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The Infamous News Bulletin First Edition By Subud Youth International
(
2219
Reads
)
Posted by
harfijah
Thursday, March 28, 2002
|
|
Some of you received this directly to your email addresses, but if you haven't, please read on and click below to take a gander. . .
HI!
You have just received a copy of the Subud Youth International news bulletin.
The contents below are as follows:
0. Hello and introduction to this ìnewsletterî, Manuel Oliver
1. News and Views from Harfijah Chung, SYA International Co-chair
2. Easter Week Video Workshop in Britain
3. YESQUEST happening starting July 1, 2002 in Kalimantan
4. Emmanuel Williams is putting together a book for teens about Sex
5. SYA Indonesia News --The Ruang Satu project at Wisma Subud, by Rachmat Fischer
6. The Awakening of the Subud Youth of Australia, by Hanafi Fraval
7. A Report from Young Members in Chile, by Luisa Urrejola,
Introduction by Harfijah Chung
8. A Young Womanís Experience As a Volunteer in Brazil, By Myra Margolin,
Introduction by Illene Pevec
******************************************************
0. Greetings from Manuel
Greetings All friends, sisters, and brothers,
This is our first mass mailing of the Subud Youth Association International newsletter. We have currently have a collection of about 300 email addresses of people from around the world who we sincerely hope are interested in hearing news of what is going on. If you were included by mistake, I apologize, the fault belongs with me. Similarly, if there are other people who would like to be on our mailing list but are not at this time, please let us know.
We hope very soon to also have an online version of this newsletter at subudlife.com. Harfijah and I plan to use subudlife.com as our primary internet presence. Those of you who have already been checking in to subudlife.com will have seen some (but not all!) of these articles already.
As many of you know, we have been in Indonesia since Ramadan. We are currently in Kalimantan, in part making preparations for the June gathering here at Rungan Sari. (starting June 22, 2002 at Rungan Sari, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia) We hope that there will be substantial youth involvement in this endeavor. Also, for those who come in June, there is the added benefit of getting to see the wedding of SYA Indonesia coordinator Teguh Santosa to former UK SYA coordinator Renee Flynn. Congratulations to them!!!
Anyone who is interested in specific information about the June Kalimantan gathering can email rsp@palangkaraya.wasantara.net , or go to www.subudvoice.net to get online information and registration forms. Also, the YESQUEST is ready to start on 1 July from Rungan Sari, see the details below.
We also hope to send out a whole bunch of SYA Indonesia news soon, there is a burst of exciting activity and effort at trying to find new solutions to old problems. Check out the Ruang Satu report for more about how is playing out in Jakarta.
We are also interested in what is happening around the world and always appreciate invitations to travel to visit specific groups, gatherings, projects, etc. If anyone has anything which they would like to share with SYA or with the wider Subud world, please let Harfijah and I know at syai@subud.org (this address will forward to our personal addresses).
Thatís all from me for now.
Blessings,
Manuel Oliver
SYAI Co-coordinator
1. SOME RAMBLINGS AND NEWS FROM THE OTHER CHAIRÖ, by Harfijah Chung
March 22, 2002
Greetings! My name is Harfijah Chung and I am your current co-chair for Subud Youth Association International (SYAI). I am from the United States and am currently spending time in Central Kalimantan and Jakarta. I am an elementary school teacher and am soon relocating to Jakarta to teach for a Montessori school.
Indonesia is very fortunate to have large numbers (several hundred) of young members and Iíve been blessed in experiencing the enthusiasm, energy, and support of members in Jakarta. It is a regular occurrence to gather at the steps of the latihan hall in Cilandak to swap stories, drink instant cappuccino, and stay late into the evening socializing.
Many young members have spoken to me about their hesitation and shyness when it comes to asking for testing experiences from local helpers. As a helper I wanted to encourage and support young Indonesian women organize their own testing sessions. So far, we have had one session last month with both foreigners and local members in attendance. Some of the questions tested were: ìWho am I, how do I feel (or what is my state) when I am standing before someone (or a partner, or a man) who is right for me?î, ìHow do we prepare our inners towards meeting the right partner in marriage?î, and ìHow do we each feel Godís love?î. For most, it was the first time they ever had an intimate testing experience such as this. Young members Iíve met say that they only test when Ibu Rahayu comes for a talk and testing follows. They are now interested in creating a space where more informal kejiwaan experiences such as these can take place on a more frequent basis.
What came out of Subud Youth workshops in Bali . . .
As many know, it is a constant challenge to put parameters around ìSubud youthî, how we define what that is, and who it encompasses. I view Subud Youth as having two primary purposes. The first is that each generation acts as a role model and helps encourage younger members to participate in youth activities and to convey the importance of the latihan. The second purpose requires spirited energy to initiate and organize activities that can welcome all people. I came to this conclusion after the Subud Youth workshops in Bali. These themes provided the basis for our mission statement. Here is the SYAI Mission Statement for the next four years. We will provide the environment and the support to encourage young and newly opened members to comfortably and fully participate in Subud; and to support and encourage Subud youth to take initiative to organize activities which welcome all people.
In Bali, many members expressed the view that SYA is a bridge between generations, and that its existence supports younger members to take ìthe next stepî in participating in their Subud community.
On a Personal Note. . .
The months following Bali as I began to ìwearî this role as co-chair, there was an inner feeling of the state of youth that was present for me. There was urgency and importance that really what Subud youth represents is the future. Many times Iíve wondered how to delicately balance this job that seems pulled in both directions between committee work and helper work. Iíve also had to grapple with how to best manage my time without being stretched past my capacity. The fact that our operating budget for two people to travel and organize projects (about $4,000 for 8 months) does not provide a salary or living stipend makes us sometimes wonder how it is possible to do what we need. We are hit with the realities of little or no money and young people asking for our help on many levels. Choices must be made and because of lack of money, many members suggest we write grant proposals on top of our other responsibilities. Wow, as you can imagine, the pressure can feel overwhelming and frustrating.
Despite the hardships and feeling this is an uphill battle, I am blessed with a determination and faith I never knew I had in me. I am blessed with an even closer feeling to God and his guidance in my outer work as I try little by little - to truly be and act as a human with the hope that I can make a difference and fulfill my promise to God.
Whatís NEXT . . .
My co-chair, Manuel, has a way with words. He summarized what I was struggling how to communicate to the outside with directness and creativity:
ìSomething we have realized, in these first six months is that SYAI suffers without its own real, established organization with a sense of continuity [in leadership and funding]. An organization with a constitution, mission statement and continuity is easier able to tap non-profit resources outside our Subud world, to propel our dynamic members into work with other bright souls, to shine the Subud beacon, and to attract others to Subud.î
Money is out there and potential for alliances with other youth foundations is how I view a future for Subud youth to truly encompass those unopened and provide real services such as youth camps, volunteer experiences abroad, and other special interest workshops! To do this type of research and groundwork requires a team of people . . . ANYONE INTERESTED!?
Right now I am looking for individuals whose talents include research and grant writing. Ideally, I would like an ìinternationalî team, but we also must keep in mind that we are dependent on communicating through emails so those interested must have access to the internet.
Please email me your thoughts, opinions, and ideas. I may start a forum on www.subudlife.com if I get enough members interested in discussing Subud youth and a future foundation. May you continue to feel guidance and protection from Almighty God.
Your Sister in Subud,
Harfijah Chung
Harfijahc@yahoo.com
**************************************************************
2. EASTER VIDEO MAKING WEEK
Info. taken from the British Youth Page Fresh Rabbit:
A tentative date has now been set for the Easter Video Making Week, which will take place at Glansevin, Wales, in early April. Starting Tuesday, April 2nd and ending Saturday the 6th, it will cost 50 Pounds per person for the whole week. The price includes accommodation, meals, and the rental costs for equipment. The aim of the week is to write a screenplay, perform in it and film it, with the help of two professionals - Stephen Flynn and Lucas Adamson. Essentially it will consist of five days of activity, starting from scratch and, hopefully, culminating with a finished product.
For people interested in acting, filming or screenwriting, wanting to get practical experience in this type of media, this could be a fabulous chance to have fun together and share our skills. No prior experience is required.
As places are limited, please hurry and book soon by contacting Brianna
Harvey at briannaharvey@cs.com
****************************************************************
3. Are You YES Quest Ready?
If so, come to the second YES Quest Programme in Central Kalimantan.
1 to 18 July, 2002
The YES Quest ChallengeÖ
Clarify a vision for your life - set life and career goals.
Venture deep into the Kalimantan jungle and into your own self.
Explore personal potential, develop skills and formulate a personal career project.
Gain a greater awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses.
Experience adventure, challenge and fun with other young Subud members.
Learn about Indonesia and Dyak culture.
Practice the Latihan.
Who Can Benefit?
Subud members from 17 to 30 years wanting to clarify their direction and path in life and willing to work on an intensive 18-day program.
WHERE?
The Eco Village at Rungan Sari, Central Kalimantan, and travelling further north
Contacts for Applications and InformationÖ
Hamidatun Johnson - h_johnson12@hotmail.com
Peter Jenkins - 62 (0)811 529 766 peterjenkins@rungansari.net
Marcus Mackay - 61 (0)2 6296 4234 marcus_m@smartchat.net.au
CostsÖ
$340 (US), for accommodation, food and travel within the programme
Travel costs to and from Kalimantan are the participantís responsibility
(Financial assistance may be available for some participants)
* The YES Quest is sponsored by the Guerrand-Hermes Foundation for Peace
*****************************************************************
4. A NEW BOOK ABOUT SEX -- Emmanuel Williams invites submissions for a new book for young people
Iíve known Emmanuel for a while now, as have many of the people my generation in Subud who grew up going to his camps and workshops. He is a much loved brother and cares greatly about young people and it is with pleasure that I forward his email soliciting input from people, especially young Subud people about their personal experiences regarding sex. I intend to write something for him and do hope that anyone else who feels similarly moved will know that Emmanuel is a great person and a great writer. Good luck EmmanuelÖ
M.O.
Emmanuel Williams writes:
I've been moved to write a book for young people about sex. The book
will be based on the question: "Should I have sex with this person?" -
the assumption being that the couple in question aren't married. The aim
of the book is not to try to answer this question for the reader, but
rather to raise a number of issues, put forward a number of ideas, that
will help the reader answer this question for him/herself. In other
words, to make a choice which is as conscious as possible. The core of
the book will be the idea that sleeping with someone is a lot more
profound and complex than a merely physical act.
If we sleep around then our inners are quite deeply mixed up and
darkened by the forces from other people we are intimate with. (See the
relevant passages in Susila Budhi Dharma for what Bapak said about this.
Also, Salamah Pope's section in her book Antidote.)My intention is to
write this book for NON-SUBUD readers. None of the books for young
people about sex that I've read comes anywhere near discussing it from
the above point of view. On the other hand, lots of -non-Subud - young
people I've discussed this with have intuitively (and often hesitantly)
arrived at conclusions in line with the above views.
I'm inviting Subud members who've had experiences/receivings that are in
line with what I'm trying to put across in this book to write them down
and mail/email them to me. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THIS BOOK IS FOR
NON-SUBUD READERS - late teens and twenties. 500 - 750 words please. I
talk about God (or Allah, or the Source of all Life); I don't talk about
sin, but rather the harm that MAY come from sleeping around. I don't
talk about the latihan.
My address is
Emmanuel Williams, 828 Montezuma Rd, Pacifica, CA 94044, USA.
Email: Emmuel4@pacbell.net
Emmanuel Williams, USA
5. SYA Indonesia News
5A. RUANG SATU by Rachmat Fischer
This project was begun on the initiative of Bpk Muchtar Siregar, Chairman of Subud Indonesia, and with the support of Subud Youth Indonesia. It began from the observation that many young people, not only in Subud, have difficulties because of their age and inexperience, general economic conditions, lack of self confidence, poorly defined personal objectives and other factors.
The aim of the project is to help youths achieve some measure of self-reliance and self-confidence by means of training and personal development and particularly through involvement in enterprise activities. At this stage the project is still experimental and the secondary, long-term, aim is to find a combination of programs and working methods that can be applied in other centers, not just in South Jakarta.
The project has acquired the informal name ìRuang Satuî (ìRoom Oneî) because that is where it is located - in Room One of the Wisma Indonesia building, in Wisma Subud. The name is appropriate enough since the project can be considered as a first step in the processes of personal and enterprise development, and also as a center to promote and encourage new initiatives in other fields such as welfare and culture. So far, through the support of its sponsors, Ruang Satu has some work desks and chairs, a computer, a coffee machine and cups, a telephone line - and a picture of Y M Bapak.
Enterprises depend on having entrepreneurs to establish and develop them, but such people cannot be created, they can only be encouraged and helped - so Ruang Satu must try to provide that encouragement and help. Similarly an enterprise must have a leader and capable workers - Ruang Satu therefore can help provide training in leadership and in usable job skills such as English, secretarial functions, computers and bookkeeping.
A related concern is that many older Subud members have experience, skills and abilities that they are willing to pass on to any of the young people who are want to learn, and it will be Ruang Satuís task to ensure that the necessary facilities and support are available.
A similar coordination function is to put enterprises and people in touch with each other for their mutual benefit - whether for sales, employment, or joint projects. One aspect of this for example might be to
promote the establishment of an international network of young Subud members who are interested or already involved in trading activities.
For an enterprise to exist there have to be people who are willing to work hard, and there usually has to be money as well. The initiatives therefore have to come from the youths themselves, or from older people, who have the interest and enthusiasm to commit their time and energy to making the ideas into realities.
On a small scale a lot of the financial concerns can usually be taken care of by working harder and more creatively, but that will not provide for all of the needs. Ruang Satu can help in almost all ways, with advice, services, training and promotion, and assistance in preparing financial proposals, but it has no money of its own. One of the first priorities therefore is for Ruang Satu to generate income of its own that can be used to assist others as the needs arise.
To this end two proposals are now being prepared to design, install and operate Local Area Networks (LANs) to link computers in Wisma Indonesia and in Wisma Subud. Apart from the benefits to the users, the two of these together could generate some income for Ruang Satu.
Over the next few months Ruang Satu will also provide support and facilities for the chairman of Subud Youth Indonesia, Teguh, to organize some training programs that are scheduled for May-June 2002. Another small project that is already operating provides private automobile (taxi) services, and the next targets are to improve the marketing of this service and increase the range of services provided.
Rachmat Fisher
11 March, 2002
6. The Awakening of the Subud Youth of Australia
Well where do I start? It seems so long ago that I started off in the driving seat of the then mostly dormant Subud Youth of Australia, or SYA as it has been affectionately called for some time now. After being tested in as the co-national youth coordinator for Australia with Suzanne Wyllie I was a little bewildered as I had no idea of what a national youth coordinator was supposed to do. A couple of things to my advantage were that I had the energy, the eagerness and willingness to find out how and what I was supposed to be doing and to really make something of the youth.
I believed at that time, and still do, that the youth is the way forward in Subud. Subud Australia was moving very slowly at that time and the spark that the latihan was known for was being felt to be absent by more and more people. The youth was a way in which the energy, the spark, could be put back into Subud life as well as pushing Subud Australia forward at a faster pace than a slug. This is exactly what I saw happen with every camp held and fundraiser run: the life, the energy, was pumped up for the short time that the older and younger Subud members were together. The youth are encouraged to get involved in the organisational side of Subud, but what young person in his or her right mind wants to sit in a hot, stuffy room while boring menial issues are bickered over again and again and again?!
Anyway, Suzanne and I both started finding our feet establishing state coordinators around Australia. With the communication network established we then started encouraging gatherings and fundraising events which were to bring together and unite the youth. We decided that this was the most fundamentally important aspect for the youth to keep going: only through a united youth group could we accomplish anything substantial.
The first national youth camp was organised for the Easter holidays 2001 which, although there was not a huge turnout, was a complete success. The youth was beginning to come alive and happening again. Just as things were starting to come together, Suzanne left midyear to participate in the YES Quest and travel overseas. However the youth persevered even without one of their big cheeses, organising gatherings and fundraisers more and more often.
As it became apparent that the youth were moving closer and closer towards a cohesive, capable and willing youth group, attentions turned more towards the secondary objective of the youthís; the acquisition of a youth building, place or property. It was envisaged that this place would be something small to start off with but be a place where the youth could converge and have camps, workshops and fundraising events, run community activities from, and even have a space to do latihan in. It would be a place to relax, a home for the youth to work from. Fundraising efforts were split to continually add to a building fund to back up the intentions of the youth with something a little more concrete, with the rest of the money being spent as the youth group that raised it saw fit.
The youth kept truckiní on with gatherings and fundraisers becoming commonplace with the next major event being a national youth camp in Melbourne in January 2002. This was the highlight of the year with most of the youth of Australia turning up and having a blast. I think that camp opened many peopleís eyes, including mine, and left the youth screaming for more camps and just waiting for something to come along that they could sink their teeth into.
So this is where it stands at the moment with more camps already organised. The idea is to put down on paper what exactly the youth want in their building, place or property and put it to the national committee and council to show exactly what we want and whether they can help the youth out. After all, didnít Bapak say that the youth was supposed to work WITH the rest of the Subud organisation and not as a sub-committee or separate group? Where SYA goes and what it does now is up to the youth themselves.
Hamitlon Fraval
SYA coordinator
March 2002
7. A Report from Young Members in Chile by Luisa Urrejola
Harfijah writes:
In mid-January there were six International Helpers attending a gathering in Santiago, Chile. Many young Subud members from Chile scheduled time to meet with International Helpers. There were both opened and ìnot yetî opened Subud youth in attendance with the forum provided. One of the reps of Subud youth, Luisa, provided the following report and experiences in an email to Subud Youth International. There was much discussion on many topics that youth in Subud face around the world. There was a great amount of enthusiasm and understanding that resulted from an informal talking session, testing, and recommendations for growth and change in candidacy meetings. I was delighted to receive such news and my hope in sharing it with our global membership is to provide more support and communication with our younger members. Reading about such an experience in Chile may give other members ideas to organize their own workshops or gatherings. I welcome others to write about their experiences in Subud and submit them to www.subudlife.com. My heartfelt thanks to brave, young members in Chile for stepping forward and asking for space to discuss their Subud life and perspective. It sounds as if the timing of the International Helpersí visit couldnít have been any better! Good times were reported by all.
From Luisa Urrejola in Chile
Iím Luisa from Chile. We want to share with you some events that took place here in our country, during the International Helperís visit January 13 to January 16 (Damanhuri, Sjafrudin, Mateo; Rohanna Fillippi, Rohanna Laing and Renata Robb were the IHís in attendance).
The last day of the IH¥s visit, many young Subud members, and some boys and girls that weren¥t opened yet, had a meeting with International Helpers. After a youth latihan for women and another for men, we made a circle, so each one of us could say what she or he would like to test, or mention. Every one of us spoke. One young man said that when he received the contact, he was astonished, and really wondered why nobody had ever shared with him - how such contact was a wonderful experience! He said that even though he was son of Subud members, he never knew that the latihan was something so incredible, so his question was how to share this with his friends and with other people, if propaganda wasn¥t allowed.
Many young members wanted to test how to speak to others about Subud, according to God¥s will. The man I mentioned said that he wondered why older Subud members don¥t share what they have received, why they "just go and do their latihan" without shouting the truth, ha ha! Another girl who wasn¥t yet opened said that her mother always forces her to go to Subud, but that she thinks ìit¥s such a long wait, the three months period with boring people, etc.î Another boy asked why during the three months period some young Subud members didnít participate in it as well, sharing their experience with the probationer. The IHís said they didnít see anything wrong in that, but it was better to test it with the National Helpers as well.
Another young woman said that she has many Subud friends that are Subud members¥ daughter and sons, some of them even third Subud generation, who didnít understand some things about sex, drugs and alcohol. Although they had been in Subud for long period, she was surprised that more people didnít request to test on such subjects. And she had heard from some people, "Oh, just different customs, be tolerant!" She had never attended a meeting where these aspects of life had ever been tested, such as, "How it is for the inner process to have sexual relations in the wrong way, not married, etc." So there arose another subject to be tested.
Well, after a nice meeting, we accorded to met the next day, for latihan. After that, we decided to test for a Subud Youth Representative. One woman suggested that one male and one female be tested in for the positions, similar to how there are co-chairs on the international level.
The next day we did latihan and the testing sessions. Some of the testings the women did were: how is it for your inner when you have an union with your wrong partner / with your true partner and in the right way, married, surrendered to God, etc? How do you feel when you are near a person who drinks
alcohol? How is it for your inner if you have a sexual relation with a person that uses drugs?
Some of the tests that the men did were: how do you act when you are under the influence of the alcohol? How is it for your inner if you use marijuana, cocaine, etc.? How is for you if you marry for a true partner, etc?
After this we met again and shared our receivings. One young man said that the testings were really good for him, as he felt inside him the reality of something he was just sure about with his mind. Many young members expressed how useful it had been, and how they tested what they have always wanted to test (things about sex, marriage, drugs, alcohol, etc.). The test about how to explain Subud to our friends was common for most of us. One woman said she had received that she used to refer to Subud as quickly as possible, evading it, and that God¥s will was for her to talk seriously, respectfully, and quietly about Subud.
After this, a helper read us something about human forces in the Susila Budhi Dharma. The next day we tested for the Youth Representative, and Alberto Urrejola and Hermia were elected by testing.
8. A Young Womanís Experience As a Volunteer in Brazil, By Myra Margolin
Introduction by Illene Pevec
Myra wrote this piece about her experience in Brazil as a volunteer with
the project that I am doing in cooperation with Subud members in southern
Brazil. It's called in Portuguese: Projeto Sossego do Meio Ambiente and in
English, A Child's Garden of Peace. We would like her report to go out on
the SYA email list s so that others who might be interested can learn
about what is the life of a volunteer in this project.
It is obviously not for the faint of heart. I was ever so lucky to have Myra. She was calm, quiet and totally present with the kids. On top of that she was a great
roommate. When you are working in a challenging environment (e.g. foreign
culture, heat, bugs, and no privacy) to have such a wonderful volunteer is a
blessing on all levels.
I will be returning to Brazil, God willing, in late Sept. or early October.
I will be doing a few more weeks of work with the children and youth in
Santo Angelo and then taking at least one busload to Iguassu national park
for the kids to see the waterfalls and the last big piece of the Atlantic
Forest in the region.
The purpose of the program is sustainable community development and alive
education for the children. Another volunteer would be most welcome.
Someone willing to teach English to the kids via arts and games would be
great, as would anyone with organic gardening skills, recycling and other
environmental skills.
Computer skills would be very helpful to the Subud couple who hosts this program. We hope to extend the kind of computer education that can be offered to these children who are from a very poor community by the school. I would love to have a drama program for the kids, but that takes Portuguese speaking ability. People with a health background could help with the nutrition and cooking program.
The volunteer needs to be a self-starter and personally motivated to do this kind of work.
As I said in my last email, which landed me the wonderful services of Myra,
it is important that no one come whom smokes, or has alcohol or drug problems.
(Smoking is not allowed around the children or on any group activity or in
any part of the school or house.) It is a very tiny little cabin we live
in. The Subud members provide room and board to volunteer--room in the
cabin and board in their house. The small town has no diversions except a
few cafes and bars, but the local community of teens and children are very
warm and welcoming. It is usually a time of intensive work with a swimming
pool for recreation and heat relief. The reward is the adoration of the
children who are as warm, loving and giving as any on earth.
Love,
Illene
February 8, 2002
It is my last night here in Santo Angelo. We have just returned from a
party with the kids Ò lots of dancing. Samba and a dance which is a little
like the polka and another whose name I didnít catch. Some of the kids
amazed me with their sambas, quick and agile, their little hips moving so
fast. Tonight is the second night of Carnival and Santo Angelo is
relatively quiet compared to what I imagine is going on in the bigger
cities. I was just outside in the backyard of this house where we are
staying, the home of Ignez and Afonso Luft (two thirds of Santo AngeloÌs
Subud group). The stars are clear. On my left was the outline of hanging
grape vines. On my right, Dukie the big watchdog, barked madly, wanting
attention. Everyone has dogs here and they arenít allowed into houses; at
night we fall asleep to a chorus of canine insomniacs. Now, in the living
room, Big Brother Brazil, a Real World spin-off, plays on the TV. Earlier
today it was The Simpsons, dubbed.
Tonight, after the kids went home, we danced by Afonso and IgnezÌs
pool with the teenagers who have been working as counselors at the three week
summer camp that I have also been working at, as a volunteer. The camp is
the creation of Illene Pevec who was here in Santo Angelo for three months
last year. During that time, she set up a community garden and did
community clean-ups with the kids from Centro Sul, one of Santo AngeloÌs
poor neighborhoods. She is back now continuing the project and will come
again in the fall. As I understand it, she will continue to make trips here
until she feels the project is fully sustained by members of the community.
The teenagers, with whom we danced in the sunset and then the night with
lights set up around the pool, are new additions this year. Illene hopes
that they will be able to work after she is gone, each with a group of kids,
to keep the garden going.
I am very grateful for these teenagers. I arrived in Brazil with no
Portuguese under my belt. No Spanish or Italian either, both of which would
have been moderately helpful. I took out language tapes from the library
before I came and they accustomed me to the sound of the language but didnít
help much with speaking. No one here speaks English except Illene and for
the first five or so days I felt pretty disoriented and lost. It took a long time to get to Santo Angelo. There was a broken down car, tow trucks, a bus in the middle of the night. By the time we arrived, I was in quite a haze.
I was in Santo Angelo for a day before I started throwing up. Luckily that
only lasted one day but the combination of sickness, travelling, and not
being able to communicate had me feeling frustrated. I spent a lot of the
time feeling lost. Illene, Afonso, and Ignez were busily planning for the
summer camp and long conversations in Portuguese whirled around me as I sat
after meals, not understanding the talk and not knowing what to do with
myself. Afonso and Ignez live a fifteen minute walk from the center of town
(a walk it took me the entire month to learn to do alone) so there was no
where to go. I am used to being very independent and having to rely on
other people whenever I needed anything was also very difficult for me.
For all of the things that were frustrating that first week, there were an
equal number of new things, which filled me with wonder and excitement. I
kept ping-ponging back and forth between the two extreme emotions. I loved
Santo Angelo right away. Having lived in New York City for over five years
now, I have been ready for a change for some time. September Eleventh
exacerbated this. Santo Angelo is a small city in the south of Brazil. It
is surrounded by farmland and small towns. There is not much here in terms
of culture or good restaurants but I find it very beautiful and calming.
Many of the streets are made of broken stone and red dirt. The houses are
many colors.
There are trees and flowers everywhere and from Afonso and IgnezÌs pool one can look out over long stretches of green farmland. Afonso and Ignez have some property a few blocks from their house (the pool is there and the summer camp was held there part of the time) where there are a few cows and uncultivated land in which to walk. My first meal here included grape juice made from grapes from the yard, beef from one of their cows, and tomatoes from their garden. It is common for someone here to just reach up and pull down fruit from a nearby tree. I have tasted all sorts of new fruits whose names Ill never remember.
Slowly I became adjusted though I continued to feel lost for quite some
time. The campís schedule would change (this happened a lot at the
beginning because they were working out kinks) and I wouldnít know about it
and suddenly everyone would be leaving. I wouldnít know why and I couldnít
ask because I didnít know how to ask in Portuguese. Illene was setting up
the whole camp and was very busy and, because meetings were held in
Portuguese, I often wouldn't know what was expected of me, what materials
were available to me, or if something had already been planned for that day.
I felt a bit like a headless chicken at times, walking around the pen,
bumping into fences.
Meeting the teenagers a week after Iíd arrived was a turning point. Maybe
it was them; maybe it was simply that I'd had a week to adjust. There were
twelve teenagers volunteering with the project, some of whom had studied a
tiny bit of English in school. Sitting in a circle on the second or third
day of the camp, kids throwing balls and playing soccer all around us, we
were able (with my dictionary) to talk about things like movies, music and
the World Trade Center. (When I say "talk" I mean looking up a word and
then making many hand motions to elaborate on the point). For nearly a week
before this my communication had been limited to some translation from
Illene, brief talks with Illene, lots and lots of staring blankly during
conversations in Portuguese, and talks with children involving pointing to
an object, the children saying the name of the object in Portuguese and me
responding with the English word. It was good for learning the language but
not quite enough intellectual stimulation to sustain me. Even though the
teenagers didn't speak English, their maturity (compared to the seven year
olds) was extremely refreshing. After learning a little Portuguese,
figuring out my role in the camp, and learning my way around Santo Angelo,
the frustration was like a little bath cube dissolving away to make a sweet,
comforting situation.
Before continuing, I will include a brief note about the structure of the
camp. There were around a hundred kids total. Because of the massive
volume of children and lack of space and adults, the kids were divided by
age (6-9 and 10-14). During any given morning or afternoon, only half of
the kids came (either the older ones or the younger ones). Activities were
held both on Afonso and IgnezÌs property (with the pool) and at a community
center in Centro Sul where the garden is located. Twelve teenagers from the
community volunteered as counselors and two adults from the community worked
as adult supervisors. When activities were held at the community center,
Ignez cooked with some of the kids. Every morning and afternoon the kids
received a snack (often a cake made by Ignez the night before. Very few of
the children eat breakfast and some donít get enough to eat at home in
general.
It was very instructive for me to observe the evolution of the camp. There
were many roadblocks along the way, mostly interpersonal (one of the
blessings of not speaking the language was the exclusion from involvement in
interpersonal problems). Illene had a lot to deal with on this trip and I
have learned an enormous amount from watching the way in which she addressed
and solved these problems. She was always very level headed and fair, both
compassionate and firm. I find that this is an extremely difficult balance
to achieve and am very grateful to have worked with Illene and observed her
working process.
I am also grateful to have been able to volunteer with this project. In the
past, I have been turned off by volunteer experiences, which have ended up
being very bureaucratic. Often I have felt like I am not being as effective
as possible because of constrictions imposed by rules or structure. I have
also felt very remote from the people with whom I'm working. Here, we are
very close with the community with which we're working. Illene has talked
to the kids a lot and has used their feedback to shape the nature of the
program. There is absolutely no bureaucracy in this project. It is just
Illene who is supportive, competent, flexible and wise. For me, I can't
imagine a better volunteer experience.
The camp met for a few hours in the morning, had a break in the afternoon, and reconvened for two hours at in the late afternoon. Most days, the kids
were divided into three groups and rotated between three different
activities. I was in charge of one of these activities. Communicating to
the kids was a challenge but not nearly, as challenging as one would imagine.
They are really wonderful kids - affectionate, enthusiastic, generally
well behaved. They caught on very quickly if I said a word or two and then
demonstrated the activity. We did various art projects (collages, painted
rocks, masks and instruments for Carnival, drawings from nature). Every
activity with me was a mini English lesson for the kids because of the
language barrier but some days the activities were tailored towards learning
English (drawing a landscape and labeling it in English, tracing a childís
body on a large piece of paper and labeling body parts). The kids were
incredibly instrumental in my learning Portuguese. I hope they were able to
learn a bit of English too.
By this last week my disorientation has given way to comfort. I think that
it takes a while to get adjusted whenever someone is in a new place. I know
that it took about six months for me to feel like my apartment in NY was
actually my home. I only had one month here so the process was accelerated.
It is interesting, looking back, to see the transition. It happened
gradually but always moved forward. I do regret that I don't have longer
here as I finally feel fully adjusted. An enormous help were the daily
Portuguese lessons Afonso has given me these last two weeks. I have learned
a lot of vocabulary with the kids but have a lot of questions about grammar
and usage with which Afonso has helped me.
Also of great help were the few Brazilians that I met here who spoke some
English. I had one conversation each with a man from the state government
and a journalist from a paper here in Santo Angelo. In these conversations
I was able to ask all of the questions that had arisen from my introduction
to Brazilian life via this very poor community. I had many questions about
the opportunities available to the children and teenagers we were working
with; I had questions about social services, higher education, poverty, and
Brazilian politics. What I learned from these conversations helped me put
my experience in a broader context. Many of my observations involved trying
to compare poverty in America to poverty here in Santo Angelo (and figuring
out how much I could generalize about the rest of Brazil based on Santo
Angelo).
Experiencing a culture very different from my own has been very good for me.
I think about what I learn in a month in New York and what I have learned
here and the difference is astronomical. Over the past year I have
increasing felt the need to see how other people live. My frame of
reference has seemed, to me, very narrow. The way of life here, in Centro
Sul in particular, is very different from my own. I went to the home of the
Brazilian journalist, a girl my age from a middle class home, and her
lifestyle was much more familiar to me. I think that in order to get a
well-rounded sense of the lifestyle here I would have to be here for a much
longer period of time. I can only observe the most obvious differences. In
Centro Sul, for instance, the houses are very small. People spend a lot of
time outside. When we visited families, they all pulled the chairs out of
the house and set up a circle for entertaining outside in front of the
house. When we visited one family, word spread like a spilled drink and
suddenly we were surrounded by kids. Because the houses are so small,
entire families sleeping in one room, there is not the same sense of
ownership, privacy, and personal space that I grew up with. This keeps many
families living in conditions that are undesirable and uncomfortable but,
most likely, it is also one of the major factors that facilitates the warm
and open community feeling. The community, the children in particular, were
incredibly welcoming, open, and generous towards me and this helped
enormously in making me feel comfortable here.
Now I am wrapping up here. Tonight we danced with the kids and ate chicken.
I made them chocolate chip cookies, "a dessert from America." I can now
almost form an entire sentence in Portuguese. I understand conversations if
they are spoken slowly and I know the context (though most of the time I
still need translation). I have rediscovered my independence. I can go to
the store on my own. Ask questions. I know my way to the places I need to
go. I understand how the schedule works. I know the routine. I know all of
this now and tomorrow Illene and I board a bus that will take us to the
Iguasu Falls, another new place. After that, she goes back to Canada and I
head to Manaus in the middle of the Amazon.
I am sitting here in the living room now. The dogs are barking as usual.
When I leave here and walk through the backyard to the small guest house
where Illene and I sleep, I will be able to stop beneath the grape vines and
flowering trees and look up and find OrionÌs belt (something Illene taught
me on a weekend trip we took to nearby Indian ruins). The other day I did a
quick test about something and (much to my surprise) received in Portuguese.
I am thinking now about the first conversation I had with Afonso, the day
I arrived in Brazil. We are walking down a city street in Porto Allegre
(the city I flew in to). Behind us Ignez and Illene are having an animated
conversation in Portuguese. Despite the language tapes, I cannot say a
thing. I rack my brain ten times over for any vocabulary word. I think I
come up with "mother" and "father" but what about mother and father? I have
no verbs to use. No adjectives. It is utterly hopeless and within three
minutes Afonso and I give up trying to converse and he joins Illene and
Ignez. I walk alone, silently, and wonder if Afonso and Ignez will remain
strangers forever because weíll never be able to communicate.
I overestimated the importance of language in a major way. They have opened
up their home and their lives to me, fed me, given me lessons, looked after
me. We have done latihan (Illene, Ignez and I in one room, Afonso alone in
another) a few times each week. We talk together now, I in a very broken
Portuguese, they in very slow and clear voices with little bits of English.
We do well this way. And I feel very close to them now. At this point, I
donít think speaking the same language would make us much closer (although
it would make things easier). I suppose thatís how I feel about my entire
experience here. Knowing the language would certainly have made things
easier but I canít imagine how it could have added any more depth or
intimacy to an experience which has been very full of both.
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