Mutual Benefits that it was (entertaining) science. Following a break, we were the spectators as three different groups of kids presented typical Mayan dances—The Deer Dance, The Monkey Dance, and The Little Bull—and gave all of our group members cards made by the students. Three of the U.S. volunteers are also leaving this week, and they prepared cards for them as well. The kids finished the program by singing a reprise of the school anthem, Paz y libertad (Peace and Liberty). As I explained to the group at lunch, this song epitomizes for me our relationship with the Asturias Academy. When our first delegation arrived in 2002, we were greeted by an assembly at which the kids sang us this song, which expresses simply and poignantly the hopes and dreams of the Guatemalan people
July 28: Dante Fisher and Ben Hsiung’s physics experiment demonstrations impressed the kids. The two highlights were creating a geyser from combining CocaCola with mints, and the crowning event of breaking a cinder block on school founder and principal Jorge Chojolán’s chest while he lay on the bed of nails. Jorge heard one kid comment that Ben and Dante were magicians, and he stressed to the kids
who have suffered so many decades of violence, injustice and war. The chorus proclaims: “Peace, we want peace and liberty for this world,” and the verses declare: “For the children of the whole world we want peace and liberty,” “No more hunger, no more war, we want peace in this land,” “For the poor and the old we want peace and liberty,” and finally, “No more wars and radiation, no more ideas of extermination.”
We were very moved by the song, and I asked Jorge where they had learned it. He responded that we had given it to them. One of our first projects after establishing the partnership in 1999 was to raise funds to purchase books in Spanish for the school. One of the books was a songbook of classic children’s songs in Spanish. Amidst the classic songs was Peace and Liberty, which had been composed by the songbook’s editor, José-Luis Orozco. Peace and Liberty symbolizes the mutuality and reciprocity that should exist in a meaningful relationship. We offered a gift, the school received it, and gave it back to us in a totally unexpected way. We have all been enriched by our partnership, based on ideals and values that transcend cultural and linguistic differences that often separate us. >j<
At the end of the trip, students and staff of the Asturias Academy staged a celebration for the Juniata group. The festivities included Guatemalan dances performed wearing colorful costumes, games and a heartfelt thank-you ceremony.
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2012 Fall-Winter
English teacher from Minnesota, who has really connected with the kids and the staff at the school. She feels she has good support and loves working with the students. She was Skyping with her parents while I was in the volunteer room, so I got a chance to meet and chat with them a bit. Both of them are retired educators, so she comes by it naturally. Since this was our last regular day at the school, they organized a special activity in the late afternoon so that we had more chances to interact with the teachers. We mixed it up at dinner. We were close to 60 people in the assembly room and it was a raucous bunch. People had a good time socializing, and there was dancing toward the end, including a performance of Cotton-Eyed Joe by Malea Hetrick, plus our three Juniata students.