For once I am in a part of the world where I am not really given a second glance and until I start speaking in spanish nobody really wonders that I would be from somewhere else. Whereas in the States I am usually always asked ¨Where are you from?¨ or ¨What is your nationality?¨ Hello?!?! I am from the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...the last time I checked the USA is a Nation all its own. I am not sure how I feel about this. It has been a little bit of a challenge because a typical volunteer feels a lot of unwanted attention and I am not receiving any attention at all weather I want it or not. I am very proud to be Latina and I know that I am setting an incredible example for the young women here to show them that there are lots of successful young Latinas all over the world. Also, its been kind of nice to be only approached in spanish and for people to think that I am one of the locals. However, this is going to be a part of the integration process that I will have to work on.
The day that this ´blending in effect´ proved to be the most challenging was last Wednesday when I went to the school for the first time. I hadn´t been able to go during my site visit so I hadn´t met any of the students or staff. The day that I arrived at the school I just kind of blended in and nobody really understood why I was there. In the most professional manner possible I had to continuously explain the goals of my program and the reason why I was there. The majority of the teaching staff just nodded their heads and made funny faces when I told them that I was going to be in the school for the next two years.
Luckily, the students were my gateway to a day that proved to be full of such a positive rush that gave me energy and the excitement for the work I will be doing in the next two years. The population of the school is around 500 students and the grade levels are from preschool to sixth grade. During that week, the student elections were taking place. I guess that is what gave me the sensation that despite the lack of resources there still is an instillment of fundamental values that are of importance to the advancement of the youth of the world. In my opinion the freedom to vote and the freedom of speech is a right that every person should have and I am proud to be volunteering in a place that sees eye to eye. That same day that I blended in so well I was also helping the different political parties of the school make their propaganda to campaign for the party and promote their platforms etc. Isn´t this freedom such a beautiful thing. Although these kids might not realize the power that they have in this time in their lives it is something that they are learning from a young age that will be a part of their future and the values that they will hopefully teach the following generations.
I guess this made me think of the elections that are going on in the US and maybe these politicians need to put the innocence back into the election system and give back the legit idea of democracy back to the people. Maybe they just need to come to the school in my site and take a few lessons from the kids here. No matter how little resources and tangible goods there are in the barrio, the most important is that the youth is learning how to speak for themselves and as citizens and youth of their country they have an important role.
As for now I am in the second week in my site and I think that I am slowly but surely building relationships and am showing the members of the community that I am not from here but I am living here now and that means that I am just as much part of the community as they are. My voice is just as important and has just as much power as theirs does. Thus, I am looking forward to working with the people of the community to make our community even better.
