#GivingTuesday: 'Visiting Students in Guatemala Changed My Perspective on Life'

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Kristen with Starfish scholars. (Kristen Tully)

Who: Kristen Tully, a 28-year-old PR professional at Marina Maher Communications (MMC) in New York.

What: In November, I traveled 2,000 miles to Sololá, Guatemala, where I watched rural indigenous girls graduate from secondary school. In a country where only 14 percent of rural girls finish the sixth grade, this was a huge accomplishment for them and their families.

Why: Because I run MMC’s philanthropic program, MMC for a Cause, I was there as a guest of She’s the First, the organization that had funded these girls’ education through contributions from individuals and agencies like ours. I felt quite lucky to be a part of the program that gave these girls a brighter future.

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I discovered She’s the First: Since 2012, all of the funds raised through MMC for a Cause have benefited She’s the First, which sponsors girls’ education in low-income countries to create first-generation graduates and our next generation of global leaders. We have specifically targeted young women’s education at two schools: the Starfish organization in Guatemala and Arlington Academy of Hope in Uganda.

What inspired me to get involved: My mom came to America from Thailand at just 20 years old (she wouldn’t love it if I told you what year she came to America, but I’ll say she doesn’t look a day over 30!) in search of a better life. When she was a young girl, her mother taught her how to be a good “housewife” (her term, not mine) with minimal focus on education and schooling. As a first-generation female graduate on my mom’s side of the family, I am emotionally vested in helping girls less fortunate than me graduate from school. I think it is the single most powerful way to lift them out of poverty and give them a choice about the kind of life they lead.

View of Lake Atitlán (Kristen Tully)

Why I took this trip: Sometimes donors toShe’s the First are invited to come down and attend the graduation ceremonies, but it goes deeper than that. Aside from studying abroad in Barcelona back in college and visiting family in Bangkok 14-plus years ago, my international travel has been limited. I was eager to push myself to experience new places and broaden my horizons through this trip.

My biggest challenges: I was desperately trying to tap into my Spanish minor from college years ago. I wanted so badly to seamlessly communicate with the beautiful scholars I met with, to fully grasp their life stories and accomplishments. While I was able to bond over my “tortillas imperfectas” that I made with the girls, I realized that my language skills were not as good as they used to be. However, I was able to take back with me the feelings and emotions of their successes and how far they’ve come — something I’ll hold on to for a very long time.

Where I went: She’s the First co-founder Christen Brandt was my guide in Guatemala. Our first day happened to be on the holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), which we spent in Antigua, Guatemala, best known for its beautiful Spanish Baroque-influenced architecture and stunning ruins of colonial churches. We spent the day taking in the sights and witnessing firsthand how the locals embraced the religious holiday; I learned that the children have a similar love for Halloween costumes as we do here in America and enjoy getting dressed up like witches and clowns and cowboys.

Kristen flying a kite in Sumpango. (Kristen Tully)

Our next stop was Sumpango for the traditional kite festival, Feria de Barrilete Gigante. Sumpango is known for hosting one of the biggest festivals in Guatemala, which is held on Nov. 1. Families all over Guatemala visit cemeteries to celebrate those who have passed and release colossal kites into the sky, kites that have taken almost two months to create. We climbed to the top of the hill to view a sky filled with brightly colored, larger-than-life kites. I had one of those life moments while flying my own little kite on the Sumpango hill, when I thought to myself, “I’m flying a kite overlooking the Guatemalan hillsides — this is pretty awesome.”

After the kite festival, we ventured to beautiful Panajachel and Sololá, where the Starfish center is nestled by Lake Atitlán. That evening, we watched the most incredible sunset over the lake. I’ve seen sunsets before, but nothing compares to these.

Kristen rides a zip line in Guatemala. (Kristen Tully)

I rounded out my first full day in Panajachel ziplining the Atitlán Nature Reserve. There is no better way to get a panoramic view of the area, but it seemed dangerous (that zipline looks pretty thin, and it’s a long way down). I figured it was probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, though, so I pushed myself to do it.

My last full day in Guatemala was graduation day for the scholars. I finally had the chance to take a boat across the lake, the deepest in Central America, described as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. I had a front-row view of the spectacular Atitlán, Tolimán, and San Pedro volcanoes as we traveled to the town of Santiago. There, we attended the Starfish secondary-school graduation at a local school that smelled of pine and was decorated from top to bottom with balloons and other graduation-themed accents. While there were many magical moments throughout the day, I cried as the mentors, with pride that was palpable, gave each scholar her diploma.

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Cultural lesson: One of the scholars took us to her home for a traditional lunch of homemade tortillas. Surrounded by all of her family members, including her mom, grandmother, siblings, and cousins, we set to work on our tortillas. Irma showed me how much water I needed on my hands to ensure that the tortillas didn’t stick as we formed them in our hands. A few of my tortillas required a redo, and I think we bonded more over my failed attempts than anything else. Even though my tortillas didn’t look as good as Grandma’s, I think they tasted pretty good. Success!

What I learned: I learned that if you clean your hands with soap right before you make a tortilla, it will ruin the taste. I learned that I actually can (sort of) fly a kite. I learned that the Starfish program has empowered incredible young women in Guatemala to pursue their passions and life goals and is helping them to do just that. I learned that the only person setting limits for me is me, and I can push beyond them just like I did during this trip.

Kristen learning to make tortillas. (Kristen Tully)

How I changed: You never come back from such a trip as the same person. I gained a deeper understanding of the Guatemalan culture, made new acquaintances, and gained insights into life as a woman growing up in today’s world.

Advice to people looking to help others: Don’t ever underestimate your contributions, as small as you may think they are. Every little contribution we make adds up to something.

How you can help: Helping is always easier than you think it is. Visit shesthefirst.org to learn more about how you can help support young women’s education around the world. To learn more about the Starfish program specifically in Guatemala, check out starfish-impact.org. Or visit the company’s website to read a blog on my company’s website about how one of our staffers, who had no previous fundraising experience, raised enough money to send 15 girls in Uganda to school.

Most memorable moment: Watching each graduate walk across the stage to receive her diploma and starfish necklace, which was “blessed’ by the families and supporters in the audience. It was a moment of accomplishment, celebration of what the future holds, and hope to make their life goals and dreams come true. I think we could all use a starfish necklace as a reminder for our own successes.

What’s next: Nicaragua in December. The trip to Guatemala inspired me to see more of the world. I also want to take Thai language classes and use my Spanish more frequently. Lastly, I’m so moved by meeting the girls in person that I’m hoping to take on one of their sponsorships myself and see through one of their graduations from secondary school.

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