Posted in GTO on May 31, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Our friend here puts on an ironed shirt and pair of slacks each day and goes out to sell peanuts. He can’t hear well and he has to stop several times while making his way up an alley of steps. But he’s still contributing to his family’s income and has a friendly disposition.
Posted in Buen Pastor on May 30, 2010 | 1 Comment »
I’ve been tasked to provide a detailed list of the girls’ expenses at the Internado. So yesterday, I went to Buen Pastor and sat with all the madres to pin down costs. We discussed everything from the girls’ evening tea to their five pairs of uniform socks. For instance, the girls drink 9 liters of milk and eat 3 kilos of beans a day! It was actually very sweet putting together this list with them because stories would come out and it was interesting to see what they gave importance to (i.e. Madre Berta pointing out all the soap it takes to get those uniforms clean!). It really made clear all it takes to run a home for 30 happy girls.
Even more astonishing are the salaries. For instance, our dedicated social worker often arrives at 7am and has been leaving close to 10pm ever since Madre Lourdes fractured her fibula. She represents the girls at their school, meets with teachers, makes home visits on weekends, is a constant presence for the girls and does a little bit of everything. She is always moving. For her hard work, she only receives $6000 pesos a month, which is $465 USD. The government does not pay her in the summer, so she’s looking at a dry three months in front of her. There has to be a way to compensate her, and we’re hoping we find one soon. There is so much that goes into running a loving place for children, sheltering families, taking care of your elders, and running a school. When you think of this happening with just a handful of people on next to nothing, it’s incredible that Buen Pastor is still around doing great things.
In the end, if you add it all up, it costs $6.07 a day to feed, board, and nurture a girl with loving staff. Buen Pastor has been running for 105 years, caring for women and girls from all over Mexico. We’re hoping that with grants and people like the social worker, Buen Pastor can keep on truckin’ for another 105.
Posted in Buen Pastor on May 29, 2010 | 1 Comment »
We’re nearing an end with our Adobe Youth Voices project with the girls at Buen Pastor. Last Thursday, we reviewed what we had done and what we have left to do. We were ready to culminate all that we had learned together and to let the girls share their stories by putting together interviews, photography, video, and recordings in a DVD. This week, we needed to decide what story they would tell.
We divided the girls into two groups to discuss these questions:
The girls responses were playful at times, and thoughtful at others. For the most part, the girls enjoyed having two homes. They thought it gave them an advantage in that they met more people and learned how to take care of themselves. “The madres teach us everything so when we leave our families, we can take care of our own homes” said one girl. Surprisingly, some of the girls thought they had more freedom at Buen Pastor and were more restricted at home.
What’s great about being a girl, specifically, a teenage girl:
And not so great?
Admirably, many of the girls expressed an attitude of altruism when they grow up. They want to create shelters for people who have nothing, and make sure nobody goes without food. This was the most popular response. Other girls thought about their careers and being successful bread winners as adults. “Kind, thoughtful, honest, respectable” were characteristic that many aspired to.
The two groups joined again. We shared responses to get an idea of the story we wanted to tell. Then some of the girls went with Beca to record their thoughts using audio equipment, while Katie and I took the rest of the girls and instructed them to take photos of images that referenced their life at Buen Pastor and the discussion we had just had. After a bit, the girls swapped audio for photograph, and vice-versa. Finally, in the end, we all came back together and had a lot of fun with the audio equipement. Monica and Daneli thrilled us with their demonic voices and nobody can impersonate an Española better than Vanessa!
Posted in GTO on May 28, 2010 | 1 Comment »
I’ll be meeting two students later today who want to put together a summer curriculum for the kids in the shelter. They’re both committed to service. One of them just finished volunteering at an orphanage in Oaxaca. The other is getting ready to graduate in December with a degree in Spanish and Global Studies. I’m optimistic about what they’ll bring to Buen Pastor this summer.
Afterwards, I’ll head over to meet friends for a couple of cold ones before we all go see a modern dance show that’s supposed to be genius: The Masks of Lilith – Hyperbole of Memory. Yay for Fridays!
Posted in GTO on May 26, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Posted in GTO on May 25, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
The other night, I walked up Temezcuitate to the Panoramica and then home, like I always do. My legs were tired and I was with F who doesn’t charge up the hill, but takes a more measured pace as we subir. The room inside this window was so eerie, I stopped to take a photo. But all I got were the reflections from outside.
Posted in GTO on May 24, 2010 | 3 Comments »
F and I went to Cine Club last night to see The Lovely Bones. While we waited to go inside, we checked out some of the student art. PLOP made us laugh. I suppose inspiration is to be found everywhere.
Posted in GTO on May 23, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
These chairs are missing their spines and their cushions are frayed. But the wood is still good. They’re out on the sidewalk for some fresh air.
Posted in Buen Pastor on May 22, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
I thought this woman’s tshirt reflected her tenacity to endure against all odds. I feel so fortunate to be able to provide bodywork to the madres and women living in the shelter. I’ve learned a lot from them about mind & body connections. And they get to experience massage and reiki. We benefit from each other.
Posted in Buen Pastor on May 21, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Yesterday, I took a couple of girls downtown so they could make up yesterday’s essence project while Beca worked on part 2 with the rest of the class. This is Luz Elena. She never goes out without her mirror.
Posted in Buen Pastor on May 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
This week’s Adobe Youth Voices class was all about “essence”. We wanted the girls to capture each other’s personalities in a photograph. To do so, we first looked at some of the work of Olivia Malone and Holly Wilmeth to provide examples. What could we tell about the people in these photos? What words would describe their personalities? As each photo came up, the group offered up adjectives such as shy, fun, curious, rebellious, playful, mysterious and so on to describe the person in the photo.
Joyana interviewing Daneli
Next, we told the girls that they would interview a partner and then like Olivia and Holly, they would capture their partner’s essence based on what they had learned in the interview. They would be in charge of directing their model to illicit poses that highlighted their (the photographer’s) idea of her (the model). And then the girls would switch roles. Here’s a sample of our questions:
Sara directs Marla to look smart as she captures light in her eyes and the lines of shadow from her glasses.
Beca and Juanita randomly split the girls into teams of two. Armed with answers and cameras, the teams started directing, posing, and shooting. It was a lot of fun, and after 35 minutes of doing the assignment, it was difficult to reign the girls back inside. We saw girls posing in trees, smelling flowers, jumping down stairs, kneeling in front of the Virgincita, hugging a boy, sitting on a motorcycle, and then a moped, looking modelesque against a wall of chipped paint, balancing on a fountain, and hiding in shadows. These girls were pros at posing. Once or twice, we had to ask them not to do the gangster hand signs and also for photographers to direct their models. It was a great experience for everyone.
Today, we’ll be coming back together to display the best photos. Photographers will share how their photo illuminates their model’s essence.
Daneli being directed to pretend she's watching her boyfriend flirt with another girl.
Posted in SoCal on May 19, 2010 | 4 Comments »
Today is Marly’s birthday! I wish I was in L.A. (her new home) to spend it with her. She recently moved from Burlington, Vermont, to the Venice Beach area and is adjusting to life in Southern Cali (shouldn’t be too hard). See you in 15 days, Marly!
Posted in GTO on May 17, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
20 years ago today, the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from their list of mental illnesses. This week, Guanajuato celebrates the right to sexual diversity. Today, a group is meeting to promote tolerance in Plaza de la Paz. On Wednesday, an open talk about homophobia will take place at one of the High Schools. Movies are scheduled for the entire week with discussions to follow.
Mexico has a long way to go in terms of accepting same-sexed relationships, but I suppose you could say the same for all parts of the world. Groups like Colectivo Seres, the folks coordinating this effort, are essential in raising consciousness for human rights for all of us. When any group is deprived of their rights, we all pay the consequences.
Posted in SMA on May 13, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Posted in SMA on May 11, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Posted in SMA on May 10, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Spent a wonderful weekend in San Miguel catching up with friends and showing Beca my favorite places. We avoided the rain in Guanajuato by returning late last night.
Posted in GTO on May 8, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Heading out with Beca today to spend the weekend in San Miguel. I’ll be showing her my favorite places, seeing John and Sharon, and heading to Bovedas tonight to dance with F. It’s going to be a sundress and sunscreen Saturday! I leave you with some kissing frogs. *smooch*
Posted in Buen Pastor, GTO on May 7, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Our Cinco de Mayo fundraiser for the art programs at Buen Pastor was a huge success! Not only did we raise nearly $4000 pesos at Zilch, but we had a lot of fun doing so. Julie, Katie, and Beca spent an enormous amount of time preparing for the party and setting up activities throughout the venue. We had a Lucha Libre painting station where folks could pick a mask, dip it in paint, and apply it to the collage. Nearby, a friend photographed folks holding their 6 word biography (nod to Hemingway). There was music, poetry, interpretive dancing, and a raffle of fabulous gifts from the Guanajuato community. It was wonderful to witness a whole lot of camaraderie as a diverse cross section of people gathered in the name of art and to promote art education for twelve very special girls.
Thanks to everyone who contributed. We (he)art you!
Posted in GTO on May 5, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Gorgeous blooming cactus: pinks, oranges, and yellows on a backdrop of green, white, and tan.
Posted in GTO on May 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
When I used to return from Guanajuato, I would miss the noise here. It would take awhile to acclimate to quiet again. I like the noise. It’s fun to hear someone blasting ranchera or bolero as I make my way through the alleys. I love awaking to roosters crowing and the cacaphony of bird song.
So I thought our place up on the hill would be fine. When the wind howls, it passes through our three rooms like a freight train, shaking the windows and howling up our stairwell. I like this. The sounds of Guanajuato-music, traffic, and chimes-waft up the hill and settle in the hem of the mountain where we live. I often hear horses pass by, their hoofs like stiletto on the stone and dirt.
But I was completely unprepared for the sounds I heard the other night. Sometime past 2:00AM, I woke up to the sound of barking dogs. There were so many, a pack perhaps of 8 or 9. I thought they were barking outside my bedroom window, so I went to see what was happening, and there was nothing there. Then I went, half asleep, into the living room area and the sound of barking was so loud, it was as if they were right there, a pack of demonic ghost dogs, invisible, loud and angry. It must have been the combination of near-sleep, the dark, the way sound travels through our place, and so many dogs, that made them sound as if they were barking in my living room. It completely creeped me out, but I felt a thrill of frisson shoot through me at the same time.
