It's an honor to be called Profe

Here less than a week now and I can already feel how much I am going to miss this place. And when I say here, I mean Tibacuy, Cundinamarca, Colombia. When I say here, I mean Vereda La Vuelta, at Finca Zimbabwe, the home of the Castillos. When I say here, I mean fresh air, pure tranquility, and good company.

I've been staying at Finca Zimbabwe, a farm owned by the Castillo who are a family of 5, or of 10 when you include the dogs, horse, and cat. Eisenhower and Martha, the owners of the farm, and their three daughters have been making my stay here more than welcoming. Delicious food, beautiful, and I mean beautiful scenery, and good conversation.

For many, I am here as a volunteer to teach English, but what they don't realize is that they are teaching me much more. Everyday I give classes to the local kids who live in Vereda La Vuelta, a local that consists of 25 families, and everyday the class grows. I teach, they practice, we learn. They learn English, I learn their strengths, weaknesses, their likes and dislikes. I teach them vocabulary and pronunciation, they teach me patience and passion.

And I can't forget, after 2 hours of English, they teach me how to be a kid again. When was the last time you played hide and go seek, freeze tag, kick the can? For me, it doesn't just feel like it was yesterday, it was. Even though I'm sore everyday, it's worth it.

Day 5 and I'm thrilled. I've got so much more to learn and so much more to give, and it's only just the beginning. For now, all I can say it's an honor to be called Profe.

#fieldwork #aprenat