Transformation

I was transformed by this journey. This journey to give to the children of Chiapas taught me that what I have to give is so little in comparison to what I have to learn from the people of Chiapas. Once again, the children of Chiapas, have transformed my life, they have given me so much, all of which goes beyond words.

When I can see courage in the eyes of a child who has suffered more in his six years than I will ever know, I begin my journey into transformation. When I see a girl of eight years old, with full responsibility for caring for her two-year old brother who she carries on her back, try to be a grown woman and still have part of a childhood at the same time, I take a few baby steps toward understanding.

This is life, reality that goes beyond what any middle class American will ever know. I am constantly shaken; rudely awaken from the American dream with these images, these moments of communication, the process of sharing an understanding between two worlds, a sharing of suffering, held in the gaze of eyes between two souls.

When I participate in an evening Mayan prayer ceremony, in which people who have suffered so much, give so freely, I am carried beyond knowing, to a place where I could never get to with my own strength. I am moved by people who have every reason in the world to be angry, bitter and closed to outsiders, pour out their love and say, “We are the ones who take care of our brothers and sisters.”

The people of Acteal and their love have transformed me. Where they get their love, from what depths I may never know, but they inspire me. There love has shown me possibilities, a way to carry me into the future, past my petty suffering, to focus on the love in each soul. The love, and their action of love, of sharing, that the people of Los Altos de Chiapas have shown me, have carried beyond anything I any dreams I had for this trip.

Once again, I was given more than I gave. I learned much more than I could ever teach... anyone. What I brought for the children was so little compared to what I was given. And this gift I have received will stay in my heart forever, as I carry it with me on my journey.

Almost on My Way

Today’s the day. Butterflies are dancing in my stomach, a combination of joy and nervousness. I leave Bethel today and catch the jet to Anchorage. I spent the day in an Apple computer training class, learning how to make webpages. Its a wonder I could even concentrate. I am happy to be on my way to Chiapas. And nervous because I am worried I will not get everything done.

I have never felt so much like I am going home, on my way home to San Cristobal de Las Casas. I looked forward to walking the streets lined with colonial buildings and visiting markets and villages. I look forward to speaking Tsotsil again and seeing friends. I still need to get to the store in Anchorage and buy watercolor paints and papers for my painting workshop.

I received an email from Rafael with the program for the memorial service on the 21 and 22 of December, along with a reminder for people staying over night to bring a sleeping bag and blankets, because it is the cold season. Luckily, I have left my sleeping bag in San Cristobal; hopefully it will be waiting for me there.

My next writing task is to complete my last-minute to do list before getting on the plane. I can almost see the smiles of the children. I have a short stop-over in Anchorage, where I will buy water colors and quality art paper, which is hard to find in México, at least in San Cristobal, my only urban stop-over before heading to the highlands. I am thinking that it is not so much about the books but interacting with the children. This trip I hope to write books with children. I hope you continue with me on this journey as I continue to learn, love, and listen along the path that keeps bringing me back to Chiapas.

The journey is about to begin!

I will be leaving for Anchorage in one week. Then I will board the “red-eye-special” to the “lower forty-eight” and I will be on my way to México! For readers who are unfamiliar with Alaskeese, the “lower-forty-eight” is any part of the USA that is not Hawai´i or Alaska. We just lump the rest of the states together and call it the “lower-forty-eight.”

I will have two lay-overs in the states and I hope I survive the 5 stop-overs that it will take me to get from Bethel, Alaska to Tuxtla Guitierez, Chiapas, México. It seems like a long way off and I know I have work very hard everyday to make it happen!

I am excited to be writing a blog for my travels to Chiapas. I have been traveling there for three years now, at least once or twice a year and it is the experience in my life that gives it the most meaning. When I first went back to Chiapas in 2006, it felt like a magical homecoming. I wondered why I had stayed away so long.

Many people describe Chiapas as a place of extremes. It was in Chiapas that my eyes were first opened to the beauty of Indigenous languages; to the warm-hearted people who live in the mountains fiercely maintaining their culture, religious beliefs and their family; and to the disparity of wealth that causes many Indigenous people to live in abject poverty.

Chiapas, to me, is the most heart-warming smile of a child; a generous offer of friendship and hospitality; at the same time, heart-wrenching sadness for the suffering a a people who never deserved what human-kind (the worst of it) has dished out in the form of racism, discrimination, warfare, and “olivido” the purposeful forgetting by a nation, a world and even the very Chiapañecos who call Chiapas home and are proud of the ethnic diversity.

If you are adventurous, willing, and even forgiving for my own shortcomings, I will take you along on this journey, one in which you must explore your own soul, but one that will lead you to a place in your heart where the life of a child was made better. For me, a better world can be found in the smile on a child´s face as they paint images from their life, as they read a book with pictures especially made to bring joy to children. I feel that if I can bring a little bit of a happy childhood to a child who has known too little joy, then my life has a purpose, however small and humble.

I am looking forward to hearing from you, my reading audience, especially those of you who are in support of increasing literacy among the children in Chiapas, which is the poorest state in México. In the midst of poverty, you will find a people rich in spirit who are truely appreciative for this gift of books.

Buying Books and Getting Ready

It's time to start planning for my annual Christmas trip. I have found the most meaningful way to spend Christmas is to buy quality children's picture books and donate them to children in southern rural Mexico. So first, I buy the books and have them shipped to Bethel. In this picture, Alaskan students pose with the books I will send to México for children in Chiapas.

I have already bought my plane ticket to Tuxtla Guitierrez, Chiapas. Next, I will start planning out more of the details for the trip south to Mexico. I still need to email some friends who I work with there and set up a place to stay while I am in San Cristobal de Las Casas. My friend Veronica owns a posada there, near the center of town, so I usually stay there, I just need to let her know I am coming so she will hold a room for me.

I have a little over a month before my trip; it seems hard to believe. I have so much to do. My goal is to make a list and start checking off what I need to do before I leave-- at least one item a day. I'll keep you posted on how my plans are going!

A Rough Start

Hello,
It has been a year and two months since I started this blog and I decided it is time to post again. I hope to learn how to post pictures on my blog, since I love taking pictures and sharing them with others. Perhaps, this opportunity will help me get back into creative writing.

I am on a new adventure, albeit reluctantly. I have gotten off to a rough start and am finally feeling like I have a chance to breath and sleep. Tomorrow I will be frantically packing and heading over the gravel runway, now covered with snow to jump on another tiny plane that will take me across the tundra, to Bethel where I will spend two days scoring writing assessments.

What about all that work I promised I would do this week? What about cleaning, packing and catching up on my own life? It’s after nine p.m. and I have not cooked dinner yet, much less eaten nor looked at that mile-long "To-do" list. It’s not going to happen. It’s all a roller coaster ride and you can't get off until May. Next year, 2010. It’s all in the life of an instructional coach in Western Alaska.

Hello,
It has been a year and two months since I started this blog and I decided it is time to post again. I hope to learn how to post pictures on my blog, since I love taking pictures and sharing them with others. Perhaps, this opportunity will help me get back into creative writing.

I am on a new adventure, albiet relunctantly. I have gotten off to a rough start and am finally feeling like I have a chance to breath and sleep. Tomorrow I will be frantically packing and heading over the gravel runway, now covered with snow to jump on another tiny plane that will take me across the tundra, to Bethel where I will spend two days scoring writing assessments.

What about all that work I promised I would do this week? What about cleaning, packing and cathcing up on my own life? its after nine p.m. and I have not cooked dinner yet, much less eaten nor looked at that mile-long "To-do" list. Its not going to happen. Its all a roller coaster ride and you can't get off until May. Next year, 2010. Its all in the life of an instructional coach in Western Alaska.

Still learning

Hi, my name is Maria and I am eager to learn from all of you (and Jason) about the great ways to incorporate digital storytelling into best practices in the classroom. I am looking forward to a great school year and using new ideas to interest and motivate student writing and learning.

I have been a reluctant learner and user of technology, but I took a 3-day digital storytelling workshop with Jason last year and am excited to learn more about how to develop student projects.

My ideas for using DST in the classroom include:

• Encouraging student exploration of identity and culture
• Having students create narratives that put themselves in history
• Encouraging students to write narratives to explore the place the live in and the issues that affect them.

I am excited about this class. I have already learned how to set up a blog, something I have never done before but have been interested in using for my classroom, my business, and possibly travel!