Training in Antigua

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The ArtCorps training in Antigua was a truly--dare I say magical?-- experience. During the 5 days that we spent together, I learned new skills and ideas to enhance my work in El Salvador...even better, I had the opportunity to forge relationships with some truly incredible artists who are giving a year to share their talents with others to make a difference. I was humbled by the amazing skill and creativity of the group, and also felt proud to be a part of it!

We met in Antigua, a beautiful colonial-style tourist trap in Guatemala, complete with cobblestone streets, carriages, and majestic volcanoes looming above the colorful buildings. As if by a twist of fate, Laura and I (we had met in Xela) just happened to be sitting next to Jenny on the bus to Antigua, and when we found out that we were all going to the ArtCorps training (Jenny had been touring with a group of guatemalan clowns, called Proyecto Payaso), the weirdness was only beginning.

Throughout the week, we learned about popular education, organizing skills, cross-cultural awareness, and got the opportunity to meet representative from the NGOs we´d be working with. I met Nohe from Asociación Manglé, who is also the president of Ciudad Romero, when he told the bloody and complex history of El Salvador to the ArtCorps group. Not only is he a fantastic historian (and a certified lawyer), but he is also a very talented guitarist and singer, and we sang some songs together at the restaurant we ate at that evening.

All of the artists: Laura (MA, USA), Andrea (Quito, Ecuador), Alayna (Puerto Rico, USA), Michael (Baltimore, USA), Cristian (Chile), Jenny (MA, USA), Kate (Cambridge, USA), and Brenda (Denver, USA) are incredible individuals who are talented and confident. I want to publicly wish all of them the best of luck.

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Photos

We took this training really seriously.
(Andrea and Laura)