Photo by Caitlyn
Today was the group’s first day and we got off to an exciting start. Although we arrived at our hostel late last night, we woke up at 5 o’clock to what we thought were gunshots. No worries though, it was actually celebratory fireworks. The people of San Miguel de Allende seem to always be up for a party, as we have seen several street parties with locals dancing in costumes (Snoopy, Teletubbies and cowboys included).
Roberto, a friendly CASA employee, picked us up at 8 o’clock. Although he is our age, he has been working for CASA for six years and is actively involved in several of their programs. Today he brought us to his weekly half-hour radionovela where he and his co-worker Gustavo discuss various social issues that effect young people, including domestic violence, gender equality and the role of women in the household. I was surprised by how comfortable they both were in front of the microphone. Although my Spanish is not perfect, even I hung on their every word.
Afterwards, we drove to a town just outside of San Miguel, Delores Hildago. In a market center CASA set up a table to take the blood pressure of passers-by. There was a wide range of patients: mothers with children hugging their legs, grandmothers with leathered skin, the occasional teenager. I helped Roberto take down their information, noting of whether they had any health problems. Besides getting a lesson in the spelling of Spanish names and numbers, I also discovered that high blood pressure was prevalent in the community.
After about an hour, a group of teenagers that are involved with CASA put on a performance next to the health station. With a puppet theatre as their backdrop, they acted out a play where a rich businessman forgot the value of nature and tried to exploit it for profit. As every great play, this one included the friendly mariposa (butterfly) and a talking arbol (tree). I was impressed with the detailed scenery and costumes, and I think the locals were impressed as well.
One thing that really stuck out to me from the start was CASA’s commitment to including young people as the base of their outreach programs. I first realized this from my conversation with Roberto, and more so when I saw the teenage theatre groups’ dedication to their work. These smart, young people understand the local culture and are excited to help their community, and have a lot of fun while they do so.
-Briana