La Escuela

Our project is located in the mountainous pueblo of Santa Maria de Jesus, very near Volcan Agua. It is a 20-30 minute drive from Antigua, and everyday I force myself not to puke as our private shuttle (which is a beat-up 15 passenger van) winds up the steep switch-back roads. 8,000 people live in Santa Maria, which at first seems completely impossible based on the visual size of the town. Yet many people live in the outskirts making a living off their land; and then I also remember how many kids and people live in each house. (Hint: it´s a lot.)

We rent the land of our school from a family and there is always the sound of patted tortillas and the mother is constantly weaving the in the background of our recess breaks. Our rent is the family´s main source of income, which I suppose makes the constant screams of young children more bearable for them. Pet chickens run around the yard, and freshly laundered clothes are usually hanging up to dry.



Public school is free in Guatemala for all children. Yet if a child shows up to school on the first day without the appropriate school clothes and supplies, the child is turned away. When the families have many children, new clothes and school materials are an impossible fortune to come up with. Our project then, is not to take the children out of the public school system, but simply to supplement their education and aid in their ability to afford the schools. If the students attend our school with excellent attendence, we give them a yearly scholarship to buy the materials they need for their public education, and a little extra to their families for food. We have different students in the morning and afternoon, with the understanding that when they are not at our school they are in class at their public school.



Because anyone who can pay for their materials and their gray shirt with the word Escuela printed on it can attend, the schools consequently are packed with a student to teacher ratio that would make anyone cringe. On average each class has 60 students for each teacher. And when the kids are 7-10 years old, public school is more of an animal control center than a place for quality education. We then also work to give our students some more one-on-one attention, in the hopes that we can help them pass their yearly exams and matriculate to the next grade. I teach first grade to kids ranging ages 7-12. Which is a true testament to the ability of the public school system here.



Yet, in a few cases the reason some of the older children are in lower grades is because they have never had the opportunity to go to school. Many children have spent their childhood working in the fields or working for their parents and family. Which is beyond heartbreaking.


But as my wise friend told me, some of the things you see will simply break your heart. But you must have your heart broken in order to give out more love.


As hard as the situation can be to face, the children are absolute beauties, and are some of the happiest people you could meet. They are always excited to be at school, and have the most gorgeous smiles possible.


I decided to try to read them a book on Wednesday and see if I would be able to hold their attention for the whole time. I pulled out Ricitos de Oro y Los Tres Osos (Goldilocks and the Three Bears) and their chairs all crept as close as possible. None of them had known the story before and the look of glee was amazing while also slightly sad. For I´m not sure if many of them have ever had a book read to them. (Another reason probably that reading is very difficult for many of them....) They squeeled when Ricitos de Oro broke the chair and clung to their friends hands when los tres osos came home. After caving to their cries of Otra Vez! and giving an encore of my steller bear growls, I asked them to recall what happened in the story. They all were able to, to a T. Then they had to draw the picture. My day was complete when one of my girls drew eyelashes on Mamá Oso.




This Friday we celebrated all January birthdays. The birthday kids sat in the front of the class and each child in turn had to line up and give every birthday bird a hug and kiss on the cheek. They then got their presents; with the most humble and hidden smiles I have ever seen someone less than 50 give upon receiving a gift.


We then had piñatas, one for the little chicitins, and then one for the bigger kids. Followed by donuts and some amazing pineapple juice with pulp. Then we danced and laughed.





These kids are competely unafraid of life.