SIGNIFI BIRTHDAYS Guatemala

Quinceñeara

Raisa Gordillo, a sophomore from Guatemala majoring in hotel and tourism management, said, “We celebrate our quinceñeara as a transition from a kid to a young girl.” She continued, “The celebration of turning 15 is the biggest birthday.... You get to have a chaperone and madrinas [godmothers] to help with the whole celebration.

“The chaperone is the first person you dance in the center of the party, which symbolizes your first dance with a boy,” said Gordillo. In order to afford a big celebration, Gordillo said, “Madrinas, godmothers, help share the parents’ responsibilities. You get a madrina for everything: Your shoes, your dress, the cake…. Everything.”

Gordillo explained for her quinceñeara, she had two cakes and friends coming over. “I asked my mom