While some people attempt to make their blogs coherent and cohesive, uniting their ideas toward a clear, educating conclusion, I prefer to go another route. I call it the “What the…?” route.
THE START:
Over the last 2 days I’ve helped 2 elderly women cross the street. That makes me a hero, right? Yesterday was the first time in nine months that I’ve had the opportunity and then today, surprisingly, it happened again. Both were delightful encounters. While most Colombians assume that I don’t speak Spanish and try to talk to me using gestures, these women seem to assume that I’m a local. I don’t know if it’s failing eyesight or just a motherly-desire to welcome all into the fold. Here’s how it happened:
I was looking for my opportunity to cross traffic when a little lady approached me from a few feet away, asking “Are you going to cross?” Before I could answer, she had her arm in mine and was saying, “I’ll cross with you. It scares me to cross these streets! It’s so dangerous!” I hid my smile at her openness and responded “Yes! It’s terrible.” She continued, “Just yesterday a man was hit by a bus right over there. So of course I’m cautious.” Of all the dangers in the world, crossing the street has never been one that scares me. We were across the street in less than a minute and as soon as we were on the other side, she released my arm, waved at me as if she were going off to war, said “Thanks so much!” and was heading in the other direction. That was it.
FROM EARLIER THIS MONTH:
Although it seems like our progress in English class is painfully slow, I’m enjoying getting to know the students more. Currently my counterpart and I are working on a presentation on relationships for all the students at our school. The idea is to do the presentation in each group (there are 4 groups of 10th graders and 3 groups of 11th graders). A week ago Monday was the National Day of “No” to Pregnancy. Obviously they meant “no” to adolescent pregnancy, though that wasn’t clear in the title. The statistic that I read was this: In Colombia, one in every 3 adolescents living in situations of poverty is pregnant or is already a mother. One in three. Incredible. This year we have 4 pregnant girls in 11th grade. It’s hard. There are so many factors that make it hard to make smart decisions in relationships: machismo, a very sexual culture, lack of role models and parental control, lack of employment opportunities, etc. In our discussion we focus on how men and women view relationships differently, how love is different than sex, what is self-esteem, and how to be assertive. I think it’s information that every teen needs to know. They’ll make their decisions, but I’m hoping that through this presentation they will be better equipped to make the right decisions for them.
SIDE NOTE:
The tiny ants on my desk have suddenly grown to regular size sugar ants. If they continue growing at this alarming rate, I might have to ask them permission to stay in my room…
JUMP TO NEW TOPIC:
I’ve been thinking about my mom a lot lately. I’ve recommended that she read this blog several times, but I’m quite certain she’s never made it here. For that reason, I feel perfectly safe writing about her now.
My sister and I are very close in age, so whatever my mother said to one of us, went for both of us. As I walked to this café where I am currently sitting, I had to jump off the sidewalk several times because the people walking toward me couldn’t consider stepping behind one another so that others could have some space on the sidewalk. Every time this happens I think “Ok everybody, single file!” because that was what my mother always said it to us. As children, every time we were walking side-by-side and someone needed to pass she said that. When I repeat it in my head, I think it’s her voice I hear. Mothers, do you know that your voice will always be in your child’s head? Do you know that when they are 25 they will still hear the words you spoke to them when they were little? I love my mom. I adore her and admire her intensely. She hasn’t done everything right, she hasn’t had the life she probably imagined having when she was young, but she is strong and loving and kind. And to me, those are the traits that make a person worthy of admiration.
IN UNRELATED NEWS:
Two days ago my counterpart Jesus and I were leading a discussion: Myths about Sex. Here’s the scene:
Thirty eleventh grade students were all sitting scattered around the classroom and Jesus and I were sitting next to each other. He was talking about STDs and how in some cases the diseases eat-away at the sexual organs, they discharge puss, and other really gory details. Suddenly, he turns towards me and says to everyone, “Micah knows about this. She has lots of experience with it.” He nodded at me in a ‘go ahead’ way, and continued “Ask her!”
I stared at him horrified. What? What was he saying? Surely I misunderstood him… The students looked at me stunned, waiting for some kind of explanation. I sat staring at him, trying to figure out what he had MEANT to say. At my look of confusion and the students’ initial repressed laughter, Jesus realized that he might have forgotten to include some context for what he had said. He hurried to explain “What I mean to say is that she works at a center for pregnant teenagers and the stories they tell about infections and diseases are terrible.” But the students were already lost to their laughter.
OTHER THOUGHTS:
I have 1 ½ months left with Peace Corps. My service ends on December 16th. While most volunteers will go home to spend Christmas with their families, I’ll be staying here. If I still haven’t found work by that time, I will be desperately searching for it. I still don’t know where or how or what, but some things have recently become a lot clearer for me. God’s with me in this, He’s got something in mind. It may not be something I currently want or hope for, but it’s exactly what I need. The stress is diminishing even as the need to find work is growing. Some things don’t make sense. Sometimes it’s better that way.
