Learning outcomes: Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience, demonstrate engagement with issued of global significance,
Today was a great visit to Pamplona in San Juan de Miraflores. After several weeks of tracking all the members of the club down to receive their permission slips and money, as my role as president, the day finally arrived. When we arrived at our destination, we climbed to one of the highest points on the mountain. We spoke briefly to the surrounding people that are living in this area and then went quickly to work. I first went to a house located on the mountain to talk to the family living there and hopefully lighten their day. The woman was washing clothes when we first got there, using the little water she got from all the way to the bottom of the mountain for 5 soles. Along with her husband and 2 sons, they all live in what seems to be a 20x40 meter room with a small tv and little resources. This made me realize how important it was for us to be there and help people who are less fortunate than us. The first thing I noticed was that her son that was only 2 years old had no shoes. I promised the woman that next time we came, we'd come with shoes for her child. Shortly after this, I joined the human chain up the mountain that served for bringing up the cement from the bottom, where all the boys were working hard mixing dirt and water to make the cement. After almost an hour and a half of passing heavy buckets of cement my back was already hurting and I was sweating bullets but when it was over, I never felt better. The people living in the houses need those stairs to make their life at least a little easier, and I am glad I was part of making that happen. As president, I have to say it was a very successful visit and I look forward to meeting the same or even better expectations for the next one.
Bridges: 05.24.17
Learning outcomes: Demonstrate that challenges undertaken developing new skills in the process, demonstrate the skills and recognise the benefits of working collaborative.
Today was the last visit of Bridges this semester. Lately, many people have been having trouble volunteering for the club since their schedules are so busy on Saturdays. Therefore, to get people to come for this visit was truly a challenge. I had to constantly post things on the Facebook group, track people down in person and even getting a teacher was a bit of a challenge. Nevertheless, this challenge taught me dedication and perseverance because even at times where I was tempted to cancel the visit, I continued looking for people and followed through my duty. In the end, only 4 people showed up but the head of the organization, Alejo Molina, ended up bringing in about 30 people from other schools. While we were working in Pamplona Alta and spending time with the community, I realized that it's not the amount of people that help. rather the amount of effort you put into the work and truly trying to connect to the people of the community. In this visit, we had A LOT of work to do. Not only did we have to mix 3 bags of cement, where we usually only mix 1, but we also decided to take on more work by painting some houses and advance on a wall we were building. All the hard work really reminds you that you have to be working and being productive at all times, in order to achieve the goals. Within this hard work, your collaborative skills are extremely important. You have to be constantly communicating with your peers and because you're carrying heavy things at times, like rocks, a helping hand seems almost always necessary. While I was completing this collaborative work, I realized that such work brings so many benefits to my every day life. Not only do my communication skills improve but it will also benefit me in the future once I have to work with other people or have meetings with people I don't usually socialize with or particularly know. I am confident to say it was a successful visit that not only helped the club grow by raising awareness and
Bridges: 08.26.17
Learning outcomes: Identify own strengths and develop areas of growth, demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience, show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences, demonstrate engagement with issued of global significance, recognise and consider the ethics of choices and actions.
Today I felt I improved as Bridges president because I was able to become more efficient with my planning, and therefore, I was able to receive many more volunteers than we usually have. To plan a visit, I had to make sure the bus form was sent out and that I had all the permission slips of the new members of the club. Being Bridges president, it takes a lot of commitment because I have to be constantly foreseeing the operations of the club, therefore I have to show perseverance at all times, if I want things to run smoothly. Bridges provides stairs for the poor people of Pamplona Alta, so going there today and building stairs with the help of some of Pamplona's community members, made me reflect on how lucky I am to have access to drinking water and shelter and also only made me feel more determined to make a difference in these people's lives. Us going and helping them out not only shows compassion and generosity but it also gives them hope, which makes our actions that more effective and positive.