Another week gone! It's hard to believe that we're on week 3 and already halfway through our placement in Mexico City.
This week, we took an exciting step forward as our initial ideas for the educational materials we are making for Las Sabinas began to take tangible shape. Building on the last two weeks of planning and brainstorming, our Las Sabinas team continued developing the interactive puppets, games, and activities that will support workshops and lessons with children. We spent much of the week refining individual activities and creating "character profiles" for each of the puppets (mine is an armadillo science teacher who investigates and communicates complex topics such as body autonomy, healthy boundaries, and emotional expression with children by asking questions and leading discussions!). It has been fascinating to see how much thought goes into designing educational materials that are not only informative but also playful, accessible, and culturally relevant. At the end of this week, we began the building process of the puppets, and while I have plenty of enthusiasm, I've discovered that my crafting skills leave a little to be desired. I'm looking forward to seeing whether my armadillo ends up looking like the vision in my head or something a child politely describes as "unique." Either way, I'm excited to spend next week turning our ideas into characters that children can connect with and learn from.
Another highlight of the week was working more closely with our volunteer team at Las Sabinas. After meeting them last week, we were able to present elements of our work and gather their feedback on specific activities and design choices. Their insights have been invaluable, helping us better understand the local context and think more critically about how children and families from Mexico might engage with the materials we create. The collaborative nature of the project has been one of my favorite parts of this experience.
Outside of our work with Las Sabinas, my favorite memory this week was visiting Hagamos Composta, a community composting facility on the outskirts of Mexico City. It was such an interesting opportunity to learn more about the city's approach to sustainability and food waste, while also helping me better understand what my Make_Sense peers are doing week to week in the shared office space. I also enjoyed exploring a different side of Mexico beyond the city and neighborhoods we've become so familiar with. It was a refreshing reminder that there is always more to discover here and has made me excited for our weekend trip outside the city to Puebla. Stay tuned for next week's update on our trip!
Our trip to Hagamos Composta.