Amanda
McLean – Sea Turtle conservation
“I had been told so
much about sea turtle conservation and was really excited
about taking part. I have to say though; nothing could
have prepared me for the amazement I felt whilst collecting
eggs from the first nesting sea turtle I had ever seen,
and then the second and third….it is the coolest
thing I have ever done in my life!”
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Davin
Eurich – Sea turtle conservation
Working in the Experience
MexECO programme was an amazing experience. The hands
on involvement with the sea turtles brought nature a step closer
and gave me a new appreciation for the natural world around us.
The programme encompasses many things, becoming part of camp, working
directly with the sea turtles, and gaining an understanding of
the importance of this work.
The
process of working with sea turtles involves patrolling the
beach at night, collecting the nests of eggs, re-burying
them in the corral, and finally releasing the hatchlings
into the sea. Although I was fortunate enough to see many
sea turtles during my time at camp, it never ceased to amaze
me the process of the turtle laying her eggs. Apart from
working directly with the sea turtles, I became integrated
into the camp lifestyle, which although takes some adjusting,
is lots of fun!
The
volunteers are in charge of maintaining the camp as well
as helping out with any other projects that need to be done.
For me this included building a new corral, constructing a
place for the quad, and cleaning up the grounds around camp.
And let’s
not forget that during all of this, I got to hang out with
some really cool biologists from whom I learnt so much about
sea turtles and with whom I had a chance to practice my Spanish.
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I feel very fortunate to have had an opportunity to experience this
kind of work. I learned so much, had even more fun, and I know it is
something I will never forget.
Jo
Patman - Teaching in the Community
I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with the company in local
schools in Mexico. This opportunity enabled
me to see how different schooling in Mexico is compared to schooling
in England. I am training to be a teacher and feel that this
experience will enable me to bring new qualities and ideas to
my teaching.
Whilst out in Mexico I was beginning to do some research for
my dissertation. The company were very accommodating to my
needs and interests and ensured that I saw a range of different
ages and abilities, in different schools. This was a great
help and will hopefully enable me to bring something different
to my work, which I otherwise wouldn’t have been able
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Ruth Amanuel was the intern working in
C.A.M. ‘Cihuatlán’ in
2005, whilst she was working at C.A.M in Mexico she wrote:
“I often think how lucky I am to be living and working in Barra de Navidad,
Mexico. My typical day starts with breakfast with my Mexican
host family. Whilst chatting with the family I always appreciate
their generosity in making me feel so welcome in their home, and making me
feel like one of the family.
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Since
my work at C.A.M. starts at two in the afternoon I spend
my mornings working on various projects for the schools.
On a given day it could be networking within the community to
raise awareness about the school, developing a website for
C.A.M. or planning for the annual fundraising events. I also
take time for myself and spend some mornings studying Spanish,
catching up on my E-mails, or relaxing by the beach.
By mid-afternoon I take the local bus to school. I am often greeted with hugs
and kisses from the school children, ranging in age between 4 and 18 years old.
A typical class at C.A.M. has an average of 13 children, all with different needs.
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My
main responsibility at the school is supporting the teachers
in the classroom. For example, within one classroom a teacher
has to attend to a child who is deaf, another with cerebral
palsy, and others with Down syndrome. My main role as an
intern is to make sure that each child can receive extra
attention and care. Working at C.A.M. has given me the opportunity
to witness the challenges of disabled children in Mexico.
During the evenings I may stay home and watch my favourite telenovela (soap),
or go out for some tacos with friends. Whichever way I spend my days, I am grateful
to be absorbing a new culture
and gaining work experience here in Mexico.”
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Kathleen Smith completed her C.A.M internship
in June 2004 but remembers her time at C.A.M very fondly.
“I arrived in Barra de Navidad/Melaque in September 2003 to begin a six
month internship sponsored by the International Institute of
Child Rights and Development (IICRD).
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One year later I find myself still working within the community and living amongst
my Mexican friends. The warm environment of C.A.M. ‘Cihuatlán’ makes
everyone feel welcome; the kids and teachers are all accustomed to coexisting
with people of various capacities and cultural backgrounds, making them
very tolerant and accepting of newcomers. In addition, the days begin
with songs and dances that give the school a fun, light-hearted, summer
camp ambiance.
My work at C.A.M. consisted of two parts: my work inside the classroom,
and fundraising outside of school. Work inside the classroom was one
of the most fulfilling experiences that I have had to date.
I mainly acted as a support network for the regular teachers, assisting
them with their classes and offering help to students requiring extra
attention. I particularly enjoyed working with the pre-school children,
as their teacher regularly came up with innovative and creative projects
to work with the students. The most rewarding part of my work within
the classroom was seeing the progress of each child.
The fundraising aspect of my work was also very gratifying as it
really left me with a sense of accomplishment. Through the different
benefits and events we put on during the 2003/04 scholastic year,
we succeeded in making C.A.M. ‘Cihuatlán’ more
recognised within the community, were able to install a telephone
line in the school, purchased a computer and internet services,
and completed phase one construction of a physiotherapy/recreation
field.
Life outside of the school is another experience in itself. The Mexican
people are probably amongst the most inviting and caring of people.
I felt secure from the start knowing that many people were ready and
willing to help me in any way possible so that my transition from life
in Canada to life in Barra went as smoothly as possible.
The past year I have been living with some fellow Mexican
teachers in Jaluco, a small town off the highway between
Melaque and Barra de Navidad. In the morning I awake
to the call of the rooster and begin my day. Walking
down the dusty roads to the town centre, where I buy
tortillas and vegetables, I usually pass by the local chickens,
donkeys, men on horseback, and elderly people swaying
in hammocks under the shade of palm trees. One thing
that is never lacking is the local greeting, ‘hola’ – whether
friends or strangers, people never fail to say it!”
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