I think YYGS was like an exchange program. Why exchange? Because I learned from the others, but I also taught them at the same time. I raised my voice and said “Hey, I’m Latino, I’m Guatemalan, but above all, I’m human such as you.”
My mother’s friend told me about this program. When I first saw it, I laughed and said, “It’s Yale, there’s no way I can get in.” Though I wasn’t applying for a Yale degree, I didn’t want to apply to some high school program. But my parents told me, “You have nothing to lose.” And they were right. I was so scared of meeting new people and speaking in English all-day (because my pronunciation and fluency are not the best). The first three days were the worst. I was always so scared of overthinking all the time (“Do I look good?, Am I saying something wrong?, Am I being too quiet?”). I felt like I didn’t belong there. But by the end of the program, I felt like I was part of a family (my family time peers). YYGS is a life-learning experience, even if it’s online. Now I know that there is a whole huge world waiting for me to be explored.