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 was written by Tyler Petrowski. 

Day 5 (March 15): On Tuesday, we had the opportunity to meet eight students at Universidad of Francisco Marroquin and tour the university. This was such an eye-opening experience to see a university and its philosophy of education outside of the United States. The campus was absolutely beautiful with all of its trees and its focus on environmental preservation.

Meeting the students and interacting with them was my favorite aspect of the trip. They were so smart, fun and interesting. The Utah students and the UFM students related well to each other, and we became quickly friends. I found it interesting to learn that they followed American politics closely. They were totally informed about the upcoming 2016 elections in the United States.

After we met the Guatemalan students, we all went to a museum on campus that displayed hundreds on ancient Mayan artifacts. It was a very impressive collection that UFM had, and I learned a lot from our tour guide. In addition to meeting the students and taking a tour, we were able to hear from the president of the UFM and various other professors. I was impressed that in the middle of a developing nation was this prestigious university that attracted the brightest students throughout Central America.

Later on Tuesday, we went to a place called “Green rush,” which is a park that a gentleman bought to provide the citizens of Guatemala the chance to reconnect with nature just outside of the busy city. Here, we learned about the protection the owner is placing on the land he bought from being converted to another residential area. He also spoke of the struggles of finding investors who shared his same vision for the park. I really appreciated the passion the owner had for the environment and his ambitious plans for this park because I am personally interested in environmental preservation.

After this conversation, we hiked around the many trails in the area, went horseback riding and rode a zip line across the entire park. Seeing “Green rush” was an amazing opportunity to experience the natural beauty Guatemala had to offer that was sitting just outside of a crowded and chaotic city. Later, the owner shared the wisdom he has gained throughout his life. Following your passion is extremely important in life because without passion we will struggle to find happiness. This is a lesson I learned from listening to this man explain his career after leaving a more traditional career of working for a marketing firm. I am thankful for the experience and the valuable lessons I learned after visiting this place.