A Few Lessons Learned

Ryan Bernal Franco is a New Yorker spending his summer in the town of Andahuaylillas assisting in the classrooms of the local elementary school. His blog reflects on the differences of a fast paced life and the beauty of slowing down - 

It all started with buying a lanyard at a conference in Washington DC, the joy of learning about what a non-profit organization like the Quispicanchi Project does, who they accompany and what their goals are. 

 

Being in Peru has taught me so much about my character, my skills, and even more so, given me a chance to dive into my dream of being an educator. My morning consists of being a teaching assistant at Fe y Alegría Primaria in Andahuaylillas, a small region in the Quispicanchi Province. In the afternoon, I support homework help for a group of young students in Huaro as well as playing soccer and other activities. My first days in Andahuaylillas, I found myself introducing myself, where I am from, and why I decided to travel thousands of miles away from a place I called home for two months.

What I did not realize until the first official week of being a Project Companion is that it is okay to be uncomfortable, it is okay to be in uncomfortable situations where you get to explain about why you decided to join the project and the impact you are wanting to make not only for the people you are creating relationships with but also for yourself. I feel as if it is always a great testament to be in uncomfortable situations because it builds confidence, passion and adapts to anything you put your mind to. 

With that being said, here are a few things I have learned:

 

1. Since my time in Peru, I have further grown in my Spanish, created strong relationships with people that I work with and live with. Living in a small town means everyone knows everyone - when walking the streets and being given a simple, “buen día” or “buenas tardes” is such a shift in my usual day to day. 

As a New Yorker, you are taught to always be on the go and never stop - Peru has allowed me to prioritize the importance of my day-to-day schedule and slowing down to acknowledge your surroundings and the people around you.

 

2. Working at Fe y Alegría Primaria as a teaching assistant has taught me valuable lessons that I will forever treasure. It takes me back to my first day walking into the campus, invited with the fresh air of the big bright flowers and big smiles & hugs from the staff and students. 

Every day, I find myself looking onto the campus and being embraced with a “Hola Profe Ryan” or “Hola, qué tal?” from those I come across. 

3. As a teacher, you are taught to find the little things in making your student’s day and finding the value in creating relationships with them. However, I believe as if they have taught me the valuable things and make my day each day that I am with them. Seeing their faces light up each time I walk through campus or walk into a room, the curiosity and excitement they have when I translate different words for them from Spanish to English, when they want to learn more about the different cultures and things we do in the United States. I hope that when I return home I can be just as insightful and curious as my students are.