PAR: Literacy Program from Rio Negro

This afternoon, I was invited to the ten-year anniversary of PAR. In those four hours I spent there I learned a lot about the importance of literacy and the fact that not everybody has access to education.

PAR is a program from the province Rio Negro that teaches people to read and write. The interesting thing is that most of the participants in this program are old people who never went to school. Many of them told the audience their testimonies. One of the ladies has a deaf daughter. Only after becoming literate, she could learn the sign language through which she was finally able to communicate with her daughter!

Raimunda, a seventy or eighty-year old lady, told us that she was really happy because now she can write letters to her brother who lives far away. Now that these people are literate, they can do simple things they couldn't do before, such as writing letters or helping their grandchildren with their homework. They were very proud that they don't have to use their fingerprint anymore because they can sign their bank receipts now.

Maria Eva, my host mom, told me that most of the people in the program are descendants of Mapuches. I think it is true because many of the centers in different cities had Mapuche names. However, there are a lot of Bolivians as well. The Bolivians who participate in PAR are younger. They are in their early forties. Yes, there are many Bolivians who migrate to Argentina to work in the fields. The ones that go to Buenos Aires work in textile factories. Things get more complicated here because I just realized that there is large number of Bolivians here in Argentina. Immigration laws are more open and flexible than other countries. For example, immigrants can legalize their status much easier and faster than immigrants in the U.S. Ana Maria, who works as a teacher in PAR, told me that the Bolivians who live in her locality asked her to teach them. There is a lot of enthusiasm to learn because it takes students an hour of walking to get to the center where Ana Maria teaches! Education is key for accessing to better opportunities that can improve one's life quality.

PAR is not just a program that teaches how to write and read. These experiences demonstrates that this is program of social inclusion that integrates people to society. That is how the participants described PAR.

Memories from the Past: things haven't changed...it is just that I forgot how it used to be

I realized that I was passionate about development when I did social work at a "pueblo joven" (low-income neighborhood) outside Lima City during Christmas time. One time, a little boy decided to share with me half of his piece of cake. I was so touched because that is a lot, if you take into account he had so little. I was determined to help change those children's lives.

However, I was shocked to realized that my four years at Lawrence University had somewhat erased those memories from my mind. Many people talk about the Lawrence bubble and yes, there is one. During my daily life I never saw people begging in the streets at Lawrence! I didn't have that awful feeling of sadness and desperation because one just can't help everybody.

I was shocked to see so many homeless dogs wandering around Buenos Aires. I was shocked to see (ONCE AGAIN) people looking inside other people's garbage to see if they could find something to eat. No, this is not just endemic to Buenos Aires. No. I had seen this before...all my life in Peru. But it felt as if I was seeing these situations for the first time in my life.

The night I was going back to Buenos Aires from the Esteros del Ibera, my friend Fernando and I were looking for a place to eat. Suddenly, an eleven-year old boy, Maxi, asked me if I had any coins. I impulsively asked him if he wanted to eat hamburgers with us. He agreed and sat down with us. I was trying really hard not to cry. He ate couldn't finish his hamburger because he was too full. He told me that he wasn't used to eat that much.

He started following us to the bus terminal and I offered to give him a pair of socks, and some fruit and bread. When we got there, the man selling tickets was with his family eating chicken. He gave Maxi the leftovers and he sat down to eat on the floor. The homeless dogs in the bus terminal surrounded him watching closely every one of his movements. They were hungry too...they wanted to eat chicken as well. I just couldn't believe my eyes! It was as if Maxi was one more of those homeless dogs. Visually speaking, they were basically in the same level...they were all eating on the ground...eating leftovers. But Maxi is not a dog....he is a little boy! I felt helpless. I thought "he was lucky today. He found Fer and I. What will happen tomorrow?"

The only one thing I am glad about is that all these experiences reminded me once again why I want to work in the development field. They help me to touch base with reality and gave me more motivation to continue studying. My father always told me that God gave me a lot of good things and qualities and that it was my responsibility to use those things give back to others who are less privileged. I think he is right.

Updates from my new location: Viedma, Rio Negro

I haven't been writing for a while. I have so much to say! I left Buenos Aires the last day of July. Suzie helped me move out my apartment and, as always, I was always late! Yes, late! my bus was leaving in 20min and I was still trying to change my dollars into pesos! ohh no! I asked the taxi driver to "fly" because the bus was about to leave! Suzie came with me, but she was so scared! The taxi driver was going so fast that we thought we were going to die before arriving to the bus terminal! hahaha She helped me so much. I wouldn't have been able to make it without her. She helped me carry my 3 bags.

The next morning I got to Misiones, Puerto Iguazu. The bus terminal was only 2 blocks away from my hostel, but it was a true challenge to get there. My bags were so heavy. I told myself that is was enough, that I was going to get rid of some of my bags. So I did. I left a pair of jeans, 3 t-shirt and my hair difuser. My bag was still too heavy! I did a little bit of canopy, rapel and mountain climbing in the Iguazu jungle.

The next morning, I went to a tour that took me to the Paraguay to go shopping and to the Brazilian side of the waterfalls. I was with two other couples. One italian couple that were kissing all the time. They didn't even talked to me because I think the girl was jealous or something. The other couple was older and we didn't have much to talk about. I was really bored. When I got to the Brazilian side of the waterfalls I decided that was going to go my own my way. I decided to go rafting in the waterfalls!!!! the only problem was that everybody was Brazilian and the guide gave me instructions in Portuguese! I barely understood what to do and it was my first time doing this! we were in the water and suddenly I hear "to the other side!" and everybody was jumping to get to the right side of the boat. Right away I hear again "to the other side" and everybody was struggling to get to the left side....I didn't make it! I fell out of the water and almost drowned in the falls! hahaha What an experience! Holding tight to the rope around the boat was really helpful though. My teammates got me back on board and everybody clapped!

The next day, I went to the Argentinian side, which is more beautiful than the Brazilian side. It is truly beautiful. I was amazed by the amount of water and the strength which it was flowing. I went on the "Great Adventure". A group of tourists, including two cute Spanish guys, and I went on a boat to literally "shower" in the waterfalls. We were so close to the waterfalls and there was a rainbow! I have never seen a rainbow. Nature is beautiful there!

That same night, I got on a bus to Mercedes. I was in my way to the Esteros del Ibera. I got there by noon and all the banks were closed until the next day and I couldn't exchange my dollars for pesos. No money! Only 40 cents! I asked why everything is closed. People told me that at noon or 1pm they close because it is siesta (napping) time. Some stores open again around 4pm until 9pm or so. I met this girl from Germany, Jenni, and we went to a Chamame show. This music has a little bit of a Brazilian influence and it is a lot of fun.

The next morning, Jenni, other people and I went to the Esteros del Ibera. The bus only goes to that town twice a day and it is not for sure that there is a "colectivo" (bus) every day. I felt trapped because the lady at the hostel said that I needed to stay there for 3 days because of transportation. No internet, no roads, no phones, no banks! i loved it! So beautiful. I love to go shopping for meat and wine to these little stores. A tango dancer, Fernando, Jenni and I stayed at this hosteria. We had the lake right in front of us. We went on a walk and saw wild animals, like carpinchos, deers, and monkeys. Then, we went on a boat to the lake and I saw yacares or little crocodriles! We were so close that we could touch them....but that was not a good idea.

On Sunday night, I went back to Mercedes where I took a bus back to Buenos Aires and then to Viedma. However, we were stuck in the highway for like 5 hours because it was too foggy to continue driving to Buenos Aires. I had breakfast on the highway with hundreds of trucks and buses! On Tuesday morning, I arrived to Viedma where Maria Eva, the lady I am staying with, was waiting for me.

Viedma is pretty small, but the people are very nice. The banks also close at noon here. I really like Maria Eva because she a very caring and sweet. She is a Mapuche and she is teaching some of Mapuzungun, the Mapuche language. I am learning a lot here...not only about the Mapuches and discrimination, but about myself too. I am going to be traveling for the next week or so to different communities. These communities are very far away from cities and they are hard to get to. I will be able to learn more of the language and their culture there. However, there are very few speakers of Mapuzungun because the government banned it. Now, there is a change of attitude. The Mapuche are trying to recover it and teach it at schools.

This is just the beginning of my stay in Viedma and Rio Negro...let's see what this month will bring for me!