El Tejar

El Tejar's library seems to be quite well established in the community. The Aventuras de Lectura program is in its second year and there was a large turnout for the end of the program. Students sang, performed a play and played games to celebrate completing this six week reading program that occurs during the student's winter break. The student are very young; and that is something that has been discussed. These programs - while essential for beginning a culture of literacy - need to be estabished for the older students.

Santa Cruz Balanya

The Mayor of Santa Cruz Balanya, pictured speaking here, created this library with the help of Child Aid and PROBIGUA. As you can see, the library is huge. This is the first year they´ve had the reading program and attendance was small but very enthusiastic. The children were very, very young. My hope is that, over time, these programs will develop for the older kids. Creating programs for young adults (ages 12 to 18) can have so many benefits for both the students and the community... Young kids see that reading is something that you grow up doing, creating a reading culture. It also allows the older kids an opportunity to help the younger kids - reinforcing what they´ve learned, giving them confidence and communication skills. And let´s face it - kids don´t look up to ¨old people¨ (and once you´ve hit 25 - to a six year old - you are pretty much over the hill and will likely die soon)they look up to teens! Envolving young adults creates a sustainable cycle of reading.

Antigua

Antigua is lovely. There are many foreigners here studying Spanish (there are about 75 language schools here!) but the architecture, food, and pace of life gives one a small taste of life in Guatemala. I had the opportunity the other night to participate in hacer una alfombra - making a rug. The rug is made by laying out large pine needles and flowers on the cobblestone streets - and as the church procession comes by carrying the statue of Jesus, they walk over the rug!

Los Libros!

Thanks to my fabulous coworkers at the Washington State Library and some very generous folks from Labor & Industries, I will be taking 28 Spanish language children's books plus some cash donations to PROBIGUA's libraries.
Muchas gracias a todos!

PROBIGUA

Academia de Español PROBIGUA (Proyecto Bibliotecas Guatemala) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to two goals:

1) Teaching Spanish through their language school.
2) Helping the children of Guatemala by donating the school's profits to establish and maintain libraries in the many rural villages in which there is no access to books.

I'll be spending my mornings at the language academy and in the afternoons I'll be volunteering with the library project. At this point, I know I'll be helping out with their reading programs and doing some cataloging on the Bibliobus. Cataloging gets a lot more appealing when one gets to do it on a bus delivering books to children in rural Guatemalan villages.

Getting ready

I leave for Guatemala this Saturday.
I will be taking Spanish classes, volunteering with PROBIGUA and doing some travelling.
Viva las bibliotecas!

This picture is both: subliminal encouragement to drink yummy Chilean wine whilst trip planning and a display of my new magical photo taking & uploading abilities (thanks for the camera Becky)! It is quite magical, non?