Iglesias de Colombia or Colombian Churches

My Adventurous Weekend....

started when I decided to go to the Pereira library for the first time.  I walked in completely unsure if I had to have id or if there were weird rules about looking at the books. So, I walked in and the guard stops me because I guess you can't bring in purses or bags. You leave it with the guard, they put it in a locker and giver you a number tag to pick it up when you leave.

I started by looking for the English books and found a few from the late 80's. In fact, almost all of the books are about 20 years are more.  This makes me EXTREMELY grateful for the state of the art library in Indianapolis, it is gorgeous! Six floors of endless possibilities; travels, music, art, education, adventure, science, history, and the creative imaginations of generations of authors.

A view from the older section of the Indianapolis Library. You can see the indoor atrium from here.

One of the fiction reading rooms.

A hallway to the world!

Yes, they have fireplaces too!

View from a window.

View from the new extension. Downtown Indianapolis.

So, suffice it to say, my high expectations were cut to the core and I only lasted about 15 minutes.  As I was leaving the guard stopped me and asked why I left so early.  My limited Spanish caused me to say I only wanted to look because it was the first time I had been there.  Well, being the friendly Colombian he is, proceeded to give me a tour.

So, even though they don't compare to the Indianapolis Central Library, they do offer free English classes, where I met Andy, a very comical teacher, movies on Sunday for the kids, and free courses on technology and financing.  After observing them for a few minutes they were actually pretty decent.

From the library I decided to continue walking downtown. I met Octavio at the church near Plaza Bolivar. I went in to take pictures of the Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Pobreza.

I was able to take these two photos right before Octavio started telling me the entire history of the building, convert me to Catholicism, and save my soul. I managed to escape 45 minutes later.  I continued walking and enjoying the sights, until this weirdo started saying all of these rude comments about white people and foreigners thinking they can wear whatever they want and go wherever they want.  All I was wearing were my moccasins and a green dress. I didn't think it was that inappropriate, but who am I to discern the inner-workings of a know-it-all, crazed man. He scared me enough that I decided to grab the next cab and hop away.

All in all. I walked about 7 kilometers and saw some new and interesting shopping centers and cafes.  I finished my afternoon at Unicentro before heading home and calling it a day.  Below are some photos from the view of the library and Victoria Plaza. I'll share part two, day two of the adventure in the next post.

Another favorite church of mine, Igelsia de Carmen.

The plaza where events are held. Today was some music thing with Pony, a very weird malted beverage that Colombians love.

The library is in the cultural center to the left.

Vacation Summary Winners

This year in our class we are using more internet tools.  One of these tools is Blogger.  After the students write their assignments I will choose a few to highlight by posting them on this blog. This is entirely their work, written and edited by them.

The following are selections from students at Liceo Taller San Miguel in Pereira, Colombia.  They are all native Spanish speakers learning to read and write in English.

We hope you enjoy!

This summer vacation I did many things and had lots of fun. The first day of vacation was my birthday so I celebrated it by going to Boliz with my cousins. At Boliz we ice skated, bowled, and played other games. It was a lot of fun! After that I went to U.S.A to visit my dad and the rest of my family in Florida. With my dad I went to the beach, to Universal, to SeaWorld, and ate lots of hamburgers. Another thing I did was learn to scuba dive and got my scuba diver certificate. Scuba diving was fun because I was underwater swimming with all the fishes. Towards the end of vacation I came back to Colombia and stayed the last week at my aunt's farm. On the last day of vacation I was a bit sad because the vacations were over, but now summer is over and we're back in school.

Sabrina Gutierrez 8th Grade, at Liceo Taller San Miguel

MY FANTASTIC VACATIONS
(By Miguel Benítez Quintero)
On my last vacations my family and I went to Cancun in Mexico. These were a fantastic vacations.
We traveled from Medellin to Cancun. The travel was really comfortable. In Cancun we arrived to a hotel located on the beach, it was a fantastic hotel, with seven (7) restaurants and variety of foods, five (5) pools and a water park for all the family. The beach was very amazing, the sand was white, the water was warm and the weather was excellent.
In Cancun we were in the malls and in the Mayan museum, an important place where we knew about the Mayan culture.
Around Cancun we visited many important attractions; for example, to three hours from the city is Chichen Itza, the most important Mayan City, there we were walking to the Pyramid of Chichen Itza and other Mayan constructions and we were in the Mayan ball field and other interesting monuments; near from there we visited the fantastic Cenotes.
In other route, more near from Cancun, are the parks. We visited the most important and big park. It is Xcaret´s park, it is a wonderful place! We did many activities, we enjoyed much and learned more about the Mayan culture and the Mexican history and folklore. In this park, my father and I swam with stingrays.
Ten days later my family and I came back to Colombia after to live a great experience and enjoy the best vacations.
Miguel Benítez Quintero 8th Grade, at Liceo Taller San Miguel

Over my vacations I went with my family to a small village called Juanchaco, in order to see whales. Juanchaco is located almost one hour off Buenaventura’s coast. My dad, my mom and me, we took a small boat and went from Juanchaco to the ocean where we saw some ten whales. I remember that I saw a whale-mother swimming together with its baby during a couple of minutes very close to our boat. I think if I would have stretched my hands, I could have even touched the two whales. It was very exciting to be so close to these wonderful animals which come to Colombia’s Pacific Coast just once a year, between July and October.
Sarah Schmieg 7th Grade, at Liceo Taller San Miguel

Lessons from Colombian Kids

Ganar v. To Earn

I teach 6th and 7th grade English at a private school in Colombia.  There are many differences in our interpretations of what something means and how to translate it.  One of those, is the verb; Ganar. Which, in English translates as to win, earn.  They use one verb for our two. Now, with my Hoosier (Indiana born), culture the verbs, to win and to earn have two completely different meanings.

When I think of winning something, I don't associate any work going into it.  I think, WOW!, I won something. I feel so lucky and ecstatic that the "Odds Were Ever in My Favor," like the announcer's blessing in The Hunger Games. This feeling associated with winning something is like saying, God and the heavens have noticed my plight and decided to give me my own personal Passover. 

Best Seller and Awesome Movie!

I was active in the winning, because I either filled out some sort of form or participated in someway to be involved in the win, but I didn't toil and sweat to "earn it." 

On the other hand, when I earn something there is the feeling of my blood, sweat, and tears going into the achievement. I know the hours of studying, training, and passion I put into it and because I did my very best, I earned what I achieved.  It wasn't luck or chance that made the achievement, it was pure effort and passion.

When I think of how hard I have worked on a project or studied for an exam, I never consider winning as part of it.  My children on the other hand see the two as one. There is no difference. This doesn't just affect the mixed up translation, like when they say, "Teacher! I am winning the class because I won my note!"  It affects their ability to separate their effort from the "gift" or "win," that I supposedly helped give them.  Then when they ask me, "Teacher, why am I losing the class?" I try to explain to them it has nothing to do with me being fair or unfair, it's how much effort you have put into the class.

Translations and attempting to equivocate meaning and significance can cause complicated communication misunderstandings, arising from diverse cultural perspectives. 

My American perspective has taught me, homework, grades, and my future are a result of what I've earned. My rewards are better and brighter future, but is it really this simple?  I don't believe it is. By being born where I was, I had certain advantages and disadvantages in the journey of what I earned.  So, every time I had an unlimited choice of reading material, was that a part of what I'd earned? Or, by divine placement did I win a spot in the lottery of life, giving me extra help?

So, perhaps the Spanish language allows the speaker to pay diligent respect to the balance of winning and earning. Maybe my students have realized something I haven't, maybe they know that in life it takes a little bit of winning and earning to make the goal.

I guess the way I can best sum it up is through the lives of amazing people who have come before us.  In almost every biography I have read, the person accounts their success to passion and a wee bit of luck.  They usually describe it as, "that one breakthrough," or "the break I needed."  A bit of the "right time and right place," magic to make the struggle cease and the destiny begin.

So, with lots of sweat and a little bit of luck, I wish you success!