Three Stitches. Two Armed Robberies. One Year Later.

To be adjusting to my life in the States–along with the chilly winter weather—seems surreal. Just last month, I lived under the squelching Caribbean sun, embracing the colorful Colombian culture and Spanish language.

In the comfort and safety of my own home, I reflect on the challenges of the past year and the strength that I gained in facing them.

Some difficult events made an impact on my experience, but I strived not to allow them to define the entire year. Completing my purpose in Barranquilla was essential, regardless of the moments when I wanted to quit.

Twice during the span of six months, I was robbed at gunpoint.

In January, just days after my initial arrival in Barranquilla, I rode the bus home from school at noon. When two armed robbers entered the bus from the back door, I failed to notice their presence. I was seated in the front of the bus and focused on learning my route. When I did not immediately respond to their demands, they hit me and took my backpack.

Nothing of value was stolen, but the thieves injured me. The gracious passengers of the bus helped escort me to the nearest clinic where I got three stitches in my hairline above my left eyebrow. 

As I sat in the clinic fighting the tears, I told the nurses and curious Colombians who were observing the situation that I wanted to be with my mom. They responded, "We're your mom right now." They bought me soup and cleaned my body of blood, sweat, and tears.

Following this occurrence, I carried my phone and cash tucked inside my shirt or waistband. I wore my house key tied to my wrist. I avoided carrying a bag at all measures. When I did carry a cheap, reusable grocery sack, nothing more than necessary was inside of it. I was quite prepared for the unlikely event of another incident, but a second robbery did happen in late July.

Two other Americans and I were standing outside the home of another volunteer. We had just returned from an evening at the movie theater and my friend was searching in her bag for her key. Two masked men on a motorcycle approached us, bearing a gun and demanding our bags.

As a result of what happened, I experienced times of extreme caution where I became overwhelmed or uneasy in new situations. Countless times did my heart race when I heard the quick-paced footsteps of a morning jogger behind me...or make eye contact with a man innocently crossing my path on a sidewalk.

Most Colombians have a story about the time that they (or a family member) were robbed. Oppositely, I know of many Americans who have lived in Colombia for years and nothing ever happened to them. I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

In spite on these incidents, my love for Colombia is profound. Nearly everyone I encountered projected a compassionate, lively spirit that captured my heart.

I would absolutely repeat the year. I would not change a single second of my experience. Each person and every moment played a unique role in this journey. Some moments increased my gratitude for the overall security of my life within the States.

I share these stories because I believe they are important. Many details were excluded for the sake of space, but I believe that everything happens for a reason and that now is the time for me to tell of these experiences (perhaps for the benefit of others, or simply the sake of myself).

After the second robbery, I bought a plane ticket home. I had talked to several family members and friends and decided to count my losses and return to the States. I packed my bags and spent the remainder of my Colombian pesos on street food and a soccer jersey. I spent the night before my flight at a pizzeria with other volunteers. In that moment, I felt a restlessness and lack of closure when I should have felt relief.

I was not made to quit.

During that evening, I made countless phone calls in the backroom of a corner "tienda" and emerged with a new resilience. I scurried home and called United Airlines. They changed my flight for only $5 and I received this as a sign that I was, indeed, meant to stay. Not all of the following days were easy, but they taught me a strength, peace, and determination that I had never quite experienced.

I am thankful that I stayed. I am thankful for every day. I am thankful for the people who demonstrated patience with and kindness to me (whether or not they understood the context of my daily highs and lows).

I can say with confidence, once again, that I would absolutely repeat the year.

Ask Me to Share

Has the past year been a dream? As I now sit comfortably at home in Ohio, my experience in South America seems surreal. 

Memories flash before my mind, eliciting a smile or a tear and confirming that this was a real experience, a year in Colombia. 

I recall the fresh fruits, happy giggles, blazing sun, broken Spanish, bumpy bus rides, and the list goes on...

Ask me to share about my time teaching and traveling on the Caribbean coast. Some stories are heartwarming, while others are scary. Even still, more are funny, adventurous, and joyous. Some stories are almost unbelievable without understanding of the cultural context, but I will do my best to accurately convey the reality of this wildly beautiful experience. 

Now, all I can express is gratitude. "Muchas gracias" to strangers, students, fellow volunteers, family, and friends who supported me on this journey if only for a moment. Because of you, my year in Colombia was a priceless opportunity. 

Here's to the next adventure. 

By the Numbers: TEFL Certification

With one click of a button, hundreds of hours of work are behind me. I submitted my last assignment for my Teaching English as a Second Language (TEFL) certification. Completing all the components of this certification is a gratifying accomplishment, not to mention an enormous feat.

This lifelong certification equips me with the knowledge and experience to effectively teach English-learners from any country and background. If I choose to pursue a volunteer opportunity teaching basic English to young immigrants or a weekend job tutoring advanced adults at the university level, TEFL certification makes me a more qualified candidate.

By the numbers, my certification with WorldTeach through the organization ACCREDITAT looks like this:

400 hours of teaching in the classroom
350 dollars to enroll in the program
135 hours of orientation and pre-training
25 hours of experience teaching English before the program
20 classroom-related readings and written reflections
18 lesson-plan submissions and written reflections
9 self-designed assessments and written reflections
2 25-minute video recordings of my class with written reflections
2 self-written case studies
1 co-teaching and cross-cultural communication workshop 
1 field-staff visit and constructive feedback

Among the most notable portions of the bimonthly submissions are lesson plans designed to a specific formula. During orientation in January, WorldTeach field staff taught volunteers how to design a lesson plan in five steps using: an opening, introduction to new material, group practice, individual practice, and closing. As creating lesson plans requires a resourceful mentality, I always enjoyed this portion of the certification, being able to incorporate songs, motions, occasional readings, and games into the classroom to be most effective.

The biggest component of the certification is filming a 25-minute video of class to send to the home office in Cambridge, Massachusetts for feedback. This seemingly easy task is trickier than it may seem. For my second video submission, I  succeeded in obtaining a recording only on my third attempt. My first attempt was foiled by a lack of water at the school. My second attempt failed due to a teacher leaving school early for personal reasons. My third attempt finally succeeded. As a safety precaution, I do not prefer to take my phone to school every day; therefore, special planning for this project is essential. When I was finally able to submit this video (my last assignment), I rejoiced in achieving this victory .

Although completing these assignments is a bittersweet reminder that my time in the Barranquilla is concluding, earning the TEFL certification is a fruit of my labors with lifelong implications. My experiences teaching in the unpredictable, warm, and dynamic "costeño" environment gives me a better opportunity to help English learners in the future.

From a professional development standpoint, it also helped me hone my skills to be a out-of-the-box problem solver and innovative, flexible thinker. Being able to use this training to assess my work with constructive criticism allowed me to stay focused on my goals and make daily progress.

Now, I officially offer my services to you. Do you know anyone wanting to improve his or her English-speaking skills? I can help!

Variety is the Spice of Life

Two-hundred and ninety-five days I have lived in Colombia. Many of these days have been spent in the classroom, while others are spent traveling cheaply along the coast or exploring the hidden gems of Barranquilla. To think that only eight days in the classroom remain in unbelievable.

Each day is a unique adventure, filled with unexpected twists and turns; therefore, describing a typical day is nearly impossible, but most days until recently usually followed a pattern that looked something like this:

The night before class: 

9:00 p.m.: In order to prepare for the following day, I set aside $3,400 pesos for the bus ride to school and $2,000 pesos for my breakfast of two bananas and a package of nuts. That's just under the equivalent of $2 USD. I fill my water bottle, pack my bag, and decide what to wear for the following day. With the excessive heat and exhaustion of speaking a second language, I sleep at least eight hours a night. Before falling asleep, I make sure to lightly spray my sheets with bug repellent so that the mosquitoes don't bite me during the night!  
The day of class:

6:05 a.m.: Off sounds my alarm! After washing my face, I usually dress in a pair of breezy pants and a tank top. I braid my hair or wrap it in a bun secured with a banana clip...a very popular fashion trend on the coast.

6:30 a.m.: Time to catch the bus. Even before 7 o'clock, I'm already sweating as I walk several blocks to the street where my bus passes. Some days I wait five minutes for the bus. Other days, I wait for 20 minutes. There are no bus stops; rather, when you see your bus approaching, you wave your hand in the street as signal for it to stop. The mornings are relatively quiet in Barranquilla, although many men along the street are already selling "tinto" (a small plastic cup of strong, bitter coffee) and "arepas de huevo" (eggs fried inside of a corn crust).

7:00 a.m.: Once I get off my bus, I walk into a "tienda" (a small store filled with a plethora of groceries and household items) to buy breakfast. As I walk several blocks to my school, I eat my bananas and wave to the students that I see en route to school with their parents. While some students walk, others ride on the back of a motorcycle. As I enter school, I greet the "portera" (the guard who stands at the entrance of the gated school) and make my way to my first class.

7:15 a.m.: Although class starts at 7 o'clock, students continue to arrive at school up to 30 or 40 minutes late. I begin class with songs...a favorite activity among Colombian students. Classroom activities also include chants with hand motions and completing activities in a textbook. Most rooms have air conditioning, which helps combat the heat.

10:00 a.m.: Descansa! During a brief recess period, students play soccer in an outdoor area in the center of the school. These resourceful students use an empty soda bottle when a soccer ball is unavailable. Others munch on chips and cookies from a small snack stand inside of the school. Being able to converse with my students during recess is my favorite part of the day. We often play hand games, like "thumb wars" or "rock, paper, scissors." The second-grade girls also love taking selfies on my cell phone.

10:30 a.m.: Back to class! During the last hour and a half of school, students are usually restless after recess, but we continue with our normal routine, sometimes consisting of group work or a dreaded exam.

12:00 p.m.: School's out! As I catch the bus home, salesmen jump aboard, selling everything from candy to coloring books. Sometimes a man representing a political party jumps onto the bus to distribute pamphlets about the upcoming election, while others will sing a salsa song or share a brief message about Catholicism. Ultimately, they are all looking for spare change in exchange for what they offer. The ride home from school in the afternoon is always much livelier than the ride to school.

1:00 p.m.: At lunchtime, I love cooking with eggs, quinoa, oats, lentils, and fresh fruits and vegetables. I usually go to a tienda once a week, spending about $20,000 pesos (or around $7 USD) on my supplies. I make sure to drink an overabundance of water and usually talk to my host family about the day while watching a soccer game.

2:00 p.m.: After eating is a perfect time to take a nap or call my mom! Being able to stay connected to my family is incredibly important and I am thankful for the strength that their support provides.

3:00 - 9:00 p.m.: The afternoons and evenings are spent completing paperwork for my Teaching English as a Second Language (TEFL) certification, attending a small Spanish class, meeting friends for dinner, reading, or seeing a movie. On Wednesdays, a ticket to the movie theater costs $2 USD! Obviously, planning for my next lesson is an essential afternoon routine!

Why are no two days alike in Barranquilla? Many factors contribute to the unpredictably of a day on the coast. During the powerful, heavy rainstorms of September and October, deadly rushing water races through the streets and halts all activity. Furthermore, an outage of water or electricity can delay the start of a day. "Puentes" (three-day weekends) occur frequently as Colombians celebrate a national holiday. Even a national soccer game can cut a workday short as Colombians prepare to watch the game.

If variety is the spice of life, then Barranquilla is the place to be. 

Teaching and Learning

The classroom is just one place where I spend my time teaching. I am frequently asked by parents, shop owners, and neighbors if I teach private lessons outside of school. The answer is always, "Yes." While some Colombians tend not to follow up with beginning lessons, others do, like eight-year-old Valentina. 

Within my housing complex lives Valentina and her family. Each Monday, Valentina visits to practice her English and energetically chatter about her life. We practice English with the workbook that I use in my school, covering topics ranging from numbers and colors to animals and weather. We also practice reading with simple English books. 

While she initially spent consecutive afternoons with me for multiple hours a day, we narrowed down the time that we spend together to a fun and productive hour. Just as I teach her English, she loves teaching me new Spanish words. She once carefully explained the difference between "morado" and "violeta," two shades of purple. 

WorldTeach has also coordinated opportunities outside of the classroom to help volunteers gain more teaching knowledge and become more connected to the community. I attended a workshop on cross-cultural communication, as well as a press conference about bilingualism with the the mayor of Barranquilla Elsa Noguera. The other costal volunteers and I met in May to refocus our personal and professional goals for the year. 

Furthermore, as part of my certification for Teaching English in a Foreign Language, I am required to send regular lesson plans and case study reflections to the WorldTeach office in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I also submit a video of myself within the classroom and a self-authored academic case study based on my experiences twice during the year. 

When I submitted my first 25-minute video of class in April, a fellow volunteer came to class to assist me with the project. During the class that she recorded, the CD player didn't work and a student threw up in class. We later laughed about the chaos. I've learned to adjust with the bumps and go with the flow. I will submit another video in November to assess my progress during the second half of the year. 

These components provide a multi-faceted learning experience that is challenging, but ultimately rewarding. I am pushed to the limit daily, but gain new strength with each experience.

As the first semester comes to a close, I eagerly anticipate spending a few weeks in the United States with my family this month. I already have a shopping bag full of costal treats to share with my family and friends. I also already have a shopping list of school supplies to bring with me when I return to the coast. 

Monday: the Best Day of the Week

While Mondays can have a bad reputation, they happen to be my favorite day of the week. On Mondays, I spend four hours with my lively kindergarten classes. These students, some as young as four years old, eagerly express their affection with hugs and kisses as I enter the classroom. 

They are curious to learn new English words and I am regularly bombarded with the phrase, "¿Como se dice ________ en ingles?" Usually, I can readily provide the answers to their questions; however, I am sometimes stumped by their request to translate the occasional obscure word, such as "ceiling fan."

We have learned about shapes, colors, numbers, weather, and emotions. Some of the best tools in the classroom are the vocabulary flashcards that I make with computer paper and crayons. They love repeating the vocabulary words in different voices: high-pitched, low-pitched, fast, slow, quiet, and loud.

However, like most children, their favorite activities are hands-on and interactive. When we learned weather vocabulary, I brought a tote bag to class that was filled with various items ranging from an umbrella and scarf to sunscreen and rain boots. Students selected an item from the bag and placed it beneath a corresponding sign that depicted a weather condition. Students loved being able to grab an item from the bag and even wear it. The boys particularly enjoyed modeling a pair giant sunglasses.  

Considering the passion for rhythm and music in Latin America, students love listening to and learning new songs. We always open class with the same songs and "If You're Happy and You Know It" is a favorite.

No characteristic is more needed in the Colombian classroom than flexibility. I have yet to teach an entire week of class according to the schedule that we made at the beginning of the year. In the lesson that my friend helped me record as part of my TEFL certification, the CD player stopped working, one little girl threw up, and the janitorial staff came into the room to clean the mess. That same day, my classes were shortened by a surprise visit from a photographer who was taking class photos. Teaching in this environment always keeps me on my toes, but the experience is priceless.