be thankful, always.

Tuesdays aren't usually my favorite days (well almost any day besides Monday is good) but today was pretty good!
I got an e-mail from the one and only, my beloved Sarah North, and it really touched my heart. The way only Sarah can! A "sister-friend" as my Mom would say. I always end up laughing a lot when I read, much to the dismay of my co-workers, and every message leaves me feeling a little homesick and longing for the closeness that distance erases from our relationship. I love me some Sarah!

Office-wise there was quite a bit to do, prepping for groups arriving this weekend and coordinating the departure of my group's activity this afternoon as well as plans for them during the rest of the week. Right now I am also helping to coordinate the details of another group's program via e-mail, and taking some of the heat off my Jefa's inbox. I have a few projects going on, and I like to stay busy.

This afternoon my group spent time visiting La Carpio. As always, visiting this community is a special and rewarding experience for me.
(Just a reminder: La Carpio is a community of most Nicaraguan immigrants, very impoverished and subject to violence and crime in addition to the prejudices and daily difficulties that are present in the lives of it's inhabitants.)
My group spent the afternoon in the Montessori school, playing with the children and giving them time and attention. We played lost with puzzles, blocks, read books and playdough! I think some of the kids were a little taken aback, arriving at naptime and seeing the kids asleep on the concrete floor. One of my girls felt almost overwhelmed by the heat, and we had to make sure that she got some water and air. Talking with her I thought to myself, "what about these kids and teachers who are here all day?" The building has very little ventilation, and no AC. I was sweating quite a bit! But I wasn't extremely uncomfortable.
I spoke for a little while with Griselda, a Nicaraguan girl who has worked at the Montessori for almost two years about the education children in La Carpio receive. She explained that if parents can afford it, they send their children to schools outside La Carpio that have more comprehensive education programs (that include English, Phys Ed, Religion). The school in La Carpio has so many students that the schedule has been shortened to 7-10:30am, versus a regular schedule of 7-12:30pm in other schools. This change was made to attempt to accommodate the large number of kids in La Carpio, and does not allow for classes like English and Phys Ed. This makes sending your child to a school outside La Carpio a much better option, but also more expensive. Parents who send their kids to schools outside of La Carpio have to pay for transportation and meals in addition to school materials. Kids at the school in La Carpio can walk to school and eat lunch at home, making it a much more economical option but a less comprehensive education.
How grateful I am for my years of private, Catholic education which I know my parents struggled to give me and my siblings. And I loved my time at UD, although it broke me.
Visiting La Carpio always puts my life into perspective. And makes me ever more thankful for the life I am blessed to be living. I only hope that students take away from it a wider worldview, and a deeper appreciation for what they have in their lives. In many it fosters a desire to be a positive force in the lives of others, and makes people more socially aware. The impact a visit to La Carpio has on a person of course depends on the person...but I imagine it always sets off some small spark. I hope so.

Pura Vida.