Volunteering

I have been volunteering now for a couple of weeks at a kindergarten after school program in Bucerias, a neighboring town to Puerto Vallarta.  The afterschool program is run by a program here in Mexico called PEACE, which does a lot of great things around here.  Around 8 to 12 children attend the program, and they range in age from 3 to 5.  They are so cute!

Getting ready to paint

Volunteering is excellent practice for my Spanish!!  Neither the teacher or the kids speak any English, so it is definitely a struggle sometimes for me to figure out what is going on!!  And often, the kids have a hard time understanding my American accented spanish.  But it is kind of amazing how much can be said with non-verbal communication! 

Little Pajaros :)

This is a very different experience than volunteering in Africa.  The teacher has lots of supplies, and although the classroom is small, it is filled with books, art supplies, puzzles, games, and toys.  The teacher does an excellent job of working with the kids at different levels, doing a variety of art projects, outdoor games, and learning activities.  It is really fun for me to work with this age level on a volunteer basis, but I would never want to teach kids this young full time!!  I'll stick with my 4th and 5th graders!!!