Soledad G.

1. What got you interested in the Peace Corps?

I first heard about Peace Corps when I was in high school in the early 1990s. From the moment I heard about it, I knew it was something I wanted to do someday. I love the idea of helping others and living with the people you serve. I also love sharing values and culture with people of other countries. However, life got busy and I put the idea on the back burner until recently deciding it was time to join. 

2. What projects are you working on?

Currently, I am serving in Boyacá, a mountainous region in central Colombia, as an Education Volunteer teaching English as a foreign language. Working with counterparts at my school. I teach grades 6 through 11, roughly 500 students, in a small town of about 6,000 people.

I have also put together a few English conversation classes for our students and members of the community and offer weekly professional development for local primary school teachers. I work with the secretary of education to provide professional development workshops both online and in person in the departments of Boyacá and Cundinamarca. Last, but not least, I have worked on a special project called Hello, Sumerce, an English language radio show that teaches English via stories, songs, and short skits.

3. What strategies have you used to integrate into your community? 

The most successful integration strategies I have used are gamification and songs in teaching. I have used these strategies with both secondary students and primary teachers. Both have commented that they enjoy learning the language while they are having fun or being silly. I primarily use techniques like “total physical response” (TPR), a teaching method that uses physical activity to teach language; interactive games; and activities using limited or no resources.

4. What is a highlight of your time in service so far?

A highlight of my time in service so far is the professional development courses that are team taught by Boyacá Ministry of Education staff and Peace Corps Volunteers during professional development week. I trained instructors in the U.S., so it is second nature for me to do similar work with teachers here. The teachers bring a very positive attitude. At the end of each session, I feel like I have made a difference and that the teachers appreciate the tools and strategies we teach them. They often ask when they will be able to work with us again. At the end of the day I know that supporting teachers is the best way to ensure that students get quality education.

5. What have you enjoyed most about the community where you are serving?

What I enjoy the most about the community I serve in is how welcome I feel. I truly believe the community has forgotten that I am a foreigner. They have embraced me as part of their community, their groups, and their families. I know that if I need anything, the people in my community will do what they can to make sure my needs are met. I am blessed to live among such loving, generous people who accept me as one of their own.

6. What are some of the most important things you’ve learned from your community?

One of the most important things I have learned from my community is how people can come together to make things happen. Be it a party, an event at school, or a family needing help, my community has shown me how easy it is to accomplish monumental tasks if everyone just contributes a little. It is quite impressive to see how people get together with a plan and make it happen. They delegate tasks among many people so one individual is never overloaded. It is amazing how much people care for their community here. It is certainly something I will take back home with me to the U.S.

7. How do you spend time when you are not working on a project?

When I am not working on a project I like to attend regional and local cultural events to learn more about my community and its traditions. I have attended the Arrieria, the Reinado de la Vaca, the Festival de la Danze, and Carnaval. The list is never-ending. There is so much to see and learn in Colombia. My phone and my camera contain proof of how much I have experienced and learned through attending these cultural events.

8. What are you looking forward to in your remaining time as a Volunteer?

I look forward to finishing up my projects and setting things up for the new Volunteer who will replace me. I have gained a lot of ground while serving here and I hope that the next Volunteer will continue or add to what I have started here. I see the benefits of having a Volunteer at our school and know that continuing to have one is ideal for my community.

9. Once you finish your service, what will you do differently when you return to the U.S.?

As of now, I plan to go to Italy to take a teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) course to become certified to teach English in any country. I have a minor in Italian and would like to use my language skills while there. The program offers a two-month internship so I will get to experience Italian culture, language, and the school environment.