Volunteer Coordinating

On Monday, I experienced my first taste of my social work internship. Aaron and I walked the 30 minutes to San Felipe where Nuestros Ahijados is located. We arrived on site and had no clue what came next. Nuestros Ahijados is currently being “restructured” and the volunteer/internship coordinator recently left. So we were paired with 2 20 year old male social workers who were going to a nearby town Jocotenango to conduct home visits/checkups with the families of the students at the school. Nuestros Ahijados has a school onsite with 215 students. The family pays $2 a month for their child(rens) education and purchases their uniform and school supplies.

We walked another 30 minutes to the town and met with 5 families. 4 out of 5 of the families we met with were single parent households. The mothers worked all day to provide for her children and afford a fairly small casita. 1 woman made tortillas all day. 1 family had cement basin for a stove; ashes from the firewood constantly floated in the air. All of the students were little girls.

“You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.”

― Brigham Young

Upon returning from these visits we spoke with the director of Nuestros Ahijados. He offered Aaron and I internships doing volunteer coordination work M, W, F. I knew that Volunteer Management class would be beneficial! On Tuesday and Thursday we will work wherever needed.

One thing I’ve been reminded of while trying to successfully establish an internship abroad, is that organization and planning are not as important in developing countries. Esta Bien!

The remainder of the semester abroad group arrived on the 25th and I am super excited to be a part of a wonderful group!

The city where we are interning!

Mi maestra de espanol, Marcela!

The view from Crystal's roof in Santa Ana. 

View of Fuego & Acatenango from Santo Domingo Hotel & Restaurant. 

Have a question? Please ask me in the comment section of this blog post. Thanks for reading! :)

Change

“When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves.”

– Viktor E. Frankl

Culture shock and adjustment takes many different forms, similar to the infamous boggarts in the Harry Potter series (you’ll recall Harry’s took the shape of a dementor). See below for an illustration. Ehem…back onto the subject of change. My culture shock has taken the form of wanting to stay inside to read/watch movies. Having had 2 previous cross cultural experiences, I am no stranger to the major components needed to enjoy learning and living abroad: purposefully engaging with the culture, open mindedness, flexibility (time is not always linear & events are not always planned), and positivity. With these in mind, the transition has been smooth with the exception of future worries.

Why does the future always have to be so daunting? 

Graduate school. Student loans. Jobs. Blah, blah, blah. I have struggled growing up in a culture with so much reliance, albeit obsession, with money. This week, Guatemala has been teaching me about changing myself since I cannot change the situation. I do not know what the future looks like for me and my family, but I can change my attitude: from fear to excitement, from negativity to positivity, and from worry to relaxed. This needed attitude adjustment should draw me out of culture shock and help me become fully immersed in the culture.

Well, tomorrow Haley, Aaron, and I are visiting Asociacion Nuestros Ahijados (http://www.ana.org.gt/) to nail down the specifics of our internships. I am thinking I’ll intern a majority of the time at the infant malnutrition home (Casa Jackson). I am contemplating volunteering a few hours a week at the local microfiancing organization here called Namaste Direct (http://namastedirect.org/). Aaron and I did learn this week that no other SAU students will be in the same homestay as us, but we do get to live with people from ALL over the world. So far we have had roommates from Holland, Quebec, and Australia!

Until next time, meet Antigua!

Have a question? Please ask me in the comment section of this blog post. Thanks for reading! :)

Initial Impressions

¡Feliz Año Nuevo! (Happy New Year)

When we departed from our snowy Michigan abode a mere 5 days ago, the butterflies had already built a mansion in my stomach. I had little expectations and many fears.

Reflecting on these nervous moments now I think…Guatever.

Living in Antigua has been a breeze. Every day is a perfect spring day here; 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. The culture is vibrant, the food is delicious, and the people are very kind. Not to mention that the colonial architecture is picturesque. Our host Mama (Marina Moreno) and Papa (Elder Moreno) have welcomed us very graciously into their home. They often say Mi Casa es Tu Casa. I wholeheartedly believe these words so much so that Aaron and I have decided to remain living with the Moreno’s for the entire semester rather than renting our own apartment.

The Spanish lessons at Centro Linguístico La Unión are superb. Aaron and I are both taking elementary Spanish lessons from 8AM to 12PM every Monday through Friday. I can honestly say that I learned more Spanish in 5 days than I learned using Rosetta Stone for 6 months! My maestra (teacher) Marcela is very enthusiastic and a wonderful teacher. I look forward to spending the mornings with her as she laughs at me for saying “Tengo hombre” (I am man) rather than “Tengo hambre” (I am hungry).

It is truly surreal that I began my college journey 3 ½ years ago with no international experience or desire to travel abroad. Here I am now 5 months away from graduation with 3 international experiences under my belt and an intense passion to practice international social work/development. I am grateful to Spring Arbor University for cultivating this desire within me and offering numerous opportunities to explore the world.

I am thankful and grateful to:

• My Mom & Dad for raising me to value diversity, making college mandatory, and investing in my degree.
• My sisters for being extra sassy, supportive, and loving.
• My husband for encouraging me to face my fears and talking me into working in developing nations. 
• My home church, Metro South Church, for taking me on my first international mission trip.
• My best friends, Selena & Andrew, for being constant encouragers, listeners, and wonderful friends while I stressed about living abroad.
• Diane Kurtz, Carol Haavisto, and Jeremy Norwood for sharing their own international adventures, life experiences, advice, and knowledge with a young couple. 
• The Social Work Class of 2013 and department for equipping with tools and relationships that I will utilize for the remainder of my life. 
• God! For everything that is and is to come in my life and the world. 

Continue to follow up on my adventures here! Until then, enjoy these photos of Antigua.

Santa Catalina Arch

This distinguishable landmark in Antigua was built in the 17th century. 

Volcán de Agua

This volcano is pictured in numerous photos of Antigua. It is the closest volcano to the city and has been inactive since the 16th century.

El Mercado

Our first journey into the massive main market in Antigua. We only explored a small portion for fear of getting lost and  missing dinner with our host families. 

Gracias por leer! (Thank you for reading)

Have a question? Please ask me in the comment section of this blog post. Thanks for reading! :)

'Twas the Night Before Departure

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”

–Shel Silverstein

World history trivia. Maps. National Geographic. These things that may appear boring to an average child, provided endless imaginary playgrounds, adventures, and fairytales for me. A magic carpet ride through the Taj Mahal. A tea party under the Eiffel Tower. A stroll through Machu Picchu.

As high school approached these far off fictional lands became a reality. How could I get to the Great Wall of China? When could I see the pyramids of Egypt?

Soon enough I began applying for college. At this point I was sure of only two college criteria. First, I wanted to stay in Michigan. Second, I wanted to work with diverse cultures. I quickly discovered Spring Arbor University (SAU). This liberal arts university fit both of my criteria and even aligned with my spiritual beliefs. I continued to learn more about SAU and loved the Cross Cultural Studies (CCS) program. CCS is a required study abroad cultural immersion experience. So I applied to SAU and was accepted. My freshmen year at SAU I got a job at the CCS office and my passion for international education has since blossomed.

Here I am 3 years later and embarking on an adventure of a lifetime. I will be spending January – May of 2013 studying in La Antigua, Guatemala. A mere 8 hours separate me from the Land of Eternal Spring and I couldn't be more excited!

Please continue to check back for more updates, photos, and videos. I appreciate all the support and prayers from my family, friends, SAU, the CCS office, and the Gilman scholarship.

For those who worry because you love me, here is mine and Aaron’s flight schedule.

AMERICAN AIRLINES     31DEC DETROIT MI     MIAMI FL       630A    945A
AA 873               MONDAY DETROIT METRO  MIAMI INTL
G ECONOMY                   TERMINAL N
           NON SMOKING      FOOD FOR PURCHASE             NON STOP
                            RESERVATION CONFIRMED         3:10 DURATION
                  AIRCRAFT: BOEING 737-800
                            SEATS 25F/25E/26F NO SMOKING CONFIRMED


AMERICAN AIRLINES     31DEC MIAMI FL       GUATEMALA CITY 1245P   225P
AA 983               MONDAY MIAMI INTL     LA AURORA
L ECONOMY
           NON SMOKING      FOOD FOR PURCHASE             NON STOP
                            RESERVATION CONFIRMED         2:40 DURATION
                  AIRCRAFT: BOEING 737-800
                            SEATS 25A/25B/26A NO SMOKING CONFIRMED

Buenos noches!

Have a question? Please ask me in the comment section of this blog post. Thanks for reading! :)

25

25 days! This is surreal.

Considering final exams, lengthy papers, and preparing to move out of our first apartment (home as it is affectionately been called), the thought of living overseas for four months is far from my mind. However, am truly looking forward to celebrating a culture that is much less hustle and bustle and much more ebb and flow.

On a very bright note, last week Aaron and I received wonderful news! We were awarded a total of $7,000 in scholarship to study abroad in Guatemala next semester!

We would like to thank the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program for supporting international education and assisting low-income students pursue studying abroad. Read more about this scholarship at ww.iie.org/GILMAN.

Have a question? Please ask me in the comment section of this blog post. Thanks for reading! :)

50

50 days and counting!

As I continue to prepare my heart and mind for living abroad for 4 months, I am both plagued by fear and teaming with excitement. One important aspect of being a social worker is understanding oneself. Of course social workers must equip themselves with knowledge of internal and external workings of a human being, but can one truly understand another if he/she has not yet taken the precious time to self-actualize?

I am worried about the language barrier.
I am sad about separating from my family and friends for an extended period of time.
I am concerned about how my internship will develop and progress.
I am excited to connect and build friendships with the natives and other students in Guatemala.
I am thrilled for salsa lessons and salsa dance clubs.
I am delighted to grow and learn as a professional from my internship experience.
I am blessed to have this experience with my husband.
I am looking forward to learning about the culture and trying new things.

Aaron and I are in a waiting period. We are waiting for:
-to be notified about the Gilman Scholarship
-to leave for Guatemala
-to be accepted to the University of Michigan, School of Social Work
-to get a response on various jobs we applied for
-& of course, $$$ for all of the above

We have learned that we are genuinely thankful to have the opportunity to WAIT and test our virtue of patience on such wonderful prospects.

Here is to new experiences and opportunities!

Have a question? Please ask me in the comment section of this blog post. Thanks for reading! :)

75

75 days and counting!

Here are some wise words from the brilliant humanitarian, author, and Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel. His wisdom is truly resonating with me as I prepare for my social work internship abroad.

"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."

Have a question? Please ask me in the comment section of this blog post. Thanks for reading! :)