Right - so it has been forever and a day since I have written anything up here, and I havent been as good as I would like at the emailing either. Please accept my apologies for this, and also accept this (probably long) blog post as a long delayed update.
Where to even begin? So much has happened and so much is going on. Okay, lets start with the obvious - it´s Christmas. Right, to be completely honest, it doesnt feel the same as it usually does. First of all, its about a million degrees here so instead of pulling out the festive scarves and hats that usually mark this time of year, we are all trying our darndest to stay cool. But, we are managing to get ourselves into the Christmas spirit none the less. We have an awesome Christmas tree, some great Christmas mixes, and a few classic Christmas movies. Also, the other night we all got together to make a dozen or so batches of Christmas cookies that we will be giving out tomorrow when we go caroling around our neighborhoods. I think the neighbors will all get a kick out of it. So, we are making this time special for ourselves. On Monday night we are having a big RdC party with all of the people who work with us to celebrate with them - it should be a blast! Food, games, singing and dancing I´m sure. For Christmas Eve Megan, our director, has invited a few of the boys from the shelter I work at over for a dinner. Some of the boys have no family to go home to over the holidays so we´re trying to make Christmas something fun for them too. I´m going to do my best to help cook a big dinner . . . I´ll let you know how that goes. And then on Tuesday we´re throwing a big Christmas party for our kids at Semillas. Again, more food (we´re making a birthday cake for baby Jesus) singing, dancing, and of course a good competitive game of soccer. It will be a great way to end the year with them as we head for vacation right after Christmas.
Although I am far away from family and friends right now which makes my heart ache just a bit, I must say it is nice to be away from all of the ridiculousness that surrounds Christmas in the states. We have decided as volunteers to not exchange presents this year amongst each other in an attempt to be closer in solidarity with our neighbors. Christmas is different here; on the one hand it is a time of joy and hope as we all remember how much God is present in our lives, but on the other hand this time of the year brings about so much stress. Families in our neighborhood cannot afford presents and some families even go into debt just to provide a special Christmas meal for their family. So, parents are stressed and frustrated, and tend to take this out on their kids. So lately, our kids at Semillas in particular have been more and more violent toward each other. Their lives at home are hard - they know what they can and cannot have and that is a tough thing for them to swallow. Presents are important to kids everywhere and it breaks my heart that these kids wont really get a whole lot if anything. So, our job has been to talk about Christmas in a different way. We´ve been talking a lot about Jesus and God to help them see what Christmas is really about. It´s reminded me too what this time of year means and it has been refreshing to remember.
In a few weeks we will be celebrating our five month anniversary of arriving in Ecuador. In some moments it feels just about right - I feel like Ive been doing this work and living this life here for that long. Other days though, I feel like I just got here --- Im pretty sure Ive said this before, but there is so much more to learn, STILL! I mean, first of all, the Spanish language still mangages to puzzle all of us, although I must say we have all improved tremendously. And there are still pieces of my life here that I am just beginning to understand. One of the biggest realizations Ive had here recently is the significance of me being a woman doing the work Im doing. Right, I feel like this is silly for me to write, especially to all of you who knew me in my past college life --- but it took me three months to really see how me being a woman made my work different. I find myself limited in a lot of ways - particularly as I work to gain the respect of the men and boys I work with. I have to be stronger than I would like, I have to be more intentional than ever with the attention I pay and the words I use, I have to fight for respect. But it doesnt always work out - I dont always get treated the way I would like or frankly the way I deserve. Sometimes the disrespect is subtle - a look, a comment that could be interpreted in a few different ways. And sometimes it is more blatant - a hug that just lasts for too long, pet names that are inappropriate for the workplace let alone to give a grown woman, cat calling in the street, plain old disregard. Ive had a few incidents here when I have been so utterly talked down to or degraded that I didnt even know what to do with myself. Its infuriating and hurtful even when you know that the guy Im talking to is a complete scum bag anyway. And the hardest thing for me to manuever is how I should react. I know what I would do in the states, but here I know that I would not be heard if I stood up for myself in the same way. That doesnt mean that I dont stand up for myself - but I hate that I cant or dont go with my gut and say everything that I want to. Its more than just self-control --- its sort of a survival technique and a cultural restraint. Im still deciding how best to handle myself in these situations and I will unfortunately have plenty of time and opportunities to fine tune my strategies. But, asi es la vida in Ecuador.
But the news isnt all so somber (right, you all must know how I get intense like this). I have recently been more involved in the women´s group in the neighborhood and sitting with that small group of neighbors working to do something to better this community is inspiring to say the least. It is with these women that I get my fix of strong women who hold their own and then some. We have started a few big projects that have some great promise to them. Im excited to see what we can accomplish.
Okay world, this is where I leave you. Thank you to all of our friends and families who have been sending mail and packages --- we are all doing a good job taking care of each other but it would be a lie to say that we dont miss you all. Keep the emails and letters coming. Monday is our mail day here and it is the best day of the week by far (I dont know if I will ever ´look forward to Mondays so much). I hope that you are finding love close to you this holiday season and that the new year finds you healthy, happy, and peaceful.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
A Weekend to Remember
Okay, so its been a while since Ive been on this thing. I hope no one is taking this personally, although holding me accountable is completely acceptable. I might be the worst blogger of all time.
After more than 3 months (I can barely believe its been that long!) my life is starting to settle. I am definitely not in the honeymoon phase anymore - the kids are used to me, Im nothing new, so now we are trying to learn each other better. In both of my jobs I feel like Ive moved out of survival mode and into a more confident and critical space concerning the places where I work, the jobs Im supposed to be doing, and how I can be better for my kids and coworkers. That means that weve started to change some things. Ive changed my methods personally . . . just the way I approach all of these boys is constantly changing, and especially at Semillas we are trying to find our own ways, trying to help the program grow outside of what was left to us. I hope that came out right --- we were left a great program and some awesome kids, but its time now for us to do a little tweeking.
Enough of that. Lets talk about my last weekend and how it was the best weekend Ive had here, and it is fair also to say it was the best Ive had in a long time. Lets start with Friday. Every Friday instead of going to our morning jobs, all of the volunteers who run afterschool programs meet . . . for between 3 and 4 hours. Right, it sounds intense, and it is, but it is so important for us to sit and talk about our programs so we can plan better and be better for our kids. This specific meeting surrounded for the most part planning for the first program-wide soccer tournament of our year. It was hosted at Semillas de Mostaza and around 20 kids from our other two programs (Valdivia and Manos Abiertas) came for the event. As volunteers we planned a ton --- we were ready for anything. The Semillas kids were pumped all week and the day finally came. Now, the kids from the other two programs were not as excited about a day of soccer. Apparently in the past Semillas has had some pretty hard hitters and so there was a lot of crushed spirits coming in. But you never would have been able to tell. All of the kids were so well behaved, were cheering each other on during the games, and were truly having fun. Manos Abiertas ended up taking 1st place . . . and well just say that they came in the underdogs, so the justice there is pretty cool. Valdivia took 2nd place - which was mighty impressive considering they are not, as a group, particularly fond of soccer. And then there was Semillas. Semillas didnt win a single game (out of 6) . . . but I could not have been any prouder of our kids. They lost with dignity. They were disappointed, of course, but they still cheered, they didnt make a big deal about third place, and they didnt let it ruin their day. They were so kind and sportsmanlike . . . like I said, I was glowing with pride.
That night, all of us along with the Ecuadorian volunteers who work with the programs had a huge dinner to celebrate the event, our 3 months here, and each other. The food was great, company even better. It felt like home sitting around a table, laughing, talking, joking in Spanish. The night ended with a sing-a-long --- guitar included . . . and I felt complete. I had missed that kind of thing in my life - that was to relax and enjoy time with friends. For all of my Casamates - we sang La Bamba and Twist and Shout --- you were all in my heart and I missed you a lot in those moments. All in all a perfect Friday.
Saturday was a whirlwind. I spent the whole morning and most of the afternoon at Jenny´s house - one of our neighbors. I helped her boys with homework, played, ate lunch, and talked with the whole family. One of my favorite parts about this neighborhood and my place in it is our ability to walk into someones home and feel truly welcomed. After my morning with Jenny I headed out again with the other ladies in the house to a party for a First Communion. It was held at Kíka´s house --- one of our more outgoing and hilarious neighbors. The party was a lot of dancing, lots of yelling and teasing the gringas, and so much laughter. That night, we also went to see James Bond in the theaters --- first night out of the house in a long time. If you are thinking of seeing it, I would encourage you to wait until the DVD, which magically I can actually buy right now in Ecuador. Oh, how I love pirated DVDs.
But my weekend doesnt end there. Sunday was also a huge day. So the older boys at my morning work site at Chicos de la Calle have a soccer team. The boys are technically in high school and are high school aged and like every boy in Ecuador are obsessed with soccer. And actually, they are really good. This weekend, they played in the city wide finals. I was there to watch them win the title. Remember that pride I talked about? Well, there it was again. We had quite a cheering section for them --- some of the other volunteers at the shelter were there along with a bunch of the boys. The team has a few rehearsed cheers that we all were screaming at the top of our lungs. For a while we were quiet, the first goal wasnt scored until the second half . . . by the other team. Oh, my heart was breaking thinking that they might not pull out the win. Well, they werent having any of that, and within five minutes Chicos scored a goal. To say that we got loud would be an understatement. We exploded. The kids on the field were so excited, trying to get us to be louder. Another two minutes later they scored their second goal. And we did not stop yelling. When the ref finally blew the whistle the kids went crazy. It brought me back to high school . . . which feels sometimes like a long time ago. But I just got to thinking that these are their glory days. When they are old and have their own kids, they are going to tell them all about the time they won the Guayaquil City Championship with their friends. Oh man, I was so excited for them and so glad that I could be there.
Gosh, I wish I had more profound things to say here. I dont have many insights or any wisdom to close this out. I have no comments about social structures, or personal struggles to share now. I could try to come up with something, but I think I just want to leave this with a statement. Its simple, not anything really outstanding to read. But here it is. Honesty for the world to read. I am happy. Yes, its true. I am happy. This weekend helped to me see what is right in front of me every day of my life in Ecuador. Its easy to see other things too - to see the hard stuff, to see the stuff that is missing, but this weekend I got to see everything that is good about where I am and what Im trying to do. I saw kids having good fun; I spent time talking, eating, singing, dancing with my neighbors; I saw kids that I love win the biggest soccer game of their lives. What blessings I have. How lucky I am to be here. The trick is looking for all of this and remembering it when the days are rougher - when my kids dont listen, when they fail my class, when I feel far away from home, when I let myself believe that I am not doing a good job. So that is the challenge in the year - to find the things that make me smile - to see the beauty that is right there in front of me and to choose to let that fill me. And oh, how it does fill me.
As always, thank you for the letters and emails. Ive received so much encouragement lately from all over . . . especially from people who I havent heard from in a long time. Know that your thoughts and prayers are more than appreciated. I hope that you are well and you are in my prayers as well. All my love.
After more than 3 months (I can barely believe its been that long!) my life is starting to settle. I am definitely not in the honeymoon phase anymore - the kids are used to me, Im nothing new, so now we are trying to learn each other better. In both of my jobs I feel like Ive moved out of survival mode and into a more confident and critical space concerning the places where I work, the jobs Im supposed to be doing, and how I can be better for my kids and coworkers. That means that weve started to change some things. Ive changed my methods personally . . . just the way I approach all of these boys is constantly changing, and especially at Semillas we are trying to find our own ways, trying to help the program grow outside of what was left to us. I hope that came out right --- we were left a great program and some awesome kids, but its time now for us to do a little tweeking.
Enough of that. Lets talk about my last weekend and how it was the best weekend Ive had here, and it is fair also to say it was the best Ive had in a long time. Lets start with Friday. Every Friday instead of going to our morning jobs, all of the volunteers who run afterschool programs meet . . . for between 3 and 4 hours. Right, it sounds intense, and it is, but it is so important for us to sit and talk about our programs so we can plan better and be better for our kids. This specific meeting surrounded for the most part planning for the first program-wide soccer tournament of our year. It was hosted at Semillas de Mostaza and around 20 kids from our other two programs (Valdivia and Manos Abiertas) came for the event. As volunteers we planned a ton --- we were ready for anything. The Semillas kids were pumped all week and the day finally came. Now, the kids from the other two programs were not as excited about a day of soccer. Apparently in the past Semillas has had some pretty hard hitters and so there was a lot of crushed spirits coming in. But you never would have been able to tell. All of the kids were so well behaved, were cheering each other on during the games, and were truly having fun. Manos Abiertas ended up taking 1st place . . . and well just say that they came in the underdogs, so the justice there is pretty cool. Valdivia took 2nd place - which was mighty impressive considering they are not, as a group, particularly fond of soccer. And then there was Semillas. Semillas didnt win a single game (out of 6) . . . but I could not have been any prouder of our kids. They lost with dignity. They were disappointed, of course, but they still cheered, they didnt make a big deal about third place, and they didnt let it ruin their day. They were so kind and sportsmanlike . . . like I said, I was glowing with pride.
That night, all of us along with the Ecuadorian volunteers who work with the programs had a huge dinner to celebrate the event, our 3 months here, and each other. The food was great, company even better. It felt like home sitting around a table, laughing, talking, joking in Spanish. The night ended with a sing-a-long --- guitar included . . . and I felt complete. I had missed that kind of thing in my life - that was to relax and enjoy time with friends. For all of my Casamates - we sang La Bamba and Twist and Shout --- you were all in my heart and I missed you a lot in those moments. All in all a perfect Friday.
Saturday was a whirlwind. I spent the whole morning and most of the afternoon at Jenny´s house - one of our neighbors. I helped her boys with homework, played, ate lunch, and talked with the whole family. One of my favorite parts about this neighborhood and my place in it is our ability to walk into someones home and feel truly welcomed. After my morning with Jenny I headed out again with the other ladies in the house to a party for a First Communion. It was held at Kíka´s house --- one of our more outgoing and hilarious neighbors. The party was a lot of dancing, lots of yelling and teasing the gringas, and so much laughter. That night, we also went to see James Bond in the theaters --- first night out of the house in a long time. If you are thinking of seeing it, I would encourage you to wait until the DVD, which magically I can actually buy right now in Ecuador. Oh, how I love pirated DVDs.
But my weekend doesnt end there. Sunday was also a huge day. So the older boys at my morning work site at Chicos de la Calle have a soccer team. The boys are technically in high school and are high school aged and like every boy in Ecuador are obsessed with soccer. And actually, they are really good. This weekend, they played in the city wide finals. I was there to watch them win the title. Remember that pride I talked about? Well, there it was again. We had quite a cheering section for them --- some of the other volunteers at the shelter were there along with a bunch of the boys. The team has a few rehearsed cheers that we all were screaming at the top of our lungs. For a while we were quiet, the first goal wasnt scored until the second half . . . by the other team. Oh, my heart was breaking thinking that they might not pull out the win. Well, they werent having any of that, and within five minutes Chicos scored a goal. To say that we got loud would be an understatement. We exploded. The kids on the field were so excited, trying to get us to be louder. Another two minutes later they scored their second goal. And we did not stop yelling. When the ref finally blew the whistle the kids went crazy. It brought me back to high school . . . which feels sometimes like a long time ago. But I just got to thinking that these are their glory days. When they are old and have their own kids, they are going to tell them all about the time they won the Guayaquil City Championship with their friends. Oh man, I was so excited for them and so glad that I could be there.
Gosh, I wish I had more profound things to say here. I dont have many insights or any wisdom to close this out. I have no comments about social structures, or personal struggles to share now. I could try to come up with something, but I think I just want to leave this with a statement. Its simple, not anything really outstanding to read. But here it is. Honesty for the world to read. I am happy. Yes, its true. I am happy. This weekend helped to me see what is right in front of me every day of my life in Ecuador. Its easy to see other things too - to see the hard stuff, to see the stuff that is missing, but this weekend I got to see everything that is good about where I am and what Im trying to do. I saw kids having good fun; I spent time talking, eating, singing, dancing with my neighbors; I saw kids that I love win the biggest soccer game of their lives. What blessings I have. How lucky I am to be here. The trick is looking for all of this and remembering it when the days are rougher - when my kids dont listen, when they fail my class, when I feel far away from home, when I let myself believe that I am not doing a good job. So that is the challenge in the year - to find the things that make me smile - to see the beauty that is right there in front of me and to choose to let that fill me. And oh, how it does fill me.
As always, thank you for the letters and emails. Ive received so much encouragement lately from all over . . . especially from people who I havent heard from in a long time. Know that your thoughts and prayers are more than appreciated. I hope that you are well and you are in my prayers as well. All my love.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Working against the system: Educating in Ecuador
So, something that most of us do here, well actually all of us, is work in some way with the education of young minds. A few of us are working at prestigious schools, and the rest of us are doing are best to run educational afterschool programs. I work in the morning teaching English twice a week to 19 boys, so I call myself a teacher.
Being a teacher here means that I get an up close and personal look at the educational system of Ecuador. Its something that most of us see everyday in our kids, and its also something that we talk about a lot around the dinner table. I want in this blog, to share a bit with you about what education here looks like and how we fit into it.
Basically, classes and homework consist of copying a ton of notes, or exercises from work books into other notebooks. Copying. Critical thinking and problem solving skills are really unheard of. All of our afterschool programs provide homework help, and sometimes there is just very little help to give. I mean, what can you do for a kid that has to copy the words ``one hundred sixty five´´ 10 times in his notebook? That would be their English homework. Or sometimes they have assignments in their workbooks that are gramatically incorrect and full of vocabulary that they dont understand.
So what does my classroom look like? Well, its kind of funny. I would love to say that my kids are angels and so engaged in my activites, but that is only the case sometimes. When I can get them to sit quietly (harder than it sounds) and participate, they do great. Weve been working on the verbs to be, to have, and to wear. We just finished a unit on clothing and describing what people are wearing. Ive been trying to do more exciting activities: bringing in magazine pictures to describe people, writing out descriptions of people in English and having them draw them . . . you know, stuff that would really go over well in the States. And they like doing different things for sure, and they appreciate colored pencils a whole lot, but I dont think that they make any of the connections. It doesnt occur to them to look in class notes for vocabulary or examples of how to form grammatically correct sentences. The worst is tests. Danny and I have to give grades every month for their report cards so weve decided to do a unit during the month and give a test in the last week. Well, no matter what we give them: study guides, word banks, lists of concepts to study . . . its like they dont know how to study. Or they will fill in a verb chart correctly, and then in the next section match verbs and subjects incorrectly with the same verb they just used. They write without thinking and its hard to get them out of that habit.
I dont want you to think that its hopeless. I have some students who are aceing my class - who want to learn and are putting in the time and effort. Im also trying to remember that English is hard to teach and learn, so were all sort of figuring each other out. But Im also trying to adapt my methods. A lot of the challenge with cross-cultural experiences is not bringing your own cultured mindset into the picture. So, much to my chagrin, I have instituted assignments where my kids have to copy vocabulary words down 10 times each. I hate it, but Im trying to convince myself that its reinforcing spelling . . . and I think it is, but it scares me to think that Im a teacher who gives busy work (everyone hated that teacher) or that I am a boring teacher. I dont know what I would do if my class was boring. Well see how this next test goes. Im giving it on Monday so wish me and my students luck.
I hope that you are all well. Thank you for the emails and mail . . . it all makes me smile!
Being a teacher here means that I get an up close and personal look at the educational system of Ecuador. Its something that most of us see everyday in our kids, and its also something that we talk about a lot around the dinner table. I want in this blog, to share a bit with you about what education here looks like and how we fit into it.
Basically, classes and homework consist of copying a ton of notes, or exercises from work books into other notebooks. Copying. Critical thinking and problem solving skills are really unheard of. All of our afterschool programs provide homework help, and sometimes there is just very little help to give. I mean, what can you do for a kid that has to copy the words ``one hundred sixty five´´ 10 times in his notebook? That would be their English homework. Or sometimes they have assignments in their workbooks that are gramatically incorrect and full of vocabulary that they dont understand.
So what does my classroom look like? Well, its kind of funny. I would love to say that my kids are angels and so engaged in my activites, but that is only the case sometimes. When I can get them to sit quietly (harder than it sounds) and participate, they do great. Weve been working on the verbs to be, to have, and to wear. We just finished a unit on clothing and describing what people are wearing. Ive been trying to do more exciting activities: bringing in magazine pictures to describe people, writing out descriptions of people in English and having them draw them . . . you know, stuff that would really go over well in the States. And they like doing different things for sure, and they appreciate colored pencils a whole lot, but I dont think that they make any of the connections. It doesnt occur to them to look in class notes for vocabulary or examples of how to form grammatically correct sentences. The worst is tests. Danny and I have to give grades every month for their report cards so weve decided to do a unit during the month and give a test in the last week. Well, no matter what we give them: study guides, word banks, lists of concepts to study . . . its like they dont know how to study. Or they will fill in a verb chart correctly, and then in the next section match verbs and subjects incorrectly with the same verb they just used. They write without thinking and its hard to get them out of that habit.
I dont want you to think that its hopeless. I have some students who are aceing my class - who want to learn and are putting in the time and effort. Im also trying to remember that English is hard to teach and learn, so were all sort of figuring each other out. But Im also trying to adapt my methods. A lot of the challenge with cross-cultural experiences is not bringing your own cultured mindset into the picture. So, much to my chagrin, I have instituted assignments where my kids have to copy vocabulary words down 10 times each. I hate it, but Im trying to convince myself that its reinforcing spelling . . . and I think it is, but it scares me to think that Im a teacher who gives busy work (everyone hated that teacher) or that I am a boring teacher. I dont know what I would do if my class was boring. Well see how this next test goes. Im giving it on Monday so wish me and my students luck.
I hope that you are all well. Thank you for the emails and mail . . . it all makes me smile!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The One Month Anniversary
Yes friends, we have done it! All 12 of us have survived our first month living in Duran Ecuador as Rostro de Cristo volunteers. Some days it feels like Ive been here for longer, like I got the hang of everything. But then an hour will go by and I will realize that in fact I know very little in comparison to everything I have yet and need to learn. What a cool way to live life, right!
Okay, down to the nitty gritty of my life. Work. Its going pretty well if I do say so myself. My two jobs are turning out to be vastly different although they are both primarily me trying to connect with boys. My English class at Chicos de la Calle is the highlight of my mornings. The boys are smart, energetic and productive when I can channel that energy into something academic. We are flying through adjectives and some verbs. I feel so comfortable standing in front of the classroom . . . the dont intimidate me anymore.
Everyday I learn something new about one of the students home lives or past life. Some of them are going through things I would never have imagined before meeting them and I am doing my best to support them the best way I know how. If you could pray for them, for those who are trying to make positive life choices in the face of so many negative options and pressures, I would really appreciate it. I have been finding strength in my faith, and in many of you, to continue to open myself up to whatever they need. To be the space that they are looking for. Granted, sometimes they take me for quite the ride, but deep down I know that they want to be good.
So sometimes my mornings are tiring, but I get to come back home and then take off for Semillas. It is the most packed time of day for me but honestly most of the time it doesnt even feel like Im working. These kids impress me everyday and they teach me so many new things. When they complete an activity, or just play in peace with each other I find myself full of pride and wonder at who they are. I feel God in this place with more strength than I have in a long time. The way that that these kids fill me comes from something outside of myself. I feel like I am doing the right work, even when I mess up. I love seeing how proud they are of themselves too. That is a huge part of my job . . . to help them see themselves and each other the way I see them. It doesnt feel like work. It feels like love.
All in all I am really enjoying my time here. Im learning how to cook, sometimes by making some interesting and not the best tasting decisions for dinner. My Spanish feels better every day and Ive taken to laughing at myself when I sound stupid. It actually is really funny. Im taking things lighter than I usually do, not to say that Ive lost any of my intensity . . . far from it in fact. But the way I am, my forma de ser, here is much different. In the past, I have focused so much on doing, on changing, analyzing, talking it out, getting fired up about an issue and reacting to that experience. Here, maybe its a sign of my maturity . . . hahaha . . . I find myself sitting back and listening. Asking questions but not prying. My life here is not academic. Im learning yes, but Im learning who people are on a deeper level than Ive ever tried to get. I love spending time doing the things Im doing. Im looking right in front of me instead of into my own head, or my textbook, or other things. Im trying to really see where I am and who I am with. I find that I am enjoying life more and smiling a whole heck of a lot.
As always, I hope that you are all well. I am thinking and praying for you often, as is my community here. Thank you for the emails and letters and warm wishes. I hope to hear more about your lives and thoughts soon. Paz.
Okay, down to the nitty gritty of my life. Work. Its going pretty well if I do say so myself. My two jobs are turning out to be vastly different although they are both primarily me trying to connect with boys. My English class at Chicos de la Calle is the highlight of my mornings. The boys are smart, energetic and productive when I can channel that energy into something academic. We are flying through adjectives and some verbs. I feel so comfortable standing in front of the classroom . . . the dont intimidate me anymore.
Everyday I learn something new about one of the students home lives or past life. Some of them are going through things I would never have imagined before meeting them and I am doing my best to support them the best way I know how. If you could pray for them, for those who are trying to make positive life choices in the face of so many negative options and pressures, I would really appreciate it. I have been finding strength in my faith, and in many of you, to continue to open myself up to whatever they need. To be the space that they are looking for. Granted, sometimes they take me for quite the ride, but deep down I know that they want to be good.
So sometimes my mornings are tiring, but I get to come back home and then take off for Semillas. It is the most packed time of day for me but honestly most of the time it doesnt even feel like Im working. These kids impress me everyday and they teach me so many new things. When they complete an activity, or just play in peace with each other I find myself full of pride and wonder at who they are. I feel God in this place with more strength than I have in a long time. The way that that these kids fill me comes from something outside of myself. I feel like I am doing the right work, even when I mess up. I love seeing how proud they are of themselves too. That is a huge part of my job . . . to help them see themselves and each other the way I see them. It doesnt feel like work. It feels like love.
All in all I am really enjoying my time here. Im learning how to cook, sometimes by making some interesting and not the best tasting decisions for dinner. My Spanish feels better every day and Ive taken to laughing at myself when I sound stupid. It actually is really funny. Im taking things lighter than I usually do, not to say that Ive lost any of my intensity . . . far from it in fact. But the way I am, my forma de ser, here is much different. In the past, I have focused so much on doing, on changing, analyzing, talking it out, getting fired up about an issue and reacting to that experience. Here, maybe its a sign of my maturity . . . hahaha . . . I find myself sitting back and listening. Asking questions but not prying. My life here is not academic. Im learning yes, but Im learning who people are on a deeper level than Ive ever tried to get. I love spending time doing the things Im doing. Im looking right in front of me instead of into my own head, or my textbook, or other things. Im trying to really see where I am and who I am with. I find that I am enjoying life more and smiling a whole heck of a lot.
As always, I hope that you are all well. I am thinking and praying for you often, as is my community here. Thank you for the emails and letters and warm wishes. I hope to hear more about your lives and thoughts soon. Paz.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
I´m a Working Girl!
So, I have officially survived my first two weeks of work. Such a great feeling. So far I am loving both of my jobs so much --- I feel so blessed to be in two places where I feel as though I fit. I´m slowly coming to understand my roles in each place, learning more about my coworkers and all of the kids that I work with.
The afterschool program Semillas de Mostaza has been such a joy. Carolyn, Colie, Sylvia (one of our Rostro employees), and I make such a great team. The kids have really started responding to us more and more and every day I learn more about their personalitites, the activities that really grab their attention, and how to provide the best structure and discipline. It´s a process for sure, but I am loving all of it. And boy how we have grown. The first day at Semillas we had only about 20 kids. This Thursday, I almost died when I counted 50 kids. I hope that they all continue to come and to bring their friends. The more the merrier. Soon, we will also be starting community outreach to try and tell more parents and kids about the program. I am so excited to see how the program grows and changes in the next year.
An observation: working with boys is so great. I was kind of nervous coming in to both of my jobs, considering that most if not all of my experience has been working with little girls. But, I love the feeling of learning something new everyday and of having to try new techniques all of the time. The energy I have to bring is so different and our interactions are different too. Slowly but surely I am becoming more confident. Already after only a few weeks these boys have won me over. I enjoy playing with them, talking with them, teaching them . . .
Oh yeah! I started my English class this past week. It went great . . . bigger than I had expected. I have 17 boys, some of them absolutely huge, between the ages of 13 and 18 in grades 8 and 9. They are all so excited to learn English and even though we have only had 1 class are already asking me and Danny questions about English. I really like being able to share my language with them and to hopefully empower them to learn beyond the classroom setting. My experience teaching English before in El Salvador has definitely prepared me for this year. I feel so comfortable planning lesons, speaking in front of the class, and realized how many tools I walked in with. If any of you have good ideas for activities or lessons that would teach some great English and keep teenage boys engaged and in control - send them my way.
Thank you again to all of you who have sent emails and letters. I cannot even express how wonderful it has felt to hear from you. I will do my best to stay in contact as well . . . at least through this blog. I look forward to hearing from you. Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers as always.
The afterschool program Semillas de Mostaza has been such a joy. Carolyn, Colie, Sylvia (one of our Rostro employees), and I make such a great team. The kids have really started responding to us more and more and every day I learn more about their personalitites, the activities that really grab their attention, and how to provide the best structure and discipline. It´s a process for sure, but I am loving all of it. And boy how we have grown. The first day at Semillas we had only about 20 kids. This Thursday, I almost died when I counted 50 kids. I hope that they all continue to come and to bring their friends. The more the merrier. Soon, we will also be starting community outreach to try and tell more parents and kids about the program. I am so excited to see how the program grows and changes in the next year.
An observation: working with boys is so great. I was kind of nervous coming in to both of my jobs, considering that most if not all of my experience has been working with little girls. But, I love the feeling of learning something new everyday and of having to try new techniques all of the time. The energy I have to bring is so different and our interactions are different too. Slowly but surely I am becoming more confident. Already after only a few weeks these boys have won me over. I enjoy playing with them, talking with them, teaching them . . .
Oh yeah! I started my English class this past week. It went great . . . bigger than I had expected. I have 17 boys, some of them absolutely huge, between the ages of 13 and 18 in grades 8 and 9. They are all so excited to learn English and even though we have only had 1 class are already asking me and Danny questions about English. I really like being able to share my language with them and to hopefully empower them to learn beyond the classroom setting. My experience teaching English before in El Salvador has definitely prepared me for this year. I feel so comfortable planning lesons, speaking in front of the class, and realized how many tools I walked in with. If any of you have good ideas for activities or lessons that would teach some great English and keep teenage boys engaged and in control - send them my way.
Thank you again to all of you who have sent emails and letters. I cannot even express how wonderful it has felt to hear from you. I will do my best to stay in contact as well . . . at least through this blog. I look forward to hearing from you. Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers as always.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Right, I live in Ecuador now . . .
Hello from Arbolito!!! Sorry it has taken me a bit longer than I anticipated to get something up here on this blog. I hope no one has lost faith in my ability to stay connected Stateside from Ecuador . . .
I just wrapped up my last week of Orientation - after 2 weeks in Cleveland and another week or so here in Ecuador. I will start work on Monday . . . but there is so much to catch you all up on before I even get there.
First of all, I now reside in Arbolito - a smaller community in the city of Duran. It also happens to be the neighborhood where I stayed when I visited in March with Boston College. Everything is new for sure, but its nice that some of this feels a bit familiar. Some of the neighbors recognize me from my visit and their excitement to see me, well all of the new volunteers actually, and their hugs and open doors bring me peace through this transition. I live in community with 6 of the other volunteers: shout outs to Danny, Andrew, Colie, Tracy, Carolyn, and Gina. Our house is starting to feel like home little by little as we get more comfortable in this new space and new lifestyle.
As I mentioned before, Monday begins my first day of work - aka when Amy´s life changes drastically. I will start not one, but two new jobs in just a few days . . . what will I be doing you ask? Read on.
The way Rostro works is that as volunteers we have 2 work placements: one in the mornings from Monday to Thursday, and our afternoon placements from Monday to Friday. So, for my morning job will be as a social worker and English teacher with Chicos de la Calle (Boys from the Streets). I will be working at a shelter and day school in Duran with teenage boys. I will be working closely with the social worker there helping with cases, doing some home visits, and potentially meeting one-on-one with some boys who could use some extra attention. My other responsibility will be as an English teacher. I kind of lucked out in that it´s a beginner English class for high school boys but is optional, meaning hopefully all of my students will want to be in my class. Those of you who know me pretty well are probably scratching your heads at this job choice . . . I have never worked with teenage boys before - usually you will find me doing work with girls or women´s groups. I´m honestly scratching my head a bit too. I was not expecting to feel so strongly about this work, but I really do. I feel like it´s time to expand the population to which I serve, and this program is pretty sweet. Also, my house mate Danny will be working at Chicos with me - mostly focusing on wood / metal workshops and English classes.
In the afternoons, I will be the director of the Rostro sponsored afterschool program in my neighborhood - Semillas de Mostaza (Mustard seeds). Rostro has 3 afterschool programs in 3 different neighborhoods. We work with kids ages 3-12 - some come for homework help, we run different academic activities (like critical thinking kind of stuff), play with the little kids, and do some activities to help with their character formation. I cannot wait to start this work! Again, its kind of a big load to take on, so thankfully I will be working at Semillas with Carolyn and Colie --- truly an all-star team.
Okay, I feel like this is a good place to start for now. Once I start to get more settled and integrated into this neighborhood you will hear much more. Wish me luck with my first day of work . . . Im going to need a lot of prayers to get me through this week. Oh and SEND ME YOUR MAILING ADDRESSES!!!!! I am going to have a lot of opportunities for letter writing and frankly its far more accessible than internet so if you want to hear from me, let me know!!
I hope all is well. Thank you for all of the emails of love and support. They truly mean the world to me. I am thinking of you all.
I just wrapped up my last week of Orientation - after 2 weeks in Cleveland and another week or so here in Ecuador. I will start work on Monday . . . but there is so much to catch you all up on before I even get there.
First of all, I now reside in Arbolito - a smaller community in the city of Duran. It also happens to be the neighborhood where I stayed when I visited in March with Boston College. Everything is new for sure, but its nice that some of this feels a bit familiar. Some of the neighbors recognize me from my visit and their excitement to see me, well all of the new volunteers actually, and their hugs and open doors bring me peace through this transition. I live in community with 6 of the other volunteers: shout outs to Danny, Andrew, Colie, Tracy, Carolyn, and Gina. Our house is starting to feel like home little by little as we get more comfortable in this new space and new lifestyle.
As I mentioned before, Monday begins my first day of work - aka when Amy´s life changes drastically. I will start not one, but two new jobs in just a few days . . . what will I be doing you ask? Read on.
The way Rostro works is that as volunteers we have 2 work placements: one in the mornings from Monday to Thursday, and our afternoon placements from Monday to Friday. So, for my morning job will be as a social worker and English teacher with Chicos de la Calle (Boys from the Streets). I will be working at a shelter and day school in Duran with teenage boys. I will be working closely with the social worker there helping with cases, doing some home visits, and potentially meeting one-on-one with some boys who could use some extra attention. My other responsibility will be as an English teacher. I kind of lucked out in that it´s a beginner English class for high school boys but is optional, meaning hopefully all of my students will want to be in my class. Those of you who know me pretty well are probably scratching your heads at this job choice . . . I have never worked with teenage boys before - usually you will find me doing work with girls or women´s groups. I´m honestly scratching my head a bit too. I was not expecting to feel so strongly about this work, but I really do. I feel like it´s time to expand the population to which I serve, and this program is pretty sweet. Also, my house mate Danny will be working at Chicos with me - mostly focusing on wood / metal workshops and English classes.
In the afternoons, I will be the director of the Rostro sponsored afterschool program in my neighborhood - Semillas de Mostaza (Mustard seeds). Rostro has 3 afterschool programs in 3 different neighborhoods. We work with kids ages 3-12 - some come for homework help, we run different academic activities (like critical thinking kind of stuff), play with the little kids, and do some activities to help with their character formation. I cannot wait to start this work! Again, its kind of a big load to take on, so thankfully I will be working at Semillas with Carolyn and Colie --- truly an all-star team.
Okay, I feel like this is a good place to start for now. Once I start to get more settled and integrated into this neighborhood you will hear much more. Wish me luck with my first day of work . . . Im going to need a lot of prayers to get me through this week. Oh and SEND ME YOUR MAILING ADDRESSES!!!!! I am going to have a lot of opportunities for letter writing and frankly its far more accessible than internet so if you want to hear from me, let me know!!
I hope all is well. Thank you for all of the emails of love and support. They truly mean the world to me. I am thinking of you all.
Friday, July 18, 2008
A Farewell . . .
So . . . I'm leaving in 5 hours. Yikes! Leave it to me to wait until the last minute to post this thing - but why not? Sitting at my computer at home I can still see the almost packed bags on my floor. Nothing like last minute.
Everything will start for me on Sunday afternoon at John Carroll University in Cleveland. That's when I will meet everyone, start talking about what it means to live and serve in Ecuador and it's also the beginning of more infrequent communication. That's right - no internet and no phone. First time experiencing that stateside and I'm sure it will be a challenge.
I wanted to also thank all of you who have emailed and called the last few days. I wish that I was less of a procrastinator and planned more time for goodbyes, but I want you all to know that I have appreciated all of your messages and they have truly made me feel loved. I'm apprehensive and nervous to start this new adventure, but knowing that you are all behind me really does mean a lot.
At the risk of getting ahead of myself, I wanted to post some more mailing information if you ever wanted to send something through snail mail. If sending care packages, make sure you use USPS because no other companies will deliver to Duran. AND - everything must be in a padded envelope and weigh less than 4 pounds. Now that you have more specifics hopefully you won't be shy!!!
So - I will post again once I get my footing in Ecuador (circa August 4th). Stay tuned for my future job info, housing situation, house mate stories, and other Ecuadorian jems.
Please be well and be in touch . . .
Amy Piepiora o Megan Radek
Rostro de Cristo
Casilla 09-01-1024
Guayaquil, Ecuador, South America
Everything will start for me on Sunday afternoon at John Carroll University in Cleveland. That's when I will meet everyone, start talking about what it means to live and serve in Ecuador and it's also the beginning of more infrequent communication. That's right - no internet and no phone. First time experiencing that stateside and I'm sure it will be a challenge.
I wanted to also thank all of you who have emailed and called the last few days. I wish that I was less of a procrastinator and planned more time for goodbyes, but I want you all to know that I have appreciated all of your messages and they have truly made me feel loved. I'm apprehensive and nervous to start this new adventure, but knowing that you are all behind me really does mean a lot.
At the risk of getting ahead of myself, I wanted to post some more mailing information if you ever wanted to send something through snail mail. If sending care packages, make sure you use USPS because no other companies will deliver to Duran. AND - everything must be in a padded envelope and weigh less than 4 pounds. Now that you have more specifics hopefully you won't be shy!!!
So - I will post again once I get my footing in Ecuador (circa August 4th). Stay tuned for my future job info, housing situation, house mate stories, and other Ecuadorian jems.
Please be well and be in touch . . .
Amy Piepiora o Megan Radek
Rostro de Cristo
Casilla 09-01-1024
Guayaquil, Ecuador, South America
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