Dia de Arbol- Yes, It’s Another Celebration!

Dia de Arbol!

My most recent blog posts have been about parties, festivals and celebrations. So, what about the work you may be wondering, you know, the actual volunteerism part of the adventure?

Well first of all, our main task as Peace Corps Volunteers is about development. It would be so much easier to build a structure, dig a well, or buy something needed and give it to the people. Development work takes time- it takes developing language skills, building relationships, learning about the culture, listening to Paraguayans and talking to them about what they want for their community. Then, development work is about finding members in the community who are interested in developing a plan, and helping them to lead the charge, or at least be active participants.

One event that I feel encompassed many of the elements listed above was our recent "Dia de Arbol", (Day of the Tree), celebration, which took place at two different schools, involving about 190 people. From a development perspective:

1. We conducted a Community Survey, (in Guarani), and  discovered that planting more trees in the community was a high priority item for the people in Arazape.
2. I surveyed the teachers in the school, (Pre escolar- sixth grade). Nearly all of them  indicated they were interested in a "Dia de Arbol" celebration.
3. Together with teachers, community members, and other volunteers, we created a program that would involve every class in the school.
   

   

   Third Graders "Ham it Up" for a Picture

4. Together, the teachers and I, worked to practice with each class four times prior to the event. During this time I modeled alternate instructional methods, and was able to see teachers try some of these techniques as well!
   

   

   Second Graders Perform Their Chant

5. Next, after all the arrangements, preparations, and practice, the event was cancelled! When it rains or even looks like it will rain, school is cancelled. This is where I developed more patience….
6. A date was rescheduled for the celebration. I talked with 5 students from the colegio, (high school), about volunteering to help with the event.
7. Finally the big day arrived! The most exciting part about this project was that kids were teaching other kids about trees: Pre-escolar and first grades teamed up to sing the parts of the tree in Guarani, complete with hand/body motions; Second grade performed a chant about caring for trees, including visuals; Third grade taught their peers about valuing trees and the many gifts they provide; Fourth grade shared information about resources provided by trees and created a tree using props; Fifth grade demonstrated the process for correctly planting a tree; and Sixth graders each illustrated a page from Shel Silverstein’s book, The Giving Tree, (El Arbol Generoso, in Spanish), and read the story to the audience.
   

   

   Kids teaching Kids!

8. Next, every class, using their newly acquired skills, planted a tree at the school. These were trees grown from seeds collected in the community and started by kids in our neighborhood six months in advance!
   

   

   Mark Helps Pre-schoolers Plant Their Tree

9. Finally, volunteers led tree related activities in the school patio, for the kids to enjoy: leaf prints in homemade play dough; leaf sorting and categorizing; drawing and coloring your favorite tree; and pin, (well, tape), the leaf on the tree while blindfolded, (and really dizzy).
   

   

   Volunteers Lead "Pin the Leaf on the Tree"

The result? From the perspective of new learning, proud kids and parents, lots of fun, and most importantly, development on many levels- SUCCESS! So, as you can see, I have found a way to celebrate while I work- now that sounds Paraguayan!