{"id":4765,"date":"2025-10-10T14:38:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T14:38:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/valpovic.org\/?p=4765"},"modified":"2026-04-11T14:55:30","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T14:55:30","slug":"4th-friday-september-26-2025-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/valpovic.org\/?p=4765","title":{"rendered":"4th Friday – October 24, 2025 – Guatemala"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Valparaiso International Center\u2019s October Fourth Friday Speaker Series \u2014 an evening of stories, travel, and cultural reflection with Pedro Portillo<\/strong>, whose life beautifully bridges the experiences of Guatemala and the United States.<\/p>\n

Born in Chicago to his mother, Dolores Portillo \u2014 who immigrated from Guatemala \u2014 Pedro\u2019s life has been shaped by both American and Guatemalan cultures. Though raised in the United States, he spent much of his childhood in Guatemala City, where he still has family and deep roots. His travels there have taken him to breathtaking places such as Tikal, Lake Atitl\u00e1n, San Lucas, and Antigua<\/strong>, each rich in history and beauty.<\/p>\n

After a long pause in his travels following the Great Recession, Pedro recently returned to Guatemala and rediscovered his mother\u2019s homeland with new appreciation \u2014 an experience that deepened his understanding of identity, family, and belonging.<\/p>\n

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Pedro holds a bachelor\u2019s degree in Criminal Justice from Loyola University Chicago and currently works with the Social Security Administration<\/strong>. Beyond his professional life, he has visited 14 countries<\/strong> and numerous U.S. cities \u2014 from Seattle to Philadelphia, New York to New Orleans. He also runs a YouTube channel, ThinksTooMuch<\/em>, where he explores immigrant communities around the United States, highlighting stories of resilience and connection.<\/p>\n