The Casa as a Second Homeby Megan Wares It was with great trepidation that I gave Kristen the “OK” to head for El Salvador for her second semester of junior year, 2004. Although she had visited the country the previous year on a Global Outreach trip, the thought of her being so far away for such a long time worried me. Moreover, traveling at that time with the state of the world as it was added further concerns. But then I thought, “She is probably much safer in El Salvador than she is in New York City!!” So I began to plan for her sister, Courtney, and me to visit. When I greeted Kristen at the airport in El Salvador, I knew she belonged in this country. I had not seen her quite so happy and content in a while. Two members of the family she worked with in her Praxis study were with her and language was not a barrier. Though they spoke no English, the warmth and love that was shared between them needed no words to speak to me. Courtney and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit with Kristen. We stayed at a lovely, small hotel up the street from The Casa so we were able to go back and forth very easily. Therefore we were able to deepen our understanding of the respect, cooperation and flexibility necessary for their community living. We were able to take trips with this wonderful group of students, attend classes with Kristen and go to her Praxis study site with her. I was able to sense the academic rigor that existed (that I was skeptical about) as I witnessed the kids planning their schedules and juggling their assignments. We did some touring of the city --Kristen was very proud of her ability to navigate her way through this new bustling city and I was enormously impressed with her ability to communicate and completely enjoy her new family and culture. Overall I believe this was a tremendous learning experience for my daughter and the emotional and intellectual education she received cannot be found within the walls of any university. Kevin and Trena Yonkers-Talz, on-site directors of the program, provide an amazing level of academic, spiritual and emotional support to each student. They are a remarkable young couple completely committed to these kids. The trip has inspired Kristen’s plans for her future, deepened her political and societal convictions, and within her, grown a love for a people and a country. Megan Wares |
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