Comments on: Losing My Travel Virginity: Guatemala

By: J

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 06:24:19 +0000

I love this article. Partly because it was very well written, and partly because I just lost my travel virginity to Guatemala at age 16 a couple of weeks ago and many of your experiences are similar to my own. It was the most amazing time of my life. Everyone I met seemed to change my life for the better in one way or another. The people there are so sweet and amazing! Except for the police officers… they just creep me out.

By: Jared Krauss

Jared Krauss — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:23:35 +0000

After having lived in rural Panama for a month at the age of 16 and waiting every three days to get a shower pumped in from a city 100km away, building houses into the mountain side made out of bamboo shoots, palm tree leaves and any other useful resource to be found, I can share your experience. My traveling experiences up to that date had been Cancun and Ixtapa, Miami and NYC and other such places. To see the shanties that were stacked on top of each other like mismatched legos, using tin, wood, cardboard, anything they could to construct a house, really struck me hard. Panama is a beautiful place, but also a lesson to someone like me.

This really resonates with me. Thank you for sharing your experience.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:45:41 +0000

Thank you all for giving my article a read. I appreciate your generous comments! Sometimes I think we should make a trip like this annually to keep life in perspective.

By: Ryukyu Mike

Ryukyu Mike — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:18:33 +0000

Well written and an experience all 16 year old Americans could use !

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:47:46 +0000

If everyone had an experience like this, the world would be a better place, I am sure. Excellent article.

By: joshywashington

joshywashington — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:29:56 +0000

To be exposed at 16 and to have your life changed is a lucky thing indeed. I often think, if only people could get out of their sphere and see more of what human life is like in the world, then we could be a better people. And the younger the better.
Lord Byron can be paraphrased; Don’t tell me what you have done, tell me where you have been.

By: Hal

Hal — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:55:13 +0000

Very powerful

By: Liv

Liv — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:36:51 +0000

Very nice, Rachel. I find it impressive that you were so open-minded at such a young age.

My father’s family is from Guatemala, but their circumstances have been very different from the one you describe. The differences in lifestyle in Guatemala are so enormous that it’s heartbreaking.

By: Tim Patterson

Tim Patterson — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:54:54 +0000

Gorgeous essay – travel can be such a profound experience for young people.

By: Jason Policastro

Jason Policastro — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:50:56 +0000

Cool piece. Very detailed and well written.

By: Turner

Turner — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:49:42 +0000

Very nice, Rachel. I love the last two paragraphs.