Lessons from my first month


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Published: February 11th 2007
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OK, it´s been now a month, I´m more than half way finished with my mission. I´m taking stock on what has happened --the big picture. What have I learned and what will I do for the remaining 2 weeks?

There´s been the good and the bad and the ups and downs. I had (have) dreams of what I wanted to accomplish and I´m happy to report that those dreams are happening as I had envisioned, and at different degrees! My relationship with the families is better than ever. My spanish is coming along! I didn´t know what to expect in the¨"lows". I tried to visualize them to prepare myself and I really couldn´t. I now have experienced them and fortunately they haven´t been for long intervals of time. When I´m in those moments I remind myself that I was expecting them, I need to "live in the moment," appreciate it for what it is, learn from it, and know it will pass.

I so appreciate my two young American friends. I know everyone says you should go "cold turkey" in a foreign country-ie don´t hang out with other Americans, don´t speak English, etc. But, it´s been so much fun and helpful to be able to debrief what happened during the day with my two American buddies, Rachael and Tofer. We live(d) in the same neighborhood (they live with one family and I live with the relatives just behind them), we usually travel together (but not always) to the project (the 3 buses and bike ride) but we work separately at the project. Rachael teaches preschool all day. Tofer teaches English and art to all ages (ages 4 to about 40) and I have chats with the adults, do construction work with both women and men groups, play and informally teach the kids and youth and fill in where ever it´s needed. Tofer and Rachael help me immensely with the things I know I have over looked. Sometimes big things. They share perspectives. We are always open to feedback and have some pretty frank conversations. We usually stop at the market on the way home to buy "coco bread" from the "coco bread lady." I think that´s what Tofer lives on. We have so many laughs. It´s been great fun.

I recently moved to a friend´s house which will take my commute down from 3 buses to 1 bus. It´s fun to be with a different family. I now live with one of the teachers, age 35, her 3 sons and her mom who is 60. The sons are great, ages 11-20. So I will still have young folks in my day to day interactions, but only in Spanish. I guess I now am on my own.

I will continue to still see my two American friends at the project and I know our friendship will be long lasting. Rachael and I are already talking about her spending the night or two in Houston on her way home mid December. She can debrief with me, meet Eric and the parrots, and hopefully help her emerge back into the American culture.

I still have so much to share. It´s a bit overwhelming, but don´t dispair. Specific stories will continue after I return home. More later. I will be closer to a cafe for at least a week. (Oh yeah, Í´m moving to another friend´s house next week. You aren´t surprised, are you?)

Nancy


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17th February 2007

Busy
Well, it sounds like you have been fairly busy. All that moving should keep you on your toes. Lucky you don't have much to move (right?). As you are probably finding out, you most likely didn't bring some things you could use and you have things that you don't need. I'm going to keep that in mind if I get to go back to Spain again. I should be finding out within the next 2 to 4 weeks if I'll be going on that project in Spain. Keep up the good work and have fun. Mario

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