When I was Elena

“Armed with her dog, fluency in Spanish and a well-grounded blend of will and pluck, Hiltebrand, amidst the country’s crushing poverty and rampant hazards, finds an unexpected lode of humor that she mines to impressive effect and records events with an unflinching sense of the absurd. The country’s more menacing figures—lewd men, including a would-be rapist—are introduced without histrionics, as products of a culture viewed with clear-eyed anthropological interest. Intercut with the quietly powerful life stories of the native women she befriends and the tectonic shifts in perspective, she creates a rich mosaic of culture and character, and her animated voice reliably shines through.” —Publishers Weekly

“When she was 22 years old, ‘fresh from college in the refined Deep South,’ the author— much to the consternation of her parents—headed off to Guatemala, where she soon discovered that her every preconception about the country was either woefully inadequate or flat-out wrong. It was her chance meeting with several women (including a fugitive from justice and an incest victim who had not yet reached her teenage years) that enabled Hiltebrand to see what Guatemala was really all about. This memoir will have great appeal.” —Booklist

"This is a must-read for those with a heart for international issues, anti-poverty efforts, and the struggles of women and children in the developing world. With heartfelt sincerity and heartbreaking honesty [the author] incorporates the intricate dealings of intercultural communication, varying modes of thinking between cultures, and occasional misunderstandings. The content is to be taken seriously, but Hiltebrand adds a personal spin to keep the reader laughing out loud." --Families in Society

“A shattering, moving story of her two-and-a-half-year stint in the Peace Corps in Guatemala. Thinking of joining up? Taking a sociologically inspired tour to see how the so-called real people get by in a religion-obsessed, God forsaken country overrun with disease, poverty, corruption, brutality and crime, not to mention kidnapping young boys for guerilla war? First read this stunning, unforgettable book.” —The Independent

“I had to wipe the tears from my eyes after finishing this wonderful story of war and peace, mostly ‘Elena's’ peace, told beautifully by her and her female friends. I was moved by this account of a Peace Corps young woman ‘coming of age.’ Her presentation of the Guatemalans histories and beliefs was incredible. It’s a book I will share with all our customers.” —Pam White, Skyland Books