At Dayanna's "Colegio" (High School) she was invited to be part of a special class filled with all scholarship students from various foundations. These students, as some of the brightest in their grade, have been given the opportunity to participate in "Practicas" or mini internships/practicals in the various subjects throughout the school year. Although these classes have an extra cost, it is evident in Dayanna's work ethic and her grades that these classes are worth the extra effort. Dayanna was even 1 of 3 students in this course to get a special certificate for her business practical for her excellent completion of the project. Congratulations Dayanna!
Dayanna giving a presentation about youth rights at our November monthly meeting!
These past 2 weeks I was "out of the office" as I traveled home for Thanksgiving. While gone, Starfish scholars assumed leadership responsibilities to make sure our programming could continue. Students each from the morning session and afternoon session were put in charge of snack, cleaning, attendance, behavior and keep tracking of the "estrellitas" or stars earned by each student. Check out our new "Battle Star" rewards chart to see the different kinds of stars our scholars have earned for their excellent participation in our programs!
Pictured above is the Battle Star chart for Guasmo. We are so proud of our scholars and their efforts!
Today 3 Starfish scholars have some important messages to share with us through their drawings!
Steve says "yes" to sports and "no" to drugs with his drawing of WWE fighters getting ready for a fight. He also shares with us his love for learning English!
"Sí al deporte, no a las drogas"
Andrés reminds us the importance of always having good communication.
"Siempre comunicativo"
Anthony shows us his love for sports, especially soccer!
Today Starfish scholar Pamela shares with us her gratitude for being a Starfish scholar, as well as her hopes for the future!
Hola me llamo Pamela. Me da gusto, alegría y emoción conocer a gente que le gusta ayudar a jóvenes, niños y adolescentes. No puedo explicar con palabras pero sí les digo que estoy agradecida por todo lo que han hecho con cada uno de los becados. Yo cuando este en la Universidad, quiero trabajar como ustedes, ayudar y trabajar en alegria y armonia todo el trabajo y emoción de esta fundación.
Cada día que pase, estoy muy contenta. Me alegro mas de la cuenta por que sé que hay personas que me quieren y me ayudan en los mejores momentos de mi vida. Le digo lo que siento por Estrellitas del Mar. Gracias x todo. Gracias! Att: Pamela Rodriguez
Hi my name is Pamela. I'm happy, joyful and excited to know people like you who like to help young people, children and adolescents. I can't explain it in words, but I can tell you that I am grateful for all you have done for each of the scholarship students. When I am in college I want to do work like you all - I want to help and work with happiness and harmony just like all the work and excitement that is this foundation.
With each passing day, I am very happy. It makes me even more happy because I know that there are people who love me and help me in the best moments of my life. I'm just telling you want I feel for Starfish. Thanks for everything. Thank you! From, Pamela Rodriguez
Pamela, (above in white shirt), relaxing at the end of homework help with some of her Starfish friends!
Today is Starfish co-founder Beth's birthday! (Beth goes by Isa in Ecuador). We hope you have a great birthday and thank you for your commitment to a brighter future for our Starfish scholars!!!
Maria, Taylor, Ashley, Steve and Jenn with their birthday cards!
Jenn and Anabel are Barcelona fans, but because it's her birthday we love Beth even though she's an Emelec fan!
Marlon, Jenn, Anabel and William with their birthday cards!
Check out this video from an Ecuadorian television station about the crazy list of supplies many Ecuadorian schools require! The "No-ticias" program from Gama TV is known for purposefully "mis-informing" and making parodies of the news.
This particular video is extremely relevant to Starfish as it makes fun of the lists of supplies that students in Ecuador are required to buy at the start of each school year. I for one can attest that I was never required to buy half the amount of supplies for school that Ecuadorian students are required to buy...factor in the difference in average salaries and we are talking about an impossible amount of money for many families to afford.
I am learning this year that the best students who are elected leaders of their classes are often required to purchase things such as music speakers and other expensive things explained in this song. Another interesting fact - students take regular public buses to school, meaning they also pay a bus fare as opposed to the yellow school buses most of us took through high school!
Starfish scholarships for 2012-2013 represent $216 worth of supplies, while an average monthly salary is about $280! This parody is done to the tune of a popular song "Una vaina loca" (loosely translated - a crazy nuisance). Translated lyrics below!
Que hago? Esta está caro
Seguro quiere estudiar mijo?
Una lista loca la que piden ahora
Yo no creo que un niño gaste todo esto en un año escolar
Piden calculadora y hasta computadora
Y mi guagua este año recien va para el prescolar.
What do I do? This is expensive.
Are you sure you want to study son?
What a crazy list they require now.
I don't believe a kid will use all of this in one school year.
They require a calculator, and even a computer
And my kid is just going to preschool!
Para los ninos empiezen las clases
Y si no tienes plata que haces
En la escuala te sugieren donde tienes que comprar
Me pidieron 4 uniformes
para que no gaste ropa dice los rectores
terno y bano para un paseo que van a hacer.
School is starting for the kids
And if you don't have money, what do you do?
The school suggests when you should buy
They required 4 uniforms
"So you don't waste your clothes" said the directors
suit and bathing suit just for one field trip they're gonna take.
Una vaina la que piden ahora
tanto papel de color le alcanza hasta la Universidad
como 40 carpetas
frijol, fideos, lentejas
debe ser para arte porque lonche ya me hicieron pagar.
What a crazy nuisance they require
So much colored paper it'll last until college
Like 40 folders,
Beans, noodles and lentils
It must be for art class because they already made me pay for snack!
Oigame porque me piden la computadora
si mi hijo no sabe leer senora
eso le dije yo a la profesora
si no te gusta buscate otro colegio ahora.
Listen, why do you ask me for a computer
If my son can't even read miss?
I said this to the teacher
"Well if you don't like it, find yourself another school now"
La mochila esta full
pesa mas que me hijo el Raul
y ahora que hago hay que cancelar 3 meses de bus escolar.
The backpack is full,
It weighs more than my son Raul
And now how am I going to pay for 3 months of the school bus?
Pura vaina loca la que piden ahora
y que al coca barriga el seguro debo comprar
ya quede chiro
prestame don Ramiro
que al medio ano seguro han de querer el aula pintar.
Such a crazy nuisance what they require now,
I'm already broke,
Lend me money Mr. Ramiro
Because halfway through the year I'm sure they're going to want to paint the classroom
Una vaca loca me pidieron ahora
para el dia de professor de donde el billete voy a sacar
que a una gringa loca contrataron ahora
es la teacher de ingles y un bono extra toca pagar.
Now they asked me for a crazy cow for teacher's day
where am I going to get this money?
Now they hired a crazy gringa
She's the English teacher and we have to pay an extra stipend!
Dayanna shares with us a little bit about her high school and her experience as a Starfish scholar.
Yo me llamo Dayanna Zuñiga Salas. Estudio en el Colegio Dr. Juan Modesto Carbo Noboa del curso 4/2. Soy una señorita aplicada en mis estudios. Yo con mis amigos (Espinoza, Maldonado, Davis, Yagual) somos muy aplicados. Mi colegio es de 2 pisos y pide muchas cosas y cosas que son muy cara. A veces no pido por el temor de perder la beca y despues digo yo mismo "no, si no pido saco 0" y me decido pedirlo. Gracias por su ayuda!
My name is Dayanna Zuñiga Salas. I study in the high school "Dr. Juan Modesto Carbo Noboa" and I am section 4/2. I am a hard-working young lady. My friends (Espinoza, Maldonado, Davis, Yagual) and I are very attentive to our studies. My high school is 2 floors and asks for us to buy a lot of our own materials that are very expensive. Sometimes I don't want to ask for so much because I don't want to lose my scholarship but then I tell myself "No, if I don't ask, I will get a 0" and I decide to ask for it. Thanks for your help!
**Note** In many high schools, students in their last 3 years of high school are required to do internships and/or practicals for which they are required to supply their own, sometimes very expensive materials. Dayanna has done practicals "prácticas" so far in accounting, mechanics and chemistry. Without the help of her scholarship, she would be forced to sit out these classes and receive a 0 for the assignment as she has done in past years.
Dayanna (above, far left in jeans) with her Starfish friends at one of the monthly meetings.
Check out the awesome article about The Starfish Foundation in last week's issue of The Fairfield Mirror. Co-founder Jenn Zocco graduated from Fairfield University in 2010, and it's safe to say her Fairfield education played a big part in motivating her to do all that she has done for The Starfish Foundation so far. Starfish is grateful to Kelsey from FU for writing this beautiful article! Be sure to check it out on pages 10-11.
Co-founders Jenn Zocco and Beth Awalt have been selected as the 2012 Emily C. Specchio Foundation Ambassadors.
We are so appreciative of this opportunity. Throughout the next year, the Emily C. Specchio Foundation will provide Starfish with mentorship, an initial monetary award and a matching grant - totaling up to $8,500 at most! Beth and Jenn are busy putting together speaker's kits and promo videos for upcoming speaking engagements.
To learn more about the program, visit http://emilycspecchiofoundation.org/wordpress/ambassador-program. Let any Virginia Tech students know that there are opportunities for them as well! Emily had a great passion for social justice, especially abroad, and we are honored to be chosen to represent her foundation this year.
Today Jerson, a Starfish scholar from Guasmo, shares with us what he liked about Sunday's day of fun where our scholarship students from Flor de Bastión finally got to visit Guasmo!
La comida estuvo bueno.
El postre también.
Decorar las plumas.
Jugar con los juegos de mesa.
La pasé bien con los chicos y las chicas.
Que se reúnen otra vez con los de Flor de Bastíon. La pasé posi ayer. Me gustó la reunión y quiero que se suban las fotos al Facebook!
The food was great.
The dessert was great too. (*note, Starfish volunteers Ashley and Taylor made rice krispie treats and puppy chow so the kids could try some delicious treats from the U.S. Thanks!!!)
We decorated pens.
We played board games.
I had fun with the other kids.
I hope we can meet again with the kids from Flor de Bastión. I had an awesome time yesterday. I liked the meeting and want to see the pictures on Facebook!
Jerson (above, left) receiving homework help on a drawing assignment!
Today Steve had already finished all his homework so our volunteers asked him to spend his time writing about his experience with Starfish to share with all of us!
Lunes, 17 Septiembre
Ayer la pase muy bien con los de la Flor de Bastión. Se nos cerró una puerta y no podiamos salir por un rato y ahi vinieron y abrieron la puerta y salimos. La pasamos muy bien con Ashley y Taylor en Estrellitas del Mar. Me paso haciendo deberes y recibiendo clases de música. Tengo que estudiar más para el futuro porque de grande quiero ser un policia. Quiero que sean más reuniones y que nos llevan de paseo para distraernos!
Monday, September 17
Yesterday I had a great time with the other students from Flor de Bastion. During the meeting a door got locked and we couldn't leave the auditorium for a little bit, but then someone came and opened the door and we could leave. We have a great time with Ashley and Taylor at The Starfish Foundation. I do my homework and go to music classes. I have to keep studying more for the future because when I grow up I want to be a police officer. I can't wait for more meetings and I hope they bring us on field trips so we can have fun!
Steve (yellow shirt) dancing and having fun at the June Integration Day in Flor de Bastion!
Today one of our scholarship students from Guasmo shares
with us a little bit about the new homework help program and her experience at
her high school!
Miercoles,
29 agosto 2012
Hola,
mi nombre es Maria y tengo 13 años . Les
quiero decir que gracias por que nos han ayudado mucho con las tareas de
recuperación. Gracias por la ayuda de Taylor,
Ashley y Jenny que han decidido ayudarnos con la tarea después de habernos
ayudado Martin y Michael con la tarea de fotografía. Yo en mi colegio la paso bien por que estoy
con unas de mis mejores amigas como Kenia.
Mis olimpiadas son muy buenas especialmente hoy día miércoles me toca
jugar y espero ganar. Gracias por
ayudarnos!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Hi my name is Maria and I am 13 years old. I want to thank you all because you have
helped us a lot with our homework and reinforcement in all our classes. Thanks
to the help of Taylor, Ashley and Jenny who have decided to help us with our
homework after Martin and Michael also helped us with the photography
project. I like my high school because I
am with some of my best friends like Kenia.
The Olympics at my school are great too especially today, Wednesday
because it’s my turn to play and I hope to win.
Thanks for helping us!
Maria (black-and-white top) and her friends at the June Starfish Scholars meeting.
My biggest motivation as a HOBY Ambassador in 2004 was the keynote speech from Sandy Queen. Sandy's message centers around a song by Jana Stanfield - "What step would I take today if I were brave?" As I sat there in the auditorium, I knew that I had to take a big step. I can be courageous. I can make a difference. ...but how? That question remained to be answered.
After my year of volunteer service in Ecuador, I was asking myself many questions. The original question that Dr. Albert Schweitzer asked Hugh O'Brian was, "What are you going to do about it?" What am I going to do about the poverty I know exists? What am I going to do about the lack of opportunity for jobs, education, and food? After just a few weeks back in the U.S., inspired by many people at HOBY and Villanova, my friend Jenn and I took a big step. We started The Starfish Foundation, Inc.
Just about a year after my return to the U.S., I spoke at HOBY's World Leadership Congress (WLC) in Chicago to share the impact that HOBY has had on my life. Truth, I've been involved in numerous adventures that led me to where I am today. But more importantly -- I was finally able to answer Sandy Queen's question.
I wanted to blog just a bit about speaking at WLC for a few reasons. HOBY is very important to me, and many HOBY alum have been so supportive to Jenn and I in this endeavor. The Ambassadors at WLC were an incredible audience - mainly because many of them have also started non-profit organizations! I feel confident in saying that many of these students are going to take VERY brave steps in the next few years.
Here are some pictures from my time in Chicago! Thanks to Angie U. for taking them :)
About to speak alongside LTC Brian Yee, HOBY MD 1986, and Laura Limarzi, HOBY Canada and WLC 2011, about keeping the HOBY spirit alive.
Explaining the millions of thoughts running through my head as a high-school sophomore in 2004.
Reiterating that ever-important question: what was I going to do about all the poverty that I knew existed?
Sharing the story of The Starfish Foundation, Inc.!
--Beth Awalt, Co-founder of The Starfish Foundation, Inc.,
I was wrong last time because today
was the most fun I have had in Guasmo. When we arrived at Mi Cometa, we went upstairs and
most of the kids were there already. We saw that Solange had brought a
basketball so we immediately started dribbling. We went all the way on the roof
and were dribbling up there. Anthony and Andres wanted it to be them two
against me just trying to steal the ball from me. It was really fun keeping it
away from them, but also challenging too. The girls started taking pictures of
us playing and finally they all said they wanted to go to a park where they
have basketball courts. Martin and I agreed without hesitation because
basketball is our favorite sport.
The park took a while to get there but it was
an amazing park. They had giant slides, high monkey bars, rings, a chain to
climb, soccer field, jet, train, basketball court, stage and see-saws. We had
so much fun at the park with the kids. We took pictures of all the activities
we were doing played some games that the kids made up. We played a 5 on 5 basketball game that the kids
seemed to love. The kids did really well they all had their own talents that
were good for playing. Joel is an all around athlete and excels in every sport
he plays. He is really quick and learns things fast. Andres and Anthony were
doing really good at shooting the ball. Solange was able to dribble and pass
the ball well and Maria was very aggressive it surprised us. Esteve was all
over the place so when we played it was a good match up. We took more photos of
the kids on the jet plane and on the train.
In the afternoon, William, Marlon,
Bebzebeth, Dianna, Eric and Carlos came. We all were upstairs and we asked them
what they wanted to do. They said they wanted to go to the park we went to
earlier to check it out. We didn’t do as much stuff but still had a blast
playing basketball. It was Martin and William versus Marlon, Eric and I. The
girls were just going around taking pictures of each other posing for them.
They got very into taking pictures so fast and the quality of their photos
keeps increasing. The thing that I think is most important is to have a variety
of pictures, but not just in numbers; by making sure they take pictures
different ways from different angles. We just want them to be creative and
express themselves.
--July 23, 2012
We left early to Mi Cometa today.
It was a great success this morning because we were able to get there only
taking two buses. When we got there Betzabeth called Martin and so we went to
walk her from her house. We played some of the games upstairs until Maria and Esteve
had to leave at 11. The kids have gotten pretty good at Uno and know the tricks
to the game. I don’t think I will ever be able to play Uno again without
thinking of all the amazing kids here. They have truly impacted my life for the
better.
It was only Genesis and Betzabeth left at Mi Cometa with us so we went
to grab some food. We went to this sit down little restaurant that Martin and I
had been to before. Martin and I shared a plate and the girls shared a plate.
The food was really good! Betzabeth kept telling me I was very bad for not
eating the soup, but I didn’t care for it much.
When we got back to Mi Cometa
we were showing the girls some magic tricks. Martin started off with the cards
and doing a few card tricks and then I started doing a trick with paper. I hold
the paper to my thumb for a while so it stays then eventually I pretend to suck
it into my mouth, but what really happens is that I put my thumb back so it
isn’t visible. I finish the trick by coughing and pretending to catch the paper
in my hand. The girls were so amazed by my trick it was so cool to see the
looks on their faces.
--July 30, 2012
Michael, Ryan and Martin with Guasmo Starfish Scholars!
Today was a very interesting day.
Walking outside the gate from our friends house I realized with Martin how I
used to waste dimes like they weren’t any value at all. Don’t get me wrong- I
used to collect coins, but I would also see one on the floor and just kick it
or throw it. I never could have imagined someone else desperately needing that
money to get to work or to school. It is just way different.
We took the 2 bus
all the way to Flor de Bastion and then took a motor taxi up to the houses. We
got there a little early so we just hung out discussing what we should do
today. Lily and Christian were the first to arrive and they were so excited to
see us. We showed them the new Uno spin game so they could read the
instructions and explain to all the other kids for us. I asked Lily how she had
done on our test and she said she got 18/20. We started to play
the new Uno game while everyone else was getting there.
We asked if anyone
wanted to take photos and Arelisa was the first to start. She had gone
back inside for a while and me and Christian were playing when I realized that
Martin and Argenisis were taking pictures. I grabbed Christian and took him
with me to go find them. It was a good thing I did because that is when they
both fed off each other’s energies and were really excited. While I watched
them take photos I asked Martin if we should be taking pictures of them using
cameras for the first time. We agreed that it would be a good idea and people
would like to see the excitement in their faces.
--July 17, 2012
It was probably the most fun I have had at Mi
Cometa today. When we got there no kids were waiting for us so I was thinking
that the kids weren’t coming again today. Martin started calling the families
and Esteve was the first to show up. I was glad he showed up because he started
helping Martin with calling all the other kids. They worked together and got
through pretty much everyone.
We let Joel, Marlon and Melany roam free to take pictures. The kids seemed to like the project and were very
energetic. We even had them doing
some poses in a circle and I took the photo of them to show them examples of
being out of the ordinary with pictures. They definitely got the idea so I hope
they will be able to excel in the program. Martin took a picture of Dianna with her friends because she
lives so far it is hard for her to get to Mi Cometa. The girls and Geovanny
showed up after so we were playing with all the kids. We gave Dianna one of the
disposable cameras and told her to take around 15 pictures. We played soccer
with the kids, taught the girls games and were all hanging out having an
awesome time. This was the best time at Mi Cometa so far- it was great.
--July 18, 2012
Today when we got to Flor de
Bastion, Martin gave Samantha a camera so she could take some pictures of the
kids and family. She took a lot of photos of the new born baby and the younger
girls. While she did that we met Christian’s mom for the first time. She was
very nice, inviting us into her home like if we were family.
Martin, Lily, and
Christian were all thinking of ideas to put on small pieces of paper so we
could all play charades. We filled up a whole bowl of papers front and back.
Martin explained to the kids and parents how to play and he went first.
Everyone understood the game after Martin went with the occasional reminder
that you can’t talk. Samantha has picked “Godzilla” but she wasn’t sure what it
was so acted something else out. She asked me what it was after so I did my
best to explain to her. I asked if she knew what a lizard was but she didn’t
understand me so I started acting it out a little. Finally I said a dragon and
she understood that so I kept going with it. I just said to her in Spanish a
green dragon but with no wings. The whole family participated in playing and
mostly everyone acted. The family had a lot of fun playing charades with us I
was glad.
Afterwards we went outside and we were playing volleyball with Christian’s
soccer ball. Eventually a bunch of the local kids just walked up so we asked
all of them if they wanted to play. We had a whole game going with about six
players just keeping the ball up. All the kids had a lot of fun and the girls
got some pretty good pictures of us. After a while of playing volleyball, Christian called us to his aunt’s house where his mother and aunt had made us
some food. They gave us a mountain of rice that filled me up so much. The food
was really good and we appreciated them cooking for us. They had just got a new
motorcycle so we took pictures of the kids on the motorcycle. We had to leave
after taking a few more photos and bid everyone a farewell.
Today we had to wake up really early because we had to get to Mi Cometa by 9 a.m. When we got there 4 kids were upstairs working on their homework. We asked if they needed any help with the homework, but they all said they knew how to do it. Maria was done with her homework already so Martin gave her the camera and let her roam free while he created a guideline list of what they could take pictures of. We had a list of 15 things and were able to get the kids really interested in the camera.
When all the kids finished we went to the roof and took pictures of stuff there. We told the kids to use their imagination and take whatever type of photos they wanted. We took some silly photos, too. The kids got really creative! Then we went down the street. Esteve took a really good photo of a tree that might have been my favorite photo of the day. They also took photos of caterpillars, hearts, shoes, the street, and of the organization.
After we were done in the streets we went up to the roof and the kids wanted to play the ninja game again. Then they taught us some of the games that the kids play. It was interesting to learn the games that the children play. One we had to slap hands then the person it ended on called out a person and they would have to try to step on someones foot and if they missed the person they went after calls out another name. The other game was like hot potato playing with a scrunchie and someone else behind calling out something. The only difference was that if you do get caught with the scrunchie then you have to do a dare. I had lost so they took a picture of me acting like a monkey.
After we took a lot of photos and played games we went back downstairs and worked on a puzzle with the kids. We had started the puzzle when the kids had to go back to get ready for school. We sent them off then went to go eat because we had time to kill before the other kids were going to get there. We waited and waited and waited but no other kids showed up. Finally toward the end of the time we had Martin called Genesis to come to the building. We explained to her the functions of our disposable camera and sent her on a mission to take at least 10 photos using her imagination. With that we asked if she had any work, but she said she didn’t so we dismissed her. We learned from the experience because in Flor de Bastion usually the kids show up without having to tell them, but here in Guasmo we would have to send out reminders to the families.
Today we were working in Flor de
Bastion. When we arrived at the house we took down all the chairs and tables. All
the children came down and we set up the chairs in a circle so no one would
feel left out. Martin then had them write their names down and asked if they
had any questions for me. He then explained the photo project to the kids as
best he could and I think they understand.
We then broke the kids up into
groups to brainstorm ideas for what to do and not to do with the cameras. The
kids had a harder time coming up with ideas then the kids at Mi Cometa. I think
it may have been the way Martin explained it or because the kids at Mi Cometa
have a much larger group. We added stuff to the group we were helping, giving
them ideas so they could get moving with other ideas. The group was definitely
not as rowdy as the Mi Cometa group. We came together to share our notes and
all the kids spoke, behaved well, and listened.
The whole time we were split
into groups Lily was using the camera to take pictures of everything that was
happening. We finished explaining the photo project and had the kids make a
pledge to take care of the cameras. I then got out the crackers and peanut
butter and right away some of the girls knew what it was. Only Evelyn
and Argenis preferred the crackers without the peanut butter, the rest of the
kids seemed to love it. We then played the ninja game with the kids, I think
they understood the game well because Martin was one of the first out. We then
played a game where we had our hands on the table and one slap meant keep going
the same direction, while two slaps reverses the flow. It took a while, but the
kids understood. After that we played some Uno with all the kids and Melina won
way before everyone else, she keeps winning it is ridiculous. The kids were
packing up to leave already so we put the tables and chairs away.
Lily’s mom
then invited us in to eat some rice with lentils and tomatoes. She had already
served us so I couldn’t say no to her, especially since they don’t have much. It
was heartwarming to see someone with so little offer you things out of the
kindness of your heart. I was very humbled by the mother. I normally can’t
stand the taste of tomatoes, but for the first time I ate a full cut up tomato.
Lily had a test the next day so we asked her if she needed help studying. We
helped her a little with her math and English. These students are so
engaged in learning that they are willing to learn a new language instead of
just relaxing at home. I don’t know many kids these days that even do their
homework, let alone go off by themselves to work on other things.
It was our first day back in
Guayaquil after a trip to Quito and I needed a haircut. The unique thing about the haircut was the
lady that cut my hair came to the house we are staying at. It was a different
experience getting my haircut where I am staying; it shows me how different our
cultures can be. After we were ready we went to Mi Cometa for a meeting
with the kids. The meeting was to introduce the photography project to the
kids. My mother came with us so that she could explain the project to the kids. Arriving
at Mi Cometa we had to get the keys from Andres to open the upstairs room. The
kids arrived around 1:30 and started to come in one by one. Martin went with a
few of the girls to get drinks and snacks while my mom and I waited for the
rest of the kids to get there. Finally, pretty much everyone showed up and we
were able to begin. We started the meeting with a name game where we had to say
our name then followed by our favorite fruit. I couldn’t think of anything so I
just said “Melon”. Then
Martin asked the kids if they had any questions for my mother or I. They had
asked our favorite color, what I study, and where I go to school. We started
the meeting by telling them about the cameras. We explained the two types of
cameras and how they work. We then explained the type of work we were going to
be doing with the camera and followed up with the main goal of the project. We
then broke off into groups to make a list of rules for the camera. We sort of
made it into a contest making it girls versus boys. We sat at the boys circle
and they were saying some pretty crazy stuff that would make all of us laugh.
One of the boys said, “Don’t take the camera into the bathroom”, which was
pretty much implied but I told them they could write it just in case. We
finished with that little game and then shared our rules with the whole group.
Most of the girls answers were nice and a few basic rules. They said things
like, “take pictures of flowers, people, and other beautiful things”. The boys
were more focused on the actual rules of the cameras; it was interesting to see
the comparison in the thinking of the kids. We then passed out snacks for the
kids and while I did that Martin had the kids take a picture, with the digital
camera, of the person to the right of them. My mom demonstrated first and the
kids learned quickly. Our meeting was
pretty much done after that so we did a few icebreakers. We played the “Cow”
and “Ninja” game. The Cow game went by pretty fast because it is a trick that
is played on one of the kids. During the game I had to take one of the kids
outside so my mom could explain they were playing a trick on him. I took
Geovanny to the roof and was able to have a conversation with him. I found out
that he plays volleyball and soccer. I told him one of the days I come I will
play with him. I also asked if he has a girlfriend, but he said no. Then I
said, “Tienes dos novias?” he laughed at me and agreed. I was glad I was able to
connect with one of the kids because during the meeting I felt so distant
because I wasn’t speaking much. The
Ninja game took a little longer, but the kids really enjoyed it. I was one of
the winners along with Andres. We then told the kids the schedule for us being
able to work with them and had them all write it down. We closed the meeting
and the kids roamed free for a while. Some of the girls asked me what my
favorite type of music was and I told them I didn’t really have a favorite
type. Then a little later two of the girls wanted to take a picture with me so
I gladly agreed to. Then, Geovanny came running in so we took a group photo it
was pretty cool. I had to bend down a lot though because I tower over all the
kids. All in all it was a great day and the kids were super excited to meet us.
I look forward to working with all these kids for the next few weeks.
Today we were working again in Flor
de Bastion. We
went straight to the piece of land where we set up and are allowed to play with
the kids. Today Martin brought some English books so the kids could get a look
at them. Christian, Samantha, and a few more kids were already there while we
set up some tables. We played a couple of games of Uno that took forever for us
to finish. More kids started to show up as we played and they just jumped in to
join the game. After a while Christian, Martin and I started to play soccer
with Christian's little cousin. Everyone pretty much started doing their own
thing at that point. Samantha joined us so we started playing volleyball with
everyone, even one of the other girls, Ana, jumped in to play with us. We were
having a blast then we all sat down and the kids were talking to me. They asked
me questions about how to say things in English, and then they asked if I could
sing for them. I wasn’t prepared to sing anything so I got kind of embarrassed.
The kids started chanting, but usually when I am asked to sing I forget all the
songs that I know. I told Christian that if he went first I would follow.
Christian didn’t end up singing, but one of the older guys named Jordan sang
and he sings really well. The girls sang next and at that point we were all
just hanging out. Then they asked if we could dance and what type of music we
liked to dance to. Samantha offered to dance with me, but it was getting late and
we had to pack up so we promised them to do it next week. These are all such
great kids that were put into difficult situations but if they keep on the path
they are on they should have no problem becoming what they aspire to be.
Today was our first day in Flor de
la Bastion. First, the whole family went to the apartment that Martin and I are
staying in. We got a ride to Flor de Bastion. He dropped us off where the motor taxis are and
we were able to take that most of the way to where the scholars are. The cost
of the motor taxi was only a quarter each, which I thought was awesome. When we
arrived to the houses the kids were overjoyed to see Martin and meet our
family. We were invited inside by Samantha’s aunt; she offered us watermelon
and something to drink. The house was not built to the same standards I am used to. It didn’t have a roof or
shower, but did have a little fridge and stove in the living room, cardboard for cover, and
one bed. This reminded me of all that I should be thankful for. Although these
people live in small homes and don't have much money, but they find a way to
be happy, thrive, and prosper. We rounded up all the kids then went to the
place where we are able to play with them since it is a weekend and they didn’t
have school. I may not know the language, but there is a universal language
that worked to my advantage: playing. My brothers and I were kicking the ball
around with Christian while my mom showed the rest of the kids how to play the
games we brought. We took Connect 4 and Uno with us to give to the kids. They
loved the games and by the end of the day they were already proficient in
playing both games. They were all shouting with my mom “Comé! Comé! Comé!”
when they had to pick up cards from the deck. It reminded me of what we used to
do as kids which was heartwarming. I can’t wait to see the kids again! The
mother of Lily lives across from the lot we were using so she invited us inside
to eat, but I didn’t want to impose. We had already had a close relationship
with Lily, her mother and Christian because they were there when we landed to
see Martin. They made us feel at home and gave what they had to feed us. Only
my mother, father and brother ate because I truly wasn’t that hungry at the
time. My family wasn’t going to eat there but the mother insisted and had
already prepared the food. She did pour me and my other brother a glass of
homemade orange juice which is probably the best I have ever tasted. We said
our goodbyes, but they surprised us further by walking us all the way back to
the main street to catch the motor taxi. The smallest boy, lily’s little
brother, was running to try to beat us but tired himself out so I picked him up
and put him on my shoulder. The little rascal then started calling me
“Caballo”, which is a horse, and whipped my shoulder to make me go faster so I
pretended to trot then he was saying crazy horse. All in all a great day with
the kids and I can’t believe how awesome some of these families are.
Today we went to Mi Cometa and it took around an
hour. On the way Martin showed me the buses we would be taking and we passed by
Flor De Bastion. When we arrived to Mi Cometa I wasn’t sure what to expect, but
our hosts were always looking out for us. I was a little surprised to see it looked very similar to some
of the places I have visited in Mexico. We went inside the establishment and
found Janet. Our mom went with us and they made small talk while we got a tour
of the building. My mom was quick to make friends with the workers there and
they seemed to like my mom. We finally got into the meeting with the parents
and a couple of students. The room was bare with no chairs and no air
conditioning but I don’t mind the change much because I can adapt to my
surroundings very well. Starting the meeting Janet introduced who we are and
what we were going to be doing with the organization. I believe they had
already met Martin, but I wasn’t sure. Janet introduced me as Martin’s little
brother, then my name. It was really funny to see all the reactions of the
parents because they immediately lifted their hands motioning how much taller I
am then him. Janet had us grab some chairs to sit down while she began
presenting the agenda for the meeting. We started off with an ice breaker which
was introducing our names, naming our favorite animals, and having to move like
the animals we said. I chose a tiger so got down on all fours and growled,
embarrassing myself in front of the parents. I remember Maria was a turtle, my
mom was a tortoise, Martin was a lion, Fernando was a horse, but was reluctant
to get on all fours so he pretended to ride the horse. We then broke off into
couples where we had to describe each of our parents and tell how that has
affected the person we are today. I was paired with a woman named Maria. She
only spoke Spanish so I had to explain to her I didn’t speak much, but was able
to understand most of it, so I thought. I found out later that the woman I was
speaking to husband died around 2 years ago; she had two children in the
program now and 5 children in all. The oldest is 20 years old, but she
described him as not being her son anymore. Another man, Fernando, just lost
his job and is taking care of one boy in the program that isn’t his biological
son, but he considers the young man to be his son. One of the most heartfelt
stories came from a grandmother of the child; I couldn’t understand her but my
mom translated it after the meeting. She is an older woman taking care of her
grandchild because the parents forgot about the child. She has to go out and
find work every day just to provide food on the table; she described the
situation as just trying to survive day by day putting bread on the table.
These stories touched my heart because I was able to see all the excess I live
in. I don’t really ask for much from my parents anymore, but still go out with
friends and use more money then I should. I wish I could take back all that I
have asked for in my life and put the money to help people in these situations.
It is my first day in Ecuador. The
flight was very long because we had three layovers. We went from LAX to San
Salvador then proceeded to Costa Rica. From there we went to Quito, then to Ecuador,
and finally one more short flight to Guayaquil. I am so excited to be able to
have this opportunity. A year ago I never would have imagined being on a
different continent. I am still unsure of what I want to do in the future.
Currently, I am a business student at St John’s University. My father told me
it was the most practical major because there is business in every aspect of
life; this is why I choose Business. I am learning new things while studying in
college, but the one thing I never want to let go of is helping others. If I
can do one thing in my life it is to make a difference in other people’s lives
for the better. Most of the times I prefer to work with kids because they are
not at fault for the situations they have been put in, so if they are willing
to work hard and strive they should be eligible for the same opportunities
other children have. This internship is the perfect opportunity for me to reach
out past my boundaries and discover myself while helping people in the process.
I am also very nervous for the internship because unfortunately I don’t speak
Spanish. I have been around Spanish all my life, most of my family and my
parents speak the language fluently but I didn’t learn it. Right now I have a
basic understanding of Spanish, I am confident I can understand most of it but
I am not that good at speaking it. I feel this will be the greatest challenge
for me because without knowing the language I won’t really be able to connect
to the kids as much as I want to. Fortunately my brother is fluent in Spanish and
he will be able to translate. I am sure at first it will be a challenge but
along with these amazing kids my brother has told me so much about we will
bypass this obstacle. Since I don’t know Spanish I have been questioning the
way I am going to help the program. I am really good at interacting with
children so that should work to my advantage. We are also going to implement a
Photography program that I am excited for. I believe this is where I can
contribute the most because I have been reading up on photography and although
I am a beginner I am sure we can get this program off the ground with these
kids.
After the group finds the money on the ground, they debate what to do with the large prize. In the end, the voice of reason shines: "the man's money fell; we have to return it to him. We have to be in solidarity and honest. We have to continue onwards. Therefore, we WILL return the money."
Sunday, June 17: Dia de Integracion - Estrellitas del Mar
We spent our Father's Day 2012 bonding as a whole group. Here's a play-by-play of what we did this day.
Mi Cometa's driver brings the Starfish Scholars from Guasmo to Flor de Bastion. Jenn had the place all decorated! Two friends of ours, Becky and Marita, joined us for this day. The three of us were so excited to see all the work Jenn had done in Guayaquil with Starfish thus far!
Jenn and I each gave some opening remarks, and then one student each from Flor de Bastion and Guasmo spoke. Check out the videos on Facebook soon to see these speeches!
The students from Flor did a skit about honesty and solidarity. Finding money on the ground ... do you return it to the owner or spend it yourself? What if you are really in need? Starfish Scholars tells us that it's important to be honest and live in solidarity with those who have worked hard for their earnings.
Becky popped one of the flour balloons on our head. Thanks Becks :)
Becky and Marita were pulled to dance by Dayanna and Geovanny!
Lili, Arelisa and Pamela's mom Elena serving the lasagna. Cristhian's mom made the delicious lunch for us!
Becky, Marita, Beth and Jenn! <3
Making Father's Day cards! Samantha, pictured here, won one of the two prizes.
Dayanna working on her card.
Jenn with some of the supportive family members in Flor de Bastion - Cristhian (in aqua), his sisters and mom (left) and Pamela's mom, Elena (right). We couldn't do it without them!
2012-2013 Starfish Scholars <3
Jenn gave Samantha her Father's Day card award, and here I am giving Anthony his!
MIL GRACIAS to the four Scholars who have turned in EVERYTHING on time!
As Jenn says, here at Starfish, birthdays are really important to us. Look how many people we sang to for June and July!
Thanks for a great celebration, Jenn! It was so wonderful to meet all these incredible young leaders. <3
