Journal: Oaxaca
Week 4: 23 June-28 June
Monday, 23 June 2008, 5 more days to the exhibition!
Today was selection day with the kids. 3 photos per person was a hard ask considering the kids have taken gazillions of amazing photos!
With the help of Bernice and Sam, we now have the flyers for Saturday's Exbition ready for distribution! The count down is on!
Tuesday, 24 June 2008, 4 more days to the exhibition!
Today made me realise the very reason we're here in Oaxaca. Although most of the children in the workshop play and act like kids do at every opportunity, they act like nothing is wrong with their situation or the world, they are at the end of every class, expected to work on the streets till late at night and even at times, to pull out of class or school if their circumstances at home changes.
After class this morning, we were invited to the home of a couple of the kids. After an hour-long bus ride where I was convinced the driver is a complete lunatic and we were all going to die, we arrived at what seemed like a partly constructed building of aluminium. The home consists of an outside kitchen comprised of two pieces of bricks and a thin piece of metal seated on top acting as a stove, 2 small little rooms with old pieces of clothes as doors, untiled flooring and an outside latrine. Our lunch was a simple but beautiful one of tortillas, challote (a type of melon that they are so proud of as it flourishes in their garden) and beans. We talked photography, school, politics and Africa. Not sure how Africa slipped into our conversations but it seems to always be the case : ) The kids were contented playing with their spin tops on dirt floor.
Later that night, whilst having dinner, we ran into Esmeralda and her Mom at about 9pm, walking the streets selling sweets and other small items. Esme moved her hand towards her stomach, telling me she was hungry. At 9pm, their work had just started...
Wednesday, 25 June 2008, 3 more days to the exhibition!
Sam left this morning, leaving the 2 girls (Bernice and I) to roam the streets of Oaxaca ourselves.
Getting all the photographs printed to the size and quality required for the exhibition was a challenge with the limited Espanol that I know. Fingers crossed. We'll find out in about 2 hours!
Thursday, 26 June 2008, 2 more days to the exhibition!
It's crunch time! With Sam gone, there are only 2 pairs of hands to put together 19 "surprise" albums for the kids, get ready all the photos for exhibitions!
Photos came back perfecto!! Phew! I don't think I'm a proud maestro (teacher) boasting, but most of my kids' photos mirrors that of a professional's! Simply breath-taking!
The hard work now begins. It was after a dead thumb (Bernice's thumb looks like a rat has chewed on it), a dead left hand (my left hand was practically kaput), and about 2am later that we were kind of ready to call it a day! We were proud teachers though!
Saturday, 28 June 2008, Today's the day!
Don't think we slept a wink. Well I didn't because I was constantly thinking of all the things we still need to do and poor Bernice didn't because I was constantly waking her up reminding her of the things she needs to remind me of that we still need to do!
12pm came in a flash! All the photos were up, along with the kids' profiles. They looked amazing. All the kids arrived on time and were keen to find out who the winners are. "Secreto, pasiensas" I said, meaning it's a secret and patience. All were amazed at how much the kids have achieved with a little point and shoot digital camera! It was great for the children.
With much difficulty, the 3 "winners" based on lots of criteria we'd conjured up are Fredi, Alma and Ricardo. We've also decided to sponsor the educations of two children (through to secondary school). One is Luis Eduardo, who is in our 'Cameras for Kids' workshop (whose sponsor had pulled out). The other is gorgeous little Sylvia. More information about these little treasures will be posted soon.
A month has flown by. Am now dreading Monday.
OTHER PROJECTS | Zambia | Uganda | Cameras for Kids
Cameras forKids Journal: Oaxaca
2 June-30 June
Photo Exhibition in Oaxaca: 28 June
Our Sponsored Children
Luis Eduardo Ramirez Garcia, 11yo
Silvia Ramirez Martinez, 3yo
