Poverty In Guatemala

Tourists travel to Guatemala and think of a tropical paradise, but little do they know what lies in the underbelly. Poverty runs rampant; in fact, the minimum wage is $1.58 per hour, so some parents attempt to add to that income by finding work in America (Alisha). This dream of wealth becomes a potential reality for those who aspire to move to the U.S.A. in hopes that any money they send back to their children will give them a better life. The following is a true account as recorded by Otto, a 15 (now 17) year old young man who left his home in Guatemala to search for a better life in the U.S.A.. Otto had many reasons to leave, including running from violence, getting a better education, and joining his mother in the U.S., which would give
Luckily, Otto was from a middle class family due to the money he received from his mother, who worked in the U.S. and sent the extra money back home to fund her family’s future. Back in Guatemala, regardless of his family’s financial status, Otto didn’t have the life that he wanted. Almost every day, he “got in fights and [people] were trying to beat me [him] up. In Guatemala, you had to fight. [The gangs] want to prove that they are better than you. They love fighting because it’s [gang-related] business.” Otto explained that, in Guatemala, you couldn’t just call the police when you were attacked or threatened. The police would not help you because they were corrupt, and simply did not care. Otto explained that in Guatemala gangs run rampant across the city. “There’s a lot of [extortion] by gangs [...]. You can get killed when you walk down the street, just because [the gang members] feel like
Despite not being able to become those things, Otto has a happy life. He is a sophomore in high school, and attends regularly. The area is much safer, and the education is better. Otto enjoys playing soccer, doing community service, and he loves Takis, a spicy chili-flavored tortilla chip. He’s becoming fluent in English and he’s doing well in school. Otto plans to work hard, go to college, make money and have kids, and the U.S. has many more work opportunities that will help him get there. However, Otto will never forget what it took to get him