Allison with girls from Aldea SOS-PTY
Although this is my third exchange, there have been new and fascinating things, and with each activity I learn more about connecting with others.
One of my favorite things that happened today at our first time teaching at Aldea SOS-PTY was being able to meet and watch the older girls dance. They are so beautiful, kind, and full of life. They jumped right into Meredith’s awesome choreography and smiled the whole time. It is so special to see such passion especially since typically kids take a bit to warm up to us. One of the girls (the girl in the black shirt on the left in the picture), took a break from dancing and we spoke off to the side.
She was so welcoming and shared some of her life with me. She shared her passion for drawing and appreciating the wildlife that she gets to see inside the orphanage, and although it gave her “pena” (embarrassment) she and some of the other girls had been choreographing some dances. I was so thrilled and immediately asked if they could share their dance with us.
There are many times when we teach the kids our dances and they perform them beautifully, but there are so few times when the girls create their own choreography and are able to show us. Towards the end of our stay they performed for us a dance they had made to the song “Descontrol” by Daddy Yankee. They were so enthralled with the dance and the chance to show us their creativity. It was wonderful to see and be able to tell them that we loved it and they did well.
Being able to have a one-on-one connection with the girl and see her and her friends perform for us was so fulfilling. Being able to give them that special moment to perform, be the center of attention and recognized is so unique and important. For that moment, it was their time to share with us what they were passionate about, just as we share with them and other orphanages we visit. I am so grateful that they felt comfortable enough with us to share it, and I hope that they took with them how proud we were.