Student Takeover by Karina Wiedlin

Today we went to Pechula to tour one of the schools we would be working at. The moment I got out of the bus, my mouth dropped in shock. I had never witnessed such extreme pollution and poverty before. There were piles of trash everywhere and the homes looked like they were scrapped together with only a couple pieces of tin. You could see and feel how thick and polluted the air was. As we started walking to the school, I was surprised to see the amazing sense of community that this little village had. They were also very friendly. Every time we walked by, they would greet us by saying “Buen Dia” and some would even shake our hands. The kids waved to us with a bright smile on our face, and we would all do the same. When we got to the school, I couldn’t help myself but smile and laugh. The kids here were so kind, and so enthusiastic. I sat down next to a boy, and he eagerly showed me how to solve a multiplication problem. This young girl next to me asked me if she could braid my hair. The kids were so friendly and so bright. I can’t wait to work with them next week!