Art in El Salvador for a Good Cause: On Meeting Miguel Angel Ramirez

One of the most special aspects of this trip for me has been making the acquaintance of El Salvadoran artist Miguel Angel Ramirez. Earlier in the trip Ashley, Jaime and I went to the small town of Panchimalco to visit his workshop. In the front room was a small gallery featuring artwork by his students and a featured local artist. The high quality of the paintings/ silkscreens and the level of creativity was stunning. There was one painting that Jaime found out was painted by a seventeen year old boy, of palm trees along the coast of a river (painted only from memory!!), that honestly had a level of skill and that I never would have attributed to someone at so young an age. Then in the back is a spectacular multi-level garden, which includes his art studio, more featured paintings by his students and space for classes. Miguel Angel Ramirez places significant value on educating youth. He offers art classes for kids in El Salvador for only a dollar a month! When Jaime said we were going to meet him, I figured it would be brief and formal- after all, a famous artist has other things to worry about. I couldn't have been more wrong! He was very friendly and down to Earth. Although he didn't speak English, he asked questions through Jaime to us and allowed us to take as many photos as we wanted. In fact, HE wanted to take photos with US! Meanwhile, he is very talented and his works often go for tens of thousands of dollars a piece. I felt so honored to have met someone who uses his gifts to bring about meaningful change in his community. I also liked the subject matter of his artwork, notably the photography series with a curvacious woman photographed in black and white, figuratively struggling with the media's pressures to look thin and perfect and trying to accept her own beauty.
While we were there, Miguel Angel Ramirez invited us to a charity event that he organized called the Noche de Arte por los ninos. Fourteen local artists sold their paintings at the event at reduced prices, with a percentage going towards buying wheelchairs for children with physical disabilities and helping to support art education. Ashley and I felt so cultured, walking around in our nice outfits, sipping wine and looking at El Salvadoran art. Best of all, I met the young man who painted the picture I just mentioned! His name was Samuel Beltran, and it was his first exhibition of work. His mother was there too, and she said it was an honour for him to have his photo taken with Ashley and I. I was not expecting that since I had been thinking it would mean more for me meeting someone whose work I admired and wished I could buy (alas, I didn't have $800 extra dollars to spend) than it would for him.
I don't know how many paintings were sold in all, though all of Miguel Angel Ramirez's paintings sold while we were there, and over a hundred people paid the required $20 donation for entry, so at least a few thousand dollars were raised. I hope that he considered the event a success like I did! And now for some photos :)

-Casey Reit

This painting is by Miguel Angel Ramirez, from "Serie inocencia." It captures one of his signature styles.

With Mr Ramirez in his studio! (The painting on the right is commissioned. Struck me as a bit odd, perhaps because he isn't used to painting children that are not of Latin American descent.)

Hair pic! (Everyone here loves Ashley's braids!)

Teaching a class outside:

From Noche de Arte por los ninos:

Photo with Samuel Beltran!

More on Juayua!

This was our second weekend here in El Salvador! I realize that since we started our portion of the blog late there will inevitably be some gaps in the entries, but we will try to help fill it in. So on Saturday morning we left early for Juayua. Juayua is a small municipality in the Sonsonate department of El Salvador, department number 13 (El Salvador has 14 departments in all-via Wikipedia), which is in the western part of El Salvador. One of the unique features of this town is the abundance of murals on the walls of restaurants and tiendas that are very colorful and were made by local El Salvadoran artists.
As Ashley has mentioned, we had the special opportunity to tour the processing plant for Oro coffee because of Jaime's Dad's connections. Besides sampling some delicious coffee, we learned about the dark side of Starbucks coffee. Rainforest Alliance, part of their coffee growing co-op, no longer deals directly with Starbucks because they would buy up all of the best beans, leaving the lesser quality coffee for other buyers, which meant a bad rep for Oro. Starbucks also required that workers go through an elaborate and expensive training process to work for them, without compensating fairly. Another thing to put things in perspective is comparative prices of coffee; here in El Salvador, you can buy a pound of excellent quality for around $4, which is what you have to spend for a tall Frappuccino at Starbucks that pales in comparison for the rich flavors El Salvadoran coffee packs in their cups. This was a stressful revelation for my favorite traveling owl companion, Professor Wilson, who was "born" at a Tallahassee Starbucks (see photo below). I share him with my friend Connie; whenever one of us goes somewhere new and exciting, we bring him with us to take photos, and we put stamps of the places he has been in his little book. Think of it as a cuter version of "traveling pants." He's been skydiving, roamed Europe and New York City, and now he is getting a taste of El Salvadoran culture!

I think one of my favorite experiences of the weekend was visiting the national park in Juayua. On the one hand, it was a relaxing pause from the constant movement happening during the trip. Jaime picked out a special rock and we made clay masks in the sun! However, it was also an important learning experience. I have to admit, I was absolutely appalled at how much trash there was scattered on the ground next to the waterfall (and all over the base of a larger waterfall you can't walk to) and on the trails. Plastic water bags (water can come in little blue baggies for 10 cents, which is a bargain but a major contributor to trash in El Salvador), chip bags, soda bottles, styrofoam, dirty diapers (ugh! the worst!) and much more. In certain areas, the trash was multiple layers deep. This was an entirely new kind of culture shock for me. In the United States, if you litter in a National Park like Yosemite or Yellowstone, not only are you fined big time, but it is highly frowned upon, by the park rangers and your peers. Here, people just don't care, and there is no type of law enforcement to stop it, or a system of waste management to monitor it. It is not uncommon to see people on public transportation throw wrappers out the windows, or trash lining streets. Our group took it upon ourselves to try and clean as much of it as could fit in a giant black trashbag on the way back. There were people walking to and from the falls that were stunned and confused. Some people asked where we were from and what we were doing, and when Jaime told them we were from the US, they couldn't believe we were trying to clean their country's park. A few thanked us, and even helped us pick up a few pieces of trash on the way back! Guilt can be a powerful motivator, although at times a temporary one. Still, I think our efforts were successful just by planting that mental seed in some people's minds that it is important to take care of El Salvador. I never realized fully until that day how much waste is a problem here, but it is not just an environmental issue. It is also a form of a social problem that deserves more attention; in their culture people are not held responsible for keeping their towns and parks clean.

Another surprising aspect of El Salvadoran culture has to do with dogs. It doesn't take long to realize that they are EVERYWHERE! Virtually every street we've passed has at least one stray dog. In El Salvador, dogs are largely looked at like any other animal, especially among the lower classes. As a dog-lover and former animal shelter volunteer, it's one thing I have found difficult to get used to; it breaks my heart to see so many underweight dogs wandering the streets without a home. Unfortunately we have also seen more than one dead dog in the road (sorry for the morbid topic but it is the truth), and Jaime said that there aren't any designated persons to pick them up. Hypothetically if a dog were hit in an accident, it would be very rare for another driver to help the dog and/or bring it to a vet (he guessed 1 in 70 here versus maybe 1 in 7 or 8 in the US). Another volunteer at Hogar said El Salvador has a humane society, but if that is true then they have a huge job and they can't possibly help them all. If I were to volunteer in El Salvador again (and I certainly want to and hope that I do!!) I would consider looking into that type of project.

On a more positive note, I am also including some more of Jaime's photos from our Juayua weekend here, including pics from the Rope Course, the coffee plantation and the waterfall! There is so so so much more to tell and not enough time to do it! Buenas noches from El Salvador!

-Casey Reit

The Many Sights, Sounds and Tastes of El Salvador

The people of El Salvador are just so friendly and warm. Although I do not speak much Spanish, people here make it a point to speak English to me or resort to using beginner’s level Spanish just so I can understand. They’re awesome and I wish I knew more Spanish, when I come back I will be sure to speak it fluently. We’ve been visiting historic landmarks and doing the extreme sports that El Salvador has to offer. I have to admit, rappelling from a mountain was something that I had made up in my mind that I was NOT doing, even as we were driving to the site in the car. However, when we got there I had mustered up the courage to at least try it and that was a great experience. Although I was scared and totally not listening to instructions, I got through and I’m glad I did it! I thought that was the scariest moment of my trip. But that activity was trumped because last weekend we visited Juayua and went to Alaska which is a ropes course that is over 16 feet high. That was terrifying, exhilarating and fun all at the same time. My adrenaline got me through the balance tests and my training from four years of ROTC got me through the strength tests, Colonel would be so proud of his cadet! Also on the weekends we relax, this past weekend after the ropes course we swam and did trash pick-up at a water fall and that was a great experience. The water was nice and the scene was breathtakingly beautiful, one of El Salvadors’ many hidden treasures. It’s not something that you would expect from a country that is so small but it is a pleasant surprise nonetheless. My favorite activity of the trip thus far has to be the coffee plantation. We were treated like V.I.P. Not only did we receive a tour as if we were coffee beans but we got to smell and sample about eighteen different types of coffee. The coffee was delicious and I was really honored to have that opportunity. Our weekend getaways are not only filled with exciting activities but some of the BEST food on the planet. I couldn’t even begin to name all of the food that I have enjoyed here in El Salvador, but some of my favorites are: Kolashanpan!!, pupusas, horchata, quesadillas (El Salvadoran style) and much much more! I am really going to miss waking up to the sounds of chirping birds, roosters and dogs all mixed together. It really is the ultimate alarm clock. The mountains are beautiful as well, the best I’ve ever seen. This has definitely been a summer service trip to remember and learn from. Hasta Luego!

Ashley Hargrove

The Farewell to Hogar de Padre Vito, But This Is Far From Final

My summer service trip has been memorable in so many ways. Not only am I having tons of fun on the weekends doing extreme activities that I never thought I’d have the courage to do, most importantly I am making an impact on lives at Hogar de Padre Vito. I have really connected with many residents at the orphanage and thinking that tomorrow is my last day volunteering and truly saddening. I will most the light in their eyes every time I turned the corner to enter “el Rancho” on the weekday mornings. How they would greet me “Hola Mama” and give me tons of hugs and kisses. I will miss playing uno with Geovanny, coloring and looking at jewelry with Ana, speaking Spanglish with Xiomara in the afternoons and being dragged around by Bryan to everywhere he wanted to go and his infectious smile. I must say that this experience was totally changed my perspective on teachers and staff who take care of children with Special Needs. They have my utmost respect and admiration. I have only been volunteering here in El Salvador for close to three weeks, but most of the staff have been at the Hogar for years. They clothe, bathe, feed, play with and overall take care of 130 residents each and every day. It’s simply amazing to be able to witness these children living the dignified life that they deserve. I would really like to thank Jaime, Rody and the entire PeaceJam staff for helping put together this amazing opportunity of a lifetime. It has done its job and changed my life. I hope to come back here several times in my life to catch up with the children and offer my services. The next time I will bring more friends and more open hearts to love and volunteer for these kids. I would also like to thank Casey for being my partner in changing lives during this trip. It wouldn’t be the same without you!

Ashley Hargrove

Peace Jam In El Salvador Part Dos- July Group 2011!

Buenas noches everyone! This is the first official blog entry for the July portion of the PeaceJam international service trip with myself,Casey Reit, and Ashley Hargrove! So far we have been here a week and a half, and it feels like time is flying, even though a lot has happened so far.


I think I should start with our experience so far at Hogar Padre Vito Guarato. One of our primary service goals has been to improve and expand upon the efforts of the girls who were here in May in building a sensory garden for the residents, that can be used as part of the physical therapy program there. Reading about the success the first group had, I knew that we had big shoes to fill during our time at Hogar. When I first saw the garden, I thought the idea was fantastic and creative, especially the telephone poles, but the area needed some work(of course this is not to discount the hard work put in from May! Time just had unforseen effects on the garden). The path of colored stones had gotten muddy because the ground wasn't level enough to handle the many bouts of rainfall that accompany this season in El Salvador. One of the textured stones from the cross had cracked, and the colors had dulled somewhat in the sun, and the level with the ground was again an issue. Not to mention that weeds had invaded big time, in all of the central spaces in the garden! It was mainly because of the all those pesky weeds that we basically had to start from the ground up, taking out all of the stones and existing plants and pulling the weeds. It took a full day for that to get done.

Then we rearranged and replanted some of the plants near the telephone poles and created a border around it with the rocks that the others had already painted, and filled it with other rocks. It looks great and so far it has held up after a few days of on and off rain.

This past weekend (July 9th-10th) Ashley, Jaime, Don Jaime and I went to a rock beach (will add name later) to collect a few more bags filled with rocks to fill the walkway and border the other plants. What was neat (besides the fact that the beaches are beautiful here! And the waves are enormous! ) was that later on in the week we had an activity day with the kids so they could paint the rocks too, so it was a collaborative process. (See below!)

They loved this activity! One of the best ongoing learning experiences is just interacting with the Hogar residents themselves. It certainly was overwhelming on my first day, because I didn't have any experience working with kids or adults with special needs, and the range of ages and disabilities is vast (infants to 52 year old adults). To add to that adjustment, my Spanish is sub-par, and even with my handy Lonely Planet Spanish phrasebook, I struggled to understand what some of the people I interacted with were saying. I was nervous, excited, scared, unsure of myself, and resisting my gut reaction to feel sorry for some of them, particularly those that were unable to have what I considered to be "normal" interactions with others (some physical reaction to physical communication via language and/or touching) and instead were in their own worlds,which for some were filled with silent fights with themselves and screams. I'm not going to sugar-coat this; at times, even now occasionally (although much less so than the first day), it can be frustrating when you are trying your best to interact with someone and they look the other way, or repeat the same thing over and over. Some kids have a good hour followed by a bad one. I really admire the staff at Hogar, both nuns and caretakers, who are here everyday.They have a limitless amount compassion and patience, no matter what the circumstances are for a particular day.

For every difficult moment, however, there many more postive moments to outweigh them. I am so touched when a girl comes up to me and gives me a hug and a smile for no other reason than to express how happy she is that I can be there for her. The other day I was in the cafeteria during playtime and there was a young girl in a wheelchair who I made laugh for ten minutes just by using finger puppets and playing beek-a-boo. It didn't take me long to realize how much I had underestimated the many ways in which love and understanding could radiate from the residents here. People out in the "real world" put up walls, make excuses and empty promises or get lost in communication. At Hogar emotions can exist in their purest forms, often without even needing words to channel them, and it is contagious. Whenever I see Giovanny and Edwin outside of their classrooms and they beam at me and wave, the postive energy from the gesture stays with me for long afterwards. Imagine if everyone were like them, sublimely happy having the company of a new friend, without judgment or hesitation. I went into this thinking that just "playing with the residents" was not the kind of change that mattered most. Now I think that my time both one on one and in groups with those here at Hogar is the most valuable aspect of the experience; it puts service into perspective, brightens the days of everyone involved, strengthens my resolve to put my all into the garden, and teaches me how to become a better volunteer.

Memoirs

It's been a little over a month since we've parted, but even so, I can recall vivid snapshots of our adventures together. From the very first time we really started to talk and getting to know each other (at the airport in Orlando),to going to eat mango verde in downtown (YUMMY!!), to going shopping (boy did we do lots of that!!), to singing with the residents of the Hogar, to painting our amazing murals, to visiting El Volcan Pacaya (laughing at Jaime for falling on pooh!!),to going dancing at the Mexican restaurant, to cooking rotten sausages (lmao!! I laugh at that almost every day!),to going zip-lining and hiking, to showering at an amazing waterfall, to playing UNO, to the very last morning when we said good-bye at Shannon's uncle's house (sad face).

Overall, this trip exceeded my expectations in numerous ways; I grew as a volunteer, a student, a friend, and a citizen of the world. As a volunteer, I learned that there are few limitations on how a person can be of service to another. The very first day at the Hogar Padre Vito (orientation), I cried for various reasons: (1) it was Mother's Day in El Salvador and we were visiting an orphanage where most of the residents had been abandoned by their families (2) I was overwhelmed to see the impairments the various disabilities caused the residents (most were in wheelchairs, some couldn't talk, and some had to be tied down to be fed) (3)I questioned my ability to help the residents, and (4) I felt sorry for them. The director of the Hogar pulled me aside and asked me why I was crying (at this point, the tears would not stop!) I told her, and she replied with: "The kids here are happy with the simple fact that you are here to help them. They are blessed enough to have a place filled with loving care takers and to have a facility like this one. You will see that they will grow to love you and you vice versa." I'm not going to lie, at times I felt like I was in an asylum and I questioned whether, I myself was going to go insane, but as the days went on, we really got to know some of the residents on an individual basis. Sure enough the residents began to be affectionate not only with their tight hugs or hand holding, but also by calling us "Mama" and "Papa". Some of the residents began to recognize us, and would radiate a big smile when they saw us. I personally, got to sing A LOT with a few of the residents (which made my experience absolutely amazing). I don't know if the residents would actually remember us if we were to go back now, but I know we left a sustainable mark at the orphanage--the murals, the sensory garden and a cleaner ball pit. I had always been a bit fearful and apprehensive to aid others who had special needs simply because I did not feel I was competent enough in that area, but I definitely learned from this experience that it does not matter how much you know about a subject or not, it is the willingness and the openness of a person that will be most effective in helping another.

Another thing I really learned from the residents was how to define happiness in my life. The first day I felt sorry for them, but then I realized that they were not sad about the situation they were in. Their biological parents may not have been there with them, but they were surrounded by a caring and loving staff. They did not have the latest clothes and shoes (most of the time they didn’t even match), but they didn’t care about that; they were oblivious to this, but yet were extremely happy. I think this definitely made become such a much more positive person. Even the slightest issue that possess in my way, I know that I can handle it.
As a student, I learned that one of the best ways to actually learn about a particular subject or culture, is not just to read it, but actually experience it hands on. In several of my Social Work classes as well as various volunteer trainings, I had been told or read how to best help clients with special needs, but I never actually put it into practice because I never had the chance. Volunteering at the Hogar, gave me that hands on experience as well as the confidence to continue to practice those skills whenever I need to help a person who is differently abled. Also, what better ways to learn about Salvadorian culture than to actually eat their food, visit their cities, and learn about their history through museums and site seeing!!?

The adventures on this trip will always be in my mind, and so will the people with whom I experienced it! For, it is only with you all that I can reminisce about the good laughs we shared and still cherish, for no matter how much I tell the stories to others, they will never truly understand, and I will have to continue to say "YOU HAD TO BE THERE...".

Walking through Antigua, Guatemala, I really became much more aware about the necessity of a global citizen. There was a display of human rights: accessibility to water. I know people say change should start in YOUR community, and if everyone does that the world will be a better place, but the truth is that there are some communities that unfortunately do not have the agents of change and/or the resources that are necessary in order to create change in their communities. Therefore, it is our duty, as citizen of the world to advocate for them (and if possible AND wanted help them with resources)

I miss y'all-- Princess Bugie (couldn’t find how to spell it lol), Drama King, Africa, Clumsy Jane, and Hypochondriac Bailey