Life as a camp commandant

In the year 2010, I helped the Airport west district to organize a three day camp for the girls in the district (brownies – rangers).

It started out well with the adult leaders from the schools paying in their monies collected to enhance the smooth running of the camp. The girls arrived on Friday, which was the first day of camp. They were put into patrols at about six in the evening after supper had been served and then the district commissioner introduced the camp leaders to them of which I was a camp commandant. I then took the opportunity to read out the camp rules to them an also notified them on safety issues and also dealt with their accommodation issues. I allowed them to go to bed after singing three guide songs due to the hectic day ahead of them. 

 

The second day of camp started well with a few exercises to keep them fit. I with the help of the other leaders monitored the cleaning of the camp site. The guides then had their baths and had breakfast.

As a camp commandant, it was my duty to lead them in the morning prayers before breakfast and make sure that each guide had food on her plate. I was also responsible for reading out the itinery for the day to the guides to avoid any confusions or misunderstandings that day.

After breakfast, I led the girl guides to the playground of the camp site to set up tables for the first session of the day. They had a talk from one of the resource personnel invited. Lunch was served after this session and the second session began thirty minutes after the one hour lunch break. I coordinated the leaders to help with the second session since it was a craft session. It was very fun since we had ice breakers and songs after every thirty minutes to curb boredom. The most beautiful craftwork was rewarded. 

 I taught the guides a very simple outdoor game and then we tried to play it for few minutes. I then instructed them using the whistle to gather round for an announcement to move to the dining area for their supper. They took their baths after and had an hour to prepare for the evening session which was a talent show competition among the schools present at the camp.

It was fun but just had a bit of improper organization due to the reluctant attitude of some adult leaders to help. I took it upon myself to talk to them and when they helped, the ending of the program was well organized. I was then confronted with quarrels among some of the guides, of which I had to mediate with another adult leader to bring about peace and harmony.  We had a good night and I hoped for a better day on the final camp day.

The final camp day began with a bit of exercising again and then cleaning, but this time I had to do less supervision at all sites since there were adult leaders everywhere to help. The guides took their bath and a short enrollment session was held to enroll new recruits into the Association.

We had breakfast and then a thanksgiving service during which the district made some donations to the Association. Lunch was served afterwards and then we awarded badges to some guides who had distinguished themselves as hardworking. The camp came to a close after a closing address from the district commissioner. 

On the whole the camp was interesting and very helpful to me. I learned

 a lot especially in areas of time management, good planning, interacting with younger and older guides, and mediation of conflicts among others.

A Spanish mother

The lifestyle of a Spanish mother

The lifestyle of the Spaniard on average is different from that of those from the other countries and continents. For instance at 7:00am in the morning, most of the Spaniard mothers are awake because they have to prepare breakfast for their family. This meal she prepares is known as "el desayuno". About 30 minutes or an hour later, she helps the children to get out of bed and get ready for school. After breakfast is done, she gives them kisses and walks them to the bus stop or takes them to school herself that’s if she has a car to take them. 

Upon arrival to the house, she dresses up and either gets ready to go to work, but if she is a housewife , she can go to the town square or centre or mall to do some shopping. On the other hand, she can stay at home and do the laundry or chat with her neighbours on the staircase. This can take about an hour or more, and it gets even worse if she gets interested in the conversation. It is said that it is difficult to hear them from this point onwards because it doesn't seem like they are talking any longer. It is referred to as “chiller” not “hablar” hence the common saying that you can’t take the noise away from the Spaniard but you can take the Spaniard away from the noise.

At about 10:00 am or between this hour and two hours more, the Spaniards then prepare or have an in-between meal which is referred to as a snack. This is called “el almuerzo”. Though it seems impossible for everyone to go home to get this snack, their mothers pack them up before leaving home with it and during this period, most of them are on a break either in school or at work. So all they do is to walk to a bar (the most common thing to find in Spain) to have a hot cup of coffee or an espresso. ¡que aproveche! They say!

A few hours later, something i consider a little strange to me happens in Spain. Everybody tries to find their way home between 1:30 -2:30 pm, because it’s time for the main meal of the day, lunch, which is called "la comida". All schools, banks, shops owned by nationals, libraries, bookshops and bakeries close or go on a break because it’s time to have lunch. The only odd ones are the bars. During this break that lasts for about three hours, the Spaniards prepare a variety of dishes ranging from salads, roast chicken, paella, shrimps all the way to their favourite ham. Upon having entered a Spanish home and you are being invited to dine, please never reject it because it’s going to be a three or four course meal that you will not want to miss

.

The most boring part of the day is observed after this because it is time for siesta for the Spaniards. The towns are as quiet as the pathways leading to cemeteries but there is a bit of noise in the streets due to the moving cars.

When siesta is over about 5pm in the evening, our dear Spaniard mother has a lot of work to do in the kitchen again because she has to prepare another meal or preferably a snack called "la merienda". This also involves pastries or savories with a juice or coffee. The Spaniard children enjoy this a lot because they get pampered by their parents

The cities and towns become very busy again for the next three hours until 8:00pm or 9:00 pm. Then comes the last meal of the day called "la cena" which is taken about 10:00 pm or a bit later than that. This meal involves very light food such as a salad or a few drinks. They then spend time to chat with their friends or loved ones till they get to bed which to them is called "acostar" and when you finally sleep, that is called "dormir"

How interesting the life of the Spaniard, right?

Sweet Mistake

After a hectic day and suffering the torments of a week, i decided to attend a masquerade party in a night club called "Mile End".  I got into a pair of jeans trousers, a red and white striped top and a pair of black flat shoes. i picked my marron looking mask and headed out with three friends of mine for the party.
We took a nice walk while licking on lollipops and chatting. Upon arrival at the party, we got a mask for a friend who didn't have one and went to leave our coats for safekeeping. The dance floor was getting heated so we joined in the dancing.
It was good and so interesting. We danced to songs with different genres and sang along with the ones we knew. It got more fun and fun as time flew past and tensions kept on rising. Happy, fine, tipsy and drunk are adjectives that I can use to describe the different groups of people that were present.
I was dancing next a friend when something caught my eye in the right corner of the club. There were two beautiful ladies or girls (because I couldn’t really tell their ages) who were dancing and screaming loudly at every song that was played by the DJ. Minutes, a friend of mine tried to catch her attention by dancing in her direction. Lo and behold, his trick worked and within minutes, he was under the grind. It was so good a visual sight that I couldn’t take my eyes off.
The way and manner she tilted and twisted whiles dancing fascinated me. This made me understand something about we girls. We do almost everything humanly possible to attract the attention of the opposite sex. They danced so closely and tightly for about 3 hours and when the heightened tensions couldn’t push any longer, feelings had to be definitely expressed. Within a blink and another, their lips overlapped the other with their heads tilted in opposite angles facing each other. Her small fingers kept on running down his head to his neck and back. Her left thigh was up his right thigh and her heel locking his right calf; making it difficult for him to move that leg unless force was applied. This scenery looked like a padlock with a small rusty key. How difficult!
I was really enjoying the scene so I perched my aching back on the wooden plank next to me and to my surprise, this angle enhanced my vision of the scene that lain before me. It was so hilarious to know what your hormones can make you do while standing.
Few minutes later, he excused himself and went to the washroom, he then begged us to leave the bar because he was tired, but we found out later than he just wanted to get away from the situation. He confessed that he enjoyed the time spent with her but also admitted that it was a mistake, but of course a sweet mistake.

"Open your eyes"

half a bottle of wine, two bottles of juice

and six bottles of beer were what lay before him.

some minutes ago, he was tipsy but now

he is soaring in a land of unfulfilled dreams.

thoughts of her filled his mind. 

flashbacks of their good times scratched his feelings.

They pierced that heart of his that was as hard as rock

and he tried to ignore those innate feelings

but nature always has its crafty hands

on whosoever it chooses to play with.

with the hope of seeing him once again.

she prayed and cried as time flew past,

that destiny would shed a golden tear

and bring him a breath away.

Love scratched his feelings once again

making him feel a cold palm rubbing his neck

and in a meek voice, she whispered; “open your eyes”

and there she was all dressed in blue and white

La violencia doméstica como asunto de todos

La violencia doméstica en la sociedad; sugerencias para abordarla y medidas para hacerlo un problema público.

El tema tratado por Isabel Cristina Jaramillo y Helena Alviar es la violencia doméstica como asunto de todos. La violencia doméstica es una acción mala en que las victimas sufren mucho.Hay leyes para abordarla o castigarla pero estos leyes no son realmente forzadas. Entonces, debemos endurecer la legislación penal, aumentar las penas e impedir la excarcelación. Tenemos que hacer también énfasis en la prevención y la educación de los efectos de la violencia doméstica.

Un otro sugerencia para abordar está acción es la adopción del habito de dejar de ver la violencia doméstica como un problema  privado. Para adoptar eso habito, debemos revelar la existencia de otros mecanismos para resolver las situaciones y también reflexionar sobre las dificultades que las victimas enfrentan. Debemos involucrar a la comunidad en el problema de una manera porque el problema no es solo un asunto de la pareja, y demostrar a otras mujeres victimas del problema que no está solas y estamos luchando para resolver su situación.

La violencia doméstica es un tema muy serio y por lo tanto todo debemos unir esfuerzos para detenerlo en la sociedad.

De inmigrantes a emigrantes

Edmundo Paz Soldán es el escritor de este articulo que se llama “De inmigrantes a emigrantes”.Se publicó este articulo el 28 de noviembre 2009. este aticulo hable de los efectos positivos de la emigración y la inmigración en el continente americano.

A causa de la inmigración y la emigración, hay comunidades italianas en Venezuela, croatas en Bolivia y japoneses en el Perú. Estos inmigrantes contribuyen en una manera que puede encontrarse tanto en el sector político como en el empresarial, artistico y deportivo.En estas últimas decades en el latinoamericano, ya existe tres tipos de la emigración ; la emigración al interior de una nación, la de un país a otro del mismo continente y la tercera que es la emigración de un continente a un otro continente.

La emigración  tiene efectos positivos como las remesas enviadas de un país a un otro que sostienen economías familiares y apoyan la estabilidad macroeconómica. Tambien hay lengues como el español que haya logrado establecerse en los países latinoamericanos.

Sin embargo, La emigración puede ser un problema cuando se causa ‘la fuga de cerebros’ o ‘la emigración de la mano obra cualificada.’

Estos son los opiniones del autor, pero a mi, creo que cada emigrante o inmigrante tiene su propio razón de mover  o  emigrar ; el razón puede ser bueno o malo.

Muerto y resucitado

Muerto y Resucitado

Amado Nervo(1870-1919) es uno de los más grandes poetas de México  y también el autor de este publicación. Este publicación se llama “Muerto y resucitado”. Amado Nervo es imaginativo y original entonces con frecuencia mezcla la historia con la fantasia. Se usó también toques de humor como en este narracíon “Muerto y resucitado” que partenece a la colección Cuentas misteriosas.

Este narracíon es de un soldado hispanoamericano que se llama Juan Pérez. Juan se alistó en el ejército ingles y allá por error,declararon  su muerte en el campo de batalla. Antes de leer este declaración , Juan Pérez  tenía una mujer aspera, autoritaria, prematuramente gorda y bigouda, y  también una suegra peor que su mujer. Él tenía una vida muy limitada a causa de sus pocos elementos de fortuna. Cuando Juan leó en los periodicos que había muerto, sentió una extraña muy alivio y imaginaba una nueva vida con una nueva mujer, un nueva amor y nuevas cadenas. Él sueñó  de una nueve amante quizás una inglesa que se llama “Elizabeth”. Desgraciadamente,, Juan encontró un amigo de su vida anterior que le recuerde y todas sus planes habían destruido

.

Un tema de este cuento es melancholia porque Juan estaba muy content cuando leó de su muerte y decidió a vivir una nueva vida pero por fin, sus planes habían destruido cuando se encontró un amigo de su vida anterior.

El tono es ironic porque el título es “Muerto y resucitado” pero en realidad, nadie murrió y resucitó en el cuento. El autor uso la ironía para crear un sentido de quería saber quien murrióen la obra, pero al final, sabemos que nadie murrió.

No me he gustado el cuento porque creo que es una tragedia. Un hombre que obtuvo una oportunidad de cambiar su vida anterior no pudo lograr su sueño a causa de un amigo de su vida anterior que le encontró.