JoshuaRodriguez

Chispa
April27,2016
Writing

TheUnexpected
IneverthoughtthatIwouldactuallyenjoytheplacewheremymotherwas
raised.AfterallthecommentsmysistermadeaboutGuatemala,IthoughtIwasgoing
tocriticizeitjustasmuch.Previously,wheneversomeoneaskedmewhatIwas,I
alwaysrespondedGuatemalan.EventhoughIhavenevergonetoGuatemala,mymom
isGuatemalansoitjustfeltliketherightthingtosay.ItcouldalsobeahabitbutImnot
entirelysure.Ihadtowakeupat6inthemorningandItookashowerbeforewewere
offtotheairport.WefinallyarrivedattheairportandIwasstarving.Iaskedmymomto
getsomefoodandweorderedfoodfromRedRobin.Theclockturnedto12andwe
werenowabouttoboardtheplanetogotoMiami.Ihadbutterfliesinmystomachand
theplanefinallywasonliftoff.Mybodytriedtoadjusttoallthedifferentmovementsof
theplanebutmybabysisterwasntnervousorscared.Shewaslaughinginherchair
whichputasmileonmyface.Isatbackandrelaxedaswewerealreadyintheair.Ina
fewminutes,Iwasasleep.
IwokeupacoupleminutesbeforeweweregoingtodescendintoMiami.I
lookedoutofthewindowandthewaterwassobeautiful.Thesunreflectedoffofthe
waterandIcouldseethepalmtreesswayingfromsidetoside.Itwastrulyanamazing
sight.Isighedaswewereabletofinallygetoffoftheplane.Onemoretriptogo,I
thoughttomyself.Thetimeflewbyandwewerealreadyonournextplaneto
Guatemala.Mymomtoldmefromthestartthatwewouldbearrivingatnightto
GuatemalasoIwasntexpectingtodoanythingoncewegotthere.Wefinallygotto
GuatemalaandIhaveneverbeenmoreexcitedinmylife.Iwasntsurewhattoexpect
butIsuredidknowthatIhadtobequickandalert.Ihelpedgetthesuitcasestogether
andwewentoutside.TheairwashotandIwasntsurewhoanyonewasexceptformy
mom,mystepdad,mygrandma,andmybabysister.
Ilookedtomyrightandamanwaswavingatmymom.
Thatsyouruncle,sheremarked.Onlyyourgrandmaisgoingtogowithhim.
Wegotoursuitcasesandweheadedtotheparkinglotwherehiscarwas.We
sawoneofmystepdadsfriendsandwegotinthecartothenearestcarrentalplace
wecouldfind.Luckily,hisfriendworkedforacarrentalplaceandwewereabletogeta
car.WewereinGuatemalaCityandwewereonourwaytoElOvejero.Thiswaswhere
mystepdadlived.Wearrivedathishouseandwegotsettledin.Itwas11:47pm.I
finallylaiddownonmybedanddriftedoff.

ThelifeinGuatemalawasextremelydifferentforme.Icouldntusemyphone
wheneverIwantedsincetherewasnowifibutIwasstillabletoplayagamewithno
wificalledGeometryDash.IplayedthatwheneverIgotboredandIfinallygotoutof
bedtoeatbreakfast.IwasntusedtogoingoutsidetobrushmyteethbutIhadtoget
usedtoitbecauseIwasgoingtobeherefor2moreweeks.IatecerealandthenI
showered.ThatwasprettymuchmyroutineforthemorningswhileIwasherein
Guatemala.Eatbreakfast,shower,thenwaittoseewhatweweregoingtodothatday.
Surprisingly,IwasreallyenjoyingmyselfhereinGuatemala.Afterwewenttogoseeall
ofmymomsfamily,wethenwenttogoseemystepdadsfamily.Iactuallygotalong
withoneofhisbrotherswhowas18yearsold.Ihadtocommunicatewithhimin
Spanishbutthankfully,mymomtalkstomealotinSpanishsoIwasabletotalkwith
himfairlywell.
AfterseveraldaysofbeinginElOvejero,wefinallywenttogoseemymoms
hometown,Monjas.Aftervisitingonce,mymomwenttherealmosteveryotherday.I
enjoyedthebreakfastwehadbecauseitwaseitherbreadwithcoffee(panconcafe),
cereal,ortortillaswithbeans.IwasusedtoeatingthatkindoffoodsoIactuallyenjoyed
it.Forthefirst4days,thepeoplewevisitedalwaysservedussoupwhichiscalled
caldoinSpanish.Aftereatingitforseveraldays,ItoldmymomIdidntwanttoeatit
anymoreandsheagreedwithme.Afterthefirstweekofbeingthere,Idecidedthatthe
wayIwouldhavemostfunwouldbebyhangingoutwithmystepdadsbrother.Ihung
outwithhimeverydayandIfoundoutthatIlivedveryclosetohimandaplacewhere
wecouldhangoutanduseourphones.Mymomsometimeshadtoforcemetogowith
herinsteadofbeingwithDuvan.
OnedayIaskedmymomifitwasokayformetogototheparkandjusthangout
there.ShetoldmeitwasokayandIgotready.Iwasabletowalkaroundtheareaand
enjoythefreedomIhadinGuatemala.Iwalkedtotheparkandsawmystepdadsdad
workinginthepark.Heworkedinhistrucksellingafrozensnackcalledgranizadas.I
walkedtowardshimwithDuvanandheaskedifIwantedone.Isaid,Si,porfavor(Yes,
please).Hegavemeonewhichwasflavoredicewithdifferentfruitsadded.Thatwas
called
unagranizadadefruta
.ItrieditandIreallyenjoyedit.ThefirsttimeIgota
granizada,IdidntlikeitbecauseitwasflavoredwithtamarindwhichIthoughtwould
tastedifferently.Ireallylikedthisoneandwentontoaskforonealmosteverydayfrom
thatdayforward.Aftereatingmygranizada,IwalkedwithDuvantothestoreand
boughtabagofchipswithsoda.AfterspendingaweekinGuatemala,Ihavetoadmit
thatIhadalotoffun.IwasgladtobeGuatemalanbecausethethingstheyhadhere
werereallyappealingtome.IneverwouldvethoughtthatGuatemalawouldbethis
muchfun.Icouldtellwhymymomlikestocomehereannually.Comingbacktoher
hometownwasmostlikelyveryexcitingforher.

DuvanaskedmeifIwantedtogotoawaterparkthatwasnearbyhishouse.I
wassoexcitedtogotoawaterpark,andexclaimed,Yes!Iwentinsidethetruckand
hedrovetothewaterplace.Ittookusabout10minutestogetthereandwesawasign
thatsaid
IsladelaFantasia
.Wegotoutthetruckandwentinside.Wepaidatthe
entranceandwehadtheentirewaterparktoourselvessinceeveryoneelsewasat
schoolorworking.IsawalargepoolandIwassothrilledtobethere.Iputonmy
swimmingtrunksandwaitedforDuvantochange.Oncehewasdone,westoodatthe
edgeofthepoolandhetoldmetogofirst.Ijumpedintothepoolandstoodup.Inoticed
hedidntcomeinsoIencouragedhim.
Comeon,comein!Iexclaimed.
Hefinallyjumpedintothepoolandwebothbeganswimmingaroundthepool.
Afterbeinginthepoolforanhourandahalf,wedecidedthatweshouldordersome
food.Hecalledthewaiteroverandweorderednachoswithorangesoda.Tenminutes
later,thewaitercamebackwithourfoodandplaceditdownontheedgeofthepoolfor
us.Iduginimmediatelyintothedishandthoughtittastedamazing.Wefinishedthe
plateofnachosandweorderedanotherone!IdrunktheorangesodaandIthoughtit
hadauniquetastetoit.Weatetheotherplateofnachosandthenwegotoutofthe
pooltochangebacktoourclothes.
Thenextday,mymomtoldmethatweweregoingtogotoaplacecalled
DRocks.Iputonmyswimmingtrunksandwewereonourwaytoanotherpool!Wegot
totheplaceandtheviewwasabsolutelystunning.ThewaterwasextremelyclearandI
lovedeverythingabouttheplace.Igottothepoolandwentintotheoneforadults.The
waterwentuptomychestandIwashavingalotoffun.Afterabout34hours,Igotout
ofthepoolandmymomsaidweshouldorderfood.Wegotamealandtherewasalist
ofabunchofdifferentmealswecouldorder.Idecidedtogetahamburgerwithan
horchatawhichisricewithcinnamon,andsometimeswithvanilla.Thewaiterbrought
ourfoodandIbeganeating.ThefoodinGuatemalawasamazing!Iatethehamburger
withfriesandIwasfilledtothebrim.WeleftDRocksandwewentbackhome.
Soonenough,itwastimetosaygoodbyetoeveryone.Wevisitedallofmyaunts
andwehadtosaygoodbyetoallofthem.ItriedsohardtonottearupbecauseIdida
lotinGuatemala,andIalsometalotofpeoplethatwereveryconsiderateandfuntobe
around.Someofmyfamilymembersdidendupcrying,whichonlymademewantto
cryevenmore,butIhadtokeepitin.Thelastpeoplewesaidgoodbyetowasmystep
dadsfamily.IspentalotofmytimewiththemwhileIwasinGuatemala,anditwas
extremelysadhavingtoleavethem.IsatwithDuvanforalittlebitandwasntsureonto
whatIshouldsaytohim.

Esteesmiltimodaaqu(Thisismylastdayhere),Ifinallyremarked,
breakingthesilence.

Henoddedandbeganplayingwithmybabysisterandthedogs.Eventhoughhe
didntsayanything,Iknewthathewassadtoseeusleave.Isighedandthought,why
couldntIhavestayedforalittlebitlonger.Iwentbackinsidethehouseandmystep
dadsmomwasgivinghimbreadtotaketotheUnitedStates.Weplaceditinsideofa
suitcase,andwebegansayinggoodbyetoeveryone.Mystepdadsgrandmawas
cryingwhichbrokemyheart.Seeinghercrynearlybroughtmetotears,butIdidntcry.
Igaveherahugandsodidmybabysisterandmymom.Wewentoutsideandbegan
walkingtothecar.IgaveahandshaketoDuvanandenteredthecar.Mystepdad
starteddrivingawayandIlookedbackonemoretime.Hismomwaswavingatus,andI
satbackandwenttosleep.
GoingtoGuatemalamademehaveadifferentviewpointofmyidentity.Iknew
thattherewasapartofmyidentityIdidntknowalotabout,butgoingtoGuatemala
mademerealizethattheresalotaboutmyidentitythatIstillneedtodiscover.Inever
understoodwhyIsaidIwasGuatemalaneventhoughIhaveneverbeentoGuatemala.
AftergoingtoGuatemala,IamproudtobeGuatemalanandhaveitapartofmyidentity.
ItwasarealeyeopenerformeinlifeanditmadememorethankfulforeverythingI
haveinmylife,andthethingsthatmakeupmyidentity.