Anyway, as I’m coming to this little break in the action in my service I though I would explain a bit about the different projects I’m involved in. As I just mentioned, the committee of children and adolescents had just formed when I got here but hadn’t really done anything, so I kind of jump-started them a bit and we just had our “inaugural” activity today focusing on the rights and responsibilities of children. We also have plans to start a little library in the elementary school, plan a Christmas party for the kids of the town, and also look into the possibility of creating a play-ground. As of right now, in terms of recreational options for the kids of my town, there is just one thing: soccer, soccer, and more soccer. And while the Ticos do love their soccer, it would be wonderful for the kids to have another opportunity to play and a play-ground would be the perfect solution. With Peace Corps there are a few fundraising opportunities and I think this might be the project for which I will try to solicit funding because it really is a necessity that has been expressed time and time again and would be a positive change in the town.
Speaking of kids, before I even got here, I had heard of something that many PC/CR volunteers do called “Chicas Poderosas” which is a group meant to engage elementary- age girls in activities that promote positive communication skills, self-esteem, and working as a team, among other things. I started the group about a month ago with 2nd and 3rd graders and it has been incredibly rewarding. The girls are adorable and enthusiastic about anything that we do from the human knot to art projects to chanting our little cheer that I came up with using different phrases that they identified as what typifies a chica poderosa:
Somos chicas poderosas:
Amamos a nuestras familias, amigos, y nosotras mismas
Rescatamos a la gente que nos necesita
Somos buenas, inteligentes, y positivas
Somos chicas poderosas!
Translation:
We are powerful girls:
We love our families, friends, and ourselves
We help the people that need us
We are good, smart, and positive,
We are powerful girls!
Needless to say, it looses a bit of it’s meaning with the translation, but you get the main idea (¡y major para los que sepan español!).
Chicas with a picture they painted, each girl using just one color of finger paint (yay for working as a team!)
the chicas and I!
I also have my English class that began about a month and a ½ ago. We just had the mid-term exam which was a bit of a wake-up call for some that one does not learn a language solely by going to class 2 times a week—you have to study! But things are going really well and I think they really like it (and I’m enjoying teaching it!). The other day we celebrated Halloween by learning the lyrics to “The Adams Family” which they got a kick out of because it was on TV here, too, back in the day (although here it was called La Familia Loca—The Crazy Family—perhaps a bit more fitting!). We also did a little mock trick or treating where everyone had to knock on the door to the English classroom and say, “trick or treat, give me something good to eat.” For anyone who comes to visit, you will certainly have the pleasure of making what I can guarantee will be a much-anticipated guest appearance in my English class, so get ready!
the whole class
giving out Halloween candy
Another group that I’m working with is a women’s group in the town next door to where I live. I found out about the group from the Ministery of Agriculture that put us in contact and they have been really wonderful to work with. They’re super open to me coming in and doing any kind of activity and the other week I brought a woman who had come to my town to give a charla that was kind of a personal reflection. I cannot tell you how touching it was to see these women talking about issues such as feeling under-appreciated for all they do for their family (a lot!) and missed opportunities for education because they were pulled out of school (something that doesn´t really happen now but was the norm in the not too distant past, particularly with girls). Women living in rural Costa Rica (at least based on my experiences) have so few opportunities to get out of the house, much less talk about their feelings and views and so it was really special to be able to give them that opportunity and I look forward to continuing my work with them.
women´s group and I
As I mentioned in the previous post, the development association and myself are continuing our work on the a project to improve the roads (see pictures in previous post). I spent last week at a workshop on Project Design and Management and learned a very thorough methodology of thoroughly planning and implementing projects that I hope will be helpful not only for this project (which is what I used as the model during the workshop) but projects with other groups, too.
When I get back, I want to get started on the following:
-exercise classes (aerobics and maybe yoga)
-recycling project with the high school (right now almost everyone here burns their garbage, for lack of other options, and I’ve been talking with the high school principal about starting up something to create a consciousness about the environmental damage this causes as well as some kind of recycling program)
-English class for kids
-community security watch (my town is super safe, but this has been a constant topic of conversation and a way to secure that much-treasured security on a community level)
But first, USA, here I come!!!! I cannot express how excited I am to celebrate my cousin Nora´s Bat Mitzvah with my family— I am long overdue to see everyone and it is the perfect occasion!
Hasta super pronto a todos!
Tes
More nature pictures from around my town:
