My Gizzy Adventure featuring Makeda Girma

As an individual, who hates being told no to things the exposure to Guatemala's gender roles has stuck out to me. For example, women stay home and raise the children- 14 of them! Girls are marginalized and disrespected. Cat calls and petty gestures are common things done by men. The indisputable bias behavior towards women being weak is common. I was told that I could not play soccer with the "boys" because the game was to rough for a girl to play. I played.  

Regardless of these actions,  there are people who rise above. My teacher told me about her silent fight towards her father who expected her to feed him. To the point in which she would have to put a napkin on his chest. In a country in which there is a femicide going on I am glad to see people, like my students rising above. 

Lourdeis- "lulu"  our last day teaching in San Pedro, Guatemala was a languishing one. Although, it may have been difficult at times this young girl stuck out to me. She is both cute and smart but, most importantly a self advocate. Small things like her persistence to master a word when other kids were playing soccer. Or when she came up to Shannon and I in order to learn how to spell vocabulary that was not even taught yet. Thank you Lulu for being a wonderful student and a strong woman!

I hope that in the future, Lourdeis, Anna, Dulce, Adriana and all those beautiful and smart human beings pursue a life full of the love for learning, self advocacy and happiness. 

- Giz.