Peace Mural!!

The Peace Train Class has ended. Yesterday we had our graduation and unveiling of the Peace Mural and it was awesome.

The kids were especially proud of the mural and, after a brief conversation, decided they wanted to have it turned around with the back out (it's on a piece of plywood) so it would be a surprise to show their families at the end of the graduation. One of my students, Miguel, asked me about 3 times in the middle of the graduation if it was time yet.

The creation of this mural was a huge community effort. It was designed by the first Peace Train Class. Chomingo, a local muralist, transferred the design from the butcher paper to the plywood (and added a few of his own ideas) and finally, the second Peace Train Class painted it.

We only had yellow, red, blue, black, and white paint, so the kids got to mix their colors. That was one of the most exciting things. They chose what color to paint each thing and told me and I (or one of the other teachers/helpers) would be the needed colors on a paper plate and they would mix them together, all the while exclaiming to their class mates "Look! Look! it's turning out orange!" and telling each other what colors they had had originally.

Here are pictures from each step along the way! Enjoy!











after day one of painting:






Showing off the final product at Graduation:


It's home outside the museum! (with the Peace Train!)

RollerCoaster Life

So it has been quite the week of teaching -- particularly in Peace Train Class. Wednesday we had 13 kids in class (the number should give you a clue about how class went... I don't know if I believed before that 13 really is unlucky, but now I'm definitely considering it!). Thank goodness one of our helpers was there! She came, even though a little sick, and just saved the day!. Of the students, 10 were boys (two of whom were guests, not signed up in the class) and 3 were girls. One of boys just really struggles, and asks for attention in many many negative ways -- swearing in English, giving the finger (though usually subtly), or just generally acting. Several of the other boys tend to follow his lead. Then, one of our "guest" boys was right up the same alley. Several of my other students, who tend towards the calm sign were just spun out of control. Though everyone was mostly fine in small groups, it was impossible to do any of our whole group activities.

Class ended. We survived. And I thought... "why did I want to be a teacher? why did I ever think I could do this? I am in SO far over my head!"

Then today happened. We had a small group -- only 6 students, 2 girls and 4 boys (which was normal for the first cycle and small for this time around -- I can't help but think that it wasn't just me that was worn out after Wednesday!). It was one of the most beautiful classes ever. We started by making different emotion faces to decorate the train car of the week (Examine emotions for each solution), worked with potato stamps in one station, did music in another. For our group game/activity in the middle, a helper and student acted out a conflict and then made "emotion sculptures" out of the students to represent how each person in the conflict felt -- and then we brainstormed as a whole class a solution. I stood in for our special guest (who ended up not coming...) who is a muralist who is going to help us paint a peace mural! We talked about guidelines for painting and, with paint on paper plates, used the primary colors to make the secondary colors. Everyone participated, everyone was super engaged. And at the end of the class, in our closing circle reflection on "moments of peace" from the class and "what we liked," more than one student said "EVERYTHING!"

To top it all off, after class I talked for a few minutes with the parents of one my students. This is my little girl who came to the first cycle of Peace Train and then wanted to come back and do it again! In all of the classes since starting May, I think she has missed maybe 2. I was worried that it wasn't as good an experience for her this time, with all of those rowdy squirmy boys, but her parents say that she still looks forward to coming. That one Friday she missed to go on an excursion with her dad and she said "I don't know, maybe I shouldn't go so I can go to Peace Train." ! On top of that, they told me they are seeing benefits and growth in her at home and at school that they attribute to her participation in class. They see her able to focus for a longer period of time and being super creative!

And I remember ... this is why I want to be a teacher. I read somewhere that those moments of regression are important (maybe even good) because they are an inherent part of the process of learning, growing, moving forward.

Some pictures! (in the craziness of this week I forgot to bring my camera to both classes, but here are some good moments from the class so far)

Opening Circle


Learning about Peace Maker Monsenor Romero


Music!


Story Time (using the Story Glove to review the story)


English Lesson!


Drumming with our Special Guests: The Centro Arte Drum Corps


Exercising with Special Guest Colin


Visiting Centro Arte's Museum

here or there?

The minimum monthly income per household in El Salvador is $238 (and the take-home pay is less than $200) -- if you work in retail or services. For those who work in the campo, it is $85.50*.

As my time begins to come to a close here, money has been on my mind. How close have I stayed to my budget, for example. How do I steward those funds I was so generously given a year ago?

These Money Matters were something I was really intentional with when I came down. I wanted to live simply, to live in solidarity, with the people here. To go as deep as I could, to understand more. So I budgeted low and have been able to be faithful to it for the most part.

And at the same time, my experience is so different. In addition to my small weekly allowance, I had funds to go to the states twice while I was here -- to renew my visa but also to see family, friends, my boyfriend. What a huge privilege. Families here are often split between El Salvador and the States, with (usually) the dad sending money back to support his family, while the mom works, raises kids, and takes care of all those household things. Many many people are in the states illegally and so visiting is impossible. Not only did I have the funds to go back, but I had the paperwork!

This week, I have been worried about my budget. How to see all of the people I want to see before I go (many not in Suchi and so requiring money for bus fare, for lunch etc...), little good bye things I want to do for people here. How to live simply, intentionally, and also take advantage of my time here. It's a delicate balance -- and one that strikes me with my privilege, with my resources every time I think about it. Because for me, it is a choice. I do have the resources to do those little things that many many people don't. As I have worried, I have been gifted by little circumstances that have called me back: the boat not running across the lake both days I went to school this week so being given free rides in pick ups by others who were driving to town, a friend taking me out to dinner last night, another friend paying my bus fare on the way to the capitol. I have been relieved from my financial worries by these dollar or twos here and there, but even more struck by this unsolicited generosity and called back to relationships, friendships, the importance of going beyond my own immediate "best" interest

It makes me think of the generosity of people here, their open hearts homes and hands. And it illuminates the real question: how do I live in solidarity (and so simply) and be as generous with all of my resources as my friends here are with theirs. That, I think, changes the questions. It is important to stay in budget, to not spend beyond ones means, but it is also important to give generously.

I was listening to a podcast last week from The Psych Files and it was talking about a study done on the phrase "It is better to give than to receive." They found that people, once their basic needs were met, were happier if they spent money on gifts for others or gave to charities rather than something for themselves.

It's a balance, and a heart attitude. If the woman in the temple could give her last two coins, what can I give? and how?

*http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=43355

Pilas and Politics

So, it seemed to be time to post something a little bit more about life here in El Salvador, in addition to all of these Peace Train updates.

A central part of every house here is the pila. A pila is the house water reservoir, with a connected concrete slab used to wash dishes, wash clothes, hands, brush teeth, and store water in case the water gets turned off (or in some parts of the country, their running water is only hooked up one or two days a week so they fill up their reservoirs for the days the don't have running water.) It is VERY useful.



As I said, one of the things pilas are used for is to wash clothes. Most people do not have washing machines (and dryers are even less common -- they use too much gas to run!). In fact, having a washing machine has been used by the government as a marker of income level. At the beginning of this year, the government changed the way they did the gas subsidy. They used to subsidize the companies and all gas "tambores" were sold for about $5. However, in the surrounding countries, they cost $15. So, now the government gives a monthly subsidy of $8.75 to families you do not own more than one house and do not have a washing machine. In many ways, this makes a lot of sense -- it cuts (necessarily) on government spending and on the gas black market. However, it's been a real struggle for many families (especially large ones who use more than one tambor of gas a month) and some have begun to cook in the older way using fire wood in a "stove" like this one.


At any rate... pilas are very useful for washing clothes, and quite the exercise. (Even people who have washing machines tell me that they still wash the things that get really dirty, like socks, by hand because they get them cleaner.) Welcome to a part of my weekly life!

spread the dry dirty shirt out in the pila and get it wet!


roll on soap (both the front and back!)


scrub the shirt using...the shirt! (particularly the armpits!)



Rinse and wring out



Turn inside out and repeat ... and your done!


All that's left is to hang it out to dry!

You say "Good Bye" I say "Hello"

It's a time of transitions at Centro Arte para la Paz. Within in the next week, all of the other volunteers I have spent the last 9 months with will have left. A new volunteer has just arrived. I am sad... and excited for the adventure of these coming months.

At the same time, two weeks ago was our Peace Train Class Graduation. I was so proud of my students, I almost cried ... but instead spent most of the day laughing and smiling so hard it hurt.

It began a little stressful (only three of our kids were there), but ended beautifully. Everyone came but the three that were preparing for their first communion in church the next day. We began marching into the chapel singing "Caminamos en la Paz de Dios" ("We are marching in the Peace of God") which is the song we sing as we swithc stations every day in class. Then we went down the line and each shared "what gives us peace" and "what takes away our peace" and led the parents in our Peace Pledge. The Helpers explained their experience with the class and said they wanted to continue as helpers in the next cycle.


We sang the songs we had learned together (some of the mother's teared up at this point, evidently having heard nearly all of the songs sung at home over the past few months)



gave a little talent show,


and finally presented "Peace Maker" Diplomas to each of our students.


Peggy had Diplomas and thank yous for Ariel and I, and said, among other things, that the Peace Train Class "is the heart of Centro Arte."



When she was done talking, one of the Dads stood up, wanting to thank us. He talked about how much his daughter loved the class and Ariel and I. He talked about how much he trusted us and was grateful for the opportunity we were giving his daughter. Before the graduation, he recommended we give our class in the schools.


It was a beautiful, bittersweet morning. I was bursting -- immensely proud of all we had done together, and sad to say good bye to these students.

Ariel and I spent an entire day last week revamping our syllabus -- tweaking the things that needed to be, and adding some more art projects and English lessons and reformatting the sheet as we begin the work to publish our curriculum. And yesterday, the next cycle of the Peace Train Class began. It was a miracle morning -- the day before only 3 students had signed up. At 9 o'clock, one of the woman from the office took our class list and added 4 more. Decent with 7 students at least. At 2:10, we had 11 students (3 who had signed up and 8 others!), our 2 helpers, 2 mothers, and 2 guests visiting. It was the biggest opening circle we have ever had and felt more than anything like a gift from God. I had been so scared there wouldn't be enough students to actually give the class again, and instead the room was overflowing. And one of our students was in the class last cycle, and even though we are doing nearly the same thing, she wanted to come again.

Hello, Hello! I don't know why you say Good Bye, I say Hello!

We have a dream ...

Yesterday we had peace class again! We studied Martin Luther King Jr as our "artesano de paz" and in the spirit we made skits of our dreams for a peaceful world.

In creating the skits, we talked about dreams the students had -- some to be teachers or principals, others to take care of animals or to be singers. We also talked about things that we need. Then after brainstorming in their groups, here are our students dreams for a peace world:




Thank you God for the food you have given us
Gracias, Senor por la que nos ha dado.

Thank you God for water
Gracias Senor el agua.

Playing soccer
Jugando pelota!

Thank you God for making us friends
Gracias Senor por nos convirte en amigos



*calling names*

We are on page 10
Estamos can la pagina 10

I'm done
Yo termine

I'm done
Yo termine

Me too
Yo tambien

Now for math...
Ahora matematica...

I'm done
Yo termine


Now what beautiful worlds! With food, water, soccer, friends, and education. I think we've got the basics!!

iRomero Vive!

This week is the 31st anniversary of the death (assassination) of Monsenor Romero -- this Thursday March 24 to be precise. So this past Saturday was the March and the Vigil in the capitol. It was my second year attending and, once again, it was beautiful.

In his honor, in Peace Club at school on Monday we talked about Monsenor Romero as a Peace Maker and his vision of Peace. I found, on the spot, that just telling the story with no visual aids was going to tough for my second graders (my first class), so with them and the rest of the day, I drew pictures on the white board as we talked:

Once there was a little boy. He came from a poor family in the campo.


Even when he was little, he dreamed of growing up and becoming a priest.


And so he grew and studied and did, in fact, become a priest. He was in charge of constructing a cathedral. So he asked for help getting materials, like concrete and bricks.


He became friends with very rich people and he was very respected.


He also had another friend, and mentor, who was a priest. His friend worked with the poor, teaching them and loving them. Because of his friend, he too got to know, and love the poor. Then he was named archbishop. And a war started. He began spending more and more time with the poor.


In his homilies he began calling for the violence to stop and for care for the poor. Because of this he became known as "the voice for the voiceless." He had a vision for peace in which the poor had food and houses. Children and youth could go to school and people got along and worked together, without violence


After our story, I handed out construction paper "Romero Glasses" and asked the students to write or draw their vision of peace. I invite you to make your own glasses, or comment here :)