My first impressions
I came here as an ignoramus. Of course, there was a preparatory seminar at the Friends of Waldorf Education, where we were given a lot of important information, but all theory only becomes experience in practice. I stood as a stranger at an airport in a country about which I couldn't have heard more contradictory things, and waited for people whose names I didn't even know, and about whom I knew only that we would be living and working together for a year.
I can confirm what I had heard. Colombia is like a magnet for contrasts, with a new surprise waiting around every street corner. Here in Bogotá, there are modern universities, tourism, villas in the north and poverty and slums in the south. Colombia's history, characterised by drugs and violence, has left behind areas where life is a struggle, and paramilitary groups make their own laws. In stark contrast to this, I also saw impressive street art, people dancing in the streets, modern buildings and a culture in full bloom.
Overwhelmed by all these unusual impressions, I was highly motivated to learn a new language, live a new culture and take on a new job. And I am proud that this was to be my voluntary service.
In the first six weeks of my voluntary service, I have already experienced many different things. I have made new friends and found a second family. I've had accidents in the chaos called traffic. I have travelled and seen other cities. I've taken up new hobbies, eaten unfamiliar food, and every day, while I work, I have a wonderful view of this city of ten million people.
My place of work in Bogotá
My place of work, Corporatión Iducativa y Social Waldorf (CES), is located in one of the poorer districts, on the hillsides in the south of Bogotá, not far from a slum where flimsy corrugated iron huts huddle closely together on the hillside. Many of the children who come to us call this place home.
Through various programmes, CES Waldorf works with children, young people and adults to transform their lives. It is dedicated to promoting the holistic development of people through art. The programmes include a Waldorf kindergarten, a youth orchestra, homework help for school children, various arts and crafts activities such as handicrafts, music and theatre courses, plus a women's group and adult education at weekends. There are also different projects every seven weeks. At the moment, we are making a podcast about CES Waldorf, a small musical and a film project to showcase the work of the project.
As I don't speak Spanish very well yet, I am mainly deployed in areas where language is not quite so important. I support the kitchen team and the film project. I also accompany the music course on the piano. At the podcast, I organise intercultural exchanges - the language barrier is where most of the difficulties arise, but it's also a good incentive to learn the language quickly.
Even though life here is different, and it took me a while to find my feet, I would still say that I have had a great start to my voluntary service. I get on very well with my host parents, so there is already a familiar atmosphere, just like at home. This is not least due to the fact that they both speak English, which means we can overcome the language barrier a little.
My first few days at work were so full of new impressions that time just flew by. During my first three weeks, there were other volunteers who took me by the hand, explained the work tasks to me, showed me what makes the city tick, and learnt Spanish with me.
I was travelling from morning to night, which was mainly due to the endless bus journeys, but also to myself, because I couldn't get enough of soaking up this life that was still foreign to me through all my senses. During this initial phase, I gained a more concentrated experience in a shorter time than ever before in my life. When I got home in the evening, I was so exhausted that I went straight to sleep, because without ten hours of sleep a night I wouldn't have survived this time. After two to three weeks, the events became more familiar, I calmed down a bit and was able to concentrate more on the work.
Even though I could hardly talk to the children in the project, I really enjoyed working with them right from the start and had fun helping out as much as I could. The children now know me. They greet me when they see me, try to talk to me, and are already looking forward to the time when I will be leading projects and courses myself.
I never get bored at CES Waldorf. New interns are always coming and going, and new projects are always starting and being finalised. There are so many doors open to me here that I am looking forward to the future with great anticipation.
Fundraising for CES Waldorf
As CES Waldorf is financed exclusively by donations, the possibilities and resources are unfortunately always limited. I have therefore started a fundraising project to improve the sometimes-tense situation here. I am collecting donations so that I can become active myself. The aim is to fly to Germany with a musician and a colleague from work in the summer of 2025 and perform at Waldorf schools and public venues there. We will play Colombian music and tell people about CES Waldorf and my voluntary service in order to collect enough donations so that the programmes here can be further expanded. Please support us!
For questions and more information:
- Web: ceswaldorf.org
- Mail: theresa.hoppe@ceswaldorf.org or niko.eckstaedt@posteo.de
Donation account:
Friends of the Art of Education of Rudolf Steiner e. V.
IBAN: DE47 4306 0967 0013 0420 10
BIC: GENODEM1GLS
Purpose: 2335 Added value for CES Waldorf + address for donation receipt