I recently learned of Gonzalo Guerrero and Gerónimo de Aguilar, two Spanish men that travelled to the Americas to exploit and colonize it. They were shipwrecked in 1511 and captured by the Maya, with diverging paths. Guerrero integrated, de Aguilar did not. A fascinating read.
By Randy Jackson The path of human history is a story of successive transitions. Few transitions are peaceful enough to allow the individuals affected to adjust without a personal cost. The greates…
Thats a very dance with wolves/avatar story
The short story is that both were captured and learned Maya languages and customs, but Aguilar held on to his Spanish identity while Guerrero adapted to the Maya way of life. When they were rescued 8 years later, Aguilar returned with the Spanish while Guerrero stayed with the Maya.