I think as I get more and more involved in this trip, I realize just how much I need to be here. Not because I'm going to make such a huge difference that if I wasn't here everyone's lives would be sadly lacking. I'm more selfish than the average person, but I don't have such a high opinion of myself that I would let myself become convinced that I'm truly going to change the world in the three months that I'm here. But I can make a difference on an individual level, which means making connections with the people with whom we're working. And that's why I need to be here. In the three weeks and one day I've been here I've already learned so much, and I feel like I've grown even more than I expected. I know I'm often pegged as an idealist, but even with everything that happens here, I can't help feeling hope for the people of Guatemala and every other place similar. Being here has made me depressed and frustrated on so many levels, but has only strengthened my resolve to become a person who can truly make a difference.