Thursday, March 12, 2009
Friday, September 26, 2008
September Update
It's been awhile since the last update, so I've included a bunch of photos of the computer center project as it stands now, which is pretty much finished. (Woo!!) It's been an incredible experience so far, and I think everyone involved should feel very proud of what we've done - especially all of you, who have been incredibly supportive throughout. We had our big inauguration ceremony on Friday, and about 400 people showed up to celebrate and break in the new structure with a dance. We're still waiting on the computer desks and bookshelves, which should arrive sometime in October. Once these are installed, we can start setting up the computers and books, which will be put to use in the coming school year, starting in January.
Personally, things have been a little hectic now that I have my official end-date in hand (November 26). My mind is a tornado of thoughts about the future (both my own and El Pital's), the past (my experience here), and the present (saying my goodbyes). The friendships I've formed over the last two years, particularly with the kids, will be incredibly difficult to leave. I even feel a bit guilty in some cases: how was China or any one of my other little pals supposed to know that I would be leaving in two years? I feel bad for letting them get so close to me and then leaving them so abruptly. That goes for everyone, really. So many people opened up their homes to me and let me into their world, that to leave it almost feels irresponsible, like I'm taking all that they gave me and tossing it out the airplane window as I leave. I keep telling them (and myself) that I'll try to come back every year, but I think all of us are dubious.
On the upside, I'm looking forward to being back in the States and reintroducing beer and meat into my diet. I also can't wait to reconnect with all of you after being away for so long. I feel like I've changed tremendously over the last two years, and I can't wait to see how you all have changed too. In the meantime, take a look at these photos when you have a few minutes: http://picasaweb.google.com/bennnn.williams/September2008ComputerCenterPhotos# . Thanks again for all of your support. I have no doubt that we'll continue to see the fruits of this project (and your donations) for years to come.
See you soon,
Ben
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Construction - week 5
Here´s a link to a quick photo update for you all: http://picasaweb.google.es/
-Ben
Friday, July 25, 2008
More construction news...
This is just a short note to let you all know that construction is booming here in El Pital. I think everyone involved in the project (nearly the entire community) has felt the excitement that I've felt as we've watched this structure unfold from a design on a piece of paper to a tangible, rock-solid reality. The attendance of the community volunteers (who rotate each day to ensure fresh faces and muscles) has been nearly 100%, and morale is high as even people from neighboring communities have stopped by to take a gander at what we are doing in El Pital. I was even stopped the other day in Chalchuapa (where I go shopping, about an hour away) by someone I had never met, who asked me about the big edificio we were raising in the campo. It thrills me to think that in a few months, we will install the computers and bookshelves that will make the school in El Pital into a thriving, high-tech education center. That's the idea, anyway.
We are several days ahead of schedule, and continuing at a great pace. And thanks to your generosity and support, we have enough funds to cover materials and a delicious lunch everyday for the volunteers. So far, so good. Here are a few photos to give you an idea of the progress thus far: http://picasaweb.google.com/bennnn.williams/ConstructionPhotosII
All the best,
Ben
Friday, July 4, 2008
Computer Center Construction - Week 1
Sunday June 29, 2008
It’s the night before we begin construction, and I’m exhausted. Exhausted yet somehow energized, as if on the cusp of something big, like Christmas Eve used to feel as a kid. The proverbial magic is in the air. People are excited. I spent today and tonight meeting with my 3 masons and my foreman planning out the next 2 weeks, meeting with the cook to plan the meals, arranging transportation for the first load of building materials tomorrow, and working out some important details with my two most trusted confidants, the father/son team of Dany and Don Isaac. I think all is in place, and if not, I’m confident that we can roll with whatever punches we encounter along the way. Most of all, I can’t wait until that first pick-axe breaks ground; like most other things in life, getting started is the hardest part.
As you know, we’re in the middle of the rainy season, which could pose some problems. But the rain, gracias a dios, seems only to fall at night now. Hopefully it’ll keep that rhythm. Thinking I should put together a work outfit: overalls, tool belt and sombrero.
Monday June 30, 2008
Everything seems to be falling into place in these first few days. Wonder when my luck will run out? We were unsure as to how we would ship the first load of building materials (cement, rebar, sand, gravel, nails, wood for sawhorses, and other stuff I can neither translate nor explain their function). No one wanted to commit a vehicle by phone, so it was all up in the air until Juan (the president of the ADESCO, or town council, same age as me) and I showed up at the sugar cane cooperative several kilometers away from El Pital. There, we were outfitted with a gigantic, yellow(ing) Mack truck, about 20 years past its prime, complete with driver, also way past his prime and rudely awakened from his afternoon siesta. The truck was and will be free, courtesy of the sugar coop.
In Chalchuapa, we met with Oswaldo, the friendly owner of the hardware store, just in from three years in the Yoosa (the term for the USA). He loves gringos, and probably loves gigantic gringo purchases even more, and so had everything ready and waiting for us to haul away on our big yellow dinosaur.
On the way back, our driver stopped to buy some aspirin at a country store (hangover?) and I looked up at the towering, verdant Volcano El Chingo. It struck me that my little piece of El Salvador, at the beginning of the rainy season, could be the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Just a month before, we were at the tail end of the dry season which, when contrasted with the rainy season, can really only be described as the difference between heaven and hell. One is full of dead countryside, parched, dusty paths glimmering like mirages in midday heat, irritable people, made less tolerant of just about everything due to the heat and ever present droplets of sweat on the brow. And the other, which we are fortunate to be living in just now, is lush, green, inviting, with every big green leaf heavy still with last night’s rain. Everyone is cheery as most of the corn- and bean planting has been done; at this point, everyone sits back and waits for elotes, or corn cobbs, and smiles are ever-present.
Upon arriving in El Pital at around 5 pm, school was in session, and all of the afternoon kids crowded around the Mack, gawking at the first load of raw material soon to be transformed into their very own computer center. The 9th grade boys were eager to show off their superhuman strength, and helped us unload the heavy bags of cement, 2 bags at a time on their backs as the girls looked on and flirted from afar. I really can’t explain the feeling I had after seeing all of this raw material ready to go, so much potential energy ready to be transformed by the able hands and backs of my El Pitalian friends. I was elated. Can’t wait till tomorrow.
Tuesday July 1, 2008
I’m not sure I’ve ever been so tired. We worked all day today, from 7 am to 5 pm, with a crew of 8 volunteers, 3 masons, 1 foreman, and one gringo. From the start, I could barely contain my excitement. Here we were, with piles of dirt, rock and cement in front of us, finally ready to embark on this project that we’d all been waiting for, well, since I arrived here. I started by taking a crew of shovelers down to a dirt pit by the soccer field. With the help of Don Victor’s 1960’s model Toyota truck, we dug out and filled truckload after truckload of tierra amarilla, a yellowish, soft dirt used in foundations. The masons and their crew stayed behind at the school to take measurements and lay bricks.
The vibe was one of excitement to be sure, but also one of unity, which was surprising to me as a few of the workers had personal gripes with one another, apart from their historical family grievances. For example, one of the workers, who is a known philanderer, is married to another worker´s sister, so there was obvious bad blood between the two. But as the day went on, all of these grudges seemed to fall away as we shoveled, pick axed and masoned our way toward a common goal. It also helps that each day, we´ll be eating lunch together around a big round table.
At the end of the day, we counted the blisters on our hands. I had three pop on my hands as the day progressed, and I’m sure more will emerge tonight. What a day. I hope I can get out of bed by myself tomorrow.
Wednesday July 2, 2008
Today mostly consisted of breaking rocks with blistered hands and preparing the foundation for the new computer center, with the exception of one highlight. In order to make room for the computer center, we had to move a “temporary classroom” (made of tin walls and chain link fence) over to the other side of the school. So we built a foundation for it and cut all around the bottom edge of the classroom. And then, with the strength of 13 people, we lifted the entire classroom and walked it to the other side. It might have been the most peculiar thing that the school kids had ever seen – a walking classroom (check out this video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiV_GDBXxRU). We looked like a bunch of ants carting off a big piece of food, moving this way and that with 26 legs scurrying here and there. Sort of like the Flintstones used to move their car. Anyway, everyone (including me) thought it was hilarious.
Not much else to report except for more blisters (my hands look like a minefield) and body pain. The rotating worker schedule seems to be working well. We get 8 fresh recruits daily, which is not only good for the physical component, but also beneficial because more and more people feel like they’re contributing to this project. With more broad-based participation, it’s more likely that a project like this will succeed in the long run, as more and more people feel a sense of ownership and pride in what we’ll accomplish. Looking forward to tomorrow, as usual.
Thursday July 3, 2008
After three days of working like a dog in the tropical heat, I think I now embody the word exhausted. We spent all day digging and picking our way through hard, dense clay, encountering roots and biting ants and anthills along the way to prepare the foundation for the computer center. In the afternoon, we started in on the ditches, almost a meter deep, into which we´ll install the rebar onto which the concrete blocks will be fitted. I was sweating like a sprinkler, and wondered how much more physical punishment I could take.As I do every day, I was working with a group of fresh recruits. The Salvadoran work ethic is incredibly strong, though the need to prove one´s work ethic might be a bit stronger. The workers clamored for more and more work, never letting up until quitting time. I naturally struggled to keep up with these 8 able-bodied work machines. Thanks to everyone´s super-human stamina, everything is proceeding according to plan. In fact, only 3 days into the project, we´re already 2 days ahead of schedule!
At the risk of sounding corny to my cynical friends out there, planning this project and now carrying it out with this community has been the most fulfilling experience I´ve every had. Thanks to all of you who supported and continue to support this project!
Until next time,
Ben
p.s. here´s a link to the photos of the first week if you didn´t find it on the right hand side of this page: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Project Update #1
The rains have arrived yet again – it feels like just a month ago I was writing to you about last year's rains. The day the skies suddenly opened, we all walked around stupefied, getting our shoes wet and not really caring, simply enjoying the sudden break in seven long months of uninterrupted sun, sweat and dust. Everyone seems to be in agreement that the ubiquitous mud pits are a small price to pay for a little greenery, less soul-withering heat, and no dust creeping into every corner of the lungs. So everyone's happy. And this year, the rains seem to have arrived on time, which means a nice corn and bean harvest is more likely.
Speaking of being happy, I'm thrilled to report that I have deposited a check for the full amount that you all donated to the project. Unfortunately, the banks here require 21 days to process large, foreign checks, so we won't be able to touch the money until June 25. But I am a patient man. And Salvadorans are a patient people. So we'll wait.
After I deposited the check on Wednesday, I called a meeting with the Parent Board, the teachers, and the president of the town council – a meeting of the 12 big movers and shakers in the community. I had been a little worried about details and some of the logistics of the project (who would make sure that the volunteer workers would arrive, and who would schedule them? Who would be in charge of the mothers making lunch for the workers every day? Who would do the shopping? Who would be in charge of the tools? Who would bring the tools?). When I get to worrying about something, I can freak out with the best of them. Anyway, this 4-hour meeting completely set me straight, as "The Big 12" came up with some stellar solutions and answers to all of my wild-eyed questions. As I walked home that night, the soft, wet dirt under my feet, I felt reassured and genuinely ready to take on this project.
In the meeting, we decided to break ground on Monday June 30, and to spend the time between the 25th and the 30th buying materials. By that time, everyone ought to be done sowing their corn and beans, and should be ready to lend a hand, shovel, pick axe or frying pan to the cause. So be ready for more photos and brick-and-mortar play-by-plays at the end of this month. For now, I've attached a few photos to refresh your memories as to what it looks like down here:
Photo #1: This is the entirety of the school. The building on the left is the site of the planned construction. We will move this "temporary classroom" (tin siding and chain-link fence) to another location and install the computer center in its place, which will be twice the length of the current classroom.
Photo #2: The current temporary classroom and future site of El Pital's launchpad in the 21st century.
Photo #3: Our 2nd graders. Dany (in blue) and I (in beard) work with these guys every day. Hard not to love. Working in our classroom is just like camping with a bunch of kids – thanks to the chain-link walls, it rains inside, it's windy, it's stiflingly hot, there are large insects that creep around, and there is never silence. It's glorious.
Photo #4: My buddy China playin' 'nos with the other kids. We use dominoes frequently as a fun alternative to addition drills. China's still my favorite kid on the planet. She just chopped off her hair to cement her status as town tomboy.
Photo #5: This is Maicol (like Michael, but phonetic), my neighbor's kid. He was born one month after I got here, and now he's a big cuddly toddler. Makes me feel like I've been here awhile.
Hope you all are enjoying the beginning of summer, and all the good stuff that comes with it. Thanks again for all of your financial and moral support – in the coming months, you will see your donations come alive!
Take care,
Ben
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Peace Corps Partnership Project
I hope this posting finds you all nice and relaxed from Spring Break adventures, or better yet, still on Spring Break adventures. I've been busy trying to win approval for El Pital's computer center and library project, and finally received some good news today: the project has been approved by Peace Corps Washington, and is now official! A little bit about the project, taken from my project proposal:
"El Pital, El Salvador is a rural, agrarian community of roughly 800 inhabitants. The vast majority of residents engage in subsistence farming, with few job prospects beyond that. The four-room school serves not only El Pital, but three smaller, outlying communities as well, and offers grades 1-9, as well as a long-distance high school program. The four teachers are overwhelmed and have few resources at their disposal. Currently, the school has 3 computers, which students use in pairs, twice a week. With access to only these 3 computers and no library, the students here are clearly under-served and much of their potential goes untapped.
The Information Center Project aims to bring the children of El Pital into the 21st Century by addressing the problem of computer literacy as well as other educational issues. We aim to improve computer literacy by providing space to 24 previously donated computers, giving the students an unprecedented student-to-computer ratio. Additionally, we plan to implement computer programs in math, science, language, reading and English, sharpening the students' overall scholastic performance. Finally, we will provide space for a small library that will improve literacy and enrich young minds, as well as foster creative and analytical thinking among students."
In short, this project will drastically improve the lives of El Pitalians by improving computer literacy and education in general, which will carry over to better job prospects within El Salvador. And better job prospects within El Salvador means that fewer people from my community will face the dangers of illegal immigration to the US, and that fewer families will be left behind by immigrants heading north. As you can see, the benefits that this project will bring to my community are myriad and far-reaching.
We have already received a generous donation of computers from my former employer, Keesal Young & Logan, as well as a number of book donations from the US and El Salvador. All we need now is a place to put everything. So, here comes the uncomfortable part (for me, anyway): the community will contribute roughly $7,500 in labor and supplies, but to fully realize this project, we are asking for a little over $11,000 from US donors, which means (drum roll...) YOU GUYS!!! If you would like to donate to this project, you can do so online through a secure credit card transaction on the Peace Corps website, where you will also find a brief project synopsis: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=519-104.
Supporting this project is an opportunity to see exactly how your charitable donations are being used. I will be sending out photos and updates on the progress of the computer center/library, and will personally oversee the project, together with my community counterparts. Your money will be used wisely and effectively, and 100% of it will go toward the project - not to me, or toward paying NGO staff members or office supply costs.
Thanks in advance for your support. I realize that many of you are feeling the tax-time crunch and the tightening tentacles of recession, but if you have some spare cash, please think of El Pital and the bounties this project will bring.
All the best,
Ben
P.S. I've attached my project proposal, as well as the engineer's designs for those of you who want more information on the project and its goals. Also, please feel free to forward this email or the link to the Peace Corps website to anyone who might be interested in supporting the project. Thanks!!
