Before leaving, each volunteer had to write a testimonial about their year. Here's mine:
Volunteering as an SLP (speech-language pathologist) at NPH Guatemala is one of the most fulfilling experiences that I’ve ever had. Building relationships with the children has been the most important part. I have learned how to love them unconditionally. My one-on-one time with them in therapy is unique because children here rarely receive individual attention. Therefore, I have strong bonds with some of them. I enjoy working with kids not only as my speech clients but also as family members in the NPH setting.
Along with learning to love unconditionally, I’ve learned to be more patient. Several of my experiences working with children before I came to NPH had already helped my patience. Yet working with children from a different culture helped it to grow even more. And, I found a balance between patience and strictness. I learned that being patient doesn’t mean being too lenient.
My abilities as an SLP have also improved. Creating appropriate goals and working on them in the correct manner has become easier. I am able to better help children with speech and language disorders. Watching them progress throughout the year has been wonderful! I’ve seen the most progress in two young boys (four and five years old). When I arrived last year, they could barely say any sounds. Now they are able to say many sounds and short words – even their names!
And of course, I love the kids in my section. I chose the children with special needs. They’d never had a volunteer before. Twice a week I ate dinner with and read to them before bed. I loved seeing their faces light up when I walked in the door! Interacting with kids outside of therapy was important as well. I made friends with some of the other children, and strengthened the relationships that began in therapy.
In January, my friend and I started Club Amistad Especial (The Special Friendship Club). Our goal is to integrate children who do and don’t have disabilities so that they can build friendship and respect for each other. We meet once a week for an hour. Some big group activities include playing with the parachute, “Duck Duck Goose”, and Hot Potatoe. When we do arts and crafts or other small group activities, each child with a disability is paired with one who does not have a disability. Friendships between the kids have formed and grown! There are several children who come every week and better understand the children with special needs. One memory that stands out to me was when a new girl with special needs had arrived at NPH. During Club Amistad Especial, some of the other girls asked if she liked NPH. “I don’t have friends here,” she responded. “But we’re your friends!” said the girls.
Another aspect that I loved about this year was the cultural experience. Living and learning about Guatemala was intriguing! My understanding of other cultures and how to interact with people from one different than my own has grown immensely. One important thing I learned was how to live a more simple life. In the U.S., I always ran around crazily from one class or activity to the next. Here, I have learned to relax and really appreciate life. I think more about the big picture.
For me, the “big picture” about my year at NPH was definitely relationships with the kids. As I said before, interacting with them is fulfilling – and fun! I feel like a friend, sister, and even a mother figure sometimes. The children have changed me in so many ways. They will always remain in my heart and mind.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Adios Guatemala
I wrote this in my journal when I came home on the airplane:
July 18, 2011
Wow. I'm almost home to Chicago - sitting in the airport thinking about my year in Guatemla. The last few weeks have been SO intense - such a bittersweet mix of strong emotions. I'm super excited to be with family and friends, be home, and eat good food.
But I'm going to miss all the children and other volunteers SO much. It was hard to say goodbye. I know I'll visit and see the kids and some of my friends again. But that didn't make leaving easy.
The big despedida (goodbye party) on Thursday night in the dining hall was really intense. I had already had the despedida with my section and the psych department. So I'd cried earlier in the day. But before the big despedida started, I felt like I was going to my funeral. I'm not sure if that's the correct analogy because obviously I'm still alive. But I felt like I was going to something sad about myself and the other volunteers. It was the end of our lives at NPH; maybe some of us will never see each other again.
The despedida had such a strange and emotionally charged atmosphere. The other volunteers and I sat in the center of the room so that everyone could see us. (I brought a lot of tissue because I knew I'd cry.) Erik, the one who I want to be my "godson", sat on my lap the entire time. It was really sweet. Toni and Jose Luis took their turns sitting with us as well.
Each section performed a skit or dance for their volunteer. We all cried. Besides my section, the presentations that stood out the most to me were:
1) Pablo singing/dancing a solo
and
2) Gomez dancing by himself. That takes a lot of courage, especially when you're a teenager. The cutest part was when Carlitos (7 years old) got up and started dancing with Gomez. Carlitos was shortly followed by Toni! It was wonderful.
And of course I lost it when my section performed. Before the despedida began, I was shocked to see Delmi, Pati, and Lupe walk up wearing traje tipica (traditional Mayan clothing) and make-up! That must've taken forever. And Emerson, Alvaro, and the tios were dressed up like cowboys. It was adorable.
Although my opinion may be biased, I think their presentation was by far the best. They had clearly practiced the dance many times. Alvaro and Emerson looked incredibly happy while they were dancing.
Of course I started crying because it was so touching. My section NEVER does presentations because it's hard enough for the tios to take care of them in the first place, let alone dress them up and organize a dance. Erika (the volunteer coordinator) told me they'd never done a presentation before. And I was the first volunteer to pick this section. So, the presentation meant more to me than words can express - because they did it just for me.
At the end they took a bow. Then I went up and hugged each of them. After that I sat back down and sobbed into my friend Michael's shoulder.
Of course when you're a child it's disconcerting to see an adult cry. I didn't like crying in front of them, especially Erik because he was sitting on my lap. But he comforted me and it was so sweet. Apparently he went crying to his tio afterward saying he didn't want me to leave. :(
But while I was sitting with Erik, Toni and Jose, I thought, "I would love to adopt these kids and be a family." Then I thought about it and remembered that we already are a family - the NPH family. (The home's philosophy is that we're one big family.)
At the end of the despedida, Erika had one kid from each of the volunteer's sections present the volunteers with a gift. Emerson gave me mine. It was a hand-woven banner that said, "Thank you for your support, NPH Guatemala 2010-2011" and had my name on it. Afterward they wanted the volunteers to dance. So I danced with Pati and Delmi one last time.
So, we were already overwhelmed. Then suddenly all of these children were coming up to me, hugging and thanking me. Alex, Antonio, Jaime, Erik and more. Wow. The despedida was the most rewarding yet emotionally difficult experience that I've ever had.
That night the volunteers went out dancing, which was fun. The following days were difficult as well, saying goodbyes again. (I was the last volunteer from our group to leave.) But nothing was as difficult as the despedida on Thursday - except maybe saying goodbye to Toni and Jose. My heart really broke, especially with Jose.
I gave Toni a hug and he cried. I was glad I managed to hold it together and not cry in front of him (although I'm sure he saw me cry on Thursday). Then I went into the baby house and said goodbye to Jose. He made the sign "trabajar" (to work)because that's what we usually do together. So I said, "No, I have to say goodbye, because I'm going home."
"Noooooooo," cried Jose. He kept jumping into my arms. Then they were leaving for mass, so I walked outside with them. I told Jose goodbye and hugged him. He started to cry and it was heart-wrenching. Especially when he wouldn't go with Tio Charbel. Then I walked on the path to the girls' house and still heard him crying. So I turned around and he was still standing there alone, crying and watching me. He definitely understood that I was leaving. (He just turned four so I thought maybe he wouldn't.)
Then I said goodbye to the other kids, and went to Parramos with my section. That was hard too.
This morning when I left, I didn't cry. I think I'd cried so much in the previous four days that I didn't have any more tears. But the good thing was, I felt at peace and ready to leave.
And now I'm HOME!
Isa
Isa's full name is Isabel, but she goes by Isa. Everyone at NPH knows her! She talks to everyone. Isa is always smiling and loves to joke around with everyone as well.
She and I have something huge in common: We love to sing. When I ate dinner with the kids in my section, I would always help her walk back down to the house. During that time we would always talk about life - and sing! Her favorite song (actually, pretty much the only song she ever sings) is "No Me Digas Que No" by Enrique Iglesias. So, she taught me the words and we always sang it together.
I was so proud of her when she sang that song in front of everyone, by herself, at the Valentine's Day talent show! It was really cute.
Isa and I became very close. She was one of the only kids in my section who could have an actual conversation, so we talked a lot. She asked me questions about myself and confided in me. I didn't have her in speech and language intervention, but she is one of my best friends at NPH. I especially loved talking with her when I read to them before bed; that was such great bonding time. Isabel is incredibly sweet and will always be in my heart!
Pati
Pati is a wonderful girl from NPH. She is 22 so we're pretty close in age, although her mental age is much lower - I'd estimate about 7. She has a cognitive delay and epilepsy. I worked with her on speech and language issues.
But Pati has a great personality. She has a positive attitude and is almost always happy and giggling about something (she laughs even more easily than I do). She loves to dance so if there ever was music, she and I would dance together for awhile. Pati is also extremely helpful and caring for the other children. She lives in my section, the children with special needs. Pati is more high-functioning than most of the other kids in her section and always helps them walk, eat, etc. And plays with them! One girl, Odilia, loves to be tickled and Pati loves to do that.
Pati also loves to hide from me and then come out and scare me - or vice-versa. She is so much fun to play with. She and I became really close. And one of the best things about Pati is her hugs. She just holds on to you forever. I will never forget her.
Erik
Erik and I became friends when I worked as a caregiver in his section (20 boys from ages 7-9) for a week during Easter. He was new to NPH and was feeling left out. Some of the other boys were bullying him. I noticed he was alone so I asked if I could play with him. After that we became great friends!
He's really a sweetheart. He's so respectful, polite, and mature for his age. The sad thing was that he didn't have friends at NPH at first. But the cute thing was that he said, "Ud. es mi amiga, si?" ("You're my friend, right?"). "Of course!" I told him. He would always pick me flowers and offer to help me carry things, like my water bottle. It was very endearing.
When I worked with him in his section, he said, "I thought you'd be with us for more than three days! I don't want you to leave." I explained to him that I'd still be at NPH, but only until July. That part was sad. Saying goodbye to him in July was difficult. But I had him come up to my office to play! It was a lot of fun. When we finally parted ways, it was sad. During the despedida (goodbye party) for all the volunteers, he sat on my lap the whole time.
But I'm so happy that I worked in his section and met him! If I ever have money again I'd like to be his "godmother" and sponsor him. Then you get to write letters back and forth to the child. Erik is amazing!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Breakthrough
On Friday, I was really happy because an SLP from Cincinnati came to visit NPH for the day! I had no idea until it was actually happening (of course, because of NPH disorganization). But I’m super happy that it did! She worked with me with a few kids and was extremely helpful.
But, I’m writing this entry because of what happened in the afternoon. We went to work with Toni and José Luis, the brothers (see previous entry for more info about them). Unfortunately, I hadn’t worked with either one in three weeks because I went on vacation and then was sick.
Before, Toni and I had been working on the /m/ sound. He could say it in isolation. I wanted him to say /ma/. He could say /m/ and /a/, but couldn’t put the two sounds together. So, I had him divide the syllable and first say /m/ followed by /a/. We practiced countless times and he couldn’t put the two sounds together to say /ma/.
On Friday, he suddenly started saying /ma/. “Ma! Ma! Ma!” CORRECTLY, repeatedly!!!!!! I was ecstatic. Then, he was able to say Toni correctly! Before he could only say To. And he was able to pronounce syllables that begin with /f/ as well. It was a HUGE breakthrough! I was bewildered because we hadn’t worked in three weeks. Sometimes the lightbulb just goes on. Honestly, this is my proudest moment so far this year. When I first came in July, Toni and José were almost non-verbal. Now they know some sounds and signs!!!!!
The cutest part was when Toni tried to teach José how to pronounce sounds correctly. He got right in his face and emphasized the sounds. So adorable.
I’M SOOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But, I’m writing this entry because of what happened in the afternoon. We went to work with Toni and José Luis, the brothers (see previous entry for more info about them). Unfortunately, I hadn’t worked with either one in three weeks because I went on vacation and then was sick.
Before, Toni and I had been working on the /m/ sound. He could say it in isolation. I wanted him to say /ma/. He could say /m/ and /a/, but couldn’t put the two sounds together. So, I had him divide the syllable and first say /m/ followed by /a/. We practiced countless times and he couldn’t put the two sounds together to say /ma/.
On Friday, he suddenly started saying /ma/. “Ma! Ma! Ma!” CORRECTLY, repeatedly!!!!!! I was ecstatic. Then, he was able to say Toni correctly! Before he could only say To. And he was able to pronounce syllables that begin with /f/ as well. It was a HUGE breakthrough! I was bewildered because we hadn’t worked in three weeks. Sometimes the lightbulb just goes on. Honestly, this is my proudest moment so far this year. When I first came in July, Toni and José were almost non-verbal. Now they know some sounds and signs!!!!!
The cutest part was when Toni tried to teach José how to pronounce sounds correctly. He got right in his face and emphasized the sounds. So adorable.
I’M SOOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Club Amistad Especial
This is an article about the club my friend Cassie and I started. Check it out: http://www.nph-guatemala.org/ws/page.php?path=news/archive/2011/guatemala/ClubAmistad.php&lang=en
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Elias
The boy on the right is Elias (this picture is taken during Club Amistad Especial, our Best Buddies Club). He is one of my favorite kids. Elias is 19 years old and super social. He talks to EVERYONE and always has a huge smile on his face. Whenever I see him, he yells, “Brigida!” and greets me with a smile. He always wants to stop and talk with me, which I enjoy. Some of the things he says are hilarious. I wish I could remember an example right now. Elias is very energetic and loves to sing, dance, and have fun.
Elias has a cognitive delay and apraxia of speech. I work with him three times a week and he usually loves coming. At the end we sometimes dance and sing together for the last few minutes.
He also loves to help the other kids. It’s really cute. Elias always says that he wants to be a tío (caregiver) in the Casa de Bebes. And during school or other activities, he’s often leading Alvaro (one of the kids with autism).
One of my favorite memories of Elias was when we had a goodbye party for Orlando, the former house director of NPH Guatemala. During speech intervention, Elias told me that he wanted to sing a song for Orlando. “Aquí hay amo-o-o-o-o-or …” (“Here is love …”) was what he wanted to sing. So, we practicad the song. Then, that night they had a “discoteca” (dance party) in the dining hall. Elias and I found Orlando and sang him the song. It was really sweet.
Then, Elias and I danced crazily for a really long time. He got really into it and we started dancing REALLY fast. It was so much fun! I’m going to miss him a lot when I go home. When I went to Florida for a week, I was missing Elias. He’s an incredibly special kid.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Toni y Jose Luis
So, here is another blog about some great kids. These two are brothers, 3 and 4 years old. And absolutely adorable. I have them every day in speech and they have both come such a long way. It's suspected that they have a phonological disorder.
Anyway, they are wonderful. Both are incredibly affectionate. They often jump up to give hugs and kisses. Jose also loves to pretend to be a chucho (which is the Guatemalan word for perro: dog), and it's hilarious. We'll be working and the next thing I know, he's crawling on the floor and barking. Jose is almost always happy and has a great temperament.
Toni is more moody, and also incredibly smart. He also enjoys pretending to a chucho, and helping teach his brother how to speak. Tuesday, Regine (occupational therapist) and I took Toni and Jose to another speech pathologist in Antigua. (When I leave, there isn't another SLP coming to NPH, so luckily they can continue with this woman because their godparents are paying!) Before we left, it was raining, and they were saying "agua"; but Jose pronounced it "guagua". Toni was in his face teaching him how to say it correctly. So cute.
We went to the speech intervention, which went really well. After that we had an hour to kill before the transport could pick us up. So, we took the kids to McDonald's. Bought them happy meals - and then took them to the Play Place. Definitely the best part of my week.
When the saw where we were walking, they both started screaming and jumping up and down with excitement. It made me so happy. And the play place was big enough for me to go in there with them (which I really wanted to do, haha). That was so much fun.
At one point, Toni and Jose ran up to a table of random strangers like they were going to take their food!! "NOOO!!!!!!" I screamed, feeling like an embarassed parent - very strange feeling to have; clearly I am not a parent, nor ready to be one.
Although, it's good that NPH has a no adoption policy - otherwise I'd want to bring these two home with me. (But on second thought, they're so adorable that someone would've probably beaten me to it.)
Then the driver came to pick us up. Regine wanted to stay in Antigua, so the boys both sat on my lap in the van. They kept giving me kisses and Toni wrapped his hand in mine. Eventually, they fell asleep resting on each other's heads.
I love them so much! It's going to be really difficult to leave them next month.
Vacaciones with Liz
So, my friend Liz came to visit me last week! It was so great to see her. We actually hadn't seen each other in 2 years! We met when we went to Ecuador together, but she went to Luther College and I went to Augustana.
We stayed at NPH for a few nights. She flew in on a Friday night and the next day was the quinceanera celebration. A quinceanera is a tradition in Latin America to celebrate a girl's 15th birthday - her transition to womanhood. A quinceanera is usually a huge deal - kind of fancy like a wedding. The girl usually wears a fancy (often pouffy) dress and is escorted in by her caballero (gentleman). The NPH way started with a mass (as usual), then the escort, waltz, toast, fancy dinner, and afterward was a "discoteca" in the dining hall. It was super fun. The kids were all over it. There were 11 girls turning 15 this year, and it was a huge party.
On Tuesday, we left for our vacation. We started at a coffee farm in a town called San Miguel Escobar, just outside Antigua. Franklin (my friend Jessica's boyfriend) actually started this business called As Green As it Gets: He helps local farmers to grow and export coffee and fruit to the U.S., as well as make jade jewelry and other things. It's really impressive.
First, the farmer Daniel took us on a tour of the coffee farm. He explained every detail about the coffee beans and plants. It was really interesting. After that, we returned to his house to watch him grind, roast and make the coffee - which was delicious. I don't really drink coffee but we got a free pount to take home anyway.
And, I even got to help his wife make homemade corn tortillas! (Tortillas are eaten with every meal in Guatemala.) It was really hard to get them to the correct shape and thickness, but I enjoyed it.
Afterward, Franklin came and talked to us about the organization. Apparently, they like to have volunteer groups come down and help out with the organization (usually for about 10 days). It sounds really cool because you can do homestays and get a feel for true Guatemalan culture. And, if I organize a group, they will pay my way for FREE! So, it looks like I could come back to visit Guatemala sooner than I thought (which I would like). I'm hoping to organize a group of my speech pathology classmates to come down and we can work with Jessica and come to NPH.
That night, we stayed in Antigua and I walked in my sleep in the hostel room. Haven't done that in at least 13 years. I was on the bottom bunk and had a nightmare that there was a creepy little man staring down at me (hanging facing me from the mattress above). In the dream, I was in the same room that I was actually sleeping in. So, I saw the man, screamed loudly, and ran to the door. Turns out, I did that in real life. I woke up Liz and the random Australian girl who was also in the room. It was crazy.
Wed. we took four different chicken buses to get to Panachel, Lake Atitlan. (There are several little villages but Panachel is the main place.) Thursday, we took a day trip to Chichicastenango, the biggest market in Guatemala.
Friday morning, we went to a nature reserve. We got to do some cool hiking and saw a waterfall and 2 spider monkeys, haha. Then we left for the Lake Atitlan village of Santa Cruz in the afternoon. We stayed at a hostel called La Iguana Perdida, right on the lake. Although very touristy, it was nice and relaxing. We spend a lot of time in hammocks. There was also a lot you could do. On Saturday, we hiked up to the actual village of Santa Cruz (it's up the mountain) and went to a Guatemalan woman's house. She showed us how to do backstrap weaving! I don't really know how to explain it, sorry. You need a visual to understand. But it was super interesting - and very difficult. The idea was that we would each weave our own belt, but I think I did maybe 1/10 of it - it was pretty hard to separate the strings correctly and took a long time. So, the woman ended up finishing the belts for us.
And, we returned to NPH on Sunday! Hooray. I was so happy that Liz came!
We stayed at NPH for a few nights. She flew in on a Friday night and the next day was the quinceanera celebration. A quinceanera is a tradition in Latin America to celebrate a girl's 15th birthday - her transition to womanhood. A quinceanera is usually a huge deal - kind of fancy like a wedding. The girl usually wears a fancy (often pouffy) dress and is escorted in by her caballero (gentleman). The NPH way started with a mass (as usual), then the escort, waltz, toast, fancy dinner, and afterward was a "discoteca" in the dining hall. It was super fun. The kids were all over it. There were 11 girls turning 15 this year, and it was a huge party.
On Tuesday, we left for our vacation. We started at a coffee farm in a town called San Miguel Escobar, just outside Antigua. Franklin (my friend Jessica's boyfriend) actually started this business called As Green As it Gets: He helps local farmers to grow and export coffee and fruit to the U.S., as well as make jade jewelry and other things. It's really impressive.
First, the farmer Daniel took us on a tour of the coffee farm. He explained every detail about the coffee beans and plants. It was really interesting. After that, we returned to his house to watch him grind, roast and make the coffee - which was delicious. I don't really drink coffee but we got a free pount to take home anyway.
And, I even got to help his wife make homemade corn tortillas! (Tortillas are eaten with every meal in Guatemala.) It was really hard to get them to the correct shape and thickness, but I enjoyed it.
Afterward, Franklin came and talked to us about the organization. Apparently, they like to have volunteer groups come down and help out with the organization (usually for about 10 days). It sounds really cool because you can do homestays and get a feel for true Guatemalan culture. And, if I organize a group, they will pay my way for FREE! So, it looks like I could come back to visit Guatemala sooner than I thought (which I would like). I'm hoping to organize a group of my speech pathology classmates to come down and we can work with Jessica and come to NPH.
That night, we stayed in Antigua and I walked in my sleep in the hostel room. Haven't done that in at least 13 years. I was on the bottom bunk and had a nightmare that there was a creepy little man staring down at me (hanging facing me from the mattress above). In the dream, I was in the same room that I was actually sleeping in. So, I saw the man, screamed loudly, and ran to the door. Turns out, I did that in real life. I woke up Liz and the random Australian girl who was also in the room. It was crazy.
Wed. we took four different chicken buses to get to Panachel, Lake Atitlan. (There are several little villages but Panachel is the main place.) Thursday, we took a day trip to Chichicastenango, the biggest market in Guatemala.
Friday morning, we went to a nature reserve. We got to do some cool hiking and saw a waterfall and 2 spider monkeys, haha. Then we left for the Lake Atitlan village of Santa Cruz in the afternoon. We stayed at a hostel called La Iguana Perdida, right on the lake. Although very touristy, it was nice and relaxing. We spend a lot of time in hammocks. There was also a lot you could do. On Saturday, we hiked up to the actual village of Santa Cruz (it's up the mountain) and went to a Guatemalan woman's house. She showed us how to do backstrap weaving! I don't really know how to explain it, sorry. You need a visual to understand. But it was super interesting - and very difficult. The idea was that we would each weave our own belt, but I think I did maybe 1/10 of it - it was pretty hard to separate the strings correctly and took a long time. So, the woman ended up finishing the belts for us.
And, we returned to NPH on Sunday! Hooray. I was so happy that Liz came!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Leti (Leticia)
I decided that I’m going to start a new thing for my blog: I’ll write posts about individual kids and our relationship. This is Leti, who is 14 years old. I’m really happy that we’re friends because I don’t have her in therapy. One night when I had first come, I happened to sit near her at dinner. She and her friend started talking to me and asking me questions about myself. We started joking around somehow about the Twilight series (which, as a side note, are absolutely AWFUL in my opinion; I tried to read the first book once and stopped because the plot line was SO predictable, as well as the static characters – the main character was just stupid and made me angry) and Leti said that Alis (a male character) was my boyfriend. She has a great sense of humor and an infectious laugh; Leti’s really fun to be around.
After our first meeting, I would sit with her and her friend Odilia at dinner if the kids from my section had already gone to bed. And then we bonded! I’m always laughing when I’m around Leti. Although we aren’t super close now and don’t see each other too often, she brought a gift to my office last week. I was so surprised! She made me an adorable card that said “Amigas” (and even managed to spell my name correctly; I was very impressed, because Guatemalans have difficulty spelling and pronouncing Bridget).
She wrote, “Te quiero mucho. Gracias por tu amistad. El valor de un amigo solo puede ser medido por el corazón. La verdadera amistad continúa creciendo más allá por la distancia. Que Dios te bendiga. Amigos: Son aquellos que están contigo en las buenas y malas. Te aceptan como eres. No dejes que tu orgullo pueda más que tu corazón … la amistad es como el mar se ve al principio pero no al final.” In English: “I love you very much. Thank you for your friendship. God bless you. The value of a friend can only be measured from the heart. True friendship keeps growing more with distance. Friends: Are those that are with you in good times and in bad. They accept you as you are. Don’t let your pride rise above your heart … friendship is how the sea looks at the beginning, not at the end.”
I love her!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Photos
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1745124065010.2069959.1146001044&l=9c8fb6bdbb
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1575439342998.2067292.1146001044&l=6947c3b5ee
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1575439342998.2067292.1146001044&l=6947c3b5ee
More Adventures
Well, the last time I wrote was a really long time ago. A lot has happened since then and I can’t remember all of it. But here are some highlights:
*Pacaya – Cassie and I climbed up a mountain to a volcano!! It was amazing. They used to let people climb up to see the lava, but the volcano erupted a year ago. So, we got to hike to the bottom of the volcano. Still fabulous! The rock formations were so intricate, and I brought home a lava rock. (I learned the technical name for lava rock in school a long time ago but can’t recall it.) We also got to go into a little cavern underground near the volcano – I could only stay in there for a few minutes because it was incredibly hot! The hike was difficult but well worth it. We got to watch the sunset there which was really cool too.
*Chichicastenango – Supposedly the best market in Guatemala. I wouldn’t doubt it. This place is HUGE! And interesting. There was so much that I barely saw half of it. Luckily I was with Cassie who doesn’t like to shop that much either, so we only stayed for a few hours. But it was so colorful! I bought a hammock, a headband, and a dress.
*Quetzal Biotope – last week we stayed at this biotope for a night. The Quetzal is the national bird of Guatemala. It’s extremely endangered and is really special if you get to see them. We saw two! They’re extraordinary and incredibly colorful. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a good picture because we weren’t that close and they blended in with the trees. The biotope is in a cloud forest, which is pretty much a rainforest with clouds from what I gathered. But, the cloud forest was spectacular. We went on two awesome hikes there.
*Semuc Champey – this is a national park with the most clear natural pools that I’ve ever seen. The pools are small and have little waterfalls connecting them to each other. We counted twelve. First, we hiked up the mountain to see the view from above. AMAZING! Then we walked back down and swam in the pools. After that, we went tubing down the river. And at the end of the day was the underwater cave tour!! That was really cool. They give you a candle so you can see, and you have to swim through a lot of it. As well as climbing up and down ladders. But the rock formations were sweet.
Life in general: is good. I only have two more months left in Guatemala! This is hard for me to believe. The year really is going by SO quickly! I’m coming home July 18 and that will be here before I know it. I am excited to come home and see everyone. And eat good food again. But I know that it’ll be difficult to leave as well. I really love some of the kids, and the other volunteers. And I think the reverse culture shock will be difficult, especially after a year. I had it after Ecuador and that was only a 2.5 month trip. When I went to Florida in March (which was wonderful!), I got a preview of what it would be like. I kept wanting to speak in Spanish, greet everyone I saw, and throw toilet paper in the garbage (in Guatemala you have to do that because the plumbing system is not that great). Those are short-effects of culture shock; it’ll be interesting to see what the long-term ones are.
I start graduate school in San Antonio on August 22, with orientation on the 18th. So, I’m planning to move on August 12. While I wish that I had more time with friends and family, I think it’ll be good to stay busy so I’m not thinking too much about missing Guatemala. And, San Antonio is supposed to be great. So that is exciting as well.
*Pacaya – Cassie and I climbed up a mountain to a volcano!! It was amazing. They used to let people climb up to see the lava, but the volcano erupted a year ago. So, we got to hike to the bottom of the volcano. Still fabulous! The rock formations were so intricate, and I brought home a lava rock. (I learned the technical name for lava rock in school a long time ago but can’t recall it.) We also got to go into a little cavern underground near the volcano – I could only stay in there for a few minutes because it was incredibly hot! The hike was difficult but well worth it. We got to watch the sunset there which was really cool too.
*Chichicastenango – Supposedly the best market in Guatemala. I wouldn’t doubt it. This place is HUGE! And interesting. There was so much that I barely saw half of it. Luckily I was with Cassie who doesn’t like to shop that much either, so we only stayed for a few hours. But it was so colorful! I bought a hammock, a headband, and a dress.
*Quetzal Biotope – last week we stayed at this biotope for a night. The Quetzal is the national bird of Guatemala. It’s extremely endangered and is really special if you get to see them. We saw two! They’re extraordinary and incredibly colorful. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a good picture because we weren’t that close and they blended in with the trees. The biotope is in a cloud forest, which is pretty much a rainforest with clouds from what I gathered. But, the cloud forest was spectacular. We went on two awesome hikes there.
*Semuc Champey – this is a national park with the most clear natural pools that I’ve ever seen. The pools are small and have little waterfalls connecting them to each other. We counted twelve. First, we hiked up the mountain to see the view from above. AMAZING! Then we walked back down and swam in the pools. After that, we went tubing down the river. And at the end of the day was the underwater cave tour!! That was really cool. They give you a candle so you can see, and you have to swim through a lot of it. As well as climbing up and down ladders. But the rock formations were sweet.
Life in general: is good. I only have two more months left in Guatemala! This is hard for me to believe. The year really is going by SO quickly! I’m coming home July 18 and that will be here before I know it. I am excited to come home and see everyone. And eat good food again. But I know that it’ll be difficult to leave as well. I really love some of the kids, and the other volunteers. And I think the reverse culture shock will be difficult, especially after a year. I had it after Ecuador and that was only a 2.5 month trip. When I went to Florida in March (which was wonderful!), I got a preview of what it would be like. I kept wanting to speak in Spanish, greet everyone I saw, and throw toilet paper in the garbage (in Guatemala you have to do that because the plumbing system is not that great). Those are short-effects of culture shock; it’ll be interesting to see what the long-term ones are.
I start graduate school in San Antonio on August 22, with orientation on the 18th. So, I’m planning to move on August 12. While I wish that I had more time with friends and family, I think it’ll be good to stay busy so I’m not thinking too much about missing Guatemala. And, San Antonio is supposed to be great. So that is exciting as well.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Quiero Trabajar
A lot of good things have happened since I last wrote! One awesome thing was a visit from the “godparents” (financial supporters/sponsors) of one of the boys, José Luis. He’s three years old and absolutely adorable. His godparents, Nic and Sasha, are from Austin, Texas. They came to visit José at NPH on their honeymoon! And, they were really interested in talking to me about José’s speech problem. He can only pronounce two words correctly. His brother, Toni (4) has the same problem. They don’t have an official diagnosis. I suspect apraxia of speech. Apraxia is a disorder in which the brain has trouble sending signals to the mouth for speech articulation. The oral structure usually remains intact.
The boys don’t have an official diagnosis. They have been to a neurologist and everything showed up normal on an EEG and tomography. So, Nic and Sasha happened to find a psychologist in Antigua who said she could evaluate the boys for a reasonable price. And, Nic and Sasha wanted to pay for it! That really blew my mind. How amazing is that? They wanted to contribute something more than just the $30/month to sponsor José Luis. And, they paid for Toni, who isn’t even their godson. I still can’t get over how incredibly giving they are.
We took the boys to the psychologist and I’m actually going to talk to her tomorrow to see what her diagnosis is, which should be interesting. In addition, a speech-pathologist and audiologist from the U.S. are coming to visit me and NPH on Thursday! So they’ll be able to look at the boys as well. The SLP, Jessica, is a friend of a friend of my professor’s. Jessica is from the U.S. but has lived in Guatemala and worked here as an SLP for the last six years. I’m so excited for her to come visit! Her audiologist friend is even going to do free hearing tests for some of the kids. This is AMAZING! I’ve been trying to get the doctor to set them up for outside appointments for months. And now they can get the tests for free, right here at the home.
When I started working again as an SLP in January (after a month as a tía), I noticed how much more confident I am now with my work than I was when I arrived in July. Even those six months have taught me so much. I know the kids and it is much easier for me to find appropriate goals for them. Currently I have 19 kids that I see every week, and do 6-8 individual therapy sessions each day. I’m also really excited because I added a Grupo Pequeño (small group) of four preschoolers to my schedule. The therapist for the baby house and I are working together with these kids once a week for an hour. We’re working on understanding language with an emphasis on social language. Yesterday was our first session. It was so much fun! The kids are adorable. We read a story that involved animals and then each child got to pick an animal to act out.
Today was my first day with my language class in the Special Ed classroom. I’ll be teaching that once a week for an hour – solo. Today was interesting; there are ten children in the class and some of them have behavioral problems. I thought the teacher was going to stay there and help me – oh, no. The next thing I knew, I was alone with ten children with special needs. One girl screamed (very high-pitched and siren-like) nearly the entire time, and the boy in front of her was annoyed so he kept hitting her. Between them and the other eight children, we barely accomplished anything. Next week, I am definitely telling the teacher she needs to stay in there and help me. (Although I can definitely understand that she needs a break!)
Yesterday was also the first day of our new club, Amistad Especial (Special Friendship – it’s a Best Buddies Club). The idea is that each child with Special Needs has a partner who is a typically developing child. The group was my idea and my friend Cassie and I are in charge. We also have the support of three other new volunteers (an occupational therapist and two physical therapists), plus the tíos who come along. Yesterday was a bit chaotic in the beginning, but it ended up working out really well. We played outdoors with a parachute and then a few games of “Pato, Pato, Ganzo” (Duck, Duck, Goose). It was really fun to watch the kids interact with each other. I was so happy to see the other kids helping the ones with Special Needs! They helped push their wheelchairs, talked to them, and made them feel included. I’m excited for next week. We meet every Monday afternoon for an hour.
That brings me to my next point: I am so happy that I picked the section of kids with special needs. I know I’ve talked about it before, but last week I was thinking about how different my life would be if I had chosen to mentor a different section of kids. And all the kids here are great, don’t get me wrong; I’m sure another section would have been fun and fulfilling as well. But, I wouldn’t have the close relationships that I do with some of the kids. I wouldn’t trade those relationships for anything.
Random adorable children moments:
February 3, 2011: I went to get one boy, Luis, from his class for terapia. When I told him it was his turn he took my hand and kissed it! This was adorable.
February 8, 2011: I saw José Luis outside with his tía. He said, “Quiero trabjar” (I want to work) in sign language!!!!!!!!!!! I TAUGHT HIM THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s all for now. In my next entry, I’ll have to talk about how great the twelve new volunteers are and our weekend trip to Lake Atitlan.
Pictures (not done yet, so check back later for updates):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2065409&id=1146001044&l=daf2740ced
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064090&id=1146001044&l=aeed9361d9
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064445&id=1146001044&l=73bec2c0f1
The boys don’t have an official diagnosis. They have been to a neurologist and everything showed up normal on an EEG and tomography. So, Nic and Sasha happened to find a psychologist in Antigua who said she could evaluate the boys for a reasonable price. And, Nic and Sasha wanted to pay for it! That really blew my mind. How amazing is that? They wanted to contribute something more than just the $30/month to sponsor José Luis. And, they paid for Toni, who isn’t even their godson. I still can’t get over how incredibly giving they are.
We took the boys to the psychologist and I’m actually going to talk to her tomorrow to see what her diagnosis is, which should be interesting. In addition, a speech-pathologist and audiologist from the U.S. are coming to visit me and NPH on Thursday! So they’ll be able to look at the boys as well. The SLP, Jessica, is a friend of a friend of my professor’s. Jessica is from the U.S. but has lived in Guatemala and worked here as an SLP for the last six years. I’m so excited for her to come visit! Her audiologist friend is even going to do free hearing tests for some of the kids. This is AMAZING! I’ve been trying to get the doctor to set them up for outside appointments for months. And now they can get the tests for free, right here at the home.
When I started working again as an SLP in January (after a month as a tía), I noticed how much more confident I am now with my work than I was when I arrived in July. Even those six months have taught me so much. I know the kids and it is much easier for me to find appropriate goals for them. Currently I have 19 kids that I see every week, and do 6-8 individual therapy sessions each day. I’m also really excited because I added a Grupo Pequeño (small group) of four preschoolers to my schedule. The therapist for the baby house and I are working together with these kids once a week for an hour. We’re working on understanding language with an emphasis on social language. Yesterday was our first session. It was so much fun! The kids are adorable. We read a story that involved animals and then each child got to pick an animal to act out.
Today was my first day with my language class in the Special Ed classroom. I’ll be teaching that once a week for an hour – solo. Today was interesting; there are ten children in the class and some of them have behavioral problems. I thought the teacher was going to stay there and help me – oh, no. The next thing I knew, I was alone with ten children with special needs. One girl screamed (very high-pitched and siren-like) nearly the entire time, and the boy in front of her was annoyed so he kept hitting her. Between them and the other eight children, we barely accomplished anything. Next week, I am definitely telling the teacher she needs to stay in there and help me. (Although I can definitely understand that she needs a break!)
Yesterday was also the first day of our new club, Amistad Especial (Special Friendship – it’s a Best Buddies Club). The idea is that each child with Special Needs has a partner who is a typically developing child. The group was my idea and my friend Cassie and I are in charge. We also have the support of three other new volunteers (an occupational therapist and two physical therapists), plus the tíos who come along. Yesterday was a bit chaotic in the beginning, but it ended up working out really well. We played outdoors with a parachute and then a few games of “Pato, Pato, Ganzo” (Duck, Duck, Goose). It was really fun to watch the kids interact with each other. I was so happy to see the other kids helping the ones with Special Needs! They helped push their wheelchairs, talked to them, and made them feel included. I’m excited for next week. We meet every Monday afternoon for an hour.
That brings me to my next point: I am so happy that I picked the section of kids with special needs. I know I’ve talked about it before, but last week I was thinking about how different my life would be if I had chosen to mentor a different section of kids. And all the kids here are great, don’t get me wrong; I’m sure another section would have been fun and fulfilling as well. But, I wouldn’t have the close relationships that I do with some of the kids. I wouldn’t trade those relationships for anything.
Random adorable children moments:
February 3, 2011: I went to get one boy, Luis, from his class for terapia. When I told him it was his turn he took my hand and kissed it! This was adorable.
February 8, 2011: I saw José Luis outside with his tía. He said, “Quiero trabjar” (I want to work) in sign language!!!!!!!!!!! I TAUGHT HIM THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s all for now. In my next entry, I’ll have to talk about how great the twelve new volunteers are and our weekend trip to Lake Atitlan.
Pictures (not done yet, so check back later for updates):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2065409&id=1146001044&l=daf2740ced
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064090&id=1146001044&l=aeed9361d9
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064445&id=1146001044&l=73bec2c0f1
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo
Spending Christmas away from home and my family was difficult, but I actually really enjoyed spending Christmas here with the kids. The big celebration was on Christmas Eve. Some of the volunteers put on a Christmas pageant. Then, my friend Mike dressed up as Santa and I dressed up as an elf. We took pictures with the kids and they enjoyed it. Then, we got the best dinner that I’ve ever eaten at NPH (we eat black beans almost every single night): turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, beans, and cake. Then we had a big bonfire and roasted marshmallows with the kids. There was also music so we got to sing and dance too.
Christmas Day, Cassie and I gave the kids in our section little stockings that we had made and a piece of candy. That night, we had a bonfire with just our kids. It was a lot of fun too! I had the day off the next day. And after that, we took all the kids at NPH to the beach on our last day working as tíos. It was warm, beautiful and wonderful. I didn’t want to leave! But luckily, my family came two days later. I had been waiting for this visit for months!
It was so wonderful to see them. Although I didn’t live at home in college, I was used to seeing my family every 10 weeks, and during breaks and holidays. If I needed to, it was easy to go home for a weekend as well. So, six months was the longest time I had ever gone without seeing my family. When I picked them up at the airport, I was so happy that I cried. And when they left, I cried again because I was sad.
But we had a wonderful time! We went to another black sand beach called Monterrico Bay. It was marvelous. We had a nice relaxing time and ate some delicious seafood. I had ceviche one day, which I remembered eating in Ecuador. It’s a cold soup with shrimp, tomato and cilantro and is riquísimo.
On New Years Eve we returned to Antigua around 6:30 PM. I had heard that the celebration there was amazing – and it was! We went out to a nice dinner at a place called Café Panchoy for some traditional Guatemalan food. Then, we wandered around for a little while and marveled at the crowds. I had never seen so many people there before! We got some delicious hot chocolate and then walked up the street, looking for somewhere with champagne. After wandering for awhile, we stumbled upon a restaurant with a sign that said champagne a few minutes before midnight. Little did we know, this was an excellent find. Although we were disappointed because they had run out of champagne, we ordered some wine anyway. Then we realized that we could go sit up on the roof! And so we did. It was kind of a party up there. We walked up right as the fireworks started going off at midnight. If I haven’t mentioned before, Guatemalans are OBSESSED with fireworks. Almost every night I’m awoken around three or four AM by fireworks that are so loud they sound like gunshots. So, needless to say, there was an awesome fireworks show on New Years’ Eve. In fact, there were multiple fireworks shows. We had an amazing view and fireworks were really coming from all different directions. Some lady even gave my sister and I tiaras that said, “Happy New Year!” on them.
After that my sister and I went dancing, which was super fun. She has a few years before turning 21, so we have to wait awhile longer before we can go dancing together back at home. We got back to the hotel around 2 AM – only to discover a restless night because of the booming music from a nearby bar. It didn’t stop until around 5 AM. (Usually the bars in Antigua close at 1 AM.) None of us slept very well that night, but we had fun.
On New Years Day, we at breakfast at a place called Café Sky. You can sit on the roof and it’s a great view of the gorgeous city. After that, we went to a place called Casa Santo Domingo. It’s an old monastery that is now a hotel and has six amazing museums inside. We also saw some crypts which were kind of creepy but really cool. After that we were pretty tired, so we just went to a café and then went out to another nice dinner. Then we went to another restaurant for a glass of wine because there was live piano music there. (Guatemala is by no means known for piano music; it was an American musician. I was really excited because piano music is my favorite and I don’t ever hear it in this country!)
The next day we went to some ruins. It was another old monastery that was partially destroyed by an earthquake in the 1700s. Pretty cool. After that we went to the Artesan Market and then took the chicken bus (yes, my family survived two rides on that) back to NPH. They stayed here for two nights. I was glad that I could show them around and they could meet some of the kids. Now they have a better understanding of where I am and what I’m doing.
The night before my family came, I actually got to see two of my Augustana friends, Amy and Andrea. I was so happy! They come to Antigua on a service trip every year, so I went and ate dinner with them at their hotel. It was so wonderful to see them too! It seemed like they were having a really great time on their trip.
And now, we have several new volunteers who arrived this weekend. Tonight we’re going out to dinner to meet them all. One girl is from Chicago, so I’m excited about that. Half of the volunteers will leave in two weeks, which is hard. They’ve been here for a year. Now, this means that I am one of the “old” (experienced) volunteers because I’ve been here for six months. Which I can’t believe. It has gone by so quickly! And I am much more used to living here. There are some things that culturally I don’t think you can truly adjust to (unless you maybe move somewhere permanently), but in general I feel much more comfortable living here. And supposedly, the next six months will go by even more quickly than the first did. So, here I am …
Christmas Day, Cassie and I gave the kids in our section little stockings that we had made and a piece of candy. That night, we had a bonfire with just our kids. It was a lot of fun too! I had the day off the next day. And after that, we took all the kids at NPH to the beach on our last day working as tíos. It was warm, beautiful and wonderful. I didn’t want to leave! But luckily, my family came two days later. I had been waiting for this visit for months!
It was so wonderful to see them. Although I didn’t live at home in college, I was used to seeing my family every 10 weeks, and during breaks and holidays. If I needed to, it was easy to go home for a weekend as well. So, six months was the longest time I had ever gone without seeing my family. When I picked them up at the airport, I was so happy that I cried. And when they left, I cried again because I was sad.
But we had a wonderful time! We went to another black sand beach called Monterrico Bay. It was marvelous. We had a nice relaxing time and ate some delicious seafood. I had ceviche one day, which I remembered eating in Ecuador. It’s a cold soup with shrimp, tomato and cilantro and is riquísimo.
On New Years Eve we returned to Antigua around 6:30 PM. I had heard that the celebration there was amazing – and it was! We went out to a nice dinner at a place called Café Panchoy for some traditional Guatemalan food. Then, we wandered around for a little while and marveled at the crowds. I had never seen so many people there before! We got some delicious hot chocolate and then walked up the street, looking for somewhere with champagne. After wandering for awhile, we stumbled upon a restaurant with a sign that said champagne a few minutes before midnight. Little did we know, this was an excellent find. Although we were disappointed because they had run out of champagne, we ordered some wine anyway. Then we realized that we could go sit up on the roof! And so we did. It was kind of a party up there. We walked up right as the fireworks started going off at midnight. If I haven’t mentioned before, Guatemalans are OBSESSED with fireworks. Almost every night I’m awoken around three or four AM by fireworks that are so loud they sound like gunshots. So, needless to say, there was an awesome fireworks show on New Years’ Eve. In fact, there were multiple fireworks shows. We had an amazing view and fireworks were really coming from all different directions. Some lady even gave my sister and I tiaras that said, “Happy New Year!” on them.
After that my sister and I went dancing, which was super fun. She has a few years before turning 21, so we have to wait awhile longer before we can go dancing together back at home. We got back to the hotel around 2 AM – only to discover a restless night because of the booming music from a nearby bar. It didn’t stop until around 5 AM. (Usually the bars in Antigua close at 1 AM.) None of us slept very well that night, but we had fun.
On New Years Day, we at breakfast at a place called Café Sky. You can sit on the roof and it’s a great view of the gorgeous city. After that, we went to a place called Casa Santo Domingo. It’s an old monastery that is now a hotel and has six amazing museums inside. We also saw some crypts which were kind of creepy but really cool. After that we were pretty tired, so we just went to a café and then went out to another nice dinner. Then we went to another restaurant for a glass of wine because there was live piano music there. (Guatemala is by no means known for piano music; it was an American musician. I was really excited because piano music is my favorite and I don’t ever hear it in this country!)
The next day we went to some ruins. It was another old monastery that was partially destroyed by an earthquake in the 1700s. Pretty cool. After that we went to the Artesan Market and then took the chicken bus (yes, my family survived two rides on that) back to NPH. They stayed here for two nights. I was glad that I could show them around and they could meet some of the kids. Now they have a better understanding of where I am and what I’m doing.
The night before my family came, I actually got to see two of my Augustana friends, Amy and Andrea. I was so happy! They come to Antigua on a service trip every year, so I went and ate dinner with them at their hotel. It was so wonderful to see them too! It seemed like they were having a really great time on their trip.
And now, we have several new volunteers who arrived this weekend. Tonight we’re going out to dinner to meet them all. One girl is from Chicago, so I’m excited about that. Half of the volunteers will leave in two weeks, which is hard. They’ve been here for a year. Now, this means that I am one of the “old” (experienced) volunteers because I’ve been here for six months. Which I can’t believe. It has gone by so quickly! And I am much more used to living here. There are some things that culturally I don’t think you can truly adjust to (unless you maybe move somewhere permanently), but in general I feel much more comfortable living here. And supposedly, the next six months will go by even more quickly than the first did. So, here I am …
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