Stepping into the final week in Mexico City with a sweet feeling of accomplishment and attachment, accompanied by the bitter reluctance to part, I wanted to make the most out of this week.
Huerto Roma Verde Showcase
We were excited to have the Huerto Roma Verde Showcase on August 13, 2024. We divided the showcase into two rounds of guided tours while displaying the info boards and leaflets we designed, corresponding to the final design thinking stage–testing. I was so honored to provide an English tour to the visitors in the first round of the showcase. It was consistently a learning process by walking through the space and reflecting on the script, introducing different spots' backgrounds, history, construction, and purpose. I felt a sense of pride and belonging by narrating how Huerto Roma Verde thrived to create an impact on the community, with a determined aim to save the environment and reconnect to nature. This experience on the final showcase echoed back to our first tour in Huerto Roma Verde guided by Atilio. Moved by Atilio’s passion and devotion to the space and grateful for his patient instruction and support, my fervent excitement arose from the footprints interwoven by the passing storytelling of the space and the spirits we hope to share and express. After the tour, we also conducted a thirty-minute focused group interview to collect feedback on the user experience we designed. I also wanted to sincerely thank the volunteers who joined the tour and offered us precious opinions and support. Their positive voices reinforced our faith in our contribution to this community, and their suggestions on improving the experience we wanted to create in this space were precious to us. We also had our Info Boards ready and displayed them in the main spots. Though one of the boards was broken because it accidentally fell to the ground, we learned and gained from the trial about the potential problems and methods to improve the design. Therefore, overall, it was a great success for our team. I would like to express my gratitude again to my teammates Nadia, Isabella, and Jenny and to Triana, who followed, instructed, and helped with our project throughout the whole process.
Recollection and Farewell
If I could, I wish the past six weeks would pass slowly and I could revisit this period repeatedly. It is so hard to say goodbye and part with each other. For the record and recollection of this journey, we collaborated to make the video and infographic. We got so emotional by selecting photos and videos we kept throughout the project, as the details revived so vividly when we revisited those fragments as if returning to the memory palace where the gentle light and brilliant colors are eternal. We came up with a new idea—- to create a quote board where we collect everyone’s mostly spoken words and add them to a cartoon icon. Therefore, Jiayi, Alice, and I took up the job of designing cartoon images for people. The process of drawing was a lot of fun. We collected everyone’s favorite photos of themselves and portrayed them accordingly. Managing so many images was a bit challenging since we only had two days to finish up all the drawings. Fortunately, I genuinely got into my pace, and after consistent work, I finished my drawings, which I was proud of, and I genuinely hoped people would enjoy them. These cartoon images represent the people and symbolize our connections, knowledge, and appreciation for each other. Just by looking at each other, the words and their facial expressions are reanimated, as if we are never far apart.
Farewell is hard, sad, and sentimental but also beautiful and means good wishes. At the farewell party, we presented our projects and expressed gratitude to those who helped, supported, and guided us along the journey. It made me realize it was so valuable to recognize everyone’s contribution, embrace each one’s unique role in a team, and celebrate our accomplishment of goals from stage to stage in life. The farewell party was the last time we officially gathered at Impact Hub, where we witnessed and learned each other’s growth. I was so grateful that Triana and Nuria could arrange this fantastic event and the representatives and volunteers of the organizations who joined us to spend this meaningful and touching evening together. Farewell, Mexico City; farewell, my teachers, friends, and strangers who offered us wisdom, kindness, and generosity. Thanks for meeting every unique soul in this beautiful and diverse city. Hearing everyone’s voice was significant, marking the end of this program in which we all participated and made efforts to contribute; the moment was precious beyond words. It led us to cherish and reflect upon the experience we share in life. I am now firmer on who I want to become, the resolution to learn, and the confidence to serve as a leader. These six weeks have given me lifetime spiritual wealth, nourishing friendships, and priceless mentorship. Recalling the moments and the people I met in Mexico City will make me smile and give me the strength to head on to the following challenges in my life. I firmly believe that, by learning and trusting, we can all make an impact in this world, small or big, in our lives and our beloved community. We can Make Sense.