The Start of my Giving Back Project

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This week marked the beginning of my Giving Back project here in Chile. It started on Monday morning at 8.30 AM. I should mention that my early- rising, have-the-whole-day-ahead-of-me self has transformed a bit here, i.e. the Chilean lifestyle (the day starting at 11) has affected me more than Iโ€™d like to admit. So anyway this was a bit of a challenge. My eyes were heavy on the metro ride to meet the Volunteer coordinator but I was so absolutely ready to add this next dimension of my life here in Chile.

 I should mention that ESL education is one of my biggest interests and one that is an important part of my work in the states along with what I intend to pursue in my post graduate studies. That being said, continuing that work here in a completely different context from the type of work I know, was something absolutely exhilarating and important for me to do.

 The coordinator and I walked a few blocks from our meeting spot, rode an ascensor, and then after a few more uphill turns until we finally made it to the building. This is a technical school comprised of mostly male youth that prepares them for the construction field. Additionally, itโ€™s one that, I was told, has many students with recuperating families and that support is seldom at home. I would say that this school mirrors that of an inner-city public school in the states.

 When I walked in I was exhilarated to be back in a school again, it was so nice to be discussing schedules and expectations and students and what I could do for them. We locked down a schedule and I was back the next day (early again) at 8.15, the start of the school day, and then again on Wednesday.

Essentially I am helping the English teacher conduct lessons, grade papers, offer tutoring to the students, and of course serve as the native speaker aid. I have been in a lot of schools and have dealt with youth of all different background for the past five years butโ€ฆthis was the hardest. I will say that my blonde hair, light skin, and blue eyes stand on the Chilean streets. This held even truer in a class with about twenty 16-year-old boys commentingโ€ฆprofusely on all of the above. Additionally, I was confronted with about 7 whistles when walking from the entrance across the terrace to the classroom. So, this was difficult.

In honestly they didnโ€™t care about English and they definitely did not have the patience to hear me try to explain it in my shaky, nervous, and slow Spanish. I was intimidated and felt pretty low by the end of the first day. Wednesday was a bit better, understandably, because I as well as them had a better idea of what to expect. 

Nonetheless, this is presenting itself as a challenge. I am driven to work with the teacher to improve these archaic lessons, to make them more interactive and better practice. Additionally, I look forward to being trusted by my new class so they can see me for who I am rather than a foreign-looking, funny Spanish speaker. Once they see that I am here to learn from them, that I am a friend, and a very passionate language mentor, things will be better. Soon enough.