Learning 101

The other day while I was administering an exam to the 8^th grade Basico class, I started reflecting on my own experiences as a student. Attending a Jesuit University, my professors would often share the wise words of Saint Ignatius: “Go forth and set the world on fire.” My response? “Well, I’m trying to set this world on fire, but I feel like I’m just burning down the house.”

Nick and I at Sister Pats Camp 2007

It took four years of college and three years of post-graduate experiences for me to figure out what my calling actually was. After deciding to apply to graduate school for Social Work, I carefully started to put together the infamous “Personal Statement.” When I finally thought I had perfected it, I called my good friend and best critic, Nick, to get his opinion. “Yeah, it’s really, really good, but remember it’s not an autobiography. Think why you want to go to grad school and learn about this stuff. You’re so close! You just have to sit down and start over.”

Start over? Is this some kind of cruel joke?

A high school English teacher once told me “writing is re-writing.” I’ve come to realize that at the end of the day, anything we are good at takes hard work and patience. About 20 hours and lots of coffee later, I stared into the bright light of my computer screen and saw my honest thoughts. Like I wrote in my essay, "when compelled to work hard for something you care about, knowledge is easily absorbed, whether from literature, dialogue, people, or moments. Learning can be intentional or subconscious, but when we bridge our education with our true interests, we reach the ultimate fulfillment."

While I looked around at the quiet, focused, Basico classroom, I considered the educational goals of these students. Here I am in Guatemala, living out my hopes and dreams, but what I really want to do is help them find theirs. Many of these kids have not had the chance to recognize their full potential and what they are truly able to accomplish. I know myself and every other volunteer who comes through this country looks in the faces of these individuals and sees this blinding beauty that we wish we could shine over all of Guatemala. Unfortunately, that’s not up to us. But what we can do is share our knowledge and resources to guide them towards continual education and learning.

The relationships I have built during my time in Guatemala have showed me that when placed in a position to give, I gain a greater understanding about myself and my values. But more importantly, I gain the understanding of how much I have to learn from those around me. Author and activist Shane Claiborne shares,

Just as “believers” are a dime a dozen in the church, so are "activists" in social justice circles nowadays. But lovers are hard to come by. And I think that's what our world is desperately in need of--lovers, people who are building deep, genuine relationships with fellow strugglers along the way, and who actually know the faces of the people behind the issues they are concerned about.

That being said, I’m hopeful we are on our way to being really great lovers.

--Lorena

So Hard to Say Goodbye...To Em and Cam

I’ve never been very good at goodbyes. Those of you who know me know that I can be quite the sentimental gal – I get teary eyed at a thoughtful card, a cute puppy, or maybe even Dana’s phenomenal dance moves. I’ve had a pit in my stomach all week. At first I thought it was the chile relleno that Cam and I ate in Comalapa, but the reality is, I’m just not ready to say farewell to my fellow PDs.

Emily and Cam have hugely shaped the past four months that I’ve been in Guatemala. Starting this experience, I had no idea what to expect or what kind of people I would meet. Now it’s safe to say that my expectations were exceeded, and I have Em and Cam to thank for a lot of that. From day one, they guided me through my role as a Program Director, willing to help me with whatever I needed. Their unconditional dedication and energetic attitudes was reassurance that I signed up for the right program. They keep me laughing (even when they’re laughing at me), learning and loving each day I’m here in Guatemala. I’m not sure what my life here will look like without them. Who will be my sous chef when I want to cook Italian food? And who will motivate me to go to the gym after I eat an entire tray of manicotti? Whatever happens, I know I’ll be keeping them close to my heart and looking forward to the next time our paths cross.

Em and Cam, mis amores, thank you for everything. I’ll see you soon…por fa.

Until Next Time,
Big L

Mayas: Past and Present

Saturday marks my three month Manna-versary in Guatemala. It’s easy to say that the time here has flown, but what’s not easy to say is what I’ve experienced over the course of the past twelve weeks. One thing that continues to intrigue me each day is the indigenous culture here. Only second to Bolivia, Guatemala has the highest indigenous population of any other Latin American country (over 60%). Indigenous culture in Guatemala is rich in Mayan tradition, which includes over 20 spoken ancient Mayan languages, the traditional dress called “traje” and other important areas of culture like religion and art, particularly weaving and textiles.

What appears to be a beautiful and raw form of culture is unfortunately often discriminated against within Guatemala. The Guatemalan Civil War lasted over 30 years, and although a Peace Treaty was signed in 1996, the affects from the war have continued to present day. The Guatemalan Army destroyed 400 villages, killed nearly 200,000 civilians, and committed countless human rights violations. Although the “Accord for a Firm and Lasting Peace” was signed, sealed, and delivered by the Guatemalan Government, many of the mentioned reforms failed to be implemented. Although The Accords may have helped to prevent another Civil War from breaking out, there is still widespread fear of violence, government corruption, and discrimination.

Rebecca Tran, a Research Associate for the Council on Hemispheric Affairs shares, “Guatemala will persist as a country that longs to move forward, but cannot resist the violent legacies of its past.” MPIG works to partner with and support our local Chaquijyá community members, but unfortunately we cannot erase the scars from their past. We remain optimistic that through our work, loyalty and dedication, we can be figures of security and help motivate them to make sustainable changes within their community.

--Lorena

Spring Break Wrap-Up

I speak on behalf of the whole MPI Guatemala team when I say SPRING BREAK 2012 RULED. This month, we had the opportunity to work with five different universities and a total of 41 students on 4 different projects in Chaquijyá.

Vanderbilt University started Spring break off with a bang (or should I say a broken water pipe) on the construction of a playground in Escuela Central. As different parts of the playground were constructed, the kids immediately started playing before we could say, “wet cement!” The Vandy students continuously surprised us with their patience and flexibility, willing to adapt and adjust to the idea of "Central American time," which essentially means being late or not showing up is okay.

We were rolling deep Week 2 with a total of 21 students from Tulane, UGA, and Emory. The groups added a colorful touch by painting world map murals at each of the schools, Central and Cooperativa. As the group explored Guatemala, Pancaklandia, and beyond, every minute was a new adventure!

UAB made for a memorable last week with Dental Charlas and administration of fluoride to over 300 students and teachers! Right when these girls stepped off the plane, they were ready to take on Guatemala, one tooth at a time! Filled with energy, luggage, and gringas, there was nothing they weren’t prepared to do.
 

If you want to read more about each project, click on the individual tabs above labeled according to University.

Spring Break 2012 truly exceeded our expectations, and there are no amount of words that can fully describe the experience we had this month. That being said, we’ve prepared this Spring Break 2012 Tribute to help share our thanks. We are so appreciative for each Spring Break team and participant. But more importantly, we have a new favorite song.  

Until my Next Story Hour,

Lorena

Is ABC Really as Easy as 1-2-3?

I’ve always loved the Spanish language...from afar. Whenever I heard people speaking Spanish, my ears would perk up to the smooth yet rich sound of the language. Those rolled rr's were music to my ears. Since I’ve arrived in Guatemala, my feelings about Spanish have changed a bit. Don’t get me wrong, Spanish and I are still in a really great relationship, but the Spanish coming out of my mouth isn’t quite as lovely as when I was just listening to it. After several weeks of classes, some of the helpful grammar and useful vocabulary from high school is starting to come back to me (gracias Señora Garcia). But my oral skills are about as choppy as the bus ride down to my Spanish school in Panajachel. I try to remind myself daily that all great relationships require time, patience and heartfelt effort. “Poco a poco,” my teacher says–and she’s right, little by little, it is coming.

I truly admire those who have taken the time to learn another language, particularly the students in our English classes in Chaquijyá. Our students actually learn THREE languages in school: Spanish, Ka'qchikel (their traditional Mayan language), and English. We teach an optional after school English class, and we are excited to report that our attendance rate each week is almost 100%. Emily and I recently taught numbers one through twenty in our English class, and the kids picked up on it pretty quickly. But the alphabet? That’s a different story. The simple idea of the “A-B-Cs” are the foundation for hundreds of beautiful languages. Different accents, dialects and meanings, these letters create millions of words across the world. The “A-B-Cs” I learned in the United States now are taking on a dual meaning to me. As I work on building my vocabulary and losing my gringa accent, I’m continually inspired by my Guatemalan students or other American volunteers taking time to learn a new language. Today at the inauguration of the new Basico school, one man shared that 45% of Sololá is illiterate(!). The ABCs may sound pretty standard, but the privilege of knowledge and education is something to truly be thankful for. 

So, Michael Jackson, don’t roll over in your grave but I think we have to agree to disagree on this one. However, I will say, I’m on your side with another well-known idea of yours: “if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make the change.”

Figuring It Out

When my friends sometimes make remarks about how we are all getting older, I always respond that I’m really excited to age. Understandably this is not your typical response, but when you think about it, growing older is a beautiful thing. Aging comes along with new experiences, relationships, knowledge, wisdom, and personal growth. At age 24, estoy emocionada (now I can say my favorite English phrase in Spanish) about starting this new chapter of my life in Guatemala. As Dana previously mentioned, I am the newest addition to the MPI Guatemala team and I feel really lucky to work with such a wonderful and driven group of people. In my few days being here, I can clearly see how beneficial Dana, Emily and Cameron have been to the Sololá and Chaquijyá communities. They are well-respected by the students they teach and the people that they serve. More importantly, they have an understanding about the community they are serving, and work with their community partners to best address the issues at hand. Needless to say, I’m impressed. 

 Summer in Guatemala recently ended and the school year just began. I went with Cameron to his 6^th and 7^th grade English classes at La Escuela Central and enviously watched him engage with his students. “Facil, facil, facil!” he repeated, as he encouraged his class and gave them confidence about their English skills. Yesterday was the start of an after school English program in MPI’s other partner school, La Cooperativa. When we showed up for the first day of classes expecting no more than 40 students, we were surprised to see a giggling group of 80 small children flooding into the classroom. By the end of the day, the total headcount for both the Beginner and Intermediate level was 96 students. We are glad that the students are showing such a high interest for additional English classes, but we definitely need a new game plan about how three teachers (and only one fluent in Spanish) are going to handle 90+ students! Figuring it out is part of the fun though :)

I have a lot of “figuring it out” to do, but being challenged by a dynamic group of people, a new community, and a foreign language is quite invigorating. One of my favorite pieces of advice is “allow yourself to feel uncomfortable.” I believe this is where we learn the greatest lessons.  As I walk the bustling, unfamiliar streets of Sololá, I remind myself of this and subtly smile, knowing that there is a whole lot to look forward to in the months ahead.

paz y amor,

Lorena

Tell Your Friends

Manna is a very small organization. There are 6 full time staff members spread between four countries, nineteen Programs Directors, and in the 2010-2011 fiscal year, MPI operated on a budget of about $427,000. To give you some means of comparison of annual budgets in the non-profit sector:

Pencils of Promise: $1.1 million; WorldTeach: $3.15 million; Invisible Children: $8 million; Charity Water: $11.6 million; Falling Whistles: $104.7 million; Habitat for Humanity: $285 million.

The point is we're small in almost every way. We don't have the manpower or resources to publicize and market ourselves with the big guys. Even when it comes to recruitment, truth is, the majority of our volunteers hear about Manna from one of our current or past volunteers, and we rely on that. I personally found out about Manna from my high school friend, Jackie Weidman who was a PD in Ecuador before MPI Guatemala ever existed. I remember reading MPI's website and wondering why I had never heard about the experience before, and MPI isn't the only one. There are so many life-changing opportunities out there looking for candidates, but seldom do the interested candidates and opportunities meet.

In a few days MPI Guatemala will welcome a new PD named Lorena Zamarelli, who--you guessed it--is also a friend from high school, and Manna is currently recruiting summer and 13-month volunteers for 2012-2013.  Posting to Facebook and other social networking sites does help, but it's not enough. We need a grander advertisement, a broader PSA.

These are my best friends from high school. 75% of them have either volunteered themselves with MPI, visited an MPI international site, or donated to the cause.

So do me a favor, tell your friends. Share our story, and spread the word. To beef up your Manna knowledge, visit our "about us" page, or our volunteer page.

Gracias,

Dana