For six weeks, I had the privilege of being a volunteer with a Fundación in Patagonia. The Foundation manages various development projects, but the primary is the Centro de Educación Integral "San Ignacio". The school is an agri-technical high school that offers education to students who live in rural communities in the country who have few or no options to receive high school education. The school has boarding houses where the students live while they are taking both traditional curriculum courses in addition to agropecuaria classes.
I lived with the girl students in the boarding house, sharing a room with three students. Every day, I ate with the students and participated in various activities. Some of the volunteer work that I participated in included: cooking in the kitchen to help prepare lunch, painting walls in old classrooms, helping the English teacher during English classes, playing sports during physical education classes, registering and cataloging new books in the library, and one day, I observed a demonstration on how to shear sheep! During the breaks between classes, I spent a lot of time with the students outside of the classrooms or with the teachers who were in the teacher's lounge. Everyone was very nice and open to share their time, ideas, stories and their mate with me. In addition, some days I went to homes in Mapuche communities with the teachers who provide education for adults, another one of the Fundación's projects.
I gained a lot from my experience volunteering with the Fundación, a lot more than I imagined before coming here. Every day, everyone treated me with a lot of respect, care and generosity. The professors, administration, students and the families of all of these people took interest in getting to know me and even more, they invited me to be a part of their lives.
When I arrived in Junín de los Andes, the Fundación was facing a crisis; a terrible fire had destroyed the school and the boy's boarding house. Because of this situation, I think that I was able to see the true heart of the mission of the Fundación. I noticed a ton of effort, dedication, passion and positive attitudes despite the smell of the smoke was still present and the burnt debris from the building were daily reminders of what had happened. It was extraordinary to me how the teachers continued classes in very different (but adequate) conditions in order to make sure that the students continue to learn. There was no school building but there was education. Also, it was impressive how the students didn't complain at all about the changes that they were facing; for example, the majority of the boy students are now staying in military barracks because the boarding house doesn't exist.
When I began learning more about how the Fundación was founded, I realized that this place has a special spirit. The way that everyone responded to the fire was an example of this spirit. It is obvious that the employees and volunteers at the Fundación don't work just because it is their job to do so. They work because they believe in the mission and are dedicated to improving the education for the students every year.
On a personal level, the six weeks here made a huge impact on me. Like the school, I am 25 years old and to see the result of 25 years of work started by a group of young people who are still working towards their original vision today was very inspiring for me. Before coming to Argentina, I quit my job in advertising to explore other worlds and discover different types of jobs where I could put my energy and feel more fulfilled. For a few years, I have thought about being a teacher, but after six weeks of being a fly on the wall at the school, and observing how the Fundación works, I have decided that when I return to my country (the United States), I would like to get my teaching degree.
There were many moments during my volunteer experienced that helped me reach this decision. For example, when I went to the adult education classes in the Mapuche communities, and I saw in the eyes of the students so much trust and gratitude towards the teachers for both the visit and also the new ideas that the teachers brought them. Another example was when I spent time with a teacher making jokes and drinking mate with a group of students during a break in between classes. I enjoyed seeing the relationship between the students and the teachers at San Ignacio; they are more than teachers here, they are family for the students, like uncles, brothers, fathers and friends. Thanks to these experiences, and many others, I am inspired and sure that I want to work in education.
At the same time, I am overwhelmed by the friendships I have now with the girls who I lived with in the boarding house. They made me feel comfortable and welcome in their house every day. They showed a lot of maturity and treated me as a friend the entire time. I will miss them a lot.
It will be difficult to leave Junín de los Andes, but I leave with a backpack full of new friendships, new ideas about my life and a new inspiration, that if people work together with an important and positive mission in common, incredible things can happen.
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