"So, what do you do exactly?"

Last week marked the celebrations of International Day of the Youth and of course, I was pumped to share this special day with students. After all, I am a Youth in Development volunteer and they are one of the reasons why I'm in Guatemala! The day was extra special as I got to join in on different activities and see how schools, institutions, and organizations mark this day. It was a chance to gain a deeper understanding on the significance of my work with youth and to explore new reasons why I enjoy the work I do at Peace Corps.

I guess I haven't exactly shared what it is that I do at Peace Corps Guatemala yet, other than admire the traditional huipil and corte, eat about ten tortillas a day, and find every opportunity to pet a chucho (stray dog).

My work entails teaching life skill sessions at three different middle schools. Two of these schools are situated in distant villages outside of town, requiring a lengthy yet scenic bus ride, while the third is conveniently located near the town center. I find great satisfaction in my interactions with students at each of these schools, appreciating the warmth with which they welcome me. Despite their occasional reserve and timidity, a simple smile never fails to convey their hospitality. The life skill sessions I conduct cover a range of essential abilities that adolescents need to develop to become healthy and civically engaged adults, such as effective communication, self-esteem and self-concept, team-work, decision-making, and coping with issues like bullying and peer pressure. These are the very skills that I was fortunate to develop during my own adolescence through involvement in sports, as well as engaging in healthy and inspiring environments like after-school clubs and extracurricular activities.

Youth in Guatemala, especially those in rural and indigenous areas encounter numerous challenges and obstacles that hinder their ability to take advantage of some of these similar opportunities. In the specific context of my location, the high rate of youth dropouts is commonly linked to economic constraints, limited educational prospects, insufficient funding, and inadequate resources. A significant portion of the population lives below the poverty line, resulting in young individuals facing restricted job opportunities, low wages, and the need to work from a young age to support their families. These circumstances curtail their capacity and motivation to pursue education beyond middle school and prevents youth from successful engaging in enriching environments that provide support for them to develop these essential life skills.

Witnessing the unwavering resilience of my students in the face of these challenges truly made this past week that much more empowering. So I decided to open a window (not literally) and introduce them to some of the world's impactful youth leaders who are driving change in their own communities. Through ingenuity, I created a hanging gallery using string, plastic sleeves, and masking tape to showcase the remarkable stories of Mala Yousafzai, Sophie Cruz, Greta Thunberg, and Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh Martinez. This gallery not only highlighted their struggles, perseverance, and ongoing endeavors but also aimed to ignite inspiration and curiosity about leadership in my students. After engaging in the gallery, students were encouraged to contemplate their own experiences and the challenges faced by youth in their communities today.

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Students read about the activist work of Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh Martinez.

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It was challenging for me to gauge the level of inspiration among my students, they often speak Kaqchikel which makes it difficult for me to follow their conversations. However, their insightful responses regarding the challenges faced by youth in their community really informed my own work as a volunteer and what topics are of importance to them. Prior to arriving at our assigned sites, we undergo 10 weeks of training emphasizing the significance of building community and nurturing relationships to be able to successfully engage in our service and fulfill our goals as volunteers. Well, only about 9 months into my service and I felt like I had truly done it, I got students to tell me what their needs were, in Spanish! All I needed was the help of a few friends, specifically four influential youth leaders who are paving the way for others in their communities.

One of the subjects addressed by Youth in Development volunteers is substance abuse and alcohol. The significance of this topic was underscored by the amount of paper strips submitted into a collection box after the hanging gallery, highlighting alcohol consumption as the leading problem confronting youth today.

The driving force behind this activity was to create focal points for students to direct their attention towards, fostering a safe space where they can begin to cultivate their leadership abilities and explore their own unique voices. The big question now is, what will youth do about it? How will they address alcoholism in their community?

Crossing my fingers and toes that I can post an update soon with some activities organized and led by Guatemala's new youth leaders. Stay tuned!