Fun Friday: At the Garden!

By: Ilene Solomon

Fridays are typically filled with fun (yet still educational) activities, in order to expand the kiddo's minds and hearts, and to provide them with more hands-on, experiential ways to learn. Last Friday was no exception! Fun Friday was run by the Garden Team: Lynn, Peter and myself...and with the help of parents who lent us their garden tools (thanks padres!), we all got our hands dirty with our first Garden Day of the new dry season.

The kids getting geared up for X-treme Garden Makeover

With about thirty students--from kinder all the way up to 6th graders--and seven volunteers, we raced out to the back of the salon, home to the Abriendo Mentes garden. Past volunteers and donors helped create a beautiful garden space, but unfortunately, due to the heavy rains of September and October and a horrible iguana attack, the garden looked like it needed some major TLC! Luckily, the students were excited to help. We managed to weed the entire plot plus remove all of the trash! Phew.

Tatiana with her bunch of weeds

But the greatest show of all, was when volunteer and Garden Committee Co-Chair Peter shimmied up the 5 meter tall tree with his travel-sized saw! He helped us trim down the tree to let more light shine in. Afterward, he instructed the big kids in how to safely use his travel-sized axe to chop the branches for the compost pile. One of our older boys, Oscar, was put in charge of showing the other older students how to handle the axe. This was a special moment for Oscar, as he was able to sharpen his leadership capacities...after all, education doesn't just happen in the classroom!

Peter teaching Oscar to use an axe to trim the tree

After about 2 hours of work, the kids were thirsty and the volunteers were tired, so we packed up and called it a day. Next on the garden agenda includes securing the garden beds and re-soiling the area. If you'd like to help support the garden, consider donating to Abriendo Mentes!

Third Session: Big Changes Can Happen Quickly!

Written by: Shannon Ghere

As the Third Session of Abriendo Mentes’ programs has come to a close and our fourth and final session of the year is underway, it is a marker for me to look back at the enriching time I have spent in Costa Rica thus far. I arrived on the dusty roads of Potrero in the beginning of August, just before the the Third Session began. Recently graduated from college, I was full of desire to make real change. I was ready to begin, but truly had no idea the journey I was embarking on.

Shannon in classes with Dilan making an igloo

Potrero at first seemed quite different from the life I was used to, but I quickly fell in love with it. The town is comprised of Guanacastecos, some of Costa Rican origin, others immigrants from Nicaragua. Poverty is prevalent in the region and has a strong hold on many families. But what is even more difficult is the lack of opportunity to change ones circumstances. It is clear after living in the area for a few months that not only is there a deep need for increased education, but also a clear desire from the community. This is what makes Abriendo Mentes such a success: they are addressing real needs and the community embraces them in their efforts.

The AM kids pile on the soccer field

Of course I was excited to dive into AM’s English classes and the Third Session classes did not disappoint. The youngest classes were always my favorite and I loved all the songs and English games we played with the kids. The older classes reminded me of some of the activities I have done in my own courses as I was learning a new language. From week to week I could see improvements in the students’ English. And thanks to a great idea by past volunteer Linda, AM was able to implement a new attendance program for the Third Session which more then doubled our number of regularly attending students! The impact was immediate and sustained throughout the session, leading AM to implement a new schedule in order to create smaller class sizes.

Kinder class! With Sofia and Daniella

We celebrated some fantastic holidays during the Third Session including Mother’s Day, Children’s Day, Independence Day, and the Festival of Corn. During each event I had a great time with the students and, of course, at all the AM fiestas we threw for the kids. Children’s Day was by far my favorite and, I think, something we should consider adopting in the United States! AM held carnival for all the children in Potrero and included many games and events I always loved in carnivals as I was growing up.

Shannon in charge of the UFO disc toss station

Since I arrived in Potrero the AM family has grown quite a bit! For the majority of my initial time in Potrero there were just three volunteers. Now the team has grown to eleven people in total. The largest Abriendo Mentes team to date!

With volunteer Lynn and some AM students making picture frames

Looking back on the few months I’ve been here, it is astonishing just how much can be accomplished in such a short time. From the wonderful teaching experiences I have had and the growth I have seen with the students, to the various successes Abriendo Mentes has had. I have built strong relationships in such a short time with community members and the other volunteers alike. And even the changes I have seen in myself: the improvement in my own work, my changing concepts of the community I have become a part of, and my lack of screaming at the various bugs, toads, crabs, and scorpions that wander into my apartment.

Shannon and Emily - Las Gallos Pintos at the Halloween party

When you look at life in Potrero and the immense amount of work Abriendo Mentes does, it can seem daunting at the beginning. But looking back at the past few months, who knows what can be accomplished in such a short amount of time.

We the Women of Potrero!

Written by: Lynn Hessbrueggen

A lack of educational possibilities and after school activities has centered Abriendo Mentes’ primary focus on the children of Potrero. As we all know, children are our future. But where do all these energetic, smart little ones come from? Who brings them up, feeds them and loves them? La Mujeres de Potrero (The Women of Potrero)!

A few important women of Potrero share smiles and stories during the first meeting

To honor this strong and essential part of our community, AM has created a women's empowerment group program. The group strives to be a place, where all women of Potrero (young and old, from Costa Rica or abroad) can gather together, discuss, learn and spend quality time just for themselves. A place where there is room for questions concerning women’s health, child care and economic independence; a place where no woman has to restrict herself; a place for women.

Shannon with some of the women of Potrero spending quality time together

This past Thursday at 5pm (más o ménos) we started our first new Women’s Group meeting. To our delight, the small room was filled with women of all ages. After Meradith had welcomed everyone in Spanish, and the buffet of food, which was provided by volunteers and village women alike, was emptied onto our plates, AM introduced the ideas of possible activities that we had thought of in advance: healthy cooking, Yoga, swimming classes, women’s health, Spanish-English intercambio… and the list goes on. There was plenty to talk about while enjoying fruits, chips, dips, rice and chicken.

Meradith enjoying arroz con pollo and conversation with Maritza, Margarita and Tina.

Everyone discussed, with openness and excitement the different possibilities of the women's group. A lively exchange of opinions full with laughter and jokes created a comfortable atmosphere: surfing and snorkeling were dismissed, in a fit of laughter, everyone imagining themselves on a surf board, and many new ideas were added. Next week, everybody is going to come with a towel, ready to learn how to give and receive a relaxing massage. Having attended the first meeting, I’m really looking forward to the next one.