Ninos

Some photos of the children hanging out and playing after Flag Day...

A couple families

Some face shots

Dia de la Bandera and Super Models

Finally, Dia de la Bandera has come! After the kids had worked hours and hours of learning the procession for Flag Day, they got to present it last Thursday. The event consisted of some parents and children watching on the sides, a table with the administration (I think) at the front, teachers speaking, and the students performing what they had been practicing the previous three weeks. They presented the various flags, sang a few songs (himno nacional - national hymn), and there was even a guest choir from a different public school (who had a hilarious, enthusiastic director (slightly reminded me of my middle school music teacher, Ms. Carpentar)).

Some photosProcessing in... this is definitely the cleanest I've seen them.

Presenting the flags. Each child memorized a paragraph explaining the flag and its importance.

They stood in this formation for about an hour...

It was actually great to see something performed that the kids had worked hard on. So far, this has been the only progress I've actually seen from the foundation. I just wonder what their goals were in doing this event. Though, I think it may have just been to preform the event. If there were none, I think the estimated 45 hours spent on practicing this could have been much more productive.
I'm glad Flag Day is over, and although we were given Mon-Wed. mornings off for this week (which let me extend my weekend), this Thursday we should all be going back and are supposed to 'work as an assistant to our assigned teachers.' Hopefully, my next post will be much more uplifting and I will be able to talk about how I feel like I'm helping and learning with and from the foundation.

*****

There were a few mornings when a bunch of models walked into Fundacion Crecer to see the kids. Some of the kids dressed up and were photographed by the professional photographers. I had heard that the models were for a fundraiser in which the students chose who they liked the best.

The night before Dia de la Bandera, the fundraiser happened, titled, "SUPER (of the world) MODEL." Apparently it's the Ecuadorian version of America's Next Top Model (a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry (taken from Wikipedia)). So, we, the volunteers, showed up to the Crystal Palace on the Malecon after classes wearing jeans, black shirts (attempting to look uniform), and our huge backpacks, in which we found ourselves sticking out like sore thumbs (is that the saying?) because we had just arrived to an event that had, what we were told, the most wealthy people in Ecuador attending.

We laughed and made some jokes about our appearance and the event, and were reminded from another volunteer that everyone there can speak English. We thought we were going to have to actually volunteer (which, by the way, is not a verb in the Spanish language), but all we had to do was watch. So, we ended up watching a show of models walking back and forth in expensive clothes for the wealthiest people in Ecuador, who, by the way, look very white, so that money could be donated. I was really amazed by how light the people were. It makes me sick how much white skin is prefered here (I'll write more later about it).

Unfortunately, because the other volunteers and I came right after class we ran to eat something, which caused us to miss my students who had been photographed earlier and chosen to walk as models. Melissa, the girl who I've actually worked with most at Fundacion Crecer, who's missing a forearm, won the model for the children. The sociology/critical side of Anna wants you to make your own reflection on that...

There are a few things, that I'm sure those of you who know me well can guess, that I felt about this event. Here are children who have previously worked on the streets, many of them, if not all, have experienced starvation, they eat meals at school that no American school would ever serve, and there's a fundraiser for them featuring models. I understand, money's got to come from some place. But isn't it ironic that the most wealthy people came to this event to watch girls who looked like they were going to fall backwards, who didn't even have bodies to fill out the dresses they were supposed to be modeling, and couldn't or weren't allowed to smile, to make it possible for Fundacion Crecer to run another year.

I'm going to ask how much money was raised and will let you know. I've posted pictures, just so you can get some kind of idea.

Traveling Adventures

My peers and I have found ourselves waiting for the weekends. Not because classes are bad (although who really likes studying for exams), but because traveling in Ecuador is extremely easy and fun. Ecuador is known for being a small country that has lots of culture and immense biodiversity. The Galapagos Islands speak for itself.

I've had a couple funny stories trying to get places around the country. The first weekend the group (of international students at my university) traveled to Salinas, a beautiful beach. I, another girl (Supriya) and two twins (Eric and Derek) went a little later than the majority of the group. The bus ride was about two hours and a few bucks. To make sure we got off at the right stop, I asked someone in front of us where to get off and he said, "The next stop with a lot of buildings, you should get off." He was definitely an Ecuadorian, but knew some English. So, the next stop, with a lot of buildings, the four of us got off. It seemed so simple until we started looking for the rest of the group at the restaurant that was "once you get off the bus walk down the street and take a right for a while and you can't miss it." We did this, and began to doubt those extraordinary directions and asked some locals. We asked literally 5 people where the restaurant was and got a lot of, "oh yeah! just take a right and then another right." We must've walked "a right and then another right" about 4 times before the 6th person we asked told us we weren't even in Salinas, we we were in the town next door, Libertad. The four of us had a good laugh and decided to get a hostel and eat some food. Our weekend ended up being the four of us just eating at some restaurants, making friends with some locals, and playing on a 'beach' (a sandy area). We only met up with the rest of the group for a few hours and went home the next day. It was just a small town without a beach, next to the very touristy Salinas. I guess "the next stop with a lot of buildings" doesn't have a comma after 'stop'.

This past weekend we went to another beach called Montanita, which is known for its beautiful beaches, people and nightlife. I asked my host parents here if I could take a public bus (25 cents) to the bus terminal to meet up with 4 other students, they said I could actually take the bus I take to my volunteer place in the mornings, it's just a little farther. I thought, How perfect, I'll definitely see the bus terminal and just hop off. I'll be there in plenty of time, and it'll cost much less than a taxi. So, I hop on the bus (a little later than I had wanted), and went past the airport (like I was supposed to), then past Fundacion Crecer, and then kept going for a few minutes to the point where I felt like I should ask the bus driver where the stop is for the terminal (even though it's so embarrassing and slightly nerve wracking to have to ask these things as an obvious gringa on the public bus.) I decided to ask an elderly lady next to me first, and what I got from her tone of voice and hand gestures was "you've passed it a really long time ago." So, she then got the attention of the man collecting money (not an official job), the bus driver and about 3 other men on the bus. Once again, from their Spanish, I collected, "walk across the street and get on bus 72, it'll get you to the bus terminal."
Oh, I forgot, before I even left I had discovered that my phone didn't have any minutes left (here you have to buy a phone, then buy a card of either $3, $6 or $10 and put it on your phone), so I asked my friend Krista call me every ten minutes to make sure I was okay. I'm on the phone with her while this is happening, but have to hang up because I needed to jump off the bus. I get off and cross the street, but at this point, it's literally 4:28 and my bus leaves at 4:30, so I decided I'd take a taxi. However, in Ecuador, you have to know what the price is first before getting in the taxi so that you can bargain. So, I asked the lady next to me how much it should cost to get to the bus terminal from where(ever) we were, "$2 or 1.50 - no mas (no more)." She then told me she was also going to the bus terminal but she's taking bus 72 and it's only a quarter. I told her that I needed to be at the bus terminal in 2 minutes, she laughed and hailed a cab over for me.
Doing this is not as easy as it seems. I've been given very specific directions (sometimes contradictory) about which cabs to take, "never take them by yourself, it's okay to take them by yourself during the day, make sure you get the yellow cabs that look newer (ha), never take the yellow cabs, etc. etc." So, I asked her in Spanish if that cab was okay, she said yes. Meanwhile, I'm on the phone with another friend who is waiting, and while the lady is trying to negotiate the price "a la terminal - no $2, 1.50, $2 no esta bien, 1.50," I said $2 was okay and I hopped in (It's funny how I now try to lower a taxi cab ride from $2). She shut the door after me and the cab drove off. I'm still not thinking in Spanish quick enough to have said to the lady, "come with me, I'll pay." (ven conmigo, yo pago.) We literally drove in a circle and I found myself turning in front of Fundacion Crecer and going about 2 blocks down and to the right (not the left). I paid the man $2 and ran up three flights of stairs. Luckily, the bus hadn't even arrived til after 4:30... sometimes Latin American time is a blessing.

Fundacion Crecer

Fundacion Crecer (meaning 'to grow') is basically a school for children who have previously worked on the streets as a source of income for themselves and/or their family. The goal for the foundation is to catch them up to the grade level they should be in so they can eventually enter public school. In the past, I’ve volunteered a lot with various organizations and so far, this experience has been something I’ve never been through before. I am not exactly sure on all of the details, but this is what I know: the students range from about ages 8-18, there are 5 classrooms with 5 teachers, the students are all at a 1st and/or 2nd grade level, they're there from about 8 am to 2:30 pm and they come from very poor families. In fact, while working on the streets, the majority of children used to abuse glue to get high. The head teacher also told us that many come to school without having brushed their teeth and sometimes they throw away their silverware because they don’t know what it is. They pay 50 cents per day to receive breakfast, lunch and a snack. The teacher's main focus is math, reading and writing, although there is also a need for English, since that is extremely important here. Because of their backgrounds of poverty, and in some other cases abuse and neglect, the school tries to cover other types of learning like basic living skills, cooking, cleaning, etc.

I wish I could say this place inspired and motivated me. I wish I could write about how it's solely underfunded, but is a great place that only needs more money. However, the first two weeks have been mainly daunting and intimidating because of the lack of organization, leadership and basic enthusiasm I've seen from the teachers. The foundation, of course, is underfunded and the work of the administrators is voluntary. I’m there every morning Mon-Thurs. between 8 and 12, sometimes later, and so far we, myself and the other volunteers, have not done much, and not because we're lazy, but because there's no guidance or expectations for us. We have had to take on the initiative (which is fine with me), and approach the head of the foundation about what we have been seeing the past two weeks and where we are supposed to fit in. The first two weeks we were supposed to be observing, but the whole school has been practicing for "Dia de la Bandera" - Flag Day, which consists of the students attempting to line up and do some sort of parade a couple hours every morning during their 'learning' time. Meanwhile, myself and the other volunteers, have been "sent" to la biblioteca (the library, which is rarely (and I mean rarely) used), to make some posters. They have been practicing for two weeks now, and still have another week more.

I'm sure I'll write more later about the meeting that myself and another volunteer through my program had with our coordinator, Johnny, and the head of the foundation. For now, in the meeting, the head showed us a schedule that we had never seen on paper or in reality before, and she told us the basic rules of the school, which we also had not seen followed. As the meeting went on she began to admit that the teachers needed to be assessed and that she thought the teachers were doing what they were supposed to until we said otherwise. She was excited that we were so enthused and willing to help; we had brought in new ideas of discipline, painting a mural for a sense of ownership, playing games with them in the morning as an incentive to get there at 8 am, trying new things like art, music, gardening, and creating some sort of network with past volunteers. The teachers here are not certified and because the work is so overwhelming they are tired and overwhelmed. The kids want to learn and there is obvious potential and intelligence in these children. It's so twisted that the kids who need the most are receiving the least.

This has been such a challenge in so many ways. I do not mean to sound like any one is at fault - it's really no one's fault! It's just that there are basic things missing like discipline, leadership and enthusiasm/will/motivation - whatever you want to call it. It's been a challenge to decipher what ideas of ours may be seen as "western" or "American" versus what is basic in a classroom, like classroom rules - and maybe even having them posted on the wall! Everyday I thank my family, my teachers and my country for the education I've received. And because of this education, I am a great resource for this school, not just because of what I can physically do there, but because of my past history with great education! I never really realized that singing songs about respect or teaching children the 'correct' way to hand over a pair of scissors was really that important...

Ah, I think for me, for the other volunteers, and hopefully the children (and teachers!) these next 4 months will be a great and interesting growing experience... that's exactly what I'm doing here, growing in Ecuador (Creciendo en Ecuador). Ciao til next time!

The Beginning

So far, things have been going well. I'm living in the largest city in Ecuador called Guayaquil (pop. 3.5 million), which is about 8 hours away from Quito, the capital, and is near the coast. The weather has been hot (90's), but thankfully not unbearable! (To the Ecuadorians, it's "frio" - cold. Oh no.)

I live with a darling family in a small and delightful home in a neighborhood called Atarazana. The first week and a half I lived in a different neighborhood with a woman and her two daughters but it didn't work out, so I've been here since last Sunday. I live with Nelli and Oswaldo, an older couple, who are my host parents, and one of their three children, Veronica (30). They have two white poodles, Ricky and Chicky, who remind me of my extended family! Their family has been treating me like a member of the family in showing me around, taking me out for treats, and helping me with my Spanish. I have a little room with a great working fan. :)

So far, I have only traveled a little and have been trying to get used to the city (I will post more about my trips later). My days are pretty full with having 4-5 hours of volunteer work in the morning at Fundacion Crecer (more below), a little break in the afternoon (siesta, which usually consists of eating and a long nap), and then class in the evening. I'm taking only one Spanish class Mon-Thurs afternoons and a class titled 'Instituions of the Ecuadorian Society' for 4 hours every Friday morning. The latter class is specifically for my program I'm studying through, International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership (IPSL). There are only four others in this class and at the end of the semester, I'll be compiling the information I've learned in class with what I've learned through volunteering at my agency into some great paper.

I like aspects of Guayaquil, like Las Penas (444 steps where you can see the city), the Malecon (walking area next to the river), street vendors, and living in a city. However, it's also very loud, dirty, and not the safest. Although I do feel safe, I have to make sure I get home from school at an early hour, because once everyone is in their homes for the day, my neighborhood can be dangerous. But this is true for the majority of the city - the police are basically a joke. (Not to scare you, Family!) I've never experienced being a gringa, and I definitely get a (HUGE) cup of tea of it when on the public bus, walking on the sidewalk, etc. People just constantly stare. Speaking Spanish is sometimes exhilerating and sometimes extremely frustrating. It's amazing how I can get through conversations and can understand people, but when I work with little kids, or try to say something more than just how my day was and what I did yesterday, it becomes very exhausting, stressful, and overwhelming.

I had no idea studying abroad would be this exhausting or such an adventure! For my Institutions class we have to read a book titled, Charting a Hero's Journey, and journal in accordance with the chapters. The first and second chapters are, "Hearing the Call" and "Preparing for the Journey." We had to describe what we have packed and now that I'm here, there's only one thing I wish was different - I wish I had different colored, light, cotton t-shirts since literally all I have is white. In general though, I feel well-prepared, especially since "I remembered to pack two very important things in my bag that I call my stomach: trust and humor." (I know, it's cheesy.) :D