One Year Down...

Over a year ago, I hopped on a plane from Miami bound for Barranquilla, Colombia, not knowing what this experience with the Peace Corps would look like. Looking back over this last year, I can definitely say with confidence that it has been one heck of a ride, full of highs and lows (more on that in a little bit).

In order to celebrate this monumental milestone in the life of PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer), we met up in Cartagena for the weekend. 19 of our 23 members were able to attend and mark our one year in style. The grand plan for the night was a gorgeous dinner at El Santisimo, a beautiful restaurant in the old city. Before dinner, MC, Derek, Jessi, and I hit up the beach for a spell, grabbed some Greek food with the Reed's, and then chilled at our hostel for a few hours. After meeting up with others who were staying with us, we got ready for our dinner.

At the restaurant, we partook in a great deal offered there. For about $45, we received an appetizer, entree, dessert and unlimited drinks for 2 hours. Talk about a steal! The food was amazing and delicious (I had red snapper bites, salmon with caramelized onions and asparagus, and a brownie complete with ice cream and hot fudge) and the drinks were just right. The night was completed by two special presentations. Jimmy went around and described each member of our group with an adjective that he felt pertained to them. Jordan, who had asked us all to describe our service in one word, compiled all of these words into a poem that pretty accurately described our experience here in Colombia so far.

Following dinner, we took to the streets of Cartagena and enjoyed a night of dancing, meeting new people, and enjoying a night life that is absent in many of our pueblos. Even though we didn't stay together the entire night, it was still a successful night. I can't express how much this group of people has become my family here throughout this entire experience. Being able to celebrate one year in country together was just another way to strengthen this bond.

Now about those highs and lows...

Committing to living 27 months abroad in a new culture, language, and life style is not an easy task. The normal roller coaster of emotions that comes with this endeavor has not disappointed. It's been one heck of ride and only promises to continue over the next 15 months. From those expected highs (arriving in country, figuring out the crazed bus system, receiving our site placements, becoming official volunteers, moving to site, starting at school, starting projects with the community, visiting other volunteers in their sites, traveling around Colombia, celebrating one year) to those nasty lows (saying goodbye to friends and family back in the states, moving away from host families that had become like family, waiting in limbo for a month or so while awaiting a new site, having members of our close knit group leave early for various reasons, dealing with conflicting interests at site, being subjected to changing landscapes and policies), we've endeared a lot as a group to this point.

To this point, I'm glad that I'm here. This experience has been humbling, eye opening, exciting, and an amazing learning experience about both myself and the Colombian culture. I know that I'm going to come away from my time here as a changed person. The rest of my time here in Colombia will be filled with more hurdles, challenges, and life changing experiences. But I am confident that through all of these, I will continue to grow and change as a person and return to the US as a more complete human being who will be ready to tackle anything.

Sounds of Repelón

Having spent most of my life living a small, rural town in southeastern Iowa really helped prepare me for my time so far here in Colombia. I am accustomed to having to travel outside of town to get groceries, find entertainment options, and to encounter good restaurants. I'm used to having everyone know your business and in turn, knowing the rest of the town's as well. One thing that I definitely grew used to as well was the peace and quiet. The level of tranquility was off the charts, especially since we live outside of town. The most noise that we ever really hear is every Saturday night during the summer when the sounds of the local stock car races would drift our way from the fair grounds.

Life here in Colombia is pretty much the same, for the most part. Rural living has offered the same small town feel, just with different conditions and surroundings. The people are just as friendly, if not friendlier (didn't think this was possible until coming here). Conversations, normally centering around the unbearable heat, flow freely on the streets and in front of local tiendas. Children run around kicking soccer balls. But there is one thing that I've noticed recently that helps to distinguish this home from my one in Iowa: the sounds.

On any given day, you are bound to hear a mixture of any of the following:

- The animal orchestra, consisting of (but not limited to...)
        * braying of the donkeys as they wonder aimlessly through the streets
        * squealing of the pigs as they are lead through town on leashes
        * baaing of the local goat gang as they patrol the dirt roads and alleyways
        * crowing of the rooster as it daily confuses sunrise with 2 am
        * clucking of the chickens making their way from house to house looking for scraps of food
        * howling of the dogs as they attempt to draw territorial lines
        * mooing of the cows as they meander from finca to finca without a care in the world

- The blaring of the bus horn as it makes its way through town, informing the citizens of its next departure

- The incessant honking and beeping of passing motos, looking for passengers

- The screams of joy of the local children as they run through the streets during rainstorms

- The humming of my elderly neighbor as she sits on her front porch knitting

- The whir of my fan as it works to keep me "cool" and "comfortable"

- The silence of the appliances when the power goes out (which lately has been happening at least once a day)

- The nasally hollers of "aguacate" (avocado) and "bollo de yuca" from the local vendors as they parade up and down the streets trying to make a sale

- The sloshing of the washing machine as it completes its cycle on laundry day

- The chatter of the customers in the cabana enjoying a delicious lunch prepared by my host mom

- The laughter of the neighbor children as they jump through and on a piece of rope tied to the gate of the front patio

- The slamming of dominoes on a plastic table by the random groups of men playing this favorite past time throughout the pubelo

- The siren of the police truck delivering me home after another night of English class

- The raspy breathing of the police chief and myself as we complete our 5 at 5 (5K at 5 am) run

- The pattering of the rain as it cascades from the sky for all of 10 minutes

- The distant roll of thunder, signaling an approaching storm that may or may not actually come

- The cheers and moans of locals while adamantly cheering on the Colombian and other local soccer teams

- The clink of beer bottles as a new round is started on a lazy Saturday afternoon down in the plaza

- The blaring of the picos (large speakers) every Saturday and Sunday night, supplying the pueblo with ample amounts of champeta, vallenato, and salsa music

These sounds have helped shape my experience here in Colombia. They are a part of my daily life and have really become second nature to me. I've found a strange sort of comfort in these sounds. Adjusting back to the peace and quiet of small town Iowa is going to be a challenge...

Colombian Exploration

Life here on the coast can be exhausting. Constantly battling the heat and elements of pueblo life zaps the energy right out of anyone. Constantly trying to decipher and understand the locals as they tell you about their day and lives leads to confusion and headaches. When summer vacation rolled around and I was given an opportunity to escape the coast for a while, you better believe I jumped on that!

Normally, the summer break is around 3 weeks. However, due to the teacher strike back in April, that vacation was cut down to just one week for the students. Luckily, I was able to get my vacation approved in advance of this schedule change and I was able to take 10 days away from the comforts of the pueblo and do some exploring of Colombia away from the coast. The following is a recap of the trip itself!

Bogotá

- Upon disembarking from the plane, Derek, Kathleen, and I were instantly greeted with the cool, rainy weather of Bogotá. Needless to say, this was quite a change/shock to the system from the hot, humid temperatures that we have become accustomed to on the coast.

- Met up with a former Peace Corps Volunteer, Alli, who served in Cartagena and led some of our trainings back when we first arrived, and explored some of La Candelaria, one of the oldest barrios (neighborhoods) in Bogotá. We ended up at the Botero Museum, a free museum dedicated to showcasing some of the famous works of Fernando Botero. Botero is famous for his very distinct style of painting, in which he enlarges all of the characters of his paintings on purpose.

- Tried some of the traditional food that Bogotá is famous for, including Ajiaco (a thick soup with chicken, avocado, rice, capers, and crema de leche - probably my new favorite soup here in Colombia!) and chocolate con queso (hot chocolate with cheese - sounds weird, but it's a nice sweet/savory combination surprisingly).

- Partook in a graffiti tour around La Calendaria and the surrounding areas. This tour was really interesting and the graffiti was not your stereotypical tags and attempts at defacing public spaces. Graffiti in Bogotá revered and respected. Many of the works that we saw were beautiful pieces filled with intricate designs, bright colors, and distinct stylistic elements. Despite the rainy and cold conditions that accompanied the tour, this was by far one of the highlights or the trip.

The oldest street in Bogotá

 

- Walked around the Plaza de Bolivar, the main plaza in Bogotá that includes the cathedral, Congressional building, and Presidential Palace.

Congressional building

Pigeons EVERYWHERE!!

Standing in front of the Presidential Palace

 - While exploring the open air market at Usaquén, we stumbled upon a random gathering of jugglers, acrobats, and other street performances in the middle of a park. 

- We made the 2.3 km trek up to Monserrate, the tallest mountain in Bogotá and home to a church and beautiful views of Bogotá. The hike up was filled with wind, rain, sun, and tired calves. Esther, another volunteer in our group, flew into Bogotá for a few days and joined us for the hike. Coming from the flat lands of Repelón made the hike a bit more difficult than it should have been. However, the rewarding views of the city made it worth it. 

- On our last day, Esther, Derek, Kathleen, and I hopped on a bus and headed to Zipaquriá, a town about 45 minutes north of Bogotá. This town is home to the Salt Cathedral, an underground Roman Catholic Church that was built in 1932. The mountains that the cathedral is built into have been an important economic source for the town and surrounding areas, providing salt and other minerals for centuries. Along with the church itself, the tunnels are filled with a rendition of the Stations of the Cross and other sites. We also partook in a mining tour, in which it was confirmed that I will never be a miner (we legitimately mined for salt with real picks - I´m pretty sure I ingested more than anything else).

Survived the mining tour!

Islas del Rosario

As our time in Bogotá came to a close, I was definitely not ready to return to the daily grind (and heat) of Repelón. So, upon arriving back in Barranquilla, I met my friend MC and we headed to Cartagena for the night. There, we met up with Amanda, Alex, and Caleb, other volunteers in our group. After spending a nice, relaxing night in Cartagena, catching up, we headed to the Islas del Rosario the next day. These islands are not only beautiful, but are also "home" for Alex and Caleb, one of the two married couples in our group. I have been wanting to visit them ever since site announcements were made back in October and took full advantage of this opportunity. 

Amanda, MC, and I had a wonderful two days, basking in the sun, snorkeling, meeting community members and tourists passing through, and being able to see how other volunteers truly live. One of the best parts of serving in a country where all of the volunteers live relatively close to each other is the ability to visit each other at site. Alex and Caleb truly have a unique situation, as they are the only volunteers who live on an island and truly do depend on their community for survival. It was great to see them in their element, and of course, to also spend time with them.

MC (Master Chef) and her eggplant parm! So good!!

 

The crew

4th of July

Before heading back to Repelón, we had one more stop to make and celebration to partake in. July 4th not only marking Independence Day in America, but also my friend Jimmy's birthday. From the island, we made a quick pit stop in Cartagena to see Jessi and a few of her friends before heading back to Barranquilla to join other volunteers at a 4th of July potluck in the park. After properly stuffing ourselves with some delicious food (and taking a modified citizenship test), we moved the party to an apartment that we had rented for the night.

The festivities continued well into the wee hours of July 5th. Having spent many 4th of July's away from home and the US has helped me to gain an appreciation for being an American. Being able to spend this important American holiday surrounded by not only good American friends, but also a few Colombian made it even more special. With Colombia's Independence Day coming up next week (July 20th), I'm looking forward to being able to partake in their celebrations in the same way that some Colombians were able to partake in ours.

Most of the 4th of July crew

The past week has been filled with classes starting up again, readjusting to the heat, and figuring out ways to make these next few months of my service meaningful and enjoyable. While it was nice to be off of the coast for a while and to have a break from the climate, it's always good to come back home.

Cultural Experience or Animal Cruelty??

One of the truly unique experiences that pueblo life provides is the ability to partake in festivals and other celebrations in a more intimate and concentrated setting. One festival that every pueblo celebrates is that of their Patron Saint. Repelón’s Patron Saint festival, which was recently held to celebrate Saint Anthony, included streets brimming with people, vallenato (a type of music very popular here on the coast) concerts, and correlejas (bullfights). The 4-day festival itself was a lot of fun. A few other volunteers from the Atlántico region came to join in the festivities and experience a different side of Repelón. 

Highlights of the festival itself:

• Showing off Repelón, my new adopted home, to fellow volunteers
• Seeing the streets filled with people, as this contrasts with the normally tranquil lifestyle here
• Witnessing my first bullfight with a couple hundred of my closest Colombian friends
• Introducing the Colombian culture to Jessi’s family
• Meeting the mayor’s son and getting into the VIP section (granted only for a hot second) for free
• Enjoying the company of great friends (both Colombian and American)
• Discovering that I’m not able to rage past 2 am anymore 

Finally met the famed Mama Atha!!

Great group of people right here!

Breaking out the camera (after a long hiatus) in style!

Representing CII-6 with pride!!

Quick view of the stage from the VIP section

The one aspect of the festival that was a mild point of controversy is that of the bullfights. Many members of the community that I talked to about the festival mentioned to me that they don’t attend the bullfights because they don’t support what they stand for. So out of curiosity, I decided to do a bit of research into the history of bullfighting and how it came to be such an integral part of Spanish culture.

Bullfighting traces its roots back to the days of Mesopotamia. The people of this region not only sacrificed bulls, but also worshiped them for their pure strength and sheer beauty. Other sources claim that bullfighting can be linked to the Roman Empire and subsequently spread to Europe through the various conquests carried out by the empire at the height of its dynasty. 

The original purpose of bullfights was to celebrate royal weddings and religious holidays (like patron saint festivals). This sport was reserved for the nobles and wealthy as only the rich could afford the proper supplies and training for both the bulls and horses. While other European countries participated in jousting matches, Spaniards partook in bullfights. 

The concept of modern day bullfighting can be traced back to 1726. During this time, nobility on horses was replaced by commoners on foot. This switch drew larger crowds and also introduced a higher degree of danger and peril to the sport. Instead of being on horses, the matadors were now only inches from the bull, providing more drama and excitement. This type of bullfighting was then introduced to other Latin countries through various Spanish conquests, including Colombia.

The Colombian version of bullfighting is a bit different than that you will find in Spain. For starters, the ring in which the bull is released is filled with multitudes of participants, not just one matador. The object is not to kill the bull, like it is in traditional fights in Spain. Instead, the bull runs around for a couple of minutes, challenging participants and chasing those on horseback. After a few minutes, the bull is corralled out of the ring and another bull is released. This continues for hours upon hours. 

Pure mayhem in the ring itself

This stadium is constructed solely for this event - then promptly torn down until the next year

Jimmy, Luke (Jessi's younger brother) and I taking in the event

The action happening right in front of us

People literally clung to the sides of the bleachers and darted underneath them when the bull came their way

The pure spectacle of this event has greatly divided many people, both within the Hispanic community and worldwide. Supporters claim that the beauty of this sport is based on the interaction between the bull and the matador. It is a demonstration of various styles, techniques, and a certain courage taken on by the participants. The bulls are not seen as sacrificial victims, but  rather as a worthy adversary. Also, the bulls used for these fights are respected, revered, and overall, treated better than any other animal, including cattle. This I can personally attest to. The cattle that roam the countryside around Repelón are sickly and underfed, while the bulls that were used for the fights were strong, sleek, muscular animals that surprised me with their speed and strength.

Opponents to bullfights cite the fact that the point of the bullfight is to eventually kill the bull by driving a sword through its spine. Many see this unnecessary bloodbath as a cruelty that no animal deserves to be subjected to. These opponents have led to the banning of bullfighting in many cities around the world where this sport used to be practiced quite freely.

As for me, I can see both sides. Witnessing a bullfight for the first time in my life, I saw the cruelty and savageness that is normally associated with the event. However, I also tried to step outside of the event itself and understand it in a greater context. The electric atmosphere of the stadium, including various bands and venders, added to the excitement that the spectators felt watching the participants flee from the bull as it barreled down on them. 

While I am not advocating for bullfighting or am in any sense a staunch supporter of the event, one thing that I learned from this experience is that sometimes you don’t have to fully agree with something to appreciate its importance in another culture. Being able to fully experience this event in the context of another culture was the true pleasure and joy that will remain with me well beyond my time here in Colombia.

*Information used for this post was found using this article

Heat Stroke

There is one sound above all others that sends waves of dread coursing through the body of a Peace Corps Colombia volunteer. No, it's not the next door neighbor's rooster that confuses 2 am with sunrise. It's surprisingly not the sound of Colombian school children all trying to grab your attention at the same time by yelling over one another in an attempt to be the loudest. It's actually the sound one's fan makes as it slowly loses power. That slow whirl signaling a lack of electricity and will to continue. The unfortunate sound that your one lifeline in combating the constant heat has failed you.

The heat here in Colombia is a beast of it's own. It's persistent. It never goes away. It hits you like a ton of bricks when you wake up in the morning. There's no escaping it. Growing up in the Midwest, our summers are hot and humid. I'm used to being miserable from June to August. However, when the misery is just too much to handle, I normally escape inside the comforts of my house/apartment, where air conditioning greets me with a refreshing handshake just like an old friend. Here in the small pueblos of coastal Colombia, that escape is not possible. There is no heaven sent location that constantly has Arctic level temperatures blowing. One just has to park themselves in front of the nearest fan and pray for 6 pm (when the sun goes down and the heat relents some). That is unless it is Thursday...

Thursday's have quickly become my least favorite day here. It has absolutely nothing to do with my school schedule or people that I come into contact with on this day. No, it's my least favorite because the power ALWAYS goes out. Without fail. Just like clockwork. You can count on being without the assistance of electricity from 8 am until 5 pm. Every. Single. Thursday. Classrooms become unbearable. Life ceases to be active. Even the occasional breezes that float through town tend to take this day off as well. The sweat just pours and the tempers soar.

As my service nears the 9 month mark (in two days actually), I am trying to find ways to beat the heat. Multiple showers a day have been utilized. However, as soon as you step out of the shower, you are immediately disgusting again, so it´s a bit of a frugal attempt at staying cool. The hammocks in our back cabana have become my favorite hideout spot. I´m able to create a small resemblence of a breeze by swinging myself through sporadic leg kicks. However, this quickly becomes tiring and doesn´t help curtail the sweat. Looks like it´s back to square one.

The heat and and the Colombian coast are a packaged deal. Finding innovative ways to survive and thrive has become my new secondary project...

Paro Productivity

As I detailed in my last post, the teacher strike ("paro" in Spanish) brought a lot of things to a halt in terms of my service. There was no school to attend, classes to teach, or counterparts to work with. What is a volunteer to do in a small, rural Colombian town where the nearest mall (and source of air conditioning) and other forms of entertainment are over three hours away? You get involved in your community, that's what!

Community English Class - The New Hot Spot to Be!

About a month and a half before the strike started, I was approached by a member of the community on my way home from school one day. His name is José and he expressed a desire to start a community English class for adults in the area that had an interest in learning English. We came to an agreement that if he found 10-15 interested people and a place to hold the classes, I would help him out and become the instructor. A week and a half later, he was sitting at the kitchen table in my house telling me that he had found the people and classroom. I was shocked and impressed with the speed with which he was able to round everyone up. Apparently people really wanted to learn English!

We had our first class April 6th (which also happened to be my mom's birthday!) and haven't slowed down since! I can proudly report that there are currently 30 Repeloneros in my class. There is a nice mix of adults and school aged students. This class has become so popular that I've had to turn people away, with the promise of a new class starting up in the fall. I'm also blown away by the determination and attentiveness of this class as a whole. It really makes a difference from a teacher's standpoint to be instructing students that WANT to be in your class as opposed to being FORCED to be in your class.

With the paro in full force the last few weeks, this class has helped to keep me sane. I look forward to Monday and Friday nights when I get to see and interact with my students. Slowly, we are starting to form bonds outside of the classroom that have led to other opportunities (more to come on that later). My quest for friendships is finally starting to pick up steam and my Spanish has improved multitudes in this past month or so.

My class taking their first exam

Using the Guess Who characters to learn about physical descriptions

Family tree time!!

Finca Trips – Exploring The Surrounding Area

Getting plugged into a new community is never an easy task. It takes time to get to know who the key players are. In my case here in Colombia, there is also a language barrier that can hinder progress in this area. However, once you do finally get plugged in, as my community class has shown me, opportunities for integration multiply right before your eyes. One such opportunity presented itself in the form of a trip to a finca (small farm) outside of town a few weeks ago.

Ever since classes started, José had been telling me how he wanted to organize a trip for the whole class to take part in outside of class that would allow us all to get to know each other. Obviously, I was all for this! We settled on a trip to a local finca one weekend and ended up,having a nice little get away! I invited Derek, Jessi, and Janice to join in this endeavor, which was nice because it gave them a chance to interact with my students and learn more about the area.

Out of the 30 students in my class, about 1/3 of them were able to attend, making our field trip a nice, little intimate gathering. I finally leaned how to make sancocho (the traditional soup that is served quite frequently), received some accordion lessons from one of my students, went papaya hunting in a local papaya grove, and got to just spend time with my students outside of the formal classroom setting. It was a nice change of pace and gave us an opportunity to get to know each other in a more personal level. I'm already looking forward to the next outing!

Befriending the Local Police

When I first moved to Repelón three months ago, one of the first people that I met was the chief of police. An extremely nice guy, he gave me his contact info and said that the cops in town were interested in starting English classes if I had time. Well, in the course of starting at a new school, getting to know a new community, and just the daily hustle and bustle of life, these classes got pushed to the back burner of things to do. Enter the paro.

I had told my friend Jessi (another volunteer who lives in a Rotinet, a small community about 10 minutes away) about the police chief’s desire for English classes and asked to see if she would be interested in helping me out with them. Looking for something to do, she quickly agreed to undertake this new task with me. We went to the police station one day and were shocked by what we found. Expecting a building nestled in between other businesses, we were greeted by a compound-like facility, complete with a perimeter gate, open fields, and a one-eyed painting of Santa on the pavement, welcoming visitors as they entered the facilities.

We had a super successful meeting with the police chief and settled on doing classes three times a week. He was so excited to have us start that he invited us to the station the following day for lunch, which we gladly accepted. As this lunch date approached, we were envisioning being introduced to the other cops on the force and enjoying a meal with them. To our surprise, it ended up just being us and the police chief. The other cops sat at other tables, avoiding us like the plague. The start of our lunch was like an awkward first date, as no one really knew what to talk about. Eventually, the conversation picked up and the latent awkwardness subsided. After lunch, we were introduced to some of the other cops, told them about the upcoming classes, and then enjoyed some friendly conversation about ourselves and other topics.

Well, I can happily report that we have successfully completed one week of classes! Outside of free food and some new friends, it's been a lot of fun getting to know the local force. Our classes typically have between 5-8 people, which makes for a nice, small setting. They are enthusiastic about learning and love taking part in the games and other activities that we have them participate in. Plus it never hurts to have the entire police force on your side just in case you ever need them!

Another unexpected result of these classes has been the discovery of a running buddy. While discussing our favorite activities, I expressed my enjoyment of running. The police chief told me that he runs quite frequently and wanted to know if I was interested in joining him. I've been looking for a consistent running buddy since I moved to Repelón. However, there was a catch: he enjoys running at 5 am. That's right, before the sun decides to show itself above the horizon. Desperate for someone to run with, I reluctantly agreed to join him. Turns out, 5 am runs aren't as bad as they may sound. These runs, which occur every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, are being worked into my weekly schedule. Maybe I'll become a morning person after all – or just take a power nap when I finish the run…

The cops enthusiastically taking part in a game of Memory/Concentration

Getting My Dance On

Ever since I arrived here in Colombia and witnessed a performance of Cumbia, a traditional style of dance here on the coast, I knew that I wanted to learn the intricacies and steps behind this piece of story telling. One night, while teaching my community class, I expressed this desire to my class. One of my students told me he had a friend that would be willing to teach me! I was super excited and couldn't wait to get started. The day to start this new endeavor finally came this past week.

Upon entering the house where these lessons were to occur, Jessi (who just happened to be with me on the day the lessons started) and I really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We were led to the back porch where we met three young musicians, all aged 11, who blew Jessi and I with their maturity and ability to work together as a cohesive group. We were given a brief tutorial on each instrument that makes up a traditional Cumbia ensemble, along with a lesson on the basic rhythms used in the dance. Given the opportunity to try these rhythms out on the drums themselves, I jumped at the chance. Jessi also partook in playing an instrument for the first time in her life! Needless to say, we had some pretty awesome instructors!

Eventually, more people showed up to the house and we got started with the dance itself. All in all, the steps for the Cumbia are not all that complicated. The footwork and hip shaking take a little getting used to, but the actual,dance itself is pretty straight forward. After watching a few run through, it was Jessi and I’s turn to try it out. With the guidance of some others, we successfully completed the first part of the dance! It was a lot of fun to finally learn some of the base steps. With our next lesson coming up soon, I've been reviewing the steps in the comfort of my room. This has caused my host mom to comment on passing about how happy she is that I'm finally learning Cumbia and how I'll blow everyone away at Carnaval next year with my new found moves!

Jessi and I with our awesome cumbia band

While the recent paro may have hindered my ability to work with my school, it enabled me to explore other opportunities that may not have become available had it not been for this stoppage of work. I can't wait to continue with these new activities and see how they evolve in the coming months and year!

When Teachers Strike Back

Sorry for the long hiatus. I know that it has been a while since my last post, but I haven't had a computer for the last two weeks and haven't been able to access any of the computers at school. Why you may ask? Well, the country of Colombia has been experiencing a nationwide teacher strike. Let's just say that life with no school, no computer, and on days, no power, has been a struggle at times.

This strike, which officially started April 22nd, has been centered around five main issues: an increase in teacher pay, better health care benefits, the process by which teachers are evaluated, lowered educational costs for students, and the implementation of a new schedule called “jornada única.”

Currently, my school has three jornadas (schedules): a morning jornada, which lasts from 7 am until 12:20 pm (for kindergarten and grades 6-11), an afternoon jornada, which lasts from 1 pm until 5:20 pm (for grades 1-5), and a night jornada, which lasts from 6 pm until 9:20 pm (for adults who never received their high school diploma). The idea behind jornada única is to have only one jornada that would last from approximately 7:30 am until 3:30 pm for grades K-11. Essentially, this means that all students would be at school at the same time. This desired implementation presents some undesirable problems.

1. Infrastructure Issues – Many schools here in Colombia, mine included, are not designed to house the sheer number of students that make up grades K-11 at one time. My school currently has 12 classrooms and every one of these classes is in use during the morning jornada. Yes, classes could be combined to help free up extra rooms for the extra surplus of students that the lower grades would introduce to the school, but this in itself creates other problems. Class size would immediately double from a manageable 20-25 students to well over 45 bodies in one room. The lack of useable desks would cause students to have to sit on the floors and turn their laps into a working desk space. Also, the already stifling heat the envelopes these classrooms would be intensified with the the additional students.

2. Lunch – One of the reasons that that jornadas end and begin around the lunch hour is so that students can have lunch at their homes with their families. Lunch is easily the biggest and most important meal here on the coast. Complete with soup, rice, meat, and some sort of salad, this meal constitutes a vast majority of the caloric intake for all Colombians. The lunches that most schools would be able to serve would pale in comparison with the normal standard lunch served in Colombian homes. Besides smaller, inadequate portions, the lack of school cafeterias would force many students to eat in their classrooms. This would possibly lead to issues with trash, which is already an issue that the coast struggles with.

3. Lack of Resources -  Outside of an insufficient amount of useable desks for students to use, other resources, such as textbooks and available space, among others, are other challenges that are facing students and staff alike if a switch to jornada única were to occur nationwide.

4. Staffing – One interesting (and slightly disturbing) aspect regarding the Colombian educational system (at least here in the coast) is the non-existence of a substitute teaching system. If a teacher is sick, has a doctor’s appointment, or just doesn't show up to school, there is no one lined up to step in and take over these classes. This basically means that students attain a free period in which they are free to roam the school grounds, distract other students in class, and pretty much do as they please.

Another issue that my school has been facing is the reassignment of teachers to other schools. A couple of weeks before the strike started, we lost two teachers to other schools in different communities. Our local Secretary of Education decided to move our only math teacher to Rotinet (a small community about 10 minutes away where my friend Jessi teaches) and one of our Social Studies teachers to Suán (where my friend Jordan teaches). I have no idea what prompted these moves, but it has crippled our school. There were no teachers ready to take over these now vacant positions, causing students to inherit even more free periods. Luckily, s new math teacher was hired before the strike ensued, but in order to cover the Social Studies classes, other teachers (my counterpart included) are having to cover these open classes, which is a issue in itself.

In the grand scheme of things, many teachers are not opposed to the idea of jornada única. The main issue that they have with the proposed changes is the fact that the schools are not structurally ready to accommodate the demands that will be caused by the increased number of students. Without financial support from the government, these ideas of how to create a better and stronger Colombian educational system could end up doing more harm than good.

After weeks of tense negotiations, demonstrations, and signed petitions, the strike was finally lifted yesterday (May 7th). All normal activities are set to resume on Monday (May 11th). Whether or not any true changes will come about is still yet to be determined.