Editor’s Note: The David Eccles School of Business Ambassadors traveled to Guatemala for a cultural experience during Spring Break 2016. This is a series of 12 journal entries detailing their experiences. This experience is written by Claire Harless. 

Day 7 (March 17): This morning we went back to UFM to start working on the Tigo case study.

We separated into four teams of four. On the teams, two of us were University of Utah students while the other two were from UFM. There, we worked to overcome challenges and come up with a unique solution to their problem. We worked well in our teams discussing pros and cons of each proposition. We also had coaches for each team to consult with. We mainly brainstormed ideas and decided on our main strategy during this class time.

After class, we headed out to a rural community. There, we visited with a group of women who came together to make and sell bracelets. The told us most girls only go to school through sixth grade before they have to start working to help support the family. These women understood how valuable an education was, so they started their bracelet company. By making and selling bracelets, they hope their children can receive more of an education and hopefully be able to live a more comfortable life than their parents.

The houses here were small with thin tin walls. If they had a stove, they were one of lucky ones. But they were still happy with what they had. They worked hard because they understand how hard work pays off. This made me realize how we might take for granted some of the opportunities we have.

It was a great experience to meet these incredible women. Even though they could not speak English and I could not speak Spanish, they still taught me how to make a bracelet. We would all laugh when I would mess up, but they still took the time to show how to do it. These women are a real inspiration to me.