Impresiones sin Palabras

 “Why do you want to be a health care provider?” This is a question I hear all the time, and like a normal person I answer, “ I want to help people”. Today I found a better answer for that question. 

For several months we have been working every Sunday for one and a half hours on learning about La Ciudad de la Esperanza and all of the Chapines that are residents to it. We learned the geography of Guatemala, we learned the history, we learned culture, and we learned some Spanish. We learned about Ciudad a lot and they’re frequent patients. It was different to learn about one place for so long. 

When I arrived to the door of ciudad de la Esperanza. My throat turned into a knot and my cheeks started to burn. The words that literally came out of my mouth were “omg this is literally so cute, I am about to cry”. We have been learning about this so much and to finally see it touched my soul. I was truly amazed at what I knew was going to impact my heart. 

We were on our feet for so long. We had our flight canceled and got here on a Tuesday instead of a Monday. On our way to Coban we got a flat tire. It was like a universe was against us. Because we were so behind Tuesday was a day of running around and getting everything situated before we started with the patients. Although we were so tired we were greatful for this opportunity to learn. I didn’t care that my feet felt like they were burning with so much pain. I was able to play with kids and interact with people that I didn’t know but I felt like I did. It was a day of many emotions and they were emotions that I want to feel many more times. 

So why do I want to be a health care provider? It’s because I want to help people but I also want to be useful in peoples lives. Having people thanking me and blessing me for doing something I truly enjoy makes my soul brighten up. These strangers are greatful for the help they receive when I should be greatful for trusting I, a student who comes to learn. I leave with Esperanza that I impact people in the same way they have impacted me. 

Gisselle Valenzuela-Zuniga