Showing posts with label Visit July 09. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Visit July 09. Show all posts
Community Center #4 - Dentist Office
I'm not posting video #3 because it contains nothing of real interest.
This clip shows the very clean and well-equipped dental office at Paola's Community Center!
July Visit, Part 23 - Getting Home
Hi, to all Paola's sponsors!
It is now almost the one year anniversary of my visit to see Paola in Guadalajara. I think it's time for me to conclude the story, right? Let's see what I can remember ...
On Wednesday morning, Mike and I got up before the sun rose and trotted across the street to the bus stop. It was raining hard, as we waited for the bus with Aeropuerto written across the front. There was an attractive young woman waiting there as well, under an umbrella. She got fed up and hailed herself a taxi. To us, she said, "Would you like to ride along, since I'm going to the airport, anyway?"
THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA! When traveling, you should never accept taxi-sharing offers from strangers, because it could easily be a set-up for robbery or (when attractive young women are involved) seduction followed by a shakedown from a pimp.
Mike and I gratefully joined the girl, because:
a. We obviously had nothing worth stealing.
b. The girl was unlikely to put any backseat moves on Mike with me as a witness.
We had a pleasant and uneventful ride to the airport, then pitched in a little for the cab fare. First, we headed to my Delta departure gate. You may remember that I was flying on stand-by, and I already knew the low likelihood of making it onto the flight. Sure enough, I didn't.
A Delta attendant instructed me to visit the ticketing desk downstairs for a re-issue, but first I escorted my husband to his departure gate for his 7:30 flight. I kissed him good-bye, and promised to meet up with him again some day in the future.
I went to the ticketing gate with the understanding that I must wait until the early morning flight the NEXT day before I stood a chance of getting home. Surprisingly, the employee there instructed me to come back at 2pm, because there was another Delta departure that afternoon, which only operated on Wednesdays. OK, cool.
In the meantime, I took a bus back into the city (the cheap 5 peso bus). The sun had come out and the day was beautiful!!!! I got off by our old hotel, and went inside to warn them (in broken Spanish) that I may be returning to stay another night if the 2pm flight didn't work out.
One thing I hadn't gotten a chance to do was visit a Pizza Hut and take a photo for my collection. My only problem was not knowing the location of the nearest HUT ... but I knew someone who WOULD know. The day before in Wal-Mart, I had gone up to the photo counter and tried to stammer out something in Spanish to indicate that I'd like to purchase an SD card for my digital camera. The kid behind the counter gave me a puzzled look and asked, in perfect English, "Are you saying you would like to buy a memory card?" I headed down the block to the store with hope that this young man would working again, as he was the right age to like Pizza Hut + he could explain to me how to find one.
Soon, I was on a bus holding a piece of paper with my stop jotted down on it. There was the Pizza Hut, right on the corner like the kid said it would be. The restaurant wasn't open yet, but I set my camera's timer and posed in front for a few photos. I also snapped a few through the glass windows because I thought it was funny how they parked the delivery motorcycles between the tables at night. I think that was what made the guard outside the bank next door suspicious. He said something into his radio, and soon a police car cruised into the parking lot. The cop watched me for a few minutes, then shrugged and drove off.
I had more time to kill, so I tried to back to the touristy cathedral area. I got really lost and frustrated, but finally made it there. For what purpose, I'm not sure. Eventually, I walked back to the hotel where they had allowed me to leave my bag. I shared the fresh pineapple I had purchased with the receptionist.
Back to the airport. I got some nice photos of the slums outside the city through the bus window.
The mysterious Delta flight was practically empty, so I had no problem getting a seat. In fact, I had a whole bank of seats to stretch out across! This plane dumped me off in Salt Lake City, Utah. Now, I had to wait and see if I could secure space on the 6pm flight to Seattle. I began chatting with a pilot's wife who was also a stand-by passenger headed for Seattle. She had been waiting ALL DAY, but flight after flight had been too full. It looked like I might be spending the night in Utah instead of the cheaper Mexico!
Lucky for me and my new friend, all of the other stand-by passengers in line ahead of us decided to give up and go home. We both got on the plane!
I arrived in Seattle about 30 minutes ahead of Mike. He had a long layover in Mexico City (yes, I know that doesn't make geographical sense), then he had to change planes again in Los Angeles. At least he was flying First Class!
Since I was already inside SEA-TAC airport and past security, I was able to meet my husband right at his gate. "What took you so long?" I asked. Mike was totally shocked to see me, and so was my father, who thought he was only picking up one person!
All in all, it was a fun and successful trip. 
Visit, July 2009 – Tuesday Touring
Whenever I visit Mexico, I always seem to find myself at a Sandra Bullock movie. This trip was no exception.
Mike and I weren't sure what to do with ourselves on Tuesday. I had planned to go clothes shopping for Paola (after having a chance to eyeball her size), but after learning that the CI office was not accessible to drop off the packages, that idea had to be nixed.
We decided to kill the day on one of those hop-on-hop-off bus tours, which we were able to catch near the Cathedral. After examining the brochure, I saw that they offered both a Red Line and a Blue Line tour, and I was only interested in taking the longer "red" one. As Mike and I purchased our passes, we were issued red wrist bands. "Good," I thought, "we were automatically assigned to the Red tour." People were loading themselves onto a waiting bus, so we followed suite, finding seats on the open upper deck. As the tour commenced, I tried to follow along with the map in the brochure as my guide. I was confused and lost … but all became clear once I realized that we were on the BLUE tour. Whoops. The color of everybody's wrist bands was just a coincidence – the random color of the day.
After a bored and restless two hours on the Blue Line, we looped back around to the Cathedral where we were able to switch to the Red. There was a certain stop I wanted to get off at, because I knew that some geocaches were located in that area. Unfortunately, the place (Sunshine Plaza, I think it was) didn't come until near the end of the tour.
Midway through the tour, the bus stopped and the driver told us he would be taking a 15 minute break before we continued. Mike and I ducked into a mini-grocery store to buy drinks … and that is where my husband saw the sunglasses rack from Hell.
It was bright outside, so Mike wanted to shade his eyes. So, in typical obsessive-compulsive fashion, he began trying on different pairs of glasses. When he finally settled on which he liked best, he started to fret over the price and couldn't decide if the shades were really worth the investment. Of course, by the time we left the store (with the glasses) our bus was long gone.
Rather than wait 45 minutes for the next one, Mike and I walked a few blocks down to a shopping mall with a movie theater inside. The next feature showing in English happened to be "The Proposal" … starring Sandra Bullock … again. It actually wasn't so bad, as far as romantic comedies go. The theater was pretty dark, though, and Mike's sunglasses weren't all that necessary.
Eventually, we got back onto the tour bus and found both the geocaches. We also took a bunch of photos with Stanley, my traveling stuffed monkey – including one outside of the Guadalajara Zoo. I didn't want to bring him out in front of Paola and her sisters, because it's not nice to play with toys in front of children unless you're willing to give them the toys to keep.
In the continuing saga of Mike's sunglasses …
First, he forgot that he even had them.
When he found them in his backpack, one of the lenses had popped out.
As soon as he got the lens re-affixed, the sun vanished and it began to rain.
Finally, the glasses fell from where he'd hooked them to his belt, and were never seen again.
After the bus tour finished, we proceeded to … to … I don't know. That's the problem with writing blog posts eight months after the actual event - I forget stuff.
The Tour Bus
"La Propuesta"
Stanley at the Zoo
Storm Sets in Over the 'Other' Cathedral
July Visit, Part 21 - Leaving Zoo/Marcela Blows Me Off
July Visit, Part 21 - Leaving Zoo/Marcela Blows Me Off
After the CIA presentation, we hurried to the zoo exit. There was a restaurant right there, so I offered to buy a late lunch for everybody. I hoped that Rosa would be hungry enough to "take the bait", but she said it was essential that she go straight home.
On second thought, Rosa was probably right to be in such a hurry. Now, I'm no expert on babies, but I'm pretty sure that when you take one out for the day you're s'posed to bring a diaper bag along. Rosa had nothing of the sort for Maria. I didn't smell anything, so I guess all was good.
During the truck ride back, everyone fell asleep (me included, briefly) except for Fernando (who was driving) and Tomasa.
Back at Paola's house, the good-bye hugs were a bit hurried. Rosa and the family needed to do something with bricks, and I'm sure Paola was ready for a nap!
I suppose to be fair, it was nearly 4pm by this time, but I felt like our day had been cut short and there was still time for more to happen. I suggested that we go somewhere and buy a take-out meal to bring back to the family. I felt guilty about not feeding them.
Marcela wasn't keen on that idea, so I didn't even ask about doing some clothes shopping for the girls at the open market outside the community center (I'll post pics of that in the next entry - I forgot them here). Of course, Marcela and the other staff still had to drive Mike and I to our hostel, then go all the way back to the main office. I don't think I knew at that time how far away the place was from us.
I had another full day left in Guadalajara, so I was hoping to work out a way to do something else CI-related. On the top of my list was a visit to Heather and/or Barbara's boys, Brayan and Miguel ... but Marcela said that would be impossible. Next, I thought maybe I could do a bit more shopping for Paola's family, then bring the gifts to the main office (like we had done in Honduras). Marcela gave me a card with the address on it - so I could MAIL gifts. She said the office was too far away for me to travel there by myself. She sort of implied that she was done with me, until my next visit to Mexico, lol.
So, Mike and I carried the gifts for Miguel and Brayan downstairs to the truck, we all hugged good-bye, and the day was over. After the CI staff left, Mike and I walked to downtown Guadalajara and ate our only restaurant meal of the trip - Chinese buffet food!
On second thought, Rosa was probably right to be in such a hurry. Now, I'm no expert on babies, but I'm pretty sure that when you take one out for the day you're s'posed to bring a diaper bag along. Rosa had nothing of the sort for Maria. I didn't smell anything, so I guess all was good.
During the truck ride back, everyone fell asleep (me included, briefly) except for Fernando (who was driving) and Tomasa.
Back at Paola's house, the good-bye hugs were a bit hurried. Rosa and the family needed to do something with bricks, and I'm sure Paola was ready for a nap!
I suppose to be fair, it was nearly 4pm by this time, but I felt like our day had been cut short and there was still time for more to happen. I suggested that we go somewhere and buy a take-out meal to bring back to the family. I felt guilty about not feeding them.
Marcela wasn't keen on that idea, so I didn't even ask about doing some clothes shopping for the girls at the open market outside the community center (I'll post pics of that in the next entry - I forgot them here). Of course, Marcela and the other staff still had to drive Mike and I to our hostel, then go all the way back to the main office. I don't think I knew at that time how far away the place was from us.
I had another full day left in Guadalajara, so I was hoping to work out a way to do something else CI-related. On the top of my list was a visit to Heather and/or Barbara's boys, Brayan and Miguel ... but Marcela said that would be impossible. Next, I thought maybe I could do a bit more shopping for Paola's family, then bring the gifts to the main office (like we had done in Honduras). Marcela gave me a card with the address on it - so I could MAIL gifts. She said the office was too far away for me to travel there by myself. She sort of implied that she was done with me, until my next visit to Mexico, lol.
So, Mike and I carried the gifts for Miguel and Brayan downstairs to the truck, we all hugged good-bye, and the day was over. After the CI staff left, Mike and I walked to downtown Guadalajara and ate our only restaurant meal of the trip - Chinese buffet food!
The parts of the zoo we saw are circled in black. As you can see, there is plenty of zoo left for the next sponsor who visits!
Posing in front of the fountain outside of the zoo.
Marie and Paola fall asleep in the truck
July Visit, Part 20 - The Aquario Photo
July Visit, Part 20 - The Aquario Photo
I should have written this part sooner, but the photo was lost in our messy house!
I should have written this part sooner, but the photo was lost in our messy house!
The aquarium had one of those blue screen photography stations where they will super-impose your group into an underwater scene, so I thought that would make a fun souvenir. The camera was mounted up on the ceiling, and I don't think Paola understood what was going on. In the picture, I'm asking the photographer to wait for a second so I could point the camera out to the little girls (obviously, she didn't wait). The end result is cool, however, because Paola looks a little confused and apprehensive as if she actually IS at the bottom of the ocean, surrounded by sharks.
Paola thought the photo was just great, as you can tell by her happy face when Marcela shows it to her below. I had a copy made for her mother to keep, of course, and the extended family got a laugh from it back at the casa.
CIA Bingo Videos
Paola has won ... can anyone understand what the lady is saying about the prize card?
CIA Bird Dance Video
This video illustrates how Tomasa and Paola didn't really "get" what was going on, and didn't know how to participate unless they were directly assisted. After I shut off the camera, I went over and helped Paola do the dance.
CIA Videos
Above: I think Tomasa was too heavy for the demonstration, so the lady used Paola instead.
In the next vid, the man who gets on the iceberg with Paola is Fernando, the CI driver:
July Visit, Part 19 - CIA Interactive "Show"
July Visit, Part 19 - CIA Interactive "Show"
At 2pm, we crossed a suspension bridge and entered a colorful building to see a "show". I assumed that this would be some sort of an educational live animal show, presented in incomprehensible Spanish. Instead, it was an educational activity area, guided by a host who spoke incomprehensible (to me) Spanish. The attraction was called "CIA - Central de Investigacion Animal".
First, we stood in an entry foyer and watched an introductory movie on large wall screen. Anyone who has visited a Disney park or Universal Studios should be familiar with this concept.
Further inside, a woman took our group of kids from one learning station to the next, teaching them about animals through hands-on activities. The adults stood around the outskirts taking photos. I had no idea what was going on, really, but maybe some of you Spanish speakers can shed some light on the matter after seeing my videos.
What I was paying attention to was the differences between our girls and the other kids in the group. Besides the fact that the others were clean and polished for a day out at the zoo, it was obvious that the other children attended school and understood how education is supposed to "work". They followed instructions and enthusiastically engaged in activities. When the lady asked a question, hands shot up and answers were shouted in response. In such an unfamiliar environment, Tomasa and Paola were completely out of their element and had a difficult time keeping up with their peers. Luckily, the hostess was good at her job and made sure to include our girls by coaxing them into the action. Tomasa soon shed her shyness and awkwardly participated in the activities, but Paola remained bewildered and reluctant throughout the entirety of the "show".
At the the very end, our confused 4-year-old brought unwanted attention upon herself by winning the game of animal bingo. She was rewarded for her victory with a credit card-type thing that was supposed to be exchanged for a prize? I asked Marcela, who told me that the card was meant to be inserted into a special ATM machine. Where and/or how??? As far as I know, Paola still has the card.
First, we stood in an entry foyer and watched an introductory movie on large wall screen. Anyone who has visited a Disney park or Universal Studios should be familiar with this concept.
Further inside, a woman took our group of kids from one learning station to the next, teaching them about animals through hands-on activities. The adults stood around the outskirts taking photos. I had no idea what was going on, really, but maybe some of you Spanish speakers can shed some light on the matter after seeing my videos.
What I was paying attention to was the differences between our girls and the other kids in the group. Besides the fact that the others were clean and polished for a day out at the zoo, it was obvious that the other children attended school and understood how education is supposed to "work". They followed instructions and enthusiastically engaged in activities. When the lady asked a question, hands shot up and answers were shouted in response. In such an unfamiliar environment, Tomasa and Paola were completely out of their element and had a difficult time keeping up with their peers. Luckily, the hostess was good at her job and made sure to include our girls by coaxing them into the action. Tomasa soon shed her shyness and awkwardly participated in the activities, but Paola remained bewildered and reluctant throughout the entirety of the "show".
At the the very end, our confused 4-year-old brought unwanted attention upon herself by winning the game of animal bingo. She was rewarded for her victory with a credit card-type thing that was supposed to be exchanged for a prize? I asked Marcela, who told me that the card was meant to be inserted into a special ATM machine. Where and/or how??? As far as I know, Paola still has the card.
Tomasa pretends to be a bird - I never quite understood why
This picture is blurry, but I love the happy look on Paola's face
(note Rosa breastfeeding Maria in the background)
Paola with her prize for winning animal bingo
July Visit, Part 18 - Refreshment Break
July Visit, Part 18 - Refreshment Break
It was nearly 2pm when we exited the aquarium. I was grateful to Marcela for not taking Rosa's desire to be home early too seriously. Rosa had no way of telling the time, so Marcela must have decided that it would be good enough to let her know when it was actually 2:00, rather than have us leave at 1:15 so we could make it back to the home by that time. I wasn't about to complain!
Fortunately, Rosa had succumbed to the zoo's lure, and she agreed that we could stay long enough to see an hourly "show" that we had missed earlier in the day. We had 15 minutes before the next show time, so I asked if anybody wanted a fruity ice drink from a nearby refreshment stand. I bought drinks for Paola's family, but the CI staff all declined the offer - I'm not sure why, since sponsors are (naturally) expected to feed the reps who assist them with their visit. Maybe Marcela, Fernando, and Elsa knew that the beverages would be sickeningly sweet. I sure couldn't drink mine!
Here is something interesting to note about Paola and Tomasa: They never asked for ANYTHING. Many of the zoo attractions forced us to exit through a gift shop, and I always expected the girls to be drawn to the toys and stuffed animals ... but they didn't touch, beg for, or even LOOK at the merchandise. I don't know how long it had been since they'd last had a meal, but the kids showed no interest in the food or ice cream stands that we passed - until I offered, that is. The family definitely enjoyed their super-sweet fruit drinks.
Later, on the way out of the zoo - and past more gift shops - I asked Marcela if we shouldn't buy something for each of the girls. She told me it wasn't necessary, as we had already done so much for them. Since the kids weren't asking for anything (unlike every other child I've ever known), I took Marcela's advice and saved my money. Tomasa and Paola need to learn that the squeaky wheel gets the grease!
Fortunately, Rosa had succumbed to the zoo's lure, and she agreed that we could stay long enough to see an hourly "show" that we had missed earlier in the day. We had 15 minutes before the next show time, so I asked if anybody wanted a fruity ice drink from a nearby refreshment stand. I bought drinks for Paola's family, but the CI staff all declined the offer - I'm not sure why, since sponsors are (naturally) expected to feed the reps who assist them with their visit. Maybe Marcela, Fernando, and Elsa knew that the beverages would be sickeningly sweet. I sure couldn't drink mine!
Here is something interesting to note about Paola and Tomasa: They never asked for ANYTHING. Many of the zoo attractions forced us to exit through a gift shop, and I always expected the girls to be drawn to the toys and stuffed animals ... but they didn't touch, beg for, or even LOOK at the merchandise. I don't know how long it had been since they'd last had a meal, but the kids showed no interest in the food or ice cream stands that we passed - until I offered, that is. The family definitely enjoyed their super-sweet fruit drinks.
Later, on the way out of the zoo - and past more gift shops - I asked Marcela if we shouldn't buy something for each of the girls. She told me it wasn't necessary, as we had already done so much for them. Since the kids weren't asking for anything (unlike every other child I've ever known), I took Marcela's advice and saved my money. Tomasa and Paola need to learn that the squeaky wheel gets the grease!
July Visit, Part 17 - The Aquarium
July Visit, Part 17 - The Aquarium
After checking out the kangaroos, our group stumbled upon the entrance to the "Aquario". We had the appropriate tickets, so we were granted admission.
I wasn't particularly excited about the aquarium myself, but after seeing how delighted Paola seemed while watching the fish, I was glad we were able to go in. First, we spent some time at the stingray petting tanks outside, then we saw all the fish housed in the building. The family was particularly impressed by the diver feeding the fish from inside the tank. I asked Marcela to explain to them that I am also a diver, and that I once dove in the shark tank at the Singapore aquarium. Judging by her fascination level, I think that Paola liked the sharks better than the smaller, more colorful fish.
I wasn't particularly excited about the aquarium myself, but after seeing how delighted Paola seemed while watching the fish, I was glad we were able to go in. First, we spent some time at the stingray petting tanks outside, then we saw all the fish housed in the building. The family was particularly impressed by the diver feeding the fish from inside the tank. I asked Marcela to explain to them that I am also a diver, and that I once dove in the shark tank at the Singapore aquarium. Judging by her fascination level, I think that Paola liked the sharks better than the smaller, more colorful fish.
Seeing the stingraysA Letter from Mexico!
I still haven't finished the report from my trip, but today I received our first letter from Paola's camp (+ many, many photos!!!), so I thought I'd share it immediately.
The translation reads:
Dear Mckenzie and Michael,
The little girl Paola and her mother Rosa want to tell you that they were very happy for your visit and they thank you very much for the attention for Paola and for visiting her. Rosa says that Paola loved how you took them to the zoo and they loved it. They also thank you for your kindness and courtesy for them on your visit. They say God bless you and may He pay you for everything you have done for Paola. Thank you for everything.
I wrote this letter on behalf of the family. Sincerely, Araceli (field officer)
Mack's note: I wish the letter would have included thanks for all the sponsors - not just me and my husband. I don't think the family quite understands the 13 sponsors concept, but they will figure it out with time!
July Visit, Part 16 - Seeing the Animals
July Visit, Part 16 - Seeing the Animals
Although I loved zoos as a kid, I'm not so fond of them now that I'm involved with animal activism. Still, I can't resist the lure of taking a wide-eyed child to see the animals live and up close. Zoos like the one in Guadalajara (which was no way near as bad as the one I used to visit in Pakistan) are especially bittersweet, because they have less money for good habitats, but that must be weighed against the fact that the kids of that country have so much less opportunity than others to view and learn about wildlife. Ideally, children ought to be taken on safari to see live, wild animals in their natural environment ... but kids like Paola will probably NEVER have such an opportunity. She may not even get to watch Animal Planet on Mexican TV.
Rosa confirmed that Paola had never seen live animals before (other than the domestic ones at her house). She seemed as excited as any 4-year-old would be, but I couldn't tell if she was MORE excited than normal since kids her age maintain a fairly high level of enthusiasm just as a general rule.
Rosa confirmed that Paola had never seen live animals before (other than the domestic ones at her house). She seemed as excited as any 4-year-old would be, but I couldn't tell if she was MORE excited than normal since kids her age maintain a fairly high level of enthusiasm just as a general rule.
After entering the zoo, the first thing we saw was a hippopotamus ... a plastic, ride-able one, perfect for a photo op. The hippo was hotter than Hades, so I stretched my legs out for the girls to straddle so they wouldn't get burned.
Next, we saw flamingos, the REAL hippos, the restroom, a monkey island, and the kangaroo pen. That's it, animal-wise, which leaves plenty of the zoo left for Paola to see when the next sponsor visits her!
Miguel and Barbara - same hippo, different location
Real, live hippos
Watching the monkeysJuly Visit, Part 14 - Off to the Zoo!
July Visit, Part 14 - Off to the Zoo!
As we were wrapping up our home visit and preparing to head for the zoo, Mike and I received some startling news: Rosa told Marcela that she needed to be back home by 2pm! It was already 11am, and it would take nearly an hour to get to Zoologica Guadalahara, so we hurried everyone into the truck.
Since the three English-speaking CI reps were riding in the bed of the truck, Mike and I were on our own when it came to communication during the long drive. Mike sat in the front next to Fernando, and I was in the short back seat next to Rosa, Maria, Tomasa, and their 14-year-old cousin, who was also coming along with us. Paola sat on my lap.
We dropped Alfredo back at the community center, then sped off to the zoo. On the way in, I had asked Marcela if she wasn't getting tired of seeing the zoo, as that was probably where most sponsors wanted to take their kids. She told me that she had only been on two zoo trips before ours - one accompanied by Paola's 13th sponsor, Barbara, who she remembered well and spoke highly of.
When we arrived at the park, I read the signs and learned that there were several different attraction packages available. The tickets we had purchased at the previous day's expo were for a combination of the zoo + the aquarium - but did not include the safari ride, which disappointed me. However, considering we would have only slightly over an hour to tour the place, not going on the safari was okay.
At the gate, I was three adult tickets short, as I had not been expecting Elsa, Fernando, or Akela. I didn't mind paying for everyone, except it was a shame that we would be inside the zoo for such a short time on our full-price tickets!
Since the three English-speaking CI reps were riding in the bed of the truck, Mike and I were on our own when it came to communication during the long drive. Mike sat in the front next to Fernando, and I was in the short back seat next to Rosa, Maria, Tomasa, and their 14-year-old cousin, who was also coming along with us. Paola sat on my lap.
We dropped Alfredo back at the community center, then sped off to the zoo. On the way in, I had asked Marcela if she wasn't getting tired of seeing the zoo, as that was probably where most sponsors wanted to take their kids. She told me that she had only been on two zoo trips before ours - one accompanied by Paola's 13th sponsor, Barbara, who she remembered well and spoke highly of.
When we arrived at the park, I read the signs and learned that there were several different attraction packages available. The tickets we had purchased at the previous day's expo were for a combination of the zoo + the aquarium - but did not include the safari ride, which disappointed me. However, considering we would have only slightly over an hour to tour the place, not going on the safari was okay.
At the gate, I was three adult tickets short, as I had not been expecting Elsa, Fernando, or Akela. I didn't mind paying for everyone, except it was a shame that we would be inside the zoo for such a short time on our full-price tickets!
Crammed into the back seat of the truck
Entering the Zoo
Paola gives her entrance ticketJumping to the Point! What Can We Do For Paola?
Jumping to the Point! What Can We Do For Paola?
Since I'm so slow about making these blog posts, I guess I'll skip straight to the important stuff - ideas on how our group can help Paola and her family:
I asked, of course, what they needed most, but didn't really get an answer. So, here are my thoughts ....
STARTING POINT:
I would first recommend that we do a simple $125 fundraiser and designate that the money be spent on (at least) 2 sets of drawers. Right now, the family's clothes, etc. are piled in heaps along the walls. Once cleared of clutter, these spaces could be occupied by dressers or other better forms of storage.
Also, I believe that Paola's 6-year-old sis, Tomasa, is still in need of a sponsor. Marcela thought so, but wasn't entirely sure. She said she'd let me know (but not HOW she would let me know!), but no word yet. I looked, and did not see Tomasa 'advertised' on CI's site - but that does not necessarily mean she's been sponsored. A call could be made to CI to find out for sure.
I'd hate to see Tomasa not getting the same medical care, schooling, and other advantages that her sister enjoys. We should be on the look-out for a sponsor; ideally one not already in our group so we can get some new blood (and by that I mean "money") onboard.
Tomasa, age 6
THE HOUSE:
By local standards, I'd say Paola's house is quite adequate. It's made of bricks, dry, and sturdier than most I've seen when traveling. Maybe something could be done about the flies buzzing around? My only worry would be the health risk to the children if any sort of pesticides were used. Also, the interior is dark. A project to install light fixtures is a possibility (which would attract more bugs!), or the same effect might be accomplished by adding a plug-in lamp to the dresser request.
One issue with the house (as explained by an uncle, or someone like that) is how their courtyard area floods whenever it rains. I asked Marcela, "What can be done about this?" and she replied, "Oh, nothing can be done." I don't think that's true ... ditches, drains, sandbags, SOMETHING ought to fix the problem! We could ask for a field worker to do an assessment; I think things like home repairs just aren't Marcela's area of expertise.
Installing indoor plumbing is a possible - but expensive - project.
AN IGP:
I don't think we would get anywhere with this idea. I learned that Rosa's job is making bricks with the other adult members of the family 6 days a week. Since they all live together as a community, I imagine her reported income is simply a "guesstimate" of her family's share of the profits.
I asked if there was a way to help the family's brick-making trade be more profitable, but Marcela said, "Not really." Making bricks is making bricks, and there isn't any equipment to help things along.
Even if we could think of a career path that would generate more money for Rosa, I doubt that she would be interested. Her family would be reluctant to lose her, I'm thinking, and she probably wouldn't want to leave them short-handed of brick makers. Also, since the brick business is located just across the dirt road from their house, Rosa does not need to worry about childcare. I suppose the kids just play in the brick dust all day (until they reach school age?)
Bricks drying in the sun
The brick firing ovens down the road. Paola's family makes the bricks in molds, the neighbors do the firing.July 09 Visit, Part 11 - Dozens of Cousins
July 09 Visit, Part 11 - Dozens of Cousins
As I mentioned earlier, Paola lives alongside a large number of extended family members, many of them other children. All of the other kids hanging around were dirty, too, with one exception. 14-year-old Akela was nicely dressed and well groomed, probably because she is old enough to care about her personal appearance and to do something about it herself.
I wish there had been time to be introduced to each person in attendance, and to find out how everybody was related (or not) to Paola. It's possible that some of the people pictured are merely friends and neighbors, but they all acted as though they "belonged".
Mack's Regret #3 - I wish I'd anticipated how many random children would be running around, and had thought to bring some sort of treat to pass out to everybody. I did that in Honduras, so I should have remembered and been prepared to do it again.
I suggested to Marcela that next time we could make plans to take ALL the kids to the zoo, but she got a pained look on her face and shook her head.
