Friday, July 25, 2008

About a month in-site, work is really starting to take off! Just 2 weeks ago, I began my English classes. From Monday- Friday, I teach 3 different classes: Level 2 for those with some (although limited) knowledge of the English language (mostly self taught!), and Level 1 for women and Level 1 for men (so that the kiddies are never home alone). So far, it has been a fantastic experience. I never would have thought I’d enjoy teaching so much. The first few classes were a bit shaky, with my 40 plus students starting right at me, propped forward in their seats with shiny new notebooks open, eager to learn. Intimidating? Yes. But now I love the energy of the classroom; it allows me to share my love of languages with others interested. I love the concentrated stares on my students’ faces as they struggle with English sounds, and the look of complete satisfaction when they can finally wrap their tongue around the funny new words. My heart just melts every time I go to the river in the morning to bathe, and kids greet me in a dozen little voices with “Good morning, teacher!” And I seriously think I teared up the other day when I hear our boat captain confidently ask a tourist “Where are you from, sir?”

It’s still incredibly early in my service, but I am absolutely amazed by the perseverance of my community members. Most of my students haven’t even made it to 6th grade. And Embera is everyone's first language, so most people barely even understand the workings of Spanish.

Other than teaching, I have been keeping busy with other projects. Our tourism group is currently in the midst of forming a cooperative, so I’ve been meeting often with the government co-op agency, as well as a professor from a local university who’s volunteering his time to put together a feasibility study for us. Our treasurer has given me his archives from the past year, and I have been sorting through our incomes and expenses. I’m impressed, with just a pencil, paper and basic 10-key calculator, our treasurer does a darn good job. But we’re hoping that in the near future, from various inquires to NGOs, we’ll eventually be able to secure a computer. This would be fantastic. Not only would make our co-op’s accounting so much easier, but those few, strong-willed students who continue their studies past 6th grade could have access to the programs as well.

What else? Ah! Construction on Amy’s jungle hut is nearing. The past week was a full moon, therefore a good time to cut materials, bug-free. As all the men in the community were going up river to do some cutting, I felt I had to try my hand as well. Heck, I wasn’t going to sit on my “trasero” while the rest of the world was working on MY house. Most of the women in the village thought I was nuts, but I set out on a cutting trip the other day. And it was great! I live in a National Park, so the primary jungle that surrounds us is absolutely picturesque. I did have one HUGE scare though, when all the men had me absolutely CONVINCED that a far off brustling in the trees meant a tiger (yes, tiger) was nearing. I nearly wet my pants. And after catching my breath, yelled fiercely in the only Embera I know. Another reminder of my trip: the mountain is STRAIGHT UPHILL, and 3 days later, my body is still aching in ways it’s never ached in all my years of sports and physical activities. But we proudly came back with 2 “palos” for the cross section of my roof, and I couldn’t be happier. In just a few weeks, when all materials are collected, a construction “junta” should follow. I can’t wait.
Below are some pictures from community life: my mother and I at home making some chicha de maĆ­z (corn drink) and fishing up river with my host family.

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