Figuring Out that Whole "Life" Thing
Man, March and April have gone by so fast! I have been working on so much! Work has been pretty busy with classes every week, Applications for work in the next year, faculty work out days, working on the website for the colegio and assisting in an interview with one of our displaced church members here in Apartadó.
In March, we celebrated many teacher’s, Carson’s, my host mom Yasmine’s and my birthdays. So we had a lot of cake. I had the opportunity to help lead a class with Profe Juan Camilo and the Sena program in Mutata where one of the students gifted me a bracelet made by someone from the indigenous group that lives in the area. And after all that we did in February, March felt like catch up and getting readjusted to normal schedules again. I was finally able to start on the mural on the walls of the colegio with some of my students from ninth and tenth grade! We also had a week of vacations in the week before Easter, Holy Week or Semana Santa. I used this time to visit Medellin again with Carson to observe the bi-annual Sínodo of the National Presbyterian Church of Colombia and visit our friend Duvier of course! I was also able to paint at the colegio and at my house during our time off. There was a service on the Friday before Easter Sunday and Easter was like any normal Sunday except they had a serve at 5 in the morning!
In the beginning of April I had the opportunity to travel with Reverend Diego, Doris (Director of the Colegio Americano de Apartadó), Herberto (Profe of Christian Education) and Carson to a Colegio two hours outside of Dabeiba and I steep 30 minute hike up a mountain to assist a social program called Dabeiba Viva. There were discussions about peace, dance performances and songs sung. I was also able to paint two small murals at the colegio with the help of the students and the other is a logo I designed for the Peace Commission of the Presbytery in Urabá. It was very powerful to see the parents, community and children all together dedicated to celebrating peace in a area that was heavily impacted by violence.
When we returned from Dabeiba, I accompanied Pastor Elkin and Señor Victor to the house of a member of our congregation who is displaced and is living in a house with wood plank walls, an aged metal roof, where the floor is dirt, four bedrooms and 17 people. We interviewed her about her life and displacement. Taking that footage, I created a video presentation for representatives in the United States who will raise funds to help better her living conditions.
This past Sunday I also got to witness the baptism of Matias, nephew of Yasmine and play in the soccer tournament between the churches of Urabá!
Figuring out the whole "life" next year has been something very prominent on my mind. I have applied for a few different payed internships but I am still looking. Trying to figure out what I am interested and find a place I can use the knowledge that I have gained during this amazing and challenging year as a YAV. We shall all have to wait and see!
-Hannah
Chicha de Maíz
This is a drink made from corn that is very common here during Holy Week or at weddings. Many people let it sit for a few days where it then becomes an alcoholic drink. We made ours without pineapple but this recipe has instructions that are much easier to follow for someone who doesn't have all of the utensils normally found in a Colombian kitchen. (https://www.mycolombianrecipes.com/chicha-de-maiz-corn-drink)
Ingredients: (6 servings)
1/2 pound of cooked dried corn (maiz peto)
The skins of 1 small ripe pineapple
1/2 pound of panela or to your taste (hard brown cane sugar)
2 cinnamon sticks
12 cups of water
Instructions:
1. Combine all the ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 60 minutes and then uncover the pot and continue cooking for 20 minutes more.
2. Remove from heat and let cool. Take about half of the corn and place in the blender or food processor. Return it to the pot and mix well. Place in a non-reactive container or a clay pot for a stronger flavor.
3. Put in the fridge until completely cold. You can drink it immediately or let sit overnight for a more intense flavor.
