Photo Camp

There have been times in my Peace Corps service where I have questioned just about every last skill I thought I once possessed--i.e. my teaching, spanish, and organizational abilities just to name a few.  Camera camp this past week was NOT one of those times.  Thanks to a PC friend who introduced my buddy and me to the San Diego based Outside the Lens foundation.  The foundation donated 20 digital cameras and a list of lesson plans to my friend.  After the three of us selected two projects: Pieces of me and HOPE we, who all have a pretty limited background in photography mind you, were ready to teach 15 Boquillero high school students how to take the perfect shot.  

Day one started like any normal day.  A few students showed up at 1:00pm, the actual starting time, but the majority nonchalantly strolled through the door around 1:30 and the last group of girls rolled in at 2:15.  Once all 15 students gathered in the cramped room, they all managed to dejar la pena at the door and actively participate and enthusiastically used their new technical language, burs ayh you (birds eye view) was heard around the beach for the next three days.  

The first project we worked on, Pieces of me, had the students selecting their favorite body part and taking photos of it.  Along with pictures, the students also wrote poems about the importance of that body part.  Day two had the students thinking creatively, often a problem in the classroom, and designing photos to depict their definition of esperanza.  My favorite part of the week had to be looking at all of the different definitions of hope the students came up with.  More photos and final projects to come soon.

Hope Project: Wishing for a cleaner La Boquilla

Pieces of me project: 7th grader selects her legs as the focal point for her project

   

Long Overdue

As the final week of a three week school break approaches I only feel it is time to write a new post on this recently neglected blog.  This past month has flown by as the past four weeks have been the busiest to date.  I FINALLY finished writing a grant, worked at a sports camp in Barranquilla, escaped the summer heat in Bogota, celebrated the 4th with fellow Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) and staff, and made final preparations for the photography camp that starts in my community tomorrow.  So where to start???

I will start by explaining the grant.  The high school art teacher and I are working on an environmentally charged grant.  The idea is to make the beautiful La Boquilla even more ascetically pleasing, while at the same time motivating Boquilleros to begin taking better care of the environment.  The grant is going to help create a bring native flowering trees back to the area.  We got a plot of land donated and there we will be raising the two species of trees.  When mature, these trees will be relocated around town. To go along with the reforestation of La Boquilla environmentally/culturally based murals are currently being painted around town and education al workshops will commence in the near future. 

Students working on one of the environmentally themed murals

Needing a break from the grant writing, I spent three days in Barranquilla helping other volunteers with a sports camp for middle schoolers; The camp was a huge success.  I helped out wherever I was needed and lead a few sessions myself.  I even got to take to the diamond and worked with surprisingly talented youngsters hone in on their baseball skills.     

Happy campers

After the camp a few PCVs and I headed to the countries capital and enjoyed a nice few days in a much milder climate.  Contrary to the beliefs of many costeños, Bogota was GREAT.  The people were really friendly, the city was beautiful, and most importantly the weather was in the 60s!  So for the first time in a LONG time I was wearing jeans and a long sleeve shirts and was walking without breaking a sweat! 

View of the big city atop Monserrate

Getting back from vacation, the festivities continued as a bunch of PCVs and staff members meet in Barranquilla to celebrate the 4th of July.  We did this is style with a softball game and a BBQ complete with hotdogs, hamburgers, watermelon, and an assortment of desserts.  By the end of the BBQ and countless hotdogs and watermelon slices, I could barley stand up to go grab a celebratory beer.

Next up two PCVs and I are going to be putting together a three day photography camp at my site. We will then move to another site for three more days of camp.  I promise to post more frequently in the coming month.  Enjoy the AC for those of us who don’t have it!