DATE: July 25, 2026

I was out with some friends in Guatemala and we were going shopping in a mall, one of the malls in Antigua. There was this store for a nice fashion brand and we all wanted to check it out. I loved looking around at all the pretty things they had to offer. One of my friends bought this handbag that was really cute. It was made of this material that was like it was at the intersection of silk and suede. The bag part was a sort-of trapezoid shape. The handle looked like something maybe a kid would draw on a bag or something. The handle piece was made of the same fabric, and was tall but thin on the sides. It had this really spectacular olive green color. I think for any typical mall-goer it would seem a little ugly, but it was kinda avant garde. Or at least that's how I thought about it. She bought it and I was super envious because that seemed like the perfect bag. When she was done, I went up to the lady who was working the counter and I told her I have a budget of 300Q ($40). She said something like, "Oh that's alright. We have a section for you." Realistically, it was said in a neutral tone, but I felt a little embarrased and I had that feeling you have when you think you're inconveniencing a service worker, but really it's fine, because they had a section and I failed to see it in all of my looking-in-awe of the store. She showed me this section and it had things that were basically nothing. I thought to myself that I couldn't have been too surprised, but I still felt a little stupid. There was a nice white faux-leather bag though, and I think I picked it up. By the time the counter-lady was showing me this section, I had remembered that 300Q is not at all like $300, and I had this little dialogue back-and-forth in my head as to weather I should spend more, because obviously I could spend more than 300Q, I was just scared of spending, like, 1200Q, but then again, what's the harm in not spending? But, I've barely spent anything in a while! However, as is typical for me, I settled out of fear and just stubbornly went with what I had originally said even if it wouldn't have made me the most happy. I tried not to think too much about my friend's bag.