Mariana & Blanca - Family and Friends

I remember my life there. We lived in a little wooden house, corrugated iron – rustic. I remember my mother cooking on firewood. On the stove. And us, the little siblings waiting around for the – for the pot to finish cooking so that we could jump on that food. It was rice fields as far as the eye could see. There'd be mountains here and there. I had a cement house, but some of my community might have an actual cabin, where if it was windy, you could feel a draft. It was just so different, there

was so much diversity. The impression that the volunteer made on me who was my first English teacher, the one who taught me my first English words – “Good morning. Good afternoon. Good night,” here is where I saw the most generosity in people to give, give, give. So, I remembered my teacher; he inspired me very much with the desire of going into service. That’s why I would always encourage you. My mom, she always told me; “Don’t forget where you come from and then take that wherever you go.” Fr

om being in that little village as a little kid to being in the States, to realizing the American dream in many ways of pursuing an education and then service, it's by no means something that was my achievement, but really my mom's. She instilled those values in me and then through my service, I saw it as a way of representing her. It was funny to hear Mariana tell me, "Mommy, I have blisters on my hands from carrying water from the well. Send me gloves. “ The fact that my daughter went to serve

in Madagascar or a faraway country made us closer emotionally. Although it was far, there was more communication in the little that we would communicate, it was very substantial. If you wrote something, I was fine. I know my daughter is okay. I am Hispanic-American, I am Bolivian-American. I am representing a community here. A community that is giving back. A community that can make and is making a great impact, and then to take that abroad and to be able to represent where I come from and my f

amily, and also know that I'm representing the United States and its wealth of cultures. It's very important. I want to emphasize to parents whose kids want to join the Peace Corps, um, to support them –to encourage them. Not to oppose them. Not to overprotect them because – to let them develop as human beings knowing other standards of living. They will be enriched. It’s the greatest thing that one can do, service to humanity; to leave something, to make a mark. I feel very proud that my daught

er is doing that work and that she is following that legacy that inspired me - and now she will continue it.