me that the type of injury I was not going to be able to play again as my left tibia and fibula was broken in three places. With determination and good will I beat those odds. That was rewarding to keep going and try to play the sport I love the most.
Talking about “SHOCK CULTURE” coming from a tropical weather country where the weather is in the mid 80’s all year around except in December through February when the weather gets a little chilly my first winter in Chicago was according to the experts it was the worst winter with the temperature getting down minus 50 degrees with the wind chill sure was tough trying to go to school when the buses were not running due to the accumulation of snow to 6 to 7 feet I remember talking a shower before going to school and as soon as I stepped out of my house my hair got frozen because it was still wet. Not knowing or never being in that environment.
After going to high school and graduating I started going Community college attending classes in computers. I met lots of friends that had the same interest as me I also met an important person that worked with the Chicago Tribune and got hired as a press operator even thought I did not have experience in that field I also worked as delivery person (I did not like that much, as the winter gets too cold and snowy. I had delivery route on the lake shore). After ten years working for them I started working at a printing shop (this job I liked as it was indoors ) I worked for another 10 years and learned a lot in the printing industry.
After working at the printing company for that long, the company closed and went out of business due to the computer industry taking over small companies and running them out of business. I decided to join the United States Navy. I wanted to do something different and see the world at the same time. (boy , did I see the world) I went to boot camp in San Diego California where the weather is so nice all year around (no more shoveling snow in the winter) which it was more what I was used to since being born in a tropical weather country it is more ideal for me. I did not have any problems getting used to following orders and paying attention to detail which it came so natural for me being brought up in a strict family values it was easy for me to fit in and easily adjust to the military. I traveled all over the world and saw and met lots of interesting people and interesting countries with different cultures and different food. Loved it! I was on a war ship for two and a half years before I was sent to work at a hospital and taking care of kids in a pediatric ward for the next three years. Not only it was nice to be working there very rewarding in taking care of all the Military dependents and learning with the sick kids how to be compassionate as I needed to be in order to work there and not to get too emotional.
October 2 2019
This week was exciting as I went camping to the mountains with some friends, we hiked, play games and enjoyed barbequing. I met new friends from Canada hopefully long lasting friendship. I talked to them about my country and how I used to like spending time with family during Holly Week (Easter week). In Guatemala is an important time as the majority of Guatemalans are Catholics. There is a tradition during this time that dates back to the late 1890’s. I read and everything that says is correct hopefully we will take a trip with these new friends and they could experience this tradition that we take and do very devotional during this time of year.. Easter celebrations begin on Palm Sunday and run till Easter Sunday. The most intense part of the festivities runs from Wednesday till Sunday, during which time businesses and schools close down to allow the people a break and a chance to enjoy the celebrations. On Palm Sunday, the streets are full of people carrying branches of the palm tree to commemorate the strewing of such palm branches in Christ’s path as he entered Jerusalem a week before his Resurrection. Roman Catholic, and some other churches, have priests bless these branches during special services. On Monday through Thursday, when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper, Catholic churches reenact the event with foot-washing services. A prestigious priest stoops down to wash the feet of 12 commoners, the priest representing Jesus and the worshippers being the 12 disciples. During the Antigua Good Friday procession, the streets are decorated with large “rugs,” that are sometimes actual rugs but are other times made of dyed sawdust, pine needles, fruits, leaves, flowers, and other natural products. These other objects are patterned just like a rug or a carpet, and the crowds walk on top of it during the procession. (Tried to insert a picture but was not able)
October 9 2019
This week was really exhausting as I woke up on Monday morning with a really bad back ache I stayed in bed for the day thankfully I was able to go to the doctor and get pain medication. I had an Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and discovered a pinch nerve that was in between the disk on my spine. The doctor is talking about different alternatives and one being surgery, I don’t want to considered surgery as I already had a lumbar surgery last year and I don’t think is the right way to go but God willing I will find another alternative other than pain meds.
g about :
The fact that you even know a second language is awesome. I know people who go their entire life without even learning a second language. The type oh knowledge you retain in learning a new language is useful and it will help you out your entire life. I currently only speak two languages. I used to speak German but I lost the skill over time without practice.
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I would say that was a good move to join the US Navy after your company went out of business. It will provide you with a stable income for your family and at the same time you learned job experiences and training in the field you desired. I found it hard also in turning my way of life from civilian to the military style. Bootcamp is a good training ground for recruits but this is where they built your military style of life, being hard and always ready, physically and mentally. It is tough at the beginning but later on I realized that these are part of molding individual for the success of the ships mission. Never mind about the all day marching and shouting from the company commander, getting you bunks, blankets, socks, uniforms in all tip-top shape, it is all about the results of building a strong force of military. I loved it and will go back when recalled for service.
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