Creating Social Value Blog / Service in Action

Who knew it can benefit masons to dance?

Thursday August 16, 2012

This is not my first time away from home, but it is my first time in a Latin American country. Last semester, I had studied abroad in London and went backpacking for a month throughout Europe! However to my adversity for this trip, the two words I have been only able to say all week with confidence were, “Hola” and “Gracias”. However, I have learned that words are the only way to communicate! I have seen, tasted, smelled, touched, and heard so many new things; I wish I could in detail recap to the world all of it. I know, I know, I cannot….but every time I think about this week I cannot help, but making chuckle “piggy snort” sounds…and this why…

Yesterday at the worksite, I was asked to smooth the stone walls with a brick! It may sound like an easy task, but it really requires lots of strength. I will sadly admit… I have not worked out in years! Therefore, I was having trouble continuously moving my arms up and down scrubbing. So to give me more leverage, I thought to myself….hmmmmm I can use my legs and “derriere” to give me momentum! To others amusement, especially my masons and teammates, my strange movements looked like I was dancing. Although I was not trying to dance, I guess I was?

Hahahaha…..coming to Getsemani, El Salvador has been filled with unforgettable daily and nightly laughter. For example just last night, I found a fuzzy spider that had found its way into the room, which resulted in group mates who were sleeping two doors down, they all heard my attempts to mush it with a shoe. Then today, when my masons wanted to communicate I should do my “brick dance,” they started to imitate me by waving their arms. The mason’s efforts of portraying my dancing created giggles among the group. Although my masons and I have not been able to communicate with words, we still understand each…ok maybe not all the time. Well the times we do not understand each other, it always turns into delightful laughter within the site!

For example, the other day, I had the honor of being the mason “brick giver assistant”, which at first was going great! In the beginning, I was on a roll! The masons taught me the names of various bricks and every time they asked for a particular type, I went fetching for it with ease. Then all of sudden, I was forgot the words to the bricks and gave the mason the wrong brick twice. This incident gave my comedic masons new great material to get site members energized with giggles! The day never goes by with giggles and smiles!

Bonnie Leung ’13