The global Seeds of Compassion conference in Seattle that some of the Fotokids students will be visiting, made me wonder what kind of people are visiting this blog.
It had been a while since I checked on the stats and I was amazed to see that our recent visitors include people that range from Kawaguchi, Japan, to West Hollywood, to Krimpen aan de ijssel, Netherlands, and to Chonburi, Thailand.
map of visitors to this blog
I just heard from Cheryl at Bridges that 6 students are visiting Seattle from India and 6 from South Africa right now. Five of Nancy’s Fotokids will join the group next week (April 10th). They’re staying with host families, visiting classrooms, taking a local workshop (today through Sunday), and participating in some Seeds of Compassion events next week.
They've even appointed three of the students as bloggers so we can track their experiences.
Hola Todos,
Sophie is back from Santiago after two weeks working with Bridges and Fotokids! She took 6 rolls of B&W and 6 of color, plus thousands of digitals.....time to learn to use Lightroom! Sophie had an amazing experience with Megan and the Fotokids. Check out www.bridgesweb.org for the full story! Here is one of my favorite shots of Sophie and Megan....they had a blast together and with the kids.
Photographer unknown
Photo by Sophie Geist
Hola Todos!
I have spent the last few weeks helping my 16 year old daughter, Sophie, prepare for her trip to Guatemala! She got on the plane two hours ago (whew!) and I am relieved, apprehensive, nervous and sooooo jealous! Sophie is a terrific photographer in her own right, and speaks excellent Spanish. She carried with her Nancy's new Marantz audio recorder, lots of Valentine candies for the Fotokids and Cindy's family, and a big package from Melanie's class at Salmon Bay Middle School. Melanie's class made amazing Cultural Self Portraits, Valentine cards, and maps of their school and of Seattle. They sent boxes of those Valentine candies with the little messages on them in Spanish (Besame!), and postcards with the sweetest messages: :Thank you so much for your beautiful photographs and artwork! We are so excited to learn about your lives on the side of that huge lake! Thank you for taking the time to work with us....
Our relationships with the Guatemalan students is growing stronger all the time. Soon these two groups of students, with such different lives, will be calculating their carbon footprints, comparing them and posting their thoughts on the Bridges forum. They will be exchanging pictures and ideas about how climate change effects them personally, and how they can address the myriad issues related to the global problem. I am hoping that Megan, Sophie and the students will return to San Juan to learn more about how that town is working together to save the lake environment, preserve medicinal plants, and promote the use of traditional ways that actually build sustainable futures. In this way, students in both Guatemala and Seattle will come to understand their interconnectedness, the knowledge that already exists for living in synch with the environment, and that they have AGENCY just in the choices they make everyday. And, they have the tools of photography and digital storytelling to send their learning worldwide. Perhaps we can learn a few things from them too. New digital stories are forthcoming!
I will keep you all posted here, but don't hesitate to email jennifer@bridgesweb.org for more info. Sophie is also travelling to Yepocapa to launch another partnership between students at Colegio de San Pedro and Seattle Girls School! She will also travel with Probigua's Book Mobile to some of the smaller towns that Cindy's family's non-profit library serves. There is a story in that adventure that I am sure she will love to share.
In addition to this exciting news, Nancy and Megan will be coming to Seattle with four of the Fotokids in April. Th students will do homestays with families at the Seattle Girls School, they will meet Bridges students from South Africa, Tibetan Children's Village and Seattle Bridges schools as well. AND, they will get to meet the Dalai Lama at the Seeds of Compassion Event April 1-15......it just gets better and better. Our Bridges students from all over the world will have a photography exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum from may 8 to April 12 in the main lobby of the museum. The theme is "What does compassion look like". Our photographers are becoming experts. You can get more information on all these events on our website www.bridgesweb.org.
So, I have'nt written much 'cause I've been saving up.... Abazotes to all of you! Jennifer
Here's a few sides of Sophie.... 
UNE ESPERANZA (in Tzutujil)
How many environmentally enlightened films are there by children speaking in the Mayan language of Tzutujil?
I'm hoping that someone in the ESPERANZA group can provide from editorial and color for the Director's Cut of the film.
"Hello, my name is Betty. I am 16 years old and..."
"I love in a town called Santiago Atitlan...
"It is a beautiful place with a famous lake
"I identify myself with the clothes and customs of the past
"We, as the young people of our town, are really worried that our town is becoming so contaminated
"So many women wash their clothes on the lake shore
"And the people throw away trash from the town and it goes into the lake
"The streets are also contaminated with the great amounts of garbage that people throw away every day
"I have seen this even in places where it is prohibited to throw garbage
"But people just ignore the signs
"Our air is no longer pure and is full
"Of the smell of garbage.
"The smoke from the buses, the cars...
"... And the tuk-tuks
"A variety of diseased arise from all this contamination
"Like stomach aches, diarrhea, cough, bronchitis and asthma that affects the community but especially the kids.
"We visited a doctor at the hospital who told us
"That every year, 76% of the children become sick from contamination
"With all that is happening in my town, I’m beginning to think....
"What will the future be like?
"And how will it be it we continue to contaminate? Just imagine how it will be for our children and their children.
"Without a clean lake, where can they swim? Where can they fish?
"Without gardens, forests, or a clean town
"What will life be like?
"But all this can change. We can change!
"My friends and I visited the mayor to ask for his help
"And he gave us hope he told us he is going to work to reduce contamination in our Santiago Atitlan
"Beginning by educating us about how we ought to care for the environment
"Can we recover the beauty of our town? If everyone collaborates, we can make this a reality.
"Putting the garbage in its place
"Recycling inorganic garbage
"And using organic garbage as fertilizer for crops And each time we cut down a tree, plant three more.
"We need to care for our environment, because it is important for our own good health
"To change, we need to begin with each one of us, in our houses...
"With our friends...
"In our school, and then...
"The future of our kids is in our hands.
"Can we change our town?
"Together we can make the change!
-- end --
The amazing team behind the production...
Josefa, Brenda, Daisy, Holly, Betty, Maria, Karen
The Making of "Mi Futuro en Santiago Atitlan" -- now that the movies are posted.
It's hard to believe that so much emotion and so many hours and emotion went into the making of a five minute video. Below is a quick overview of what did go into the making of the movie.
Here's the frame-by-frame run down.
Opening pan of Lake Atitlan
"Santiago Atitlan lies on a beautiful lake between three volcanoes"
Lake Atitlan is stunning. The long pan that starts the movie is from a series of photos that the kid's took and that Phil helped the kids stitch together in Photoshop Elements. The panorama spans nearly a 180 degrees of the view as Lake Atitlan spreads out before the Posada Santiago, the small hotel where we stayed. The town of Santiago Atitlan is on the southern end of the lake and is where most of the kids live.
Women by the lake
"Atitlan with beautiful and hardworking people with strong traditions"
A short walk from the hotel, a group of 8-10 women were doing their morning wash on the shore of the Lake. Large plumes of blueish laundry detergent washed into the lake behind them.
This was the first series of shots the kids took. Most were using Canon Powershot camera's with limited zoom capabilities to ensure that they got close enough to engage with the subjects. Later in the week, many of the kids were using the larger cameras of some of the pro's in the group.
Man and his son walking to work in the fields
Fisherman on the lake with volcano
"The people here have worked for centuries as farmers and fishermen"
The father and son crossed our path as they walked up a dusty road on their way to work in the fields.
The fishermen set out early in the morning in the most basic wooden boats. Some of them draped themselves in huge plastic bags to stay dry.
Man with Hoe walking down the street
"Today traditional occupations are disappearing and finding employment is a big problem"
This problem of employment and an uncertain future is the heart of the story the kids settled on. We came to this topic after two hours of discussion. Other topics that were considered included gang violence, alcoholism, black magic, and vigilantism. While important topics, they did not touch the kids as directly as the uncertainty of their future. We also wanted to make sure the topics did not put the kids at risk in any way.
David in front of the main church
"My name is David Ixbalkan. I am 16 years old."
As the oldest boy in the group, David is the first to face the decision of which path his life will take and if he'll be able to stay in Atitlan.
David fishing from the boat
Football pitch — with large piece of rebar sticking out
David at the market
"I like to go fishing, play football, and go to the market for my mother"
The kids picked these shots to show the things that David likes about Atitlan and what he does on a normal day. The soccer field pictured above was a dirt field that is had a two foot piece of rebar sticking out waiting to rip into someone's shin.
David in front of church
"An important part of my life is the church"
Like most kids in the area, David is very religious. David took time out to stop and pray when we were in the church. (He was probably praying for a break in the photography).
David's dad in the field
I am fortunate to have my father living here and working as a farmer
"My father's life of a farmer is very hard"
This was one of the most moving periods of the trip for me. We hiked half an hour to a field where Dad's dad was working a field of beens and corn by himself. The group of about ten of us approached -- kids and gringo adults wielding huge cameras and microphones. David's dad was incredibly gracious as the group moved in to photograph and interview him. The most intense moment of the week came as he was describing his dreams for David and how he wished to be able to give him more. It was a surprisingly powerful, emotional experience for David and his father.
Interviewing the fisherman – life is hard
Shots of the catch
"The life of a fisherman is very difficult as well"
While his life is probably very hard, this fisherman was open to having four kids hop into his boat and probe him with questions. The kids displayed amazing confidence in how they asked questions, recorded the narration, and took photos.
Shots of the Catch
"The fish are becoming scarce"
I was told that most families are living on about $2 a day and supporting 4 to 6 kids.
Kids working and not going to school
"Most boys my age can’t afford to finish school"
Fisherman on boat
"So the jobs for them are the traditional ones like fishing...."
Carpenter
Dad and child
Tuk-Tuk Driver
"Farming and carpentry... Or more modern jobs like tuk-tuk drivers"
David at home showing his work
"I want something different for myself
"I have always liked to draw
"My dream was to continue studying but I couldn’t afford to go beyond elementary school"
When we asked David what he really wanted to do, he said he wanted be an artist. We were thinking about how to best convey this and the kids decided we should go to his home and show David with his etchings.
David at Fotokids
Painting mural
"Fortunately I received a scholarship from Fotokids which inspired me to become a graphic designer"
Interviewing the mayor
"Because of unemployment here, I went to the mayor to ask about the future.
He said he will increase the export of local crafts, get a fair price for our coffee, and improve professional education opportunities"
The group came up with the idea to talk with the mayor-elect about the future of the town. The mayor agreed to an interview and invited us to come down in 20 minutes. The kids mobilized with questions, cameras, and sound gear and proceeded to interview the mayor outside his office to at least half an hour. The mayor took the kids seriously and gave earnest answers to their questions. The event looked like a UN news conference except that it was 9 and 12 year olds holding the monster camera gear.
David with artist in San Juan Atitlan
"Hearing the words of the Mayor motivates me to finish my Graphic Design education"
David's mother working in the market.
"My mother support my dreams. Her life is very hard.
She works in three places selling tomatoes but earns very little."
One morning the entire crew got in a boat and headed across the lake to meet David's mom in a market in San Juan Atitlan where she worked. It turns out that she was not in San Juan and was, instead, on the far side of the lake. We ended up having a wonderful day in San Juan, an enclave of enlightenment.
Dad in the fields
Multiple shots
"My parent told me the feel bad that they could not pay for my education
As for me, I feel only pride for my parents"
Mom in the market
Pan up dad in the field
"I respect them for achieving so much even thought hey never went to school, sat at a desk, or put pen to paper. I feel badly because they feel bad"
Dad and David together
"But this motivates me and gives me the strength to go forward with my dream....
No matter what obstacles are in my path"
FIN
About the Music & Narration
The Stars
Kevin
Henry
Eliseo
Jonny
Werner
David
The final videos are now up and posted on the Bridges Site.
Mi Futuro, the story of young man's desire to live and work in his hometown in the face of limited job prospects.
Una Esperenza, A plea from the girls of Atitlan to keep their Lake clean and reduce pollution.
Here's one from the archives that Brad shot of the group that was hiding on Eric's camera.
I saw Phil do an inspiring presentation at a book store in Seattle last night and he asked me whether or not the new mayor attended when we showed the movies in town. I wasn't sure. Does anyone know whether or not he attended?
Marty
Happy Holidays to all from Lake Atitlan! I wanted to let everyone know how the kids were just buzzing for days after the workshop and still talk about every single one of you. We are taking a little time off for the holidays and will start up regular classes on Jan 3rd. I hope to be using the internet once a week with the kids at an internet cafe and it would be great to keep up e-mails with your students if there is interest.
We hope to start a project with Bridges to communicate with students in the United States about climate change next year. This project would also be web based.
Here is the address for Fotokids if anybody wants to send a message via snail mail to the kids:
Megan Spelman - Fundacion de Ninos Artistas
Santiago Atitlan - Solola
Guatemala C.A.
A few of you met Juan the great post man and he is really great about getting stuff to the project.
Also, Holy and Josefa passed those Math tests. Good news to share!
Keep in touch.
-Megan
whereismegan@yahoo.com
Check out the new Bridges Web Site that now contains past projects and with a schedule of upcoming projects
2008 trips
- Matt
- Geoff
Hola Todos!
Cindy got all the DVDs burned, and I'll put them in the mail tomarrow! I do miss everyone and that "camp for big kids" feel of the Guatemala workshop. I really miss the Fotokids, and am grateful for all of the gorgeous pictures of them!
I took very few pictures during the workshop, but did have a camera handy on November 1 at the cemetary north of Antigua where the barriletes were flying high (Day of the Dead celebration in Guatemala includes these fabulous, huge kites made made of paper with a bamboo frame.) This was such an amazing day....thanks to Nancy for getting us there....
Abrazos, Jennifer
As we're celebrating Thanksgiving in North America, I want to give special thanks to all our new friends from Guatemala City, Antigua, and Santiago Atitlan who made for one of the most memorable weeks in a very long time.
As a way to keep the connection between the mentors and kids, I encourage the kids, staff, and mentors to post to the blog. If internet access is a challenge or if the blog is baffling, please email or mail me and I'm happy to post for you. If internet access in Guatemala is limited, I'll print out a list of the posts and mail it down. One last thing -- I added a translation feature to the blog so if you click on the BabelFish icon on the lower right you should be able to get a rough (and humorous) translation.
In the meantime, I created a link that updates news reports from Santiago Atitlan so we can stay connected with how the new mayor is keeping the lake clean and ensuring that there are job for David and the others.
Recent News Articles with mention of Santiago Atitlan here.
- Matt
I looked through my pictures to try to find something that no one else might have photographed; Eileen told me later that she hadn't gone down there for that purpose. Marty
The Purpose Prize provides five awards of $100,000 each to people over 60 who are taking on society’s biggest challenges. It’s for those with the passion and experience to discover new opportunities, create new programs, and make lasting change. Phil was one of ten who won the $10,000 prize. More on Phil's prize.
I was both excited and a bit intimated when Matt asked me if it would be possible to start a Blog around the Guatemala Mentors Workshop. I thought `what a great idea!'-- but where would I get the time?
I'm not a very fluid writer and teaching a workshop has always been such a totally immersive experience for me. So here I sit on the plane, leaving Guatemala, writing my first contribution to the blog.
Saying goodbye to the Guatemalan Students as they expressed their appreciation was a very emotional experience for me. It brought me back to my adolescence and memories of a few individuals that went out of their way to guide and inspire during a very turbulent time in my life -- Individuals I forgot to thank.
So least I make the mistake again. Let me thank all of you who have continued to guide and inspire me.
Nancy who has made such a commitment to disadvantage youth in Central America. What a portfolio of success stories!! Cindy for having the strength at her age to step outside her culture and return to give back to her contemporaries. Keith and Geoff who have put their talent, success and connections in the service of building much needed cross cultural understanding. Jeff who is listening to that still small voice that's guiding him to support children who have been dealt less than an ideal hand. Margaret, Matt and Eileen for seeking out creative ways to make corporate giving an effective win-win proposition.
Eric for taking the initiative to build Bridges in Holland and selflessly contribute to Bridges abroad.
Kate for constantly looking to implement more creative and effective ways to inspire youth—and enlisting her brilliant daughter Eilen in the task. Anne for cutting her roots in search of a new path with even more personal meaning. Marty for turning kids on to nature and making sure all our I's were dotted and T's crossed. Sara for implanting her spirit and smile on all she touched . Lee for turning me on to "The 4-Hour Work Week" Jennifer, Tania and Owen for giving their talent and time to make the dream of Bridges a reality. It was such a treat to see how well everyone worked and played with the Students.
I'm reminded once again that one of the best things about being involved with Bridges is getting to spend time with the type of people it attracts.
- Phil
Sounds like Marty gets the prize for having the most arduous trip home and the best attitude about it:
From Marty's email:
"What happened was that on Sunday I went to the Capuchin monastery in Antigua and I banged my left foot on a stair leaving me unable to walk without a tremendous amount of pain. A nice couple who couldn't speak English helped me by getting the police to take me to the hospital. Actually, the hospital experience was kind of interesting especially since I don't speak Spanish and they don't speak English. There were people with other patients in the ER who spoke enough English to convey the problem to the medical people. They took an X-ray (although I did have to point out the blood on the table from the previous patient to the tech). An orthopedic doctor read it and, fortunately, found another doctor who spoke English to tell me that it was broken and point out the break to me. Fortunately, by the time I got done there (about 4 hours after the incident), I was able to walk slowly without too much pain. I actually went on sightseeing for 2 more days in Antigua before I left as scheduled on Wed. I went to see my regular orthopedic doctor yesterday and he verified that I had broken my trochanter on the upper part of my left hip. He said it must have been weakened and it could have broken anywhere. Oh well, I'll have alot of time to work my movie about my trip to Guatemala."
So the day after i got home, i wasted no time in breaking out the man pants.
Wore them out in the sleeting, rainy, snowy cleveland weather. A little cold, so i might wait until summer to break them out again. But here is a photo for you all to see the proof. Tania... i expect to see yours soon!
more Guat photos to come.
sara
At the grand Atitlan Film Festival the kids each posted the maps they share with a pen-pal school in the US. These include drawings of Religion, Food, Language, Culture, Clothing, and Language.
Another prong of Bridges is to increase cross-cultural understanding among kids in the US.
- Matt
Got a flash back to my hotel room in Guatemala the other evening, as I encountered a huge spider that was dangling in front of my face last night. My spider phobia has subsided quite a bit since coming home as I was able to ‘move it’ myself.
AMAZING – all of the kids and their talents, the friendships that were developed among the mentors, and the overall experience that I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in.
Wanted to share a few of my photos, in hopes you can gleam a bit of what we were doing/feeling.
During our excursion to San Juan via boat...
Little boy in San Juan at the Textile Factory who was fascinated with Matt's ability to capture his picture.
Girls taking a break...
Hopefully you can download/view the movie file (AVI file) that I tried to upload... It's the girls enroute home from San Juan having a grande old time while I unknowingly video taped them.
Too bad we didn't get a chance to go on a hike.. I would have loved to experience armed bodyguards with machettes and big dogs accompanying me on a hike, while I carried pepper spray. This sign was posted on front door of the lodge. Yikes.
The kids at the albergas (shelters) had a blast while we were there. I was a bit sad when we left.
Overall... unforgettable experience and I'd do it all over again in a heart beat. Thanks to everyone for all the memories and I hope to see some of you again in the near future. :)
-- Eileen
One of my favorite shots...
-- Eileen
Saturday afternoon / evening
The event we had been working toward all week finally arrived. The late nights of shooting, editing, narrating, translating, and hot tubbing were about to pay off.
Jeff and team had distributed fliers throughout town. The band showed up as negotiated far in advance -- the prior day. The hall that had been used for the election the prior weekend was cleaned and ready to go. There were even chairs. Guests started streaming in around 4:00.
The slideshow of the production shots was running. The crowd was watching and seemed to enjoy it. The band kicked in and a few folks even started dancing.
The families of the students sat near the front. In the back were men in traditional dress and cowboy hats who had come off the buses and strode in to see what was happening. David's mother and father sat near the front.
David's mom and dad
The hombres watching the films
After a brief speech, the film rolled. The boys movie focused on the Story of David, a personal tale of a 16 year old boy who wanting to stay and work in the home town he loves. The girls piece focused on the contamination in the lake. The girls created two versions of their movie -- one in Spanish and the second in the local language, TZUTUJIL, (about the TzuTu'Jil language About the Tz'utujil People). The older folks loved this.
The mentors and kids were all smiles after the show.
Keith is in his element
And, of course, the real stars of the evening are the "kids" who stepped forward and told their stories.
The stars of the evening
I know I speak for all the "mentors" in saying that it was a true honor in working with such a strong, talented of students.
Friday morning
Jeff jumped into gear once the band was confirmed for the Film Festival. The kids pulled the photos and Jeff worked with Warner to create the fliers. By morning they were posted around town.
- Matt
The week came to a crescendo with the Saturday Evening Film Festival in the Santiago Atitlan ampitheater.
The intensity and hard work paid off. The kids, their families, and many folks from the town seemed to have a good time. A few shots from the week....
- Matt
The restaurant at the Posada Santiago was our base of operations for the week. Dave and Sue were wonderful hosts. The cooks were inspired and the man behind the margaritas was wonderfully wicked.
about this photo: Yes, this is Photoshop Elements. This is a panoramic compiled of four shots I took and merged with the new Panoramic Merge feature.
Thank you everybody for the adventure. Hope you all made it home safely!
- Geoff
OK, we're behind on the posts but they're coming.
A few shots of the past days:
Werner, Fotokids Sound Guru and photographer from Guatemala, lugging Erik's camera
Hard at work on the production
David's dad at the "Film Festival". David was the star of the boys' film.
And the band that came together hours before the show.
Looking out on Lake Atitlan from the hotel- Matt
The task seemed overwhelming. How do you take 1600+ photos and edit them down to 30? Somehow, the girls worked together and knew exactly what they wanted to say through their photos.
The only skill I contributed to this process was the ability to toggle between photos. They did all the rest and VERY fast. We were finished in one morning.
-- Margaret
Thanks to Sara for capturing this moment.
good times!
Yesterday took us out into the fields to meet Diego Davids Father. Up the hill, through the cemetery to a plot of land where Diego was harvesting corn. We photographed him and filmed him and found out about his hopes and dreams for his talented son.
A photo of the group at the cemetery just before a funeral procession.
more later..
- Geoff
