Even before the goodbyes that will
have to be said to all the friends and family that we (CGE students and staff) have
created with each other over the last four months, there are many other
goodbyes that I’ve had to say. We have made so many memories made
since our arrival in Cuernavaca, and so much has happened that made all of us
so much stronger than when we had first arrived. On this journey we have made
friends, created family, and shared lifelong memories full of laughter and
tears.
I arrived to Cuernavaca with no
Spanish at all; it was tough navigating my way around without help from other
students and staff (who I am really grateful for). But the most memorable one
is at Eishel, where I intern and where I have made friends with all the residents
there.
Eishel is a senior home for the
Jewish community located in Cuernavaca, Mexico. A good thirty minute walk from CGE,
or a ten to fifteen minute drive. In Eishel, there are always daily exercises
and activities that the residents can participate in and have fun. Some of them
choose to sit around outside or somewhere in the Social
Room and watch TV or talk the day away about random things.
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| Cake to celebrate the residents with birthdays in April. |
When I first arrived at Eishel, I was
really nervous, because my Spanish was only basic. I have a hard time forming
sentences and answering or asking questions. But with only my basic Spanish in
hand, and facing head on into Eishel, I found myself easily surrounded by many
wonderful elderly people who welcomed me with open arms and laughter. I was
able to expand on my Spanish a bit as they teach me different words every time
I’m there.
“Just listen, and ask question if you
don’t understand.” That was the first piece of advice one of the residents gave
me, and from then on, I tried really hard to listen. Though I may not speak
Spanish well, I catch on to words from listening and from reading, which one of
the English teachers at Eishel has helped me to do.
Not only did I find this friendliness
inside Eishel, I found it everywhere around me. As long as you make the effort
to try, and even though people may laugh and chuckle a bit at you, they will
openly correct you and teach you the right way of saying or asking a question.
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| Celebrating Isreali Independence Day |
I have learned a lot more at Eishel
than just improving my Spanish. For
example, I learned so much about the Jewish community. I heard many stories
from them about friends and family near and far. I learned about their culture
and ceremonies they celebrate, and the reason behind why they celebrated. For
example, once a year in April, Jewish people come together to light candles
in remembrance of the six million Jews who died in the Concentration Camps during the Holocaust; or
how Jews consider Israel their homeland and celebrate Israel’s
Independence Day as theirs. I thought that this was very interesting, because
being Hmong, we do not have a homeland, therefore we don’t have an Independence
Day to celebrate, unless it’s the country that we live in.
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| Candles burning in rememberance of 6 million people who died during the Holocaust. |
With so much memories made at Eishel,
it will be very hard to leave, to say goodbye without sharing some tears and
laughter. Although it was only three months there, it was a really short
journey full of friendship filled with lots of laughter, lifelong memories, and
happiness that has really impacted my life.
-- Ornida Moua
