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Published: September 22nd 2008
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The making of a monster...
The group was split in two - each had to design a monster, and figure out what sex it was, how it eats, and how it uses the bathroom (and somehow, Jesus ended up at the end...) OK. I certainly do realize the fluffy extent of my blog so far....but I'm here on an internship!
I swear!
And I just kinda love it.
A lot.
Stephy and Jesus have been working with a youth group, El Juventud en Progreso in El Povenir for about a year now - helping them to organize their group and organize community and environmental initiatives in El Povenir. So what am I doing? Whatever I can to help support:
- environmental initiatives the group is doing for the community
- brainstorming for leadership and facilitation activities
- helping out in the organization of things
ex/ sorting through the hundreds of pictures taken at evvvvery event
In the past few weeks I have attended meetings, helped out with a morning mask-making session (that I mentioned in my birthday blog) and have gone with Stephy to the barrio (another name for community) several times to talk to community leaders and the kids about their projects.
But 2 weekends ago was the best.
Absolute best.
Long before I came, Stephy and Jesus planned a theatre and clown workshop with El Juventud en Progreso.
The group has to complete two pieces
Paradise?
ya, I think so too. of theatre before Christmas, and this was meant to be the major beginning steps for these micro-projects.
And even better, the two days were facilitated and lead by 2 Iquitos-born actors. In Stephy’s words, it's important for them to learn important theatre techniques in their own language, and then Stephy will be able to take up where the weekend leaves off.
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The First Day:
An early rise of 6:30am to get to the office, collect the gear, and get to El Povenir to collect the kiddies.
Check.
It's then a 20 minute drive to Tagastie - a beeeautiful retreat prefect for group workshops (I'm talkin outdoor venues for workshops, a sunken stage, a pool, soccer and volleyball nets, and a lovely tiny pond with giant lily pads! - obviously not necessary, but jeeez they're purdy...)
Although a very tranquil space, we entered Tagastie cheering and chanting and whistling - our poor little bus nearly didn't make it up the hill to the retreat, so what else would a bus full of 12 - 20 year olds do but cheer it on?
My kind of people.
After a short exploration of the area, and the
Dance Party
Brenda instructing me on rrrrregaeton. weirdest breakfast I have ever had (hot chocolate, and a stuffed potato with veggies and topped with a onion and vinegar dressing - delicious, but, weird) the workshop began, and Pascal began to tackle the 25 El Povenir youth.
And he was pretty awesome.
Games using your voice, body contact, eye contact, mutual respect, team communication and discussions about conflict and story development - for the entire day!
The evening began with a blackout (which is a common occurrence in Iquitos), but when the lights popped back on, we did one more activity, coordinated and lead by the group's president, Nanki. And it was lovely. The first part was a trust game - one partner blindfolded, the other silently, and safely, leading the other. The second part had us gathered around the sunken stage with a fire in the middle and everyone shared the saddest and happiest moments of their life.
Jeez.
Yeah, you guessed it, I shed a few tears…(and my buddy Segundo wiped them away…my heart…)
But then we roasted marshmellows! - a first for the kids!
(Stephy insisted on setting them on fire, but I instructed them all on the benefits of *lightly* toasting the
fun.
myself and Nanki having a race through the part-mud-part-grass.
fun. puffy goodness!)
And then the night ended....withadanceparty!
It was surprising to see how many of the kids were shy to dance, but those who did - whoo!!
At first I was little uncomfortable - these people dance sexxxxy....and the people who were dancing with me, were YOUNG sexy dancing people....
(Needless to say, I now know what it is to feel "Canadian").
But then I got over it. And Nanki, Joas, Brenda and Vanessa all taught me how to grind Iquitos-style:
"No Cara! - Rrrrrreggae-ton!"
"Mira, Cara, mira!!"
Day 2:
After a night of heavy rain, and then a morning of continuing heavy rain, everyone (except me) was a little cold and a pretty tired (including me).
Breakfast was late (because EVERYTHING and EVERYONE is late when it rains!), and some of kids were a little restless - so soccer in the rain ensued!
However, the food eventually came, and everyone setlled into the workshop with Marcus. There were activities about facial expression, the importance of imagination, improv techniques and other clown-esque exercizes.
The kids were a bit more restless this day because of the short sleep the night before, and also probably due to the
Jungle marshmellows.
lovely fire in the middle of the sunken stage. prolonged structure of the past two days.
But they got through - some were highly impressive clowns (especially Jayson!), we cleaned up and we departed beautiful Tagastie.
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Lessons learned this weekend:
1) The importance of relaxation for learning a language.
For the two days, I was either listening to the workshops or talking/playing with the youth group - and, to my surprise, there were verrry few times I felt frustrated by my limited Spanish.
I realized that because I was totally relaxed while listening to the workshops, I understood a HELL of a lot more than I do in many situations.
AND, I also realized how much easier it is for me to communicate with youth and children. Younger people in general, but younger people especially in this culture are mega-affectionate and EXPRESSIVE, and I realized how important that is for me in communicating with people - no matter what the language.
2) I love, I LOVE working with youth.
(This wasn’t really a lesson, but more of a hardened reminder)
It’s hard, it’s frustrating, and always exhausting, but it does somethin’ to my heart and soul.
3) These. Humans. Are. Beautiful.
This isn’t a “wow! - I’m so in love with this place and evvvveryone is just sooo lovely!” comment.
In reviewing the photos of the weekend, every freakin’ kid in this group, is. GD. Gorgeous.
Between three cameras, we took a hellll-of-a-lotta photos, and unless it was a caught-them-in-the-middle-of-a-blink-shot, they shine. Always.
The huge smiles, the coy grins, the intense and serious direct shots, the cheeky “helllls no I’m not doing the presentation” laugh…Christ, even the obnoxious “look at me, I’m making a peace sign” shots were cover-of-a-book worthy!
(I can only guess between a great mix of culture and genes…)
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