Faces of Repelón: The Police Chief

Imagine the following scenario:

You have just moved to a new pueblo in a foreign country where you are still trying to understand those around you. On your second day at site, you are approached by a member of the community stating that the police chief is looking for you. Heart hammering, you stammer in your best attempt at the local language, asking why? The community member has no idea - they were just tasked with bringing you to this meeting.

This actually happened to me. On my second day at school. With my coordinator playing it up to the point where I thought I was legitimately in trouble or had done something illegal despite not leaving my house. As it turned out, this initial meeting with the police chief, Melquecidec Vargas (or Mel for short), turned into a friendship that will soon span continents.

Mel was born in Sardinata, a pueblo in Norte de Santander (a department located on the border with Venezuela) in 1989. He grew up with two sisters, who both married at a young age. As a family, they lived in the country, a ways away from town, in a simple house made out of wood. As a kid, Mel loved playing soccer with his friends, both during and outside of school. This is a passion that has continued to this day, as at least once a week he can be found playing with the fellow cops in the plaza.

In addition to soccer, Mel also enjoyed going to the river and splashing around there with friends, and his current girlfriend, who he has known since he was a child and has been "dating" since he was 9 (according to him). He also played lots of other popular childhood games, like Hide and Seek, when not busy with his studies at school. He looked forward to school, as learning new material and seeing his friends were highlights. However, group work was a pain because it meant that he had to get up early to meet his classmates due to the distance from town that he lived.

As the end of high school was approaching, Mel knew that he had to make a decision regarding his future career. He had narrowed it down to being either an architect or a police officer. After taking some time to help his parents after graduation, he decided to join the police force and entered into the Police Academy. Following four years in the Academy, Mel was assigned to Repelón as police chief, arriving here a week before I did (talk about perfect timing!).

Life in Repelón is not all that different from Mel´s life in Sardinata. He is a big fan of the tranquility and relative peace and quiet that the pueblo offers. Mel also agrees that the people here are super friendly and he loves spending time near the Laguna del Guajaro just on the edge of town when he has time. The one thing that he absolutely despises is the condition of many of the roads in town, which he experiences often in completing his rounds.

In adition to learning English (through his own efforts and our casual conversations), Mel is also learning a bit of German as he would one day like to visit both the United States and Germany. The United States is one of the most developed and organized countries in the world, Mel feels, and he would love to be able to experience that for himself one day.

Being friends with the police chief has it pros and cons. On the plus side, I know that I have someone that I can always rely on to help me out if I were to ever get into a bind. It's also pretty sweet to tell friends and family back home that I'm best buds with the head cop in town - never a bad claim to be able to make. However, the life of a police officer is also a hectic one. Schedules are constantly changing at the last minute and finding time to actually hang out is really difficult.

Despite all of these challenges and obstacles, my time here in Colombia would not have been the same without Mel. From becoming my running buddy to sharing Dia de la Velitas with my parents when they visited in December to letting me use the copier/printer at the station whenever I wanted to, he has helped make me feel comfortable and safe while living here. For that, there are not enough words of thanks that I can offer him. I'm already looking forward to his visit to the United States! ;)

Faces of Repelón: The Nurse

This world is full of people that have the ability to make anyone happy just with their mere presence. These special humans are just filled with a positive energy that is contagious to all of those that they come in contact with. I try to surround myself with these types of people as much as I can. Through my community classes, I have had the opportunity to get to know one of these people – Nahir Nuñez.

Born in Repelón in 1969, Nahir grew up in a household comprised of her father, mother, and three brothers. Her father emigrated from Venezuela as a young man to give his future family an opportunity at a better life. Her mother was responsible for instilling many of the values and principles that continue to guide her life to this day.

Nahir was very active in sports as a child, which was very uncommon at that time, especially for females. She participated in basketball, volleyball, running, gymnastics, soccer, and flew kites with friends from school and neighbors. She remembers having a fairly long childhood, as she continued all of these activities until she was 15.

School for Nahir was a pure pleasure. It is hard for her to think of anything that she didn’t enjoy about her school experience. A plethora of friendships and inspiring teachers are a few of the many highlights when she thinks back to her schooling days. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, Nahir was forced to leave school before graduating. She got married and later went back and successfully received her high school diploma. She has since attended college and currently is working as a nurse in a pharmacy here in town that just happens to be on my route home every day!

For Nahir, the tranquility and hospitality of Repeloneros is something she greatly treasures. She considers her life here to be a marvelous one and is always attempting to find the positive in each and every situation that comes her way. She is especially proud of how she has been able to use her position as a nurse to reach underrepresented populations within the pueblo to help teach them about healthy habits and ways to improve their lives.

In the future, Nahir would absolutely love to visit the United States and Hawaii. Her biggest dream is to experience snow! Due to the extreme, constant heat here on the coast, this is one phenomenon that she has yet to see firsthand. She sees that United States as a powerful nation that offers many opportunities to advance and progress in life.

Nahir has become an inspiration to me personally during my time here in Repelón. She is super ambitious, as evident in her dedication to learning English by taking classes outside of those offered by myself. Not too long ago, she received high marks on a project that she completed and the high levels of joy and pride that she had while telling me of this success could be seen by everyone. Nahir is definitely one of those special people that you meet in your life that will continue to do great things no matter where they are.

Faces of Repelón: The High School Student

One of the many things that I love about my community classes are the rich diversity that my students bring. Spanning several decades, each has an interesting and unique history that adds to the dynamic of the class. One of those students, Luisana, despite being only 16 years old, has definitely enriched these classes in multiple ways.

Born in Caracás, Venezuela, Luisana has two half-brothers, but has never lived with either of them. Her mother passed way when she was 7 years old and she moved to Repelón shortly afterwards to move in with family on her dad's side. One of her fondest memories of her mother was when they would sit together on their front porch of their house in Caracás, talking while her mother did her hair.

In addition to this, she loved taking photos (an obsession that has continued to this day!), making food, and enjoying the sweets that her dad would bring home with him from his work every day. Lusiana also had a large collection of Barbies that would keep her entertained for hours. Going to the park and the beach were other fond memories that she has from her childhood.

Currently, Luisana is in her last year of bachillerato (high school) and is set to graduate this November. Her time in school has been filled with great memories with her friends, exchanging jokes, and taking an obscene amount of potos. She greatly enjoys her teachers and looks forward to continuing her education in the coming years.

Life in a small pueblo is vastly different from that of the city. One thing about Repelón that Luisana loves are the people and the tranquil, safe feeling that life in a small town provides its citizens. She also loves the feeling of solidarity that is shared amongst many Repeloneros. However, the heat, mosquitoes, and lack of a movie theater and mall make life here sometimes unbearable.

In the future, once she has finished with any future studies that she may partake in, Luisana would love to visit the United States. This has been a dream of hers for many years. She sees the United States as a beautiful, developed country that is very advanced in terms of technology. If she can’t make it to the mainland US, Hawaii will do just fine as well!

I know that I probably say this about all of my students, but it has been an absolute pleasure to have Luisana in my classes. When she is absent there is a definite gap in the level of enthusiasm and positive energy in the class. It’s been a joy seeing someone so young take such an interest in bettering herself and setting herself up for nothing but success in the future.

Face of Repelón: The Elder Statesman

People that are able to self-teach themselves another language amaze me. I have met a multitude of humans throughout my travels that have learned English or another language solely through movies, music, and self-motivation. Many of these language learners have never taken a formal class or stepped foot in a country that speaks their second or third language fluently. Over the past two years, I have had the privilege of getting to know one such person that fits the above criteria: Rafael Torrenegra Polo.

Born in Repelón in 1961, Rafa is easily the oldest member of my community clases. However, he doesn't let his "wise, old age" hold him back from continuing the learn and improve his English abilities. Growing up, Rafa was one of 12 children. Both of his parents worked extremely hard to raise himself and his siblings. This work ethic was instilled in his parents at a young age - Rafa's mother grew up without a father and his father began working when he was in primary school just to make sure that there was enough food to eat. Despite these tough conditions, Rafa and his siblings have managed to become successful members of society. Today, his siblings hold titles such as doctor, lawyer, pilot, engineer, and mechanic.

As a child, Rafa's mother loved to sing to her children. This helped foster a love of music in Rafa that continues to this day. His father told many stories about the world around them, helping to spark an interest in Engilsh in Rafa at an early age. When Rafa wasn't learning new songs or soaking up new knowledge, he was outside playing with his friends. Their favorite game to take part in was baseball. In addition to baseball, Rafa also enjoyed running, riding horses, and playing an assortment of popular pueblo games.

During school, Rafa was an excellent student who enjoyed reading books and learning new things. He hated missing classes (which is not a sentiment shared by many students today) and truly enjoyed the teachers that instructed him. After high school, Rafa continued his education by taking many courses offered by SENA, which is a Colombian public institution that is focused on the development of educational programs to help foster employment throughout Colombia. In addition to these courses, Rafa started learning hundreds of English words through the assistance of a dictionary and the Bible.

Throughout his lifetime, Rafa has held an assortment of jobs, including a renter of land on the island San Andres, an insurance agent, and a security guard. It is through all of these various jobs that Rafa has met some of his closest comrades in life. One of his favorite aspects of life in Repelón is just that: the people. Walking down the street and being greeted by neighbors and friends is something that isn't found in the cities. However, there is a prevailing culture of poverty that sometimes tends to suffocate the spirit of the citizens in town.

Rafa has had a lifelong dream of visiting Germany. He sees the German society as one of equality and full of lots of opportunities for both its citizens and those that visit this beautiful country. Rafa also would like to visit the United States someday. Through his eyes, the USA is one of the msot powerful and important countries in the world today. The inhabitants of the USA have many opportunities and the ability to enjoy a good, well-rounded life. Rafa feels that Colombia should use the USA as an example of how to further develop in the future.

Rafa's vast prior knowledge of English has brought some interesting dynamics to my community classes. He is always willing to participate and give his thoughts. Sometimes, he is so willing that he overshadows the other students. While many other teachers may become annoyed and quickly fed up with this behavior, I embrace it. This desire to participate and continue to grow after so much time and effort is one of the truly enduring qualities that I will never forget about Rafa.

Crazy Colombian Celebrations

Being a student in Colombia has to be one of the best and easiest things in the world. This country has the most public holidays in the world, which leads to a plethora of three-day weekends and short school weeks. Outside of that, there are always random assemblies, "acto cívicos", and other happenings that make a full, 5-day week in which each class meets as scheduled a rarity. I'm pretty sure that during my time here in Repelón, we have had maybe ONE week in which every class met for the scheduled time. Consistency isn't one of the strong suits of the Colombian coast, to say the least.

Two weeks ago, my school, I.E. John F. Kennedy (IEJFK) partnered up with another school in town, I.E. Maria Immaculada (IEMI) to celebrate the Battle of Boyacá. This battle, which was fought on August 7, 1819, was the difinitive battle that gave Colombia its independence from Spain. To celebrate this monumental day in Colombian history, we paraded through town on our way to one of the baseball stadiums in town. This parade literally stopped traffic as we made our way through town on the one and only highway that makes its way through town. When we reached the plaza, we met up with the students and teachers from IEMI and made our way to the baseball stadium.

The first part of the day was spent watching various performances from both schools. Highlights included IEMI students dressing up like the main commanders of the battle, students showcasing the cumbia, mapale, and the son de negros dances, a group of students performing a rap, and a performance by the municipal student band. This group featured a few of my students from my school, which was really cool to see them involved in something outside of school. Below are pictures highlighting these performances.

However, for me, the ultimate highlight of the day was what happened after these performances. Here in Colombia, as I'm sure I've eluded to in the past, soccer is king. Life stops when both Junior (the local soccer team) and the national team play. Unfortunately, this only happens with the men's teams. The women's national team definitely does not garner as much attention country wide. In general, opportunities for women and girls, including sports, are fairly limited, as teenage pregnancy is an issue many of these small pueblos face. So it was a breath of fresh air when a softball game between the 10th graders from IEJFK and IEMI was held to end the celebration. I was so impressed and blown away by the amount of support that the other teachers and students gave the girls as they gave their all on the field and at the plate.

While there is still a long way to go to achieve gender equality here in Colombia, in my opinion, this game was definitely a step in the right direction. Instead of featuring soccer and putting the spotlight on the boys, as is so often done, these schools chose to feature the female athletes of their schools. Here's to future "days off" that in turn continue to empower and give the girls of this pueblo a chance to shine and showcase their talents.

Faces of Repelón: The Mother-Daughter Tandem

One of the best things about teaching is watching your students steadily improve their knowledge and abilities in whatever subject matter you are instructing them in. Whether it be English, math, science, or social studies, this visible change is inspiring and makes this profession so much fun. This reward becomes even more enhanced when parents become involved and help take charge of their children's education. This is the case with two of my students, Marbelis and Urimarcela. From the start of my classes last April, these two have attended pretty much every single one! It's so refreshing to see the interactions between them in class and how much Marbelis encourages Urimarcela.

Marbelis was born in Repelón in 1982 and was fortunate enough to grow up with a twin sister, Cibelis. Her mother, who was one of 14 children, was a very caring and hard working role model for Marbelis and her sister. Growing up in such a huge family really taught her valuable lessons about what it takes to be part of a successful family. It's apparent that these traits have been passed down to Marbelis.

Growing up, Marbelis and her sister did pretty much everything together. They played, studied, and even dressed the same. This became a bit of a game in itself for them as they loved tricking family and local community members about who was who. Despite, or thanks to the, the lack of technology, much of her childhood was spent outside, playing with her neighbors and other friends.

School was a marvelous experience for Marbelis. She was consistently at the top of her class. She received a scholarship to continue her education after high school and also was able to participate in numerous trips due to her high academic marks. Many of the same teachers that she had are still teaching today and greet her with enthusiasm when they see her. After school, Marbelis studied in Barranquilla, with hopes of becoming a bilingual secretary. She ended up receiving her degree and license to teach Castellana and English. She currently is teaching English at one of the other schools in town, I.E. Maria Immaculada.

Marbelis's first daughter, Urimarcela, was born in Repelón as well in 2004. Uri (the common nickname that everyone uses, including myself) has a younger sister. Her father currently works as a technician. For fun, Uri loves playing with her friends, watching televisión, and spending time with her sister. At school, Uri loves recess (what 12-year old wouldn't) and her English classes. On the other hand, math and PE are her least favorite activities during the school day.

According to Marbelis, Repelón is a very "cozy", safe town that is filled with good people who have a desire to better their lives. However, in order to fulfill this desire to better their lives, many people have to leave and move to surrounding cities, thus depriving Repelón of some of its best citizens. In Uri's opinion, the best part about Repelón is the library where she is able to do her homework with her friends.

Pueblo life is something that suits Marbelis well. She loves her life, her house, her family, and the fact that she gets to give back to a place where she has spent her entire life. At the same time, she does realize that sometimes it is difficult to achieve all that she wants to in life due to certain limitations that the pueblo presents. Uri views life in the pueblo as very tranquil and safe and likes that there aren't high rates of delinquency in town.

Both mother and daughter would love to visit the United States in the near future. Marbelis has had this dream since she was a child and started studying English in school. She sees the United States as a developed country that presents many opportunities for its citizens. She also wants to strengthen her English abilities and knows that living in an English speaking country is one of the best ways to accomplish this. For Uri, the United States presents her with the chance to also improve her English and to visit lots of famous touristic sites.

Personally, it has been an immense pleasure having these two in class together. Overall, parental involvement in their children's lives here in Repelón is lacking. To see that there are parents who care and want the best for their children is refreshing and encouraging. Marbelis is an amazing role model for both her daughters and the other citizens of Repelón. Uri has a very bright future ahead of her that is filled with endless possibilities. I have no doubt whatsoever that both will continue to do great things going forward!

Faces of Repelón: The Musician

Music is something that I enjoy on a a personal level. I have played piano since I was eight and was a part of some musical ensemble from junior high until my junior year of college. I love making music by taking black and white dots on a piece of paper and turning them into something melodic and beautiful. Here in Repelón, I am not the only one who loves creating these sweet harmonies. One of my students, Selene Carrillo Polo, uses her alto saxophone to express herself musically.

Born in Repelón, Selene grew up in a loving family that consisted of her and her two brothers. Her parents were great teachers of values, helped explain her homework when she had doubts, and pushed her to do her best in school, knowing that education was a gateway to her future. During her childhood, Selene loved playing with her dolls, winning first place in various competitions and activities in primary school, and participating in local parties and festivals.

During school, she remembers having a great time participating in classes and other activities. It was during this time that Selene developed a deeper love and appreciation for music. She took up the alto saxophone during high school and hasn't looked back since. Currently she is a member of a local muscial group that performs for various holidays, festivals, and other special events around town.

Following her graduation from high school, Selene would travel daily to Cartagena to take nursing and technology systems classes at Fundación Boscania Caribe. Along with her studies, she continued to make time to enjoy numerous fiestas and continue with her music. Currently, Selene is a secretary at the Centro de Vida del Adulto Mayor here in Repelón. Here, she helps to better the lives of the older citizens of the pubelo through various programs, activities, and campaigns.

When it comes to pubelo life, Selene absolutely loves the cultural and weekly parties. Participating in the local band brings copious amounts of joy to her life, as she plays alongside her father and one of her brothers. Like many other locals, the high temperaturas, lack of overall development, and a sense of lost culture amongst the farmers are things that she wishes would change.

However, Selene does see some minor improvements that are being put in place to better the life of the local citizens. One initiative is the fixing of many of the major streets that run through town. By turning these once mud traps into viable and usable modes of transportation, the inhabitants of Repelón are able to move around town easier and with less problems. Despite this attempt at creating a more accessible pubelo, there is still more to do. She sees the lack of a superior education in the local schools as a major problem. Many students are not driven to continue their education after graduation and to Selene, this could lead to problems further down the road.

When it comes to the United States, Selene views this country as a beautiful country that has many opportunities to offer. Technology has been developed in a way that makes it easy to communicate both locally and globally. Finally, the greatest reason, in her opinion, that the USA is so important on a global scale is because of its language: English. Selene sees and feels that English is a portal to a brighter future and a better tomorrow.

Whether it is in the classroom or on the stage, Selene is leaving her mark on the people of Repelón. With young, dedicated, and motivated people like her around, the future of this pueblo and Colombia as a whole is bright and promising!

Faces of Repelón: The Lawyer

Enter into my community classes on any given night and you will be greeted with a sea of willing and eager faces, just waiting to soak in more English knowledge that they did not possess before entering into the classroom. On Wednesday and Friday nights, there is always one bespectacled, smiling face that will greet any visitor that walks through the door. This face belongs to Laura Mercedes Imitola Galeano.

Born in Barranquilla, Laura grew up surrounded by one brother and two sisters. Her mother, who is the oldest of her siblings, was a strong family head and presented a very strong role model for Laura to follow. Her father, the youngest of twelve siblings, provided her with a more docile and fun-loving side. These two presences helped shape her into the person that she is today.

Growing up, Laura loved to play soccer in the streets in front of her house with her siblings and neighbors, ride her bike and climb the tres in the surrounding área. The day that she looked forward to every year was December 24th, Christmas Eve. This was the day that she was able to spend time with her father's family, which she didn't get to see as much as her mother's family. These nights were spent enjoying delicious bowls of sancocho, sharing gifts, and enjoying each other's company.

During primary school, Laura remembers being timid and shy. Sadly, she was picked on by other students, which caused her early schoo memories to be unhappy and despressing ones. However, once she reached high school, she was able to discover a love for learning that she still possesses today. Laura formed self confidence in her abilities that has helped her become a successful profesional today.

Upon her successful graduation from high school, Laura spent six years studying human rights at the University of Atlantico in Barranquilla. This led her to her current job, in which she represents members that work in the public sector, specifically those in the cleaning industry. Her respresentation of these individuals helps to ensure that they receive equal benefits and are not taken advantage of in the employment system.

Living in a small community like Repelón has its obvious advantages and disadvantages. According to Laura, one of the biggest advantages is the people of the pueblo. The kind and giving spirit of her fellow Repeloneros is something that she really cherishes. She also enjoys the walk down to the Cienaga del Guajaro (the lake that borders town). Of course, the constant heat and overall lack of fruit trees in town are a few of the disadvantages.

Along with kind and friendly people, pueblo life is very tranquil and low-key when compared to the hustle and bustle of the cities. However, sometimes this tranquility can lead to unhealthy routines that center around television and sedentary activities. In Laura's opinión, this is because there are not many options in the pueblo for families and other citizens to enjoy. The number of parks are limited to what's available in the plaza, which is a few swings and a concrete soccer field.

In the future, Laura would love to travel to India to take in the architecture, food, history, and culture that it has to offer. She also sees the Indian culture as one that has been able to maintain a distinct character over the past centuries. In regards to the United States, she sees it as a very prosperous country that is open to the world population as a whole.

From the beginning of my community classes, Laura has always been someone that I can count on to participate and provide answers when others may be more hesitant. She definitely has a bright future and I am very confident that she will continue to do great and wonderful things for Repelón and the surrounding communities!

A Journey Through Colombian Paradise

During my childhood in the states, summertime was my favorite time of the year. School was on a three-month hiatus. Sweet corn season was in full bloom. The county fair highlighted the middle of the summer docket. Family trips to the ballpark were a consistent source of enjoyment. Warm days and long nights were soaked in by all.

Here in Peace Corps Colombia, the term "summertime" has taken on a bit of a different meaning. In this land of "eternal summer", where the temperature nevers seems to dip below 80 and the sun scorches the earth for days on end, that summer feeling is constant. Even the school year refuses to take a three month break, instead settling for a three week break from the middle of June to the beginning of July. It was during this recent break that I took my latest trip into the interior of Colombia.

My fellow volunteer, Jordan, and I took advantage of this free time and spent five glorious days in the coffee triangle region of Colombia. This area, made up of land between the cities of Pereira, Manizales, and Armenia, is home to the production of some of the world's best coffee. The weather, scenery, and people made this a trip that I would do over again and again. Instead of rambling on for paragraphs upon paragraphs about our trip, here are some photographic highlights to show off the region!

A panoramic view of the landscape outside of our hostel
 

Yes, I know these are just cows, but after living on the coast and seeing emaciated livestock every day, it was a refreshing sight to see healthy, robust farm animals again!

Jordan and I enjoying one of the many rivers in the region
 

One of the many bridges we had to traverse during our hike in the Valle de Cocora

Hummingbirds at the Hummingbird House - it was quite a feat to get this photo!

The iconic wax palm tres that dot the valley - these trees grow to be as tall as 230 feet tall!

I felt pretty small standing next to this guy!

Buried under that delicious cheese sauce is some of the best trout I have ever had!

Beautiful views of the town of Salento where we stayed

Ready to embark on a tour of a traditional coffee farm!

Jordan practicing her coffee pod picking skills

Definitely not gonna quit my day job!

My first "tinto" (pure black coffee) here in Colombia - still not a fan and won't be converting anytime son...

I feel rejuvenated and ready to tackle the rest of my service here in Colombia (which is quickly coming to an end!)