“They were two of the most fun, chaotic, exhausting hours of my life...a tiny idea and a group of kids who appreciate simple things and an adult's undivided attention.”
Kathryn, a 37 year-old project and event manager from Australia had already seen much of the world when she chose volunteering with our Colombia children’s project for her first ever visit to South America. Despite having no Spanish knowledge when she applied Kathryn was undeterred, and took a few Spanish classes before she left home for the “City of Eternal Spring”, Medellin. Her placement lasted for six week, and here she tells of her personal highlights of her time with us and the inspirational children at the project.
It's hard to single out one experience...
“After six weeks of volunteering with Globalteer’s Volunteer Colombia Kids project, it's hard to single out an experience that stands out above others. Some of the highlights include big occasions like a trip with the kids to a beautiful ecology education farm high in the hills above Medellin, attending the quinceana (15th birthday party) of one of the girls, or visiting the project on family day. Or simple moments like the first time a little person's hand found mine, attached to a big grin and the greeting of 'Hola Tia' (hello auntie), or laughing with my fellow volunteers over a big plate of Colombian pork ribs, or enjoying a quiet coffee in a leafy Poblado street while trying to memorise Spanish verb conjugations.
“But it's my memories of my second day that really stick with me as an example of how most of the days would be: semi-planned but with no real idea of what was going on until somehow the kids and I settle into an unexpectedly fun and rewarding activity.
“On day two, still nervous about the vast chasm between my level of Spanish and a useful level, I met Florence (the project’s former volunteer coordinator) only to find she had to leave shortly for some meetings, leaving me to my own devices for a few hours, without a plan.
Working with the children
“Fortunately, the kids have no such nerves or hesitation. Before long two of the girls were sitting with me expectantly, waiting for me to do something. I got out my notebook and asked them to write their names for me, and they wrote down a couple of the English words they knew. I improvised and folded up some paper, drew a person, then folded it out to one of those strings of joined people. They seemed delighted with this and wanted me to show them how to do it, so we ended up with a long line of paper people who they decorated with faces, hair and names before pinning it on the wall. So far, so good.
“One of the girls then asked me something which, after asking her to write it and consulting my phrase book, I understood to mean ‘what else can you do with paper?’ The pressure on, I remembered the birthday card I gave to a little friend at home for her 5th birthday the week before: a card that folded out to a cat face mask.
“I drew a very simple cat, cut out some eye holes, and put it up to her face. She smiled then immediately took it away somewhere, leaving me wondering what was going on. She returned with a piece of string, so we could attach it to the mask. Moments after that, I was surrounded by about 15 kids all wanting their own mask. The first little girl took charge as my assistant, set up the tables with paper and pens, I found some pipe cleaners, and the mask workshop was born. All manner of favourite animals became masks, with more confident kids drawing their own and others asking me to draw cats and dogs (easy enough), then penguins and sharks… not sure my version of those was convincing, but the kids seemed happy enough.
“They were two of the most fun, chaotic, exhausting hours of my life but at the end I’d learned the Spanish names for scissors, shark and penguin, had lots of happy kids, some beautiful masks, and discovered what else you can do with some paper, a tiny idea and a group of kids who appreciate simple things and an adult's undivided attention.”