My Guatemala Experience Overall, my experience was as unique as it can get. I had always valued helping others as a valuable human instinct, which is why I’m happy to say that I achieved that during my 2-week stay. What had made my time here special was the persistent attention to a familiar setting. The locals, INLEXCA co-coordinators, my host-family and the teachers at the school that I taught in, all contributed to creating a sense of familiarity which had helped me feel more comfortable and confident in sharing my abilities and thoughts; creating a more authentic experience. Working with children had also made me understand the importance of early child development and how that is bound to influence later life; essentially what one is taught and how others interact with a child will affect later behaviors. To anyone potentially thinking of participating in such a project, I would strongly recommend it since there is nothing more useful and pure than raising the self-esteem of traumatized children; be kind and supporting to them and see the expression on their faces.