Tessa (Holland), Jane & Phil (England), Dana (South Korea), Jenness (US), Darren & Fiona (Scotland) Steffen (Germany), Crissy (UK) & Sophus (Denmark) and last but by no means least, Pi´cker (Taiwan)
Above: Saturday night is fajitas night at Clara Luna
Working at the Foundation: Caroline (France)
Students studying Spanish: Helen & Neil (England)
Tessa, Caroline, Jane, Fiona, Darren and Phil have been teaching English and reading stories at Jaime Roldós High School. Most popular was the reading of "Donde Viven Los Monstros" and helping the students to draw their own monsters afterwards.
Jane & Darren have been teaching English at Clara Luna to students from Servicio Civil Cuidadano students. The students are hoping to work in tourism and an ability to speak English is an obvious advantage.
Caroline, Jane and Phil attended a workshop with Paola on 11 September to raise awareness regarding people with disabilities with an emphasis on inclusion and concentrating on what people can do rather than can´t do. In addition to breakout sessions, a particular highlight was the attendees donning blindfolds and navigating their way around the area near where the workshop was held. Scary!!
Fiona is a qualified physio and has visited disabled people in their houses to show them and their families how to do stretching and strengthening exercises, ably assisted by Darren.
Activities:
Club de Niños:
Books: story reading by Jane and Carolina, in particular La Oruga Hambrienta (The Hungry Caterpillar)
Craft: making kites, drawing characters including the butterfly that the Hungry Caterpillar turns into.
Music: Steffen transcribed "Yellow Submarine" into "Submarino Amarillo", created "Playa Limpia" ("Clean Beach") and "Wind of Change" by The Scorpions turned into "Vientos de Cambio". Steffen played the guitar and led the singing. The crowd went wild and Steffen´s fingers are still sore from all the encores he played.
Intercambio:
Ring of fire, Jeopardy.
Other activities:
Among many other worthwhile and highly enjoyable activities, the volunteers supported the beach cleaning day - Playas Limpias - on Saturday 20 September and each one of us filled at least one sackful of rubbish:
We read "La Casa de Alberto el Pez" in Central Park, with each of us taking a role, to a highly appreciative audience of kids and parents:
We joined in the José Rivera Chonillo Foundation Recreation Party and Parade for people with disabilities. It was a march through Puerto Lopez to highlight the need for inclusivity and equality. It was fun and a very successful way of raising consciousness in the community:
