Jose, 26
Born in Guatemala City, Guatemala
Came to Australia in February 2023
What is your occupation?
I’ve been working as a kitchen hand at NOMAD for the last 2 months. It is a restaurant that is influenced by Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours. The restaurant is really fancy and I’m extremely fortunate to get free food from there every shift. It was very hard to find a job - I applied for restaurant jobs on SEEK as I wanted to improve my English.
Back in Guatemala, I was working as a Marketing Coordinator at Aquacorp, a company that did water filtration. This includes the wholesale distribution of hydronic plumbing and heating equipment and supplies. I studied Marketing at the University of Mariano Galvez in Guatemala City.
Why did you come to Australia?
When I was 10 years old, I saw pictures and videos of the Sydney Opera House on the internet. It was a faraway dream as it was so far away. I was also inspired to come by this Youtuber called Juliana Medina. When I came here, I came alone.
My parents were very supportive of my ambitions. They knew that I wanted to move from Guatemala (possibly permanently) and they are happy for me that I can stay here. The salaries are very low for university graduates in Guatemala, so I needed a change.
What do you like about Sydney?
The lifestyle is very nice here. I obviously also like the beaches and tourist attractions like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The Opera House definitely exceeded my expectations.
It is also very safe here - you can walk alone at 3am and nothing will happen to you.
In Guatemala, there are a lot of robbers so it is best to not use your phone on buses.
What don’t you like about Sydney?
I think this is a hard question to answer. The process of getting a visa is very difficult for Guatemalans. It takes a long time and also costs a lot of money. For example, it cost almost $9K AUD for my student visa.
It’s also very far from Guatemala! It is very difficult to communicate with my family and friends, as the time zone differences are huge.
I also really miss Guatemalan food.
What would you like to say to Sydneysiders?
Pursue your dreams - enjoy your life and be happy. Don’t be stressed.
There are a lot of things to do in Australia.
It’s also good to spend time alone, in order to work on your goals. You need to be patient but if you have patience, you can do it.
What languages do you speak?
Spanish, English
Spanish is the official language of Guatemala, although it does have 21 Mayan languages as well.
My English was at an intermediate level before I came here. In Guatemala, it’s rare to meet English-speaking people but there are always those who can speak English at the main tourist areas.
I also want to learn French. When I visited Paris in 2019, I fell in love with the city and culture. Once I master English, I would like to learn French.
Teach us one word/phrase from your native language.
Cabal
More closely translating to “thorough” Chapines often use the word to mean “spot on”. For example, if someone is talking about something you agree with, you’d respond with “Es cabal!”.
The word chapín in Guatemala is the proud slang term used by the majority of the population who identify as Guatemaltecos.
Similar to how people from El Salvador call themselves cheros, or people from Nicaragua call themselves nicas, you’ll find people from Guatemala call themselves chapínes.
What is one thing you want us to know about your native country?
We are very kind people. We care too much about others. If you are from overseas, we will help you a lot.
Although we are a very small country, there is a lot of natural beauty to explore in Guatemala. I’m very proud to call myself Guatemalan.
There are some places that I recommend:
Antigua Guatemala - a city in the central highlands of Guatemala. The Santa Catalina arch is probably one of the most recognisable monuments.
Tikal National Park - Stretching across 57,600 hectares, it contains the ancient Mayan city of Tikal and the surrounding tropical forests, savannas, and wetlands
Who is the most famous person in your native country?
Ricardo Arjano
He is one of the most successful and best-selling Latin American artists of all time, with more than 20 million records sold.
Oscar Isaac
He is a Hollywood actor who has starred in films such as the Star Wars sequel trilogy (Poe Dameron).
What is the best dish in your native country?
Chuchitos
Chuchitos are small Guatemalan tamales made with corn dough. They are stuffed with chicken or pork in a tomato-based sauce called recado. They are smaller than the Guatemalan tamal colorado and are wrapped in corn husks instead of banana leaves.
Pepian de pollo
Often considered the national dish of Guatemala, pepián de pollo features tender chicken pieces in a lightly-spiced tomato, toasted pumpkin seed and chilli sauce.
This is the food I miss the most, along with caldo de res.
Disclaimer: All posts are personal opinions and perspectives of the interviewees and are not a perfect representation of the whole country/experience.
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