Esperanza

The weekend was jam packed.

Saturday we packed the bus, drove along the gravel logging road to Tahsis, took a water taxi to the tiny Christian hamlet of Esperanza, taught our Shangahi students how to set up tents for the first time, went canoeing in the rain (I somehow found myself helping students getting in and out of kayaks and canoes from a dock -- most of the time it meant almost lifting them in and out), played drama games in the Esperanza gym, ate dinner, told stories, then spent 45 minutes collecting every bit of food from student's tents to keep the bears away.

I don't think any of the students slept on Saturday night. Especially for the Shanghai students who work so hard, the opportunity to have a sleepover with no school the next day sounded beyond exciting. The Gold River students looked tired.

Sunday we went for a beautiful hike, went kayaking, packed up, and again got in the water taxi to Tahsis. However, instead of going straight back to Gold River, we stopped at the beautiful Upana caves. High in the mountains with snow still on the ground, we descended into these beautiful caves, even taking the students through one tight squeeze. We arrived back in Gold River at about 5.45, and because I had to immediately run to try and catch the ferry to Vancouver (class at UBC at 9am the next morning) I said goodbye and thank you to the students on the bus. It was awkward, sad, and bizarre to be saying goodbye to my students. Unlike during my long practicum, where I said goodbye with the knowledge that I would see them at upcoming school events, I said good bye to the Shanghai and Gold River students (especially the six grade 8 students that I had taught, made cedar roses with, hiked with, and who had diligently come to every one of my lunchtime drama club meetings) with the knowledge that I will likely never see them again. Such is the way of education.

This weekend at Esperanza exemplified a good deal about my experience in Gold River. We are more flexible than we may believe: I went as a drama/english teacher, terrified of becoming the white-saviour-colonial-educator, and left as a track and field coach, french teacher, P.E. teacher, ESL teacher, outdoor ed instructor, and most importantly, an educator that understands that if you are honest, do your research,

locate yourself, and have meaningful care for your students, you can really teach almost anything. Empowerment, thy name is Community Field Experience.