I can hardly believe that in 9 days, we will be embarking on quite possibly one of the biggest and most amazing trips imaginable. In previous adventures, I've likened some of my experiences to the Amazing Race, but this is by far the closest to it. It is something I've been wanting to do ever since my undergrad days at UCI, when I would hear the stories of my mentors in the Dean of Students office talk about their travels as administrators on a floating university that circumnavigates the world.
I am SO excited to be headed out on Semester at Sea. On January 7, we will be leaving our humble abode to embark on a journey of a lifetime. After a quick stop in Atlanta, to visit some family, we'll head to the Bahamas where we embark on the MV Explorer, our home for the next 108 days. Our itinerary is as follows: Bahamas, Dominica, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Mauritius, India, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Japan, Hawaii, and finally San Diego. We will actually be traveling down the Amazon River in Brazil -- wow! With about 700 students and 100 faculty and staff on board this small cruise ship, my job will be to facilitate reflection activities and promote awareness about community service and learning. I'm ecstatic about this opportunity to bridge my dissertation work and recent experiences in Bolivia, all together on a voyage unlike any other I've been on before.
Another journey of a lifetime coming up, is that I'll be getting married in the fall! My fiance, Mark, will be on board the SAS voyage as well. One thing we are looking forward to doing as part of our personal pre-wedding journey, is learning how to say 'I love you' in each language and find out about the different customs and traditions for celebrating love. This journey will have so much meaning in so many ways. Not only will I be traveling with my life partner, but it just so happens that I have a few great friends who will be on board as well. Another good friend will be meeting up with us in Vietnam. Once in a lifetime is an understatement, and 2011 literally feels like a dream.
Right now we are in packing mode... both for storage and the trip. How do you pack for 4 months on a boat traveling around the world? Well, I'll do my best, and have various experiences to draw from to help me out - and I need to remember to pack light since I'm sure to accumulate things along the way. One perk of heading out on the Spring voyage is that we will skipping winter this year. Well, okay, we've got a few days in here, but for the most part, being in the Southern hemisphere will be great. As with every experience I've had abroad, it's impossible to know what I will see, who I will meet, what experiences we will encounter, but one thing I know for sure is that this is going to be an AMAZING adventure and I am looking forward to each step of the way.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Reflections on Bolivia
Just this past weekend I had a reunion with the students with whom I traveled to Bolivia last summer, and it was a great time to reminisce, get together, and think about where we were and what we did. Even though the busy-ness of being back at work and on campus got the best of me, I realized that I wanted to go back and finish writing about our experiences there. Over the past few weeks, I've attended conferences and presented on the topic of how international service influences college students, and thought about how it's also changed my life for good.
In looking back at our experience, our time in Tiraque was not without its challenges. From being in a new environment, in a school that had never had this type of volunteer program before, to navigating a scenario where our volunteers were inadvertently put into a position of perpetuating a paternalistic educational paradigm, to language barriers, the group weathered a lot of difficult situations. But what I learned is that it is true that what defines a person is not the situations that they encounter in life, but how we choose to respond to them. I think each person did the best they could in the moment, and there were also a lot of great experiences we all look back on fondly.
As we left Tiraque, the last day we participated in a march, which was actually pretty fun. The night before we helped students make posters and signs, then we marched around the town chanting, "Tiraque Limio" and "No Botar Basura" - and Martin the director mentioned that this was a true piece of Bolivian culture, to protest. As we said goodbye, there were lots of hugs, and well wishes, and wondering of what would come next for each of us on our respective paths. The connections that were made would leave a lasting impression on each of us, and continue to be part of our own experiences as we reflect back.
Before we left Bolivia, we stopped in Cochabamba one more time to do last minute shopping for souvenirs at La Cancha, and watch the World Cup finals... which was pretty cool. It was neat to see Spain win the World Cup at a Brazilian Cafe in Bolivia :). Then we got to take a trip to Copacabana, right on Lake Titicaca, which was a phenomenal little town. It was a great break and treat to get to spend our last night in Bolivia in a great hotel right near the water. It gave us the chance to see more of this country that we only scratched the surface of getting to know in the month that we were there.
We also stopped over in La Paz for 1/2 a day, and did a quick walking tour of the city, walking through the witches market, different plazas and districts, and getting a glimpse at the capital city.
Overall, words cannot describe this trip... from unforgettable freezing cold showers, to touching moments with the students at the talent show, to great group bonding and journaling marathons. There are a million little moments that just thinking about them brings a smile to my face. I'm thankful for the experience to participate in this trip, and also thankful for the memories and friendships that I was able to make along the way.
In looking back at our experience, our time in Tiraque was not without its challenges. From being in a new environment, in a school that had never had this type of volunteer program before, to navigating a scenario where our volunteers were inadvertently put into a position of perpetuating a paternalistic educational paradigm, to language barriers, the group weathered a lot of difficult situations. But what I learned is that it is true that what defines a person is not the situations that they encounter in life, but how we choose to respond to them. I think each person did the best they could in the moment, and there were also a lot of great experiences we all look back on fondly.
As we left Tiraque, the last day we participated in a march, which was actually pretty fun. The night before we helped students make posters and signs, then we marched around the town chanting, "Tiraque Limio" and "No Botar Basura" - and Martin the director mentioned that this was a true piece of Bolivian culture, to protest. As we said goodbye, there were lots of hugs, and well wishes, and wondering of what would come next for each of us on our respective paths. The connections that were made would leave a lasting impression on each of us, and continue to be part of our own experiences as we reflect back.
Before we left Bolivia, we stopped in Cochabamba one more time to do last minute shopping for souvenirs at La Cancha, and watch the World Cup finals... which was pretty cool. It was neat to see Spain win the World Cup at a Brazilian Cafe in Bolivia :). Then we got to take a trip to Copacabana, right on Lake Titicaca, which was a phenomenal little town. It was a great break and treat to get to spend our last night in Bolivia in a great hotel right near the water. It gave us the chance to see more of this country that we only scratched the surface of getting to know in the month that we were there.
We also stopped over in La Paz for 1/2 a day, and did a quick walking tour of the city, walking through the witches market, different plazas and districts, and getting a glimpse at the capital city.
Overall, words cannot describe this trip... from unforgettable freezing cold showers, to touching moments with the students at the talent show, to great group bonding and journaling marathons. There are a million little moments that just thinking about them brings a smile to my face. I'm thankful for the experience to participate in this trip, and also thankful for the memories and friendships that I was able to make along the way.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Tiraque and the environment
Tiraque´s medio del ambiente
We arrived in Tiraque over a week ago... and what once was an unfamiliar dusty colonial small town, has come to be almost like a second home. When we were first told that we were going to be in a rural village, I had images of huts and lots of animals roaming around. While the streets are paved, there are still a lot of dirt roads and stray dogs. The hotel we are staying at happens to also be home to the local radio station. There is music blasting at almost all hours of the day and night. This town is unlike any town I´ve been in before. There´s a very nice plaza with a church and government building on opposite sides of the square. And, the homes and stores all look the same, behind what looks to be adobe casas. There are no signs, so you literally walk into what could be a home, restaurant, tienda... it´s really different.
We are working with an alternative education school called, Centro Tata Esteban, and their director, Martin, is an amazing guy. We are working in small groups to help the school and community build awareness about environmental issues. The group that I am a part of helped to organize a Concurso para limpieza del rio (river clean up contest), and it was amazing. Students from the school as well as other children and students from the community came out in droves. Tiraque has a large Quechua population, and before the introduction of plastics and other packaging materials, they were used to throwing banana peels and other things in the streets. It also doesn´t have a big waste managment program, so many people dump waste near the river. It was incredible to see all the students and kids picking up SO much garbage. Some of the things they brought out from the river included tons of plastic bottles, trash, cans, car parts, and unfortunately some dead animals. I was amazed to see the kids so enthusiastically cleaning the river and the streets. One of the professors at the school said that this day did make a difference, because the kids learned about keeping the river clean, and the adults were shamed to have the children clean up their mess. Apparently Tiraque has a local news station, and there was 30 minutes of coverage. It´s a very small town (3500), so practically everyone knows we are there, and an older gentleman even said ´gracias´after passing by in the street.
That is just one example of the different things we´ve been doing here. We are currently on a mid-point trip, for reflection and to catch up on some necessities. We head back to Tiraque in a few hours.
One more amazing experience we had, on June 23, a group of us got up at 5.30am to climb a mountain near the town, which has a big cross at the top. It was dark outside, but felt good to be awake. We were going to celebrate they Aymayra , or Andean, New Year. The tradition is to try to climb to the highest point and put your hands to the sun, to catch the first rays of sunlight in the new year. I´ve seen many a sunrise in my life, especially back in the SPOP days, but this was literally breathtaking. We climbed as far as we could, and after a little adventure got to the top just in time for the sun to rise. The views of the town and surrounding areas was amazing. I´m so glad I got to participate in that moment... it was incredible. That´s all for now. It seems that time here is a bit different... slower, yet busy at times. And for all of you who are wondering, yes, the world cup has been fun and amazing to watch from down here. Every restaurant, hotel, or any place with a public tv, has world cup info 24/7. I may not know what else is going on in the world right now, but I do know that Germany won, and Argentina beat Mexico yesterday.
Until next time....
We arrived in Tiraque over a week ago... and what once was an unfamiliar dusty colonial small town, has come to be almost like a second home. When we were first told that we were going to be in a rural village, I had images of huts and lots of animals roaming around. While the streets are paved, there are still a lot of dirt roads and stray dogs. The hotel we are staying at happens to also be home to the local radio station. There is music blasting at almost all hours of the day and night. This town is unlike any town I´ve been in before. There´s a very nice plaza with a church and government building on opposite sides of the square. And, the homes and stores all look the same, behind what looks to be adobe casas. There are no signs, so you literally walk into what could be a home, restaurant, tienda... it´s really different.
We are working with an alternative education school called, Centro Tata Esteban, and their director, Martin, is an amazing guy. We are working in small groups to help the school and community build awareness about environmental issues. The group that I am a part of helped to organize a Concurso para limpieza del rio (river clean up contest), and it was amazing. Students from the school as well as other children and students from the community came out in droves. Tiraque has a large Quechua population, and before the introduction of plastics and other packaging materials, they were used to throwing banana peels and other things in the streets. It also doesn´t have a big waste managment program, so many people dump waste near the river. It was incredible to see all the students and kids picking up SO much garbage. Some of the things they brought out from the river included tons of plastic bottles, trash, cans, car parts, and unfortunately some dead animals. I was amazed to see the kids so enthusiastically cleaning the river and the streets. One of the professors at the school said that this day did make a difference, because the kids learned about keeping the river clean, and the adults were shamed to have the children clean up their mess. Apparently Tiraque has a local news station, and there was 30 minutes of coverage. It´s a very small town (3500), so practically everyone knows we are there, and an older gentleman even said ´gracias´after passing by in the street.
That is just one example of the different things we´ve been doing here. We are currently on a mid-point trip, for reflection and to catch up on some necessities. We head back to Tiraque in a few hours.
One more amazing experience we had, on June 23, a group of us got up at 5.30am to climb a mountain near the town, which has a big cross at the top. It was dark outside, but felt good to be awake. We were going to celebrate they Aymayra , or Andean, New Year. The tradition is to try to climb to the highest point and put your hands to the sun, to catch the first rays of sunlight in the new year. I´ve seen many a sunrise in my life, especially back in the SPOP days, but this was literally breathtaking. We climbed as far as we could, and after a little adventure got to the top just in time for the sun to rise. The views of the town and surrounding areas was amazing. I´m so glad I got to participate in that moment... it was incredible. That´s all for now. It seems that time here is a bit different... slower, yet busy at times. And for all of you who are wondering, yes, the world cup has been fun and amazing to watch from down here. Every restaurant, hotel, or any place with a public tv, has world cup info 24/7. I may not know what else is going on in the world right now, but I do know that Germany won, and Argentina beat Mexico yesterday.
Until next time....
Thursday, June 17, 2010
A day en la escuela y en La Cancha
Yesterday we were very fortunate to have the chance to visit a school in the southern area of Cochabamba. This is supposed to be the more impoverished area, with dirt roads and brown colored square buildings covering the mountaintop. The landscape here is very monochromatic. It feels like and is a different world. The people we have met son muy agradable. The principle and other leader gave us an over view of their school, El Molino. It was a private school, though not to be compared to what we think of when we say private in the US. The children ranged from pre kinder to high school. They were all wearing navy blue and red uniforms. There is no government subsidy for education, and in order to cut costs, the children only have school until about 1¨30pm.
After our talk in the main room where they served us coca cola (which tastes much better here because it´s made from real cane sugar), the head maestra got a blowhorn and gathered all the children in the little playground and and told them to pose for una photografia. She then took us each to the different classrooms, and introduced us to the students, almost as if parading us around. It was a bizarre feeling, but it was probably equally bizarre for them. We saw some of the older kids taking pictures of us on their cell phones, which was ironically a comforting feeling. They also had these cool and inspiring quotes painted all over el colegio, como, ¨No te sientas, solo estoy yo para compartir tus penas.¨ y mi favorito, ¨la escuela no es el edificio, es el espiritu¨ (the school is not the building, it is the spirit). After our ´tour´ we were able to play with the kindergarten children, and had a great time exchanging names and telling stories about ourselves, and asking questions of them. It was a highlight for many.
After a great lunch at a place called La Campa... we went to La Cancha, the largest market in South America. It was overwhelming. I´ve been to a number of different markets internationally, and I can say this was like no other. We did a brief walk through one portion, which had many interesting smells, and many intersting things ' from amazingly beatiful fruitas y, meats, clothes, blankets, pastas, sweets, local superstitions (llama fetuses), and muchos otras cosas. Again, my best word to describe the market was overwhelming. We also had to be careful in terms of safety. At one point, 5 men tried surrounding our group, scoping us out since we were obviously tourists. They then tried to grab one of the students in the back of the line, but luckily on of the FSD leaders was able to save him from being robbed. It was a good reminder of where we are. There are very few tourists here, so we, especially as a large grupo, stand out mucho. (as you can see, my spanish is starting to creep into my thoughts, and writing. I´m so glad to have this practice).
This is all for now. We are looking forward to our time in Tiraque, where our service will take place. (there will be no internet there, so my next update won´t be for at least a week). I´m excited about the fact that we will be working with the children and teachers to develop our goals together. overall, it´s been a great experience. hasta luego...
As you can see, my spanish skills are starting to peek in here and there, even in my thinking, que bueno.
After our talk in the main room where they served us coca cola (which tastes much better here because it´s made from real cane sugar), the head maestra got a blowhorn and gathered all the children in the little playground and and told them to pose for una photografia. She then took us each to the different classrooms, and introduced us to the students, almost as if parading us around. It was a bizarre feeling, but it was probably equally bizarre for them. We saw some of the older kids taking pictures of us on their cell phones, which was ironically a comforting feeling. They also had these cool and inspiring quotes painted all over el colegio, como, ¨No te sientas, solo estoy yo para compartir tus penas.¨ y mi favorito, ¨la escuela no es el edificio, es el espiritu¨ (the school is not the building, it is the spirit). After our ´tour´ we were able to play with the kindergarten children, and had a great time exchanging names and telling stories about ourselves, and asking questions of them. It was a highlight for many.
After a great lunch at a place called La Campa... we went to La Cancha, the largest market in South America. It was overwhelming. I´ve been to a number of different markets internationally, and I can say this was like no other. We did a brief walk through one portion, which had many interesting smells, and many intersting things ' from amazingly beatiful fruitas y, meats, clothes, blankets, pastas, sweets, local superstitions (llama fetuses), and muchos otras cosas. Again, my best word to describe the market was overwhelming. We also had to be careful in terms of safety. At one point, 5 men tried surrounding our group, scoping us out since we were obviously tourists. They then tried to grab one of the students in the back of the line, but luckily on of the FSD leaders was able to save him from being robbed. It was a good reminder of where we are. There are very few tourists here, so we, especially as a large grupo, stand out mucho. (as you can see, my spanish is starting to creep into my thoughts, and writing. I´m so glad to have this practice).
This is all for now. We are looking forward to our time in Tiraque, where our service will take place. (there will be no internet there, so my next update won´t be for at least a week). I´m excited about the fact that we will be working with the children and teachers to develop our goals together. overall, it´s been a great experience. hasta luego...
As you can see, my spanish skills are starting to peek in here and there, even in my thinking, que bueno.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Un Bien Viaje
Well... yesterday we had quite a packed day of travel from SFO to Miami to La Paz to Cochabamba. Actually the last leg of that epic travel line from La Paz to Cochabamba was my favorite. It was a quick but breathtaking 35 minute flight over the Andes Mountains. Los montañas son muy grade y maravilloso. It was almost as if could fly right through the mountains and reach out and touch them. It was gorgeous, and was one of the most unbelievable views I´ve ever seen from a plane. The mountains were sharp and strong, peaking into the clouds. It was a bit of a rough landing, but when we got on the ground, I noticed a business man do the sign of the cross. I couldn´t help for smile and agree with his appreciation for being safe. We later found out that the mayor of Cochabamba was on our flight, along with their ambassador to Cuba.
As for the itinerary, we are staying in Cochabamba for the first few nights, to get oriented to Bolivian culture (and the altitude) and then will head to Tiraque. At our orientation, led by Mauricio, Julianne and Daniell from FSD, we fournd out that there are only 3500 people in this small town, which apparently doesn´t have many restaurants. But there are many Chicharias (bars that sell Chicha, a local homemade liquor). They have arranged for us to participate in a protest, a debate with the mayor and local officials about their environmental efforts, and a day with the local tv and radio stations. It all sounds so amazing and surreal. We are really looking forward to this opportunity, and have no idea what to expect.
The students all seem to be adjusting well, except for one unfortunate case of altitude sickness. I´m so proud of them.. all very conscious of their presence here, and very respectful. They are also having a lot of fun, and it´s great to connect with them, and see them grow and get to know one another better during this trip as well. We visted their Christo - the ´largest´statue of Jesus in the western hemisphere. It was huge! We were winded climing the 50 or so steps to get to the top - hopefully we´ll adjust to the altitude soon.
Well, tomorrow we leave for Tiraque, where there will be no internet access. It is also supposed to be super cold in this town o(due to a high altitude of 10,000 ft), with temperatures at about freezing in the evenings. When we told someone we were going there, the first thing they said was, ´hace much frio aca´. At least they had heard of Tiraque, as other Bolivianos whom we met at the internet cafe had not. Later we´ll be taking a trip to the region of Chapare which has more sub tropoical temperatures, and will be warm and humid. Muy interesante.
As for the itinerary, we are staying in Cochabamba for the first few nights, to get oriented to Bolivian culture (and the altitude) and then will head to Tiraque. At our orientation, led by Mauricio, Julianne and Daniell from FSD, we fournd out that there are only 3500 people in this small town, which apparently doesn´t have many restaurants. But there are many Chicharias (bars that sell Chicha, a local homemade liquor). They have arranged for us to participate in a protest, a debate with the mayor and local officials about their environmental efforts, and a day with the local tv and radio stations. It all sounds so amazing and surreal. We are really looking forward to this opportunity, and have no idea what to expect.
The students all seem to be adjusting well, except for one unfortunate case of altitude sickness. I´m so proud of them.. all very conscious of their presence here, and very respectful. They are also having a lot of fun, and it´s great to connect with them, and see them grow and get to know one another better during this trip as well. We visted their Christo - the ´largest´statue of Jesus in the western hemisphere. It was huge! We were winded climing the 50 or so steps to get to the top - hopefully we´ll adjust to the altitude soon.
Well, tomorrow we leave for Tiraque, where there will be no internet access. It is also supposed to be super cold in this town o(due to a high altitude of 10,000 ft), with temperatures at about freezing in the evenings. When we told someone we were going there, the first thing they said was, ´hace much frio aca´. At least they had heard of Tiraque, as other Bolivianos whom we met at the internet cafe had not. Later we´ll be taking a trip to the region of Chapare which has more sub tropoical temperatures, and will be warm and humid. Muy interesante.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Pre-departure thoughts...
Well, in a few hours, we will be embarking on what is sure to be an exciting adventure to Bolivia. This time I've correctly identified my flight time/date, and started packing a week in advance :). We start with a flight from SFO to Miami, and have a 45 minute layover before we transfer flights to La Paz (yikes, lets hope for an on time arrival). Then we hop on another short flight to Cochabamba. For the first few days we are there, we'll be staying in Cochabamba for a general orientation, and then we'll head out to Tiraque, to El Centro Tata Esteban, where we will be spending most of our time.
A few nights ago, my friend Liz organized a great dinner where I got to meet a few of their friends who engaged in service in Bolivia (one did the Peace Corps, and the other actually interned for FSD!) It was an amazing time, and I'm so glad we got the chance to talk about Bolivia. Meredith, who worked with FSD before, actually knew the folks we'd be working with and it was very comforting to meet someone who had such great things to say about her experience.
I'm extremely excited for this trip, and am looking forward to so many things -- the students' experiences, meeting and getting to know the people and making lasting relationships, contributing in any way we can, seeing a new land, learning about indigenous culture, and recognizing personal growth and understanding in myself. I know that this will be unlike any trip I've had before, and am looking forward to being challenged and stretching beyond that which I've been comfortable. One of my favorite parts of travel is the eager anticipation with which you meet the experience. I have no idea what will transpire, who I'll meet, or what I'll learn, but that is part of the excitement. It translates into a lot of life experiences, and over the years I've come to embrace and cherish that anticipation. It's like the butterflies you feel when you know something good/exciting is about to take place. Once I'm there, I'll know what they were about. Until then...
A few nights ago, my friend Liz organized a great dinner where I got to meet a few of their friends who engaged in service in Bolivia (one did the Peace Corps, and the other actually interned for FSD!) It was an amazing time, and I'm so glad we got the chance to talk about Bolivia. Meredith, who worked with FSD before, actually knew the folks we'd be working with and it was very comforting to meet someone who had such great things to say about her experience.
I'm extremely excited for this trip, and am looking forward to so many things -- the students' experiences, meeting and getting to know the people and making lasting relationships, contributing in any way we can, seeing a new land, learning about indigenous culture, and recognizing personal growth and understanding in myself. I know that this will be unlike any trip I've had before, and am looking forward to being challenged and stretching beyond that which I've been comfortable. One of my favorite parts of travel is the eager anticipation with which you meet the experience. I have no idea what will transpire, who I'll meet, or what I'll learn, but that is part of the excitement. It translates into a lot of life experiences, and over the years I've come to embrace and cherish that anticipation. It's like the butterflies you feel when you know something good/exciting is about to take place. Once I'm there, I'll know what they were about. Until then...
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Reflecting forward... back to South America
Wow, I can't believe it has been almost two years since my visit to Ecuador for my research on the influence of international service on college students. That was an amazing trip, with wonderful students, and my experiences since then have been equally amazing. I've finished up the dissertation, and the process is officially complete. I enjoyed each step of the way, from my conversations with the students to travels near and far, the process provided me with invaluable lessons and a continued energy to assist students in their own journeys abroad. In about two weeks I'll be embarking on yet another trip, this time to Bolivia, with another group of students. I'm ecstatic and will once again be documenting parts of the journey here. The title of this post pays homage to the 2010 Stanford Women's Leadership Conference, whose theme this year inspired me to think back to my previous experiences as I embark on yet another adventure. I've had a chance to informally get to know the students with whom I'll be traveling, and am completely looking forward to getting to know each one on a personal level. They seem like an amazing group, full of anticipation, hope, cautious optimism, sincerity, and wonderful energy.
In the meantime, I wanted to post one final reflection from my time in Ecuador that made it into my dissertation. I was determined to include a creative heartfelt piece in order to hopefully bring the readers a little closer to the experience. Enjoy...
Prior to engaging in this research project and traveling with the students from VILA to Ecuador, I made note of my previous understandings of what challenges the students may have faced, and what experiences might have been for the people in Quito. I imagined that the experience would be quite different for each student, as some had traveled internationally before, and for others this was their first experience in a developing country. I expected that this experience would be life-changing for some, and exciting or interesting for others. Little did I know that this experience would change the way I see myself in relation to others as an interpretive participatory researcher.
One particular experience where the participatory nature of this research and entanglement with the volunteer experience came to life was when I accompanied a group of the VILA volunteers to the Plaza Grande, also known as Plaza Independencía, where the President's Mansion was located in Quito. The volunteers came up with the idea of reaching out to the shoeshine boys and girls who were selling candies in the Plaza. These children did not participate in the local programs where the volunteers were stationed, so the volunteers wanted to bring a moment of playfulness to their day, allowing the children to just be. The volunteers brought water, baskets, soap, and a tub and invited the children to play with the bubbles and have fun. At first I was not sure how the children or passers-by would receive this gesture of service, but I soon saw that my concerns were unfounded. Because the volunteers were there the week before, the kids recognized them and immediately ran up to the volunteers, even helping them set up. The kids thoroughly enjoyed themselves, working cooperatively with each other and even welcoming other young children who were not working who wanted to play with the bubbles. The smiles on their faces were the reward the volunteers were looking for.
I was sitting on a bench next to the group with my notebook, watching the joy on the peoples’ faces. The kids, the volunteers, and even people passing by could not hold in the smiles that the bubbles incited. It was particularly fun to watch a big bubble float away, and see nearly everyone who was there in the Plaza cheer it on and watch it float up into the sky out into the unknown. Before I knew it, two of the shoe-shine boys came to me and asked in Spanish, “¿Por qué no juega usted?” (English translation: “Why aren’t you playing?”). Since I had no good excuse, I rolled up my sleeves and dipped my hands into the greenish water that not only helped the kids to make bubbles, but also cleaned their hands from the shoe polish and dirt that served as reminders of their working reality. The two boys continually blew bubbles using only their hands and shared them with me, transferring the bubbles from their hands to mine. This was a simple moment that was very powerful in demonstrating the act of being with the children and the student volunteers. In that moment as a researcher, I realized how important it was to be involved in the experience, and not just observe from the outside.
After a little while, a gentleman in his late 30s who looked to be a tourist from a neighboring Latin American country approached one of the student volunteers and said, “I noticed you are doing this project for the kids. Is it just to make them happy and play with them?” She replied yes, and explained that they were students from the United States participating in volunteer projects in Quito, but they wanted to reach out to these children who were not able to come to the center. He then said he had wanted to do something nice for the kids, so he reached into his pocket and gave her ten dollars to buy all of the children ice cream. The ten dollars was more than enough to provide an ice cream to each of the fifteen to twenty children who were there. They were ecstatic and so appreciative to the man, each one thanking him for his generosity and kind spirit. He was inspired by the student volunteers to contribute in his own way.
This moment was truly a fusion of my horizon that I will never forget, and seeing the connection amongst each child, volunteer, and passerby allowed me to understand the influence of international service as far reaching as it could be. My understanding of the experience of international service focused on the volunteers and the community members involved with the projects. My horizon fused with the boys’ reality in that moment, as I looked down at the dirty soapy water and appreciated their comfort in approaching me to participate and share in the fun. Prior to this, I did not see the extent to which the interactions with others could have an effect on everyone involved. I realize that this is not representative of every single moment in international service, nor is it a long-term solution to the problems of poverty and working children. I did see that the volunteers were determined to make a difference in one moment in time. And, if this memory of that day in Plaza Grande can elicit such good feelings in me, perhaps it’s a memory that will stay with the children and will bring a smile back to their faces providing inspiration for their own imagined futures.
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