Sunday, March 13, 2011

We had two really great weeks with the students at the end of February.  The profe and I co-taught.  We planned some exciting lessons for our English methodology course, including a short video compilation on second language teaching methodologies.  I was just getting into a rhythm of things when our March in-service training came up.

A one-week training on our abstinence, teen pregnancy prevention health program.  We were set up in Valle de Angeles at the same hotel.  It is always great getting together with the rest the project group.  The training facilitators did an awesome job.  The workshops ran smoothly and I stepped away with a ton of new ideas.  The discussion were very motivating because the counterparts played a huge part in this.  I invited Mary from my church counterpart and her participation got great compliments from other volunteers.  I'm really excited to be working closer with her, she'll be helping me facilitate the Yo Merezco group. We ended up hanging out with the counterparts a lot more this second time around.  I made some new friendships and really look forward to visiting them in their sites.  We had a really nice groove going when the training came to an end.

Several of us decided to spend a day/night in Teguz.  We ended up having pizza, watching a movie, and going out.  We started out the night at the most interesting "hole-in-the-wall" bar.  Ok, it really wasn't that since it's located in one of the most "fufuru" barrios down the street from the Peace Corps office but it certainly had the attitude of one.  Most people had an alternative style to them.  They were hosting an out of town DJ playing trance/dance music yet kinda had a reggae house feel to it.  We ended up closing the nighat at Sabor Cubano.  I have too much fun dancing salsa!

I took an extra day off and visited my host mom in Talanga. We were really close and always got along.  She had planned the usual Saturday routine from when I was living with her...visit church friends, pupusas in the park, and gossip while having coffee.  I wish I could visit her more often.

I was back home early Sunday and prepped everything for the week of work ahead.  To my HUGE surprise, the students had taken over the school when we arrived.  They were joining the local high school on strike to show solidarity.  I later found out that many large public schools around the country had organized to strike.  The students had designed a leadership committee and by that afternoon representatives for the surrounding high schools were meeting to strategize their next move.  They ended up stopping traffic on the main highway at the edge of town and marched to the main plaza.

As these activities unfolded I got the greatest sense that I was living in some twilight zone.  You see, the summer of my junior year of high school I attended a student leadership institute where I first learned of student demonstrations/walkouts.  I later worked alongside with one of the original Chicano heroes from the 60's Los Angeles high school student demonstrations.  All this time, especially after teaching in one of the  neediest school districts, I had come to accept that student demonstrations would not be a part of my history.  Now, little did I ever expect, that my Peace Corps service would introduce me to one of the most strike-driven education systems.  The students have taken over the school a total of four times in this first month of class and the teachers have had their share of strikes.

I took advantage of my "free time" to hold several meetings.  I was asked to help oversee an after-school program at a local orphanage. It turns out the church leader in the States is a director of a charter school network.  He has a lot of new ideas for the education program at the orphanage.  I will serve as the mediator between him and the program teachers.

My church counterpart asked that I attend the project's support committee meeting.  The Swiss volunteers also joined and somehow we all ended up becoming members of the support committee.  For the time being, we are helping design next year's work plan.  Somehow (because I haven't learned how to say no) I ended up responsible for synthesizing the project's goals/objectives.

Saturday at the proyecto was an exciting one.  Several of the girls from the casa hogar will be acting as tutores and working with the youngest kids.  They had prepped Friday evening and were ready for their first day as "teachers".  I'm really excited for them!  I held a short literacy lesson with the girl from the hogar that doesn't know how to read/write. Also, two boys are now staying at the home, one of which is a usual at the proyecto.  He's been working really hard lately.  He's now going to school daily and teaching himself English.  I was able to tutor him for about an hour.  He's doing really great with the program on his own.  I have to find him some additional resources so that he can expand his vocabulary.

We ended up planning for a week long dental brigade coming up in two weeks.  The proyecto will be hosting a team of 22 from the University of Connecticut.  We thought through all the details and distributed the work load.  I was really proud of my counterpart for taking the time to prepare ahead of time.

I was told that the teachers are still on strike tomorrow.  I'm not sure what to expect, but I can continue to use the "free time" for my other projects.  Since I've returned from my visit home, I keep feeling like I'm in a constant catch-up game.

PS I'm short on pictures because I don't have my camera with me.  Erk!