Week 3
As we reached the halfway point of this LiA, our main focus of this past week was to further develop our projects and continue to connect with the people of Medellín. It was a jam-packed, exciting week, full of new learning and cultural experiences.
Regarding our primary project with Picacho con Futuro, we initiated the week with a meeting with Adrián. We asked questions and ideated our project with him, and left feeling more secure with our plans and how we envisage this project to continue over the coming weeks. The final ideas we have to improve sustainability and circular economy within Picacho are:
- An accessible and education pamphlet about different sustainability practices, including waste reduction, correct recycling etc., that can be used by all in the community
- A mural for the organisation's building, made of recycled materials and created in collaboration with the local children
- An eco-bazaar where we distribute our pamphlets, showcase the mural and include other stalls for different aspects of sustainability
To help achieve these goals, we met with the volunteers who signed up last week at our cultural fair. We had a two hour workshop with them at the university, where we discussed our plans and ideas, and got to know them better to ensure that working together is more successful. It was an enjoyable afternoon, and it was relieving to see that the volunteers are interested and engaging well with our proposed ideas.
Alongside this work, we returned to Comuna 3 with our secondary collaborating organisation 'Mi Barrio, Mi Sueño' on Wednesday. Under the intense heat that is Colombian sun, we spent the whole morning aiding the organisation and local people build a new playground. As laborious as it was shovelling dirt and rock, it was a greatly enjoyable experience to be lead by locals and feel part of a team creating an impactful change for the neighbourhood.
Despite committing more time to our projects than previous weeks, we continued to have opportunities to further explore our surroundings in Medellín. The most impactful this week was the coordinated trip to Mueso Casa de la Memoria on Friday. The museum is dedicated to the city's history of violence and armed conflict, and the resilience of its people. It serves as a space for education, reflection and fostering of peace, preserving the local people's memories related to the conflict and its impact. It was a powerful and emotional commemoration and one that I would recommend to any visitor to better understand the history of the city and the story of the people.
Beyond this, my fellow scholars and I filled our free time with some very enjoyable activities. On Thursday, we went to Estadio de Fútbol Atanasio Girardot to watch Independiente Medellín play Envigado, with Envigado frustratingly winning 3-4. The crowd had an amazing atmosphere, with flags and bands filling the stands, and as a huge football fan, it was one of the highlights so far throughout this LiA. We further visited different areas throughout the weekend, including thrifting in Laureles, sightseeing at Mirador el Ceilo, exploring the streets of Downtown and walking around the Botanical Gardens.
I cannot believe that half the time has already passed, but I plan to continue to make the most of every aspect of this incredible experience!