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Archive for the 'Paraguay' Category

Community water projects, and a welcome BBQ

Published
on June 29, 2010
in News, Paraguay and Trips
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Yesterday was my first night in Zambia and I slept like a baby! The weather here is beautiful; it’s cool in the mornings and warm in the evenings. I still cannot believe that I’m in Africa! We just finished our group reflection and there are so many new realizations I am mulling over. I feel so fortunate to be experiencing the culture of Zambia with such a diverse and wonderful group of people.

Today we visited two PlayPumps sites and I learned so much. The first site we visited was a rural area thirty minutes outside of Lusaka and we got to see a solar panel that provided water to the residents of the village. This solar panel costs $20,000 and approximately two days to install yet it makes such a significant impact on those peoples’ lives. The children there were very welcoming and seeing their smiles made my day! The second site we visited was Chawama Zocs Community School where the first PlayPump in all of Zambia was installed. The community school is for orphans and also has an elderly care home (the ONLY one in Zambia!) Because of the PlayPump, a new playground was made for the children with beautiful murals, creative structures such as giraffes, and a nice pond. Every turn of the PlayPump brings up five liters of water from the well! It was really exciting to see these sites! I feel so fortunate to be here and cannot wait for the rest of the adventure!

Finally, hi Mom, Dad, Bhai, and Urvi! I miss you guys!

-Rushika

I had a wonderful day today! I experienced some new things, learned more about Zambian culture and met new people. I feel very fortunate to be in such a beautiful country and love how the locals are so friendly. When driving through Lusaka many people waved and smiled at us and the children were also very sociable and excited. After visiting the play pump, we were invited to a cookout. I was astonished to see a whole pig rotating over a fire and I was very curious to see how this meat would be served. At dinner the pork was chopped up and was served with many other dishes and sauces. The food was delicious and I enjoyed every minute of the cookout. After dinner, some locals performed for us by dancing and singing. I loved it mostly because they seemed to be enjoying it as much as I was. I was also very surprised because a man started picking people to dance with them. One of the first people he chose was me! It was very fun and enjoyable even though I can not dance nearly as well as the Zambians.

I can honestly say that I truly enjoyed my first full day in Zambia and this experience will be very memorable. I would encourage anyone to take a trip like this.

PS. Hi Mom and Dad! … Happy Early Birthday!

-Jovena

Readjusting and Taking it All In

Published
on June 28, 2010
in Paraguay and Trips
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It has been very difficult for many students on the trip to say goodbye to Isla Pucu. There were many friends made and great experiences had. These friendships will continue for a long time; they were real. The hard part for many was to put those thoughts aside and dive into the new. 

Today we started our work in Santa Ana. Early in the morning, many of the students had their “walls” still up after being introduced to two new groups, the kids in the Centro Communitario and the students from the San Jose school. Domingo Alonso, one of the trip directors, began to break down those walls early on with exciting activities that got everyone more comfortable with each other. Of course, this meant everyone had to dance, but the results were immense.

Later in the morning, we all split up into our groups for the week: medio ambiente (environment), deportes (sports), arte (art) and informatica (information/technology). Then we set out to explore the community of Santa Ana and survey our projects and their needs. Walking the streets of Santa Ana, it all came back to me from last year. You could see dogs running wild, flooded water on the streets from lack of infrastructure, broken down homes and people sleeping on the street. These conditions shocked many of the students. Many were expecting poverty, but not to the degree they saw it. 

This walk is really when the students began to put aside dwelling on Isla Pucu and opening up to the new. They saw that despite these extreme and sad conditions, everyone managed to smile and hope for a better life. They saw the young leaders passionately speak about the problems in the community and the projects to help fix them. These are the same leaders that inspired me to come back another year. Students saw the hope in the youth of Santa Ana and the amount of work that needed to be done, put everything else aside, and immersed themselves into these new endeavors. 

-Nathan Herchenroeder
Teacher

A Difficult Farewell

Published
on June 28, 2010
in Paraguay and Trips
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If you had spoken with me prior to this trip, I probably would have told you that I was excited about loads of things. I might have told you that I couldn’t wait to help serve Paraguayan communities or to learn about the Paraguayan culture. However, as excited as I was, I never really thought much about what it would be like to meet the people. And on the first day, when I met the students at the school as well as my host family (and couldn’t understand a word anyone said), I felt overwhelmed with futility; I thought that there was NO WAY that I would ever be able to communicate with these people with my limited Spanish. However, as the week progressed, I learned that people do not necessary need verbal language in order to gain a true and meaningful understanding of each other. In fact, as simple as our conversations may have been, in these past five days I formed a deep connection with my host family as well as the fellow teenagers of Isla Pucu. It may have been difficult at times and taken good deal of patience, but through a mixture of forms of interaction, we were able to learn much from each other.

On the surface, besides a plethora of new vocabulary, my friends in Isla Pucu taught me how to kick a soccer ball, how to be a pro-dancer (we had lots of fiestas), and even how to smile for a camera. But in a deeper sense, the people of Isla Pucu have taught and inspired me to make the most of everything that I am given in life. In the end, it was this “people factor” (which I didn’t even consider before the trip) that made my experience in Isla Pucu a sensational one. Therefore, leaving this new beloved town of mine on Saturday morning was painful to say the least. It was so incredibly painful, that getting any sleep the night before was near impossible. 

In the morning, as a special goodbye, the people of the town put together a concert for us. Here, we were serenaded with Isla Pucu’s traditional harp and guitar music. The band was composed of Isla Pucu’s finest young musicians. This sad, yet joyous music effectively expressed the great emotions stirring in the room. When the songs ceased and the time finally came to say goodbye, nearly everyone, Americans and Paraguayans alike, was crying profusely. I was surprised when even my massive host father, whose accent was so strong that I never did understand a word he said (and vice versa), was reduced to tears. As I exchanged my final gifts, laughs, hugs, and kisses with all of these people that I had become so close with, I realized just how touching this whole experience had been. I promised myself that I would one day return to this community.

-Jake

A Teacher’s Perspective

Published
on June 28, 2010
in Paraguay and Trips
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Our first four days in Isla Pucu, Paraguay have given me new insights into Paraguay.  I first came here in 1997 as a Peace Corps volunteer, and I learned up front many of the realities and successes of this South American nation.  I learned how peasant families had to stretch resources as far as possible, how they relied heavily on their agricultural harvest, and how sometimes there just was not enough.  Despite these challenges, they united in the best interest of the family, and many saw the next day as a new opportunity.  

Coming back, I knew this was not a chance for me to renew my experiences.  Instead, I wanted to learn about Paraguay through the eyes of the students.  I could not be more thrilled with how they have responded.  After the challenges of the first day of getting to know the people of Isla Pucu, our students have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the Paraguayan people.  I have seen students glowing with happiness as they feel they have connected immediately with host families.  Students have enjoyed teaching games to their Paraguayan counterparts, and some have jumped into the daily soccer games.  Most importantly, these students are learning the values of patience and understanding.  With a variety of language abilities, all students have felt welcomed by their host families.  Even those who doubted their language communication skills, have marveled at how well they feel they have connected.  

On the flip side, the students are also observing various aspects of poverty in this region.  While the host families are somewhat more well off than families in the surrounding countryside, there are still many issues facing Isla Pucu.  The residents are quite resourceful, but this is perhaps more of a result of necessity.  Cell phones are quite common because land lines are unreliabe.  There is only one paved road in town, making transportation tricky.  This may partly explain why motorcycles are so common.  Motorcycles are also much more affordable than cars.  As far as those who do have cars, quite a few are in bad condition with either missing parts or mismatched parts.  Finally, while the families appear to have modern accessories such as appliances or electronics, many such cases have come as a result of at least one family member leaving home for an extended period to work.

In the end, the Learn Serve students are learning first hand the resourcefulness and pride of the Paraguayan people.  They are learning how this community is moving forward with or without outside help.

-Brian Whitford

A Day in the Comedor

Published
on June 28, 2010
in News, Paraguay and Trips
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Each day so far has been filled with new experiences and unforgettable memories. Today we went to a “comedor,” a soup kitchen that feeds children that come from low-income families. We prepared gnocchi with chicken and rice. The women who make the food every day are unbelievably happy and admirable.

I came to Paraguay with no expectations. I wanted to bring an open mind and a positive outlook.  I am glad that I did not have expectations because each day exceeds any expectations I could have dreamed of. So, as I sat at the tiny tables, with miniature chairs, teaching the children to make string bracelets in Paraguayan colors, I was overwhelmed with the happiness that these children exuded!  They all had smiles on their faces despite the hardships they face. I learned about the difficulties many of these children face by hearing the stories they share with us. A five-year boy named Carlitos, was sitting on my lap drawing a picture of his family. I asked Carlitos to tell me about his family, and he described how his mom went to New York when he was a baby, and he hadn’t seen her since. Carlitos lives with his grandmother and four siblings. Like Carlitos, these kids maintain such a positive attitude, relying on each other and the community of Isla Pucu. Being with Carlitos and the other children today truly inspired me to channel their positive attitudes and interactions into my life. My experience at the comedor gave me hope that if things in my life are not going as planned (which is often the case), a positive mindset and kind demeanor towards others will keep my spirits high, as well as those around me.

-Alexi

Days of Travel

Published
on June 20, 2010
in Paraguay and Trips
. Comments

Today was probably the most hectic day we’ĺl have all summer. After finishing the 9 hour flight to Sao Paolo, which started Saturday night, we were ready for a good night`s sleep. Instead it had somehow become 5:00a.m. on day 2 of our adventure. Despite the lack of sleep, we’ve had a lot fun during the layovers between flights. Countless card games and excursions looking for a McDonalds have strengthened our friendships even more. Yes, parents we’ve even had time for summer reading.

After the dreary process of sitting on planes and waiting at gates, it seems like we`ve hit the ground running in Paraguay.  We checked into the hotel and feasted on some delicious empenadas for lunch. The highlight of the day, however, was meeting with leaders from Santa Ana`s community center. Domingo and his teammates were unbelievably warm and gracious. We`re all looking forward to leaving tomorrow with Domingo for Isla Puku and meeting our host families. Getting to know everyone provides a comfort for the upcoming homestays because I know I’ll always have friends for support. After our first day in Paraguay, our spirits are soaring high.

-Max Z.
LSP 10

We Arrived in Asuncion!

Published
on June 20, 2010
in Paraguay and Trips
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After a long day of traveling — nearly 24 hours, with stops in Miami and Sao Paulo — we made it to our hotel.  Everyone’s taking a quick rest, will grab some lunch, then start our orientation and get ready for our next two weeks of work!

A bit cool and rainy here in Asuncion today, but everyone’s in great spirits and excited to be here!
-Scott Rechler

Reflecting on LSP ‘09

Published
on July 28, 2009
in Paraguay
. Comments
Photo from LSP '09

Cultural Center in Santa Ana

Harry

My defining moment was when I witnessed a man sowing his torn soccer shoes. And it hit me, if someone in a America even had a couple of scratches on their shoes they would buy new ones. so that showed me how materialistic things are not important to Paraguayans because they value the more important things. Like family friends and just living life.

Nevasha

My turning point was participating in all of the activities that the health group participated in, but the activity that really impacted me was when we walked around and talked about living in unsanitary and unclean environments. When we were explaining the steps needed to accomplish a sanitary and clean environment some of the stories that I heard really made me think. For example, when we went to a man’s house he was explaining to us how he didn’t have any clean running water and another person was explaining to us how they hadn’t eaten in like 1 whole week. Hearing those stories really made me wish that I could help a little more.

Photo from LSP '09

Washing hair on Health Day

Not only did hearing about some of the peoples lifestyle make me think, but walking around and witnessing their living conditions made me think about how I lived. The way that they lived reminded me how grateful I am to have the things that I am BLESSED with, but it also made me realize how some of the things that I am blessed with are taken for granted. Instead of complaining about what I don’t have I should take advantage of what I do have because there are so many people who would love to have some of the things that I have. Being in Santa Ana is a prime example, but even though they may not have much they still make the best of their situation. Sometimes that’s what I need to do rather than complain.

Photo from LSP '09

Reflecting (in Spanish!)

Lindsey

We ended our work in Santa Ana by reflecting on the experience over the week and evaluating the work that we had done. I was privileged to help lead the reflection session for the group of young people from Santa Ana. It was amazing listening to them discuss the successes and challenges of the week along with suggestions for improving the project next year. They spoke with passion and maturity that was beyond their years. After spending a week working side by side with youth from Paraguay and the United States I am reminded that these students are the future, and I have a new found hope for the future that they will help to build.

Photo from LSP '09

Making Friends

Nathan

have decided to use one of many moments for this reflection. There were many. On the health day at Santa Ana I encountered a little girl while leaning up against the wall of the San Blas community center. She couldn’t have been more than 4 years old, with no shoes, a large sweat shirt on, and dirt on her face and clothes. She gazed at me; I asked her “tu quires lavar”. The girl replied nodding her head, “si”. I then brought her over to Maddy; we decided that the best thing to do would be to remove her sweatshirt, but it was sewn shut. We tried to get it off her head, but it was too tight. She stared at us, as if she was begging for us to take it off so we could wash her hair. I couldn’t help but wonder, how long had this sweatshirt been on her. Had she been neglected so long that she had grown too big to get it off. It was so painful to think of the possibilities.

The only option was to get scissors and cut the threads that had sewn it together. I grabbed a pair of scissors and removed the sweatshirt. We then decided to wash her hair. When Maddy removed the hair tie on her head, her hair stood up in one place, where the hair tie had been. More thoughts came into my mind on how long it had been since she had been washed or cared for at all for that matter.

Photo from LSP '09

Cutting nails and hair

After the girl’s hair was washed, I walked over into the community center to watch students give clothing out to the children. It occurred to me that we did not have enough for everyone. I wished we could do more.

The same little girl from earlier walked into the community center and looked at me. I grabbed some clothing for her. She took the bag, smiled, and walked away. This girl is example of the many children in the Santa Ana community and the world that need attention immediately. Washing her hair and giving her clothing are examples of many small gestures that we provided for the children. They are not enough though. Work in these communities must be continued. This trip had given me a much better perspective on the magnitude of poverty in some places in the world. It has allowed me to reflect on new ways to create sustainable change in communities like Santa Ana. Action must be continued and broadened. Change can not occur without the government recognizing this community. We must continue to take individual actions in the meantime, strengthen programs like Learn Serve, and pioneer others.

Photo from LSP '09

Dog sniffing trash in the street

Eamon

My turning moment was when I saw the trash being dumped next to a house, and I realised that even though there are piles of trash everywhere, people can still say “Hola” with a smile on their face.

Zoe

A turning point for me on this trip happened for me a few days ago, while I was out with the rest of the health group, having a “health talk” with a woman at her home in Santa Ana. We were discussing trash disposal. Some of the advice we gave to the woman included avoiding burning trash, because the fumes that come from burning trash are very hazardous to people’s health. But then she went on to ask a great question: what could she do instead? This led to a discussion about how no trash trucks run through the Santa Ana community. I had heard before coming to Santa Ana that it is a community ignored by the Paraguayan government, but this idea of government abandonment didn’t really hit me until this incident. In the United States, at least as far as I know, there is government recognition for every community, certainly the ones surrounding D.C. the way Santa Ana surrounds Asunción. There are government programs like welfare that support the needy in America. So for me to realize that Santa Ana, a community literally 15 minutes from the home of the president, is completely ignored by it’s government…with no trash collection, water and electricity, or any sort of assistance, was really a major turning point on the trip for me.

Photo from LSP '09

Painting murals

Michelle

On our first day in Santa Ana, we walked around the area and ended up at a daycare center where we would be painting murals the following week. The kids ran to me and latched onto every part of my body. But I noticed one girl was crying in a corner. I went to her and saw the zipper on her jacket had broken, and it was one of the colder days we had spent there. I played with the zipper to get it as much closed as possible, and she looked up at me with dirt smeared all over her face and tears in her eyes but a smile that someone had stopped to help her. I almost burst into tears looking at her- here was a girl who had been freezing and probably hadn’t had the opportunity to wash in a long time, but she was so happy that someone had noticed her and wanted to care for her, even if it was for a matter of moments. It reminded me that that is what we are truly doing here. We of course did a lot more important work than fixing a zipper on a jacket…but really, everything we did went back to caring for other people, because really, we all want to be noticed and cared for, even if it’s only for a matter of moments. I feel like that was more important than anything else.

Sam

my moment was, being able to watch two other people experience the re-defining moment, of what poverty means, and realizing how I was captivated in that moment too. What I mean by this, is when we say the word poverty, we look down upon others, but that changes in Santa Ana. When we work, hand in hand, at eye level with the kids in Santa Ana, on their projects, the word poverty does not exist. What word replaces it, I do not know, but what I do know is the feeling. The feeling of belonging to a community, and bettering that community… your community.

Photo from LSP '09

Playing soccer

Nicole

One of the most vivid and shocking moments for me was during a walk in Santa Ana when we passed a house and saw two boys playing soccer in their yard. The boys were young and they ran around the little space recklessly, almost crashing into the strings of barbed wire that enclosed the yard. Watching a small boy so close to that dangerous fence was painful for me, I wanted so badly to grab him, pick him up and take him away from something so harmful. There was a woman in the yard too, completely unworried by the boys’ proximity to the sharp prongs of the wire. I kept thinking of the boys later when I saw other kids on the streets, in the houses and at health day. I just wanted to protect them from harm, but I couldn’t, which was the worst part, I could only watch them running and hope they didn’t crash.

Christina

On our first day in Santa Ana,as I walked across the main courtyard, I came across a group of young boys playing soccer with a crushed, rotted and old sprite bottle. They had no proper soccer ball and yet they were playing as though they were apart of Manchester United. The children in Santa Ana are so resourceful and make the best out of what they have. Many kids in the US take their toys for granted, for example on many school fields you can find old and abandoned sports balls. The children here don’t let the fact that they don’t have a soccer ball stop them from playing, they simply find another way.

Action Plans

Wilson High School

  1. Create a pamphlet with a short bio about Learnserve and our trip. Explain materials we would like to acquire. Hand out pamphlet during parent teacher conferences.
  2. Have bake sales and multiple fundraisers at school to raise money for high school and college tuition.
  3. Contact students who are going away to college and sorting through old clothes. Ask that they donate gently used and unwanted clothing to the people of Santa Ana
  4. Contact jersey distributing companies to ask if they would donate sets of jerseys to the community center.
  5. Ask Nicole’s church if one of the collections could be dedicated to Learnserve.
  6. Start pen pal program at Wilson/ Tulane.

Washington International School

Gabby and I will create a power point or slide show with information and pictures from Learn Serve Paraguay and present it during morning meeting a our school, this way students will be aware about learn serve Paraguay. To raise money for Paraguay we will have a dance-fund raiser for our primary school, bake sails and make bracelets with Paraguay written on them and hopefully a clothes or shoes drive.

BCC Action Plan

  • Club- Organize a club to start letter writing campaign to government, set up fundraisers and supply drives, and work w. IB, MYP and PTA organizations
  • A pen pal program with the spanish clases/ latin american tudies class between B-CC & Santa Ana. The point of this would be to share our experiences with others from our school, and gain a captivated audience that would be supportive of our next goal: bringing Santa Ana students to B-CC.
  • Ultimate Goal: to work with IB/MYP to organize an intercambio exchange, bringing two Santa Ana students to B-CC for a month.

Saying Goodbye

Published
on July 4, 2009
in Paraguay
. Comments
Photo from LSP '09

Maddy washing hair

I really don’t know where to begin. I can’t believe today is our last day, it seems like just yesterday we arrived at the Hotel Chaco. This trip has honestly been one of the most amazing trips I’ve had, and I had such a great time with every single LSP student. Last night was our final goodbye, or despedida, at Santa Ana. Although there was great music and food, i couldn’t help but feel extremely sad and upset. It’s so hard to suddenly leave the friends you have made. The people in Santa Ana are the greatest, most caring, and hard working people I have ever met in my entire life, and I know I will never forget them. Our host families from Colegio San Jose were so great to us, it was crazy how comfortable I felt with every single one of them, they were so sweet and gracious. Clara, my host girl from San Jose, made me feel so comfortable and at home. I felt like her family was my family. I will definitely miss everyone so much, and I’m really in shock that its over.

Maddy, a student at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School

Humility

Published
on July 3, 2009
in Paraguay
. Comments
Photo from LSP '09

In front of the cultural center, Santa Ana

With no more than 72 hours remaining, I have become increasingly homesick. My experience in Carapeguá and with my various host families have been very pleasant and I will soon miss the friendly faces and voices of my temporary companions. In the last ten days I have lived as a Paraguayan, sharing experiences and tales that will forever remain near and dear to my heart. My experiences have helped me to come to the realization that life should be shared and adored and that one must make the day his own. Paraguay has exceeded my greatest expectations and has helped to change my mindset to one of continuous generosity, not out of a feeling of superiority but one of unity.

Photo from LSP '09

Kids in Santa Ana

Poverty, in Paraguay at least, is a mindset, a mental barrier – which has affected none of the people I have met. Those who have lacked material possessions are persons of character, strength, determination and people who have experienced pure joy, though their needs surely surpass anything I have seen in the States. In numerous ways I envy their happiness and collectiveness. The children with whom I have been partnered work in cold, wet, seemingly unlivable conditions, right alongside Americans, without complaints or whines. Some of their feet hang outside of their shoes and get dirtied by the mud. As I observe their work I want to swallow my desire to quit and follow in their footsteps. I have come to lead and teach, yet I gain many lessons in humanity.

Today, while I was playing I ripped my pants and was quite ashamed about getting help. I had no way of compensating the gentleman and feared that once more I was the student and they were my teachers.

In this trip and through this particular experience, I have learned that humility is an admirable quality. there are perhaps many more things I can pick up from them in the last few days for the duration of my trip.

I am sincerely and honestly grateful for this experience and the encounters with this program, and the people who I am proud to call my family.

Sam M., a student at Bell Multicultural High School