States Recap

I totally ran out of time to blog about my plan to go to the States. I was awarded, I´ll say, of month leave for extending my service for a year. Before leaving I was so nervous and thought I was going to feel so many things. I started writing a blog about it, but I seen now I never posted it! Whoops! It´s all good though cause I was worried for nothing. The trip was amazballs! I chose to go home in October when there seemed to be a plethora of reunions, that proved to be a GREAT decision.

Saint Louis is my Home of Record so I flew into the Lou and was there for a couple of days. My first few days were really just getting acclimated to being back in the States, Televisions with thousands of channels and seeing my parents. I got a track phone eventually too so that I would be able to communicate with people while I was local. I had a list of people to call while I was in the US but since even moment was filled with visits it didn´t happen. Still coordinating and setting up dates was facilitated 100 fold having a cell phone, unlike that last time I was in the US.

After, finally unpacking and getting myself together it was time to RE-pack for my Cali leg of the trip. I had lots planned for California, my grandma turned 90 (and is still as fiesty as ever) so it was party time and a family reunion all in one. Also, it was time for my sweetie to meet all of my family and for me to meet his friends and fam that live in the Bay. So off to Cali and went and what fun it was. I flew into LA to drive up to Stockton with my sister because that is our tradition. I wish I had been able to have some time in LA but I flew in at midnight and we drove out at 5 am. For Grandma´s celebration we had a host of activities planned such as dinners, lunches, bbqs, bowling, and of course the main event, The Party! We had so much fun and it was so amazing seeing my family. I am really glad I was able to come back to celebrate and see everyone at one time!

The next stop was the Bay. My sweetie came to the party Saturday and graciously came BACK on Monday to swoop me back to his neck of the woods. The night I arrived his mom had invited her friends and family that lived in area and we had a big grand feast. Come to think of it maybe THAT is how I gained a fast 10 lbs while in the States. We ate so much cause it was SOOOO good. It was a fun party with really great people. So that went well. It was really great seeing were my love grew up and went to school and all of those little things. We also went to San Francisco to meet his college roommates and we also got to check out Oakland to visit my Uncle Cousin and one of my friends who is like family to me. Since I am strongly considering moving to Northern California upon my return to the States it was great to hang out and get a feel for the area. Once again, on the Cali let I got to see so many people and met even more, so I considered the Cali let a success as well.

One back in Missouri it was time for Homecoming and the Expressions Reunion! My soros and I have been Deltas for 10 years and even though we felt old, we knew it was time to get together and celebrate. To be able to be with them and participate in this event was so great! My line sister from Sweden also made it, so we came from far and wide for this auspicious occassion. As always it was all screams and hugs when we all saw each other. We stayed at a hotel and had a major slumber party, which we all know I Love!

We had a fabulous dinnner and night out that was planned by my amazing Anchor. It was great because we got our own private room and we were able to go around and catch up on each other´s lives. Getting a recap on 15 people is not easy but hey we had good food and drinks so it was just a joy. Then the next day we got up Bright and Early to drive to Columbia, Missouri to make to the Epsilon Psi Luncheon. I didn´t think we were going to make it but we totally did! We got to meet the current chapter and they are absolutely amazing. They put on a great luncheon and are doing great work, so that was amazing. Mizzou has changed so much! It´s so high class we were all freaking out..in a good way. It was great to see that it´s on the rise and doing well. We made it to the football game which was a great time and then we went to an outside stepshow which was such a highlight for me. It took me back to the old days and we of course were clowing! It was the best time and we even got to do the Founder´s Step and Stroll! I know some of you reading have no idea what I´m talking about, but just know those things all equal a good time and it had been 10 years since I got to do that, especially with my line sisters. We drove back that night (hardcore, right!?) and went our separate ways. I was really proud of us making such an effot to get together. Everyone who wasn´t there was missed but it was so great that so many of us were able to come out.

After that it was serious see your people in STL time. It was all about dinners, lunches, coffees what have you. My ride or die friends came to visit me, my mom had a happy hour for me to see all of her friends, I got to hang out with my besties and it was just a whirlwind of fun. I know one thing, my brain had no problem "switching" to English. It wasn´t even a switch. I kept marveling at how easy it was to talk. I just opened my mouth and spoke. I didn´t have to think about it or figure out how I was going to do it. It just came out. I also ate a TON. I am not joking when I say I gained 10 lbs...easily! I also was taking a GANG of showers and washing my hair about every 4 days. I was obsessed with hot water. I was also washing clothes I knew I wasn´t even going to be wearing. Just how easy the machines were and how fun it was for me to do laundry! That´ll wear off when I come back officially I know.

All in all it was an AMAZING trip. I mean for the limited amount of time I was there I got in a LOT of visit. I even kept it going during my layover in Miami. My Back rushed her work schedule to come pick me up for lunch and cocktails! All in all such a great trip. I got to at least hug so many people but at the same time I knew it was only for a moment and then I was off again which is hard. I got to see my Aunts on both my mom and dad´s side which was special and of course got to spoil my mom´s dog before I left. It was sad leaving, but this trip helped me feel good about going back in a year and to have even more reslove to give this year my all and then come back and be ready to live my life in the US of A.


Until Next time.....

(p.s. by the time you get this post I will be in the wilderness with my teens, which me luck and Give Thanks!)

Rewards & Punishments or Enrichment?

In light of us proposing to take the teens into the wilderness to fend for themselves, arguement has erupted.

This isn´t the first time either.

There seems to be a difference in point of view and I´m trying to see where I stand on the issue.

Before, as readers of this blog know, I was taking the kids to what I called "Enrichment" Classes to a place outside of Atacames. I thought it was great for them to get to leave the premises learn new things, like painting, dancing and even capoiera. However, sometimes when I went to get the kids the madres would tell me their kid wasn´t going to be able to come that day because they were punished. Well the counterpart I was working with on the enrichment program got increasingly annoyed with the fact that we were trying to do something creative and therapuetic and yet the kids (who probably needed it most) were being prevented from coming.

Now the second example comes from a meeting we had last week. We were trying to get a final list of who is coming camping and who isn´t. Again, the same arguement came up. Some of the moms and even office staff feel that some of the teens can´t attend because they are acting up at the Aldea or in school or some aren´t even going to class. The thought is if they are misbehaving in the Aldea they shouldn´t get "rewarded" with being able to go on the trip and instead they should be "punished" for their behavior and not allowed to go. That´ll teach them a lesson!

Others argue that those misbehaving are the ones in need of leaving getting out and doing something different. They are teens let´s not forget. A time in ones life when no one understands you and you have a LOT going on internally. This camping trip is not meant to be a 5 star reward experience, it´s supposed to be a team buildling and learning experience.

However, those against it do bring up a good point, that how are the kids going to not go to school and do what they want when they want and then get an all expense paid trip to spend the weekend away. Do we really want to "reward" that behavior? Or is it really an reward?

I am pretty sure I am a fan of the "enrichment" experience. I know that the kids that the office and some of the madres point out as the "problem" kids work with me just fine and I know they are the ones who have told me they feel trapped, like they have no freedom etc. You know...teen stuff. I think first of all, if they were not allowed to go they would just act out more and second of all, camping is no walk in the park either! I think maybe there could be some criteria, such as, if you don´t go to school you can´t participate in the jovenes programming. However, as far as talking back and not doing the laundry I think is teen stuff and not grounds for preventing the jovenes from participating in the programs designed specifically for them to get out and expand their horizons.

I´m not youth expert though, that´s why I´m here learning? Those of you who work with kids or are just good with kids, what do you think?

Taking the Teens Camping!! Thanksgiving with a Twist

So I have jumped right back into work and things have changed a bit. I am going to start work more closely with jovenes (i.e. the teens) . The idea is that they will one day, soon, be leaving the ofanato and they need to be prepared for the real world. THe means doing things outside of the safe walls of the Aldea and learning different skills.

My first task is going to be doozey. It would be in any situation but when you layer it with me having to speak Spanish I look to the heavens and ask "how am I going to pull THIS off?"

For the weekend of Thanksgiving I have been charges with taking the jovenes camping! Now anyone who knows me knows I actually love camping so I am pretty stoked about it but also freaked out. There are going to be between 20-22 teenagers and myself plus another (totally capable) facilitator. We are taking a bus Thursday or friday night (details still up in the air) Traveling to the Campos of Porto Viejo and spending TWO nights in tents. We will be cooking outside and becoming one with nature! These kids are use to CITY living and I just can´t even imagine how they are going to react, but I know it´s going to be dramatic.

Like I said I´m apprehensive but at the same time it´s kinda a dream come true, so I am hoping to take tons of photos and hopefully will have funny stories and hopefully some breakthroughs as well.

Back from the States!

What up Loves!

I´m back from spending a fabulous month in the US of A. I went to Saint Louis, Columbia, San Francisco, Vallejo, Oakland, Stockton...the list goes on. The point is I am back, but without internet and no pictures uploaded. So if everyone could be patient with me I will do my best to give a detailed run down with pics as soon as I can. I just hadn´t written in awhile and I wanted to let everyone know I´m here alive and kickin. As alway, stay tuned for updates!

xoxo