our student

This has been the experience of Michele Chung, a student from Hong Kong who came to the school Nueva Lengua in Cartagena for several weeks until reaching an advanced level of Spanish, and for whom it has been possible to share a mutual learning process with a very important and vulnerable community in the city of Cartagena: the Olaya Herrera neighborhood.

¿Donde?

Olaya is one of the largest and oldest neighborhoods in the city; its inhabitants live in difficult conditions, but are characterized by being cheerful and helpful despite the problems they face. This way of facing life was surprising to Michele, so she decided to help in some way. She has been linked to the Ruleli Foundation, which works especially with boys and girls, and with people with disabilities. Michele loves art, especially theater, and she thought that she could connect with the members of Ruleli.

Your work in the city

After talking with her about her wonderful experience, it was decided that it was a good exercise in learning and practicing the language for her to be the one to tell her own immersion story. Here is the first part of her testimony:

“You can hear the laughter and feel the affection of the people. The road was full of cars, and I couldn't cross the street. While I was thinking about how to go to the opposite side, a guy I didn't know helped me stop the cars so I could cross. He accompanied me and made sure that I was safe. That is one of the reasons why I like Colombia and its people.
A few steps from that street is Ruleli Teatro. It was a Saturday in February and the children and young people had already arrived and were making some pots with plastic bottles. After speaking with Rubí, the one who formed and directs the theater, he introduced them to me. They enthusiastically asked me:
-Speaks Japanese?
-No, Cantonese.
-How do you say your name in Cantonese?
-Chung Lai-Kwan.
-Speak some Cantonese!
There were questions about food, language, manga and anime… all things Asian and mixed up all the countries. However, in her eyes you could see the beauty, and the curiosity and passion to learn more. It was as if this woman from Hong Kong had opened a window onto a new and exotic landscape for them. My presence proved the existence of a culture that they only knew about through the internet, and she was like the protagonist of a series that appeared from an imaginary world.
For me it was an interesting experience, although a bit strange. Around those Spanish-speaking youth I spoke Cantonese when no one understood me, and yet I could still feel a deep connection. I had gone twice to observe and participate in their activities before the workshop I organized. During the two weeks, we toured your neighborhood and contemplated the problems and solutions to change them. I learned much more about the Olaya Herrera area and I was happy that they can offer proposals to improve the environment in which they grow. So I want to add this knowledge to my spontaneous theater workshop with them.
I think my workshop was not as good as I had hoped, but I learned a lot in the process. The most important thing is that we were able to build a relationship. It's a long road and I want to share much more with them.

Volunteering allows expanding knowledge of reality. Linguistic or language barriers are overcome, in such a way that, without mastering the language, they can communicate and connect, just like those children with it, despite not knowing anything about Cantonese. The exchange aroused the children's curiosity and showed Michele another face of this city. So she continued telling us:

Workshops led by Michele

In our first workshop we played some theatrical games in which we used the body to express ourselves. I realized that they did not get used to these activities. Also, I discovered that teenagers are the same all over the world when they are asked to use their bodies —laughs—: they were afraid and they felt strange when they moved. That gave me a little more confidence because it looks familiar. At the same time, it saddens me that there are so many pressures on self-esteem and appearances that keep them from getting things done.
There is also another group, which is that of people with disabilities. They were very friendly and immediately became close like old friends. Therefore, I really like working with people with disabilities. There are no limits with them. They are all friends and treat each other very well. When I'm with them, I don't have to think about how to please them. All connections are spontaneous, sincere and direct. I learned how to live moment by moment without worrying about anything, a wisdom that many people fail to achieve. Unlike teenagers, they are not easily embarrassed and express very well with their bodies, precisely the reason for the stereotypes against them, and it bothers me that the world works like this, because they almost always have to shut up and conform.
It drives me crazy that they welcome me with open arms and hearts. I'm worried that they don't understand me, but they helped me a lot and were willing to teach me. I would like to continue working with them, but I would have to practice a lot more listening and speaking.

a key message

I think my Spanish is improving faster because I can use it in real situations and catch the most common words in daily communication. I think the classes at school gave me a good foundation and confidence to do it. Thank you very much to all the teachers!

In her testimony, Michele acknowledges that her workshops with the children have helped her process because they have given her the confidence to continue improving, and have awakened in her the desire to learn more. Learning Spanish can be an exciting challenge, but it is also rewarding when progress begins to be noticed and the person who studies it can communicate better with others.

A school that supports you

In short, studying Spanish and volunteering are two valuable activities on their own, but together they can provide an even more meaningful and enriching experience because it helps you learn new skills, meet new people, and broaden your perspectives on the world through the same activity. .
If you have the opportunity to do both, don't hesitate to take it! AND Nueva Lengua It is, without a doubt, the right place to fulfill this purpose.
If you are looking to learn or perfect your Spanish by articulating it with social work in Colombia, write to us at info@nuevalengua.com and we will be happy to tell you how to start your process. Remember that we also support vulnerable communities in our headquarters in Bogota, through volunteering in a soup kitchen for grandparents, a children's soup kitchen, and support to the community of the popular Santafé neighborhood.

Written by Professor Carolina Cabarcas – Nueva Lengua Cartagena

With the support of Michele Chung, a student at Nueva Lengua-Cartagena.

All the articles in this blog have been written by the teachers of our school and by students from different countries who traveled to Colombia to learn Spanish.
“You travel too and study Spanish in NUEVA LENGUA"

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