My Second Event

Still on my research on volunteers people from New York cares, Tuesday October 25,I was one of them to the Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow, in Bushwich neighborhood, Brooklyn, NY. This is another type of voluntary service. Contrary to the last one, this one was a help for immigrant people to get a better lifestyle by learning the language.
This place was basically a center that provides English classes to immigrant people and they recruit volunteers from NY cares to come to help students to practice what  they learnt in class. The practice session occurs every Tuesday night from 7:15 pm to 8:15 pm.


When I arrived there, we had to sign our name on the front desk, then we had to go downstairs in the last room of the hall. There were so many classes, full with students, probably because this neighbourhoods is mostly a Spanish one, most of the students were Spanish. The class room was very attracted, entered here it gave the desire to learn, there were posters ( with specific topics of vocabulary), in face to each word the drawing were with flash color were drawn, all around on the walls.There were tables placed in several circle to form several group of discussion. 
Today the vocabulary was based on medical problems. They had a sheet where different types of aches were represented by a drawing and the name of the ache written just at the bottom. So we had to create small groups, and try to pretend a conversation between a doctor and a patient, ant this one had to explain his/her aches ( I have a head aches...).
 Adrea ( volunteer from NY cares) and I were in the same group and we had to create different types of situation. Some moment were a  bit hard: when they couldn’t understand what we were saying, we had to mime to be understood, but when we really could not understand each other, we could call the teacher ( t\who speaks Spanish too) to help us. This practice session was a way for them to practice what they learnt in class and it’s a way to learn how to pronounce vocabulary seen in class..
As volunteer, we had to be patient, and try to give the maximum of ourselves although it was the end of a tiring day, because this act was one that helped building a better society.
It was the opportunity for me to see how diversified may be voluntarism with New York cares.



Let’s take a break from observations to summarize what I learnt from characteristic of volunteer people:

The original happy face design. 1963.

Creative Pro. December 12, 2011

According to what I saw, as a volunteer faced with homeless people who don’t have the possibility to care themselves, it is difficult sometimes to not have prejudices. But we must have courtesy to be ready to welcome them, to speak to them, to serve them, to smile to them even though they are dirty and smell strong. Sometimes being  in subway or  the street we are afraid of them because some are violent.But as one of the members of New York Cares, this fear has to disappear to let love and courtesy take place. We must have empathy to not judge them even though they are living in very difficult life conditions because some of them didn’t choose to live like that, they come to the pantry to be served, receive some articles to eat, it is important to be welcome by someone who not show contempt and disgust.


Courtesy. According to web dictionary, courtesy is a polite behavior or manner. In the Opportunities for a better Tomorrow although it was late, she had a long day, students she tried to converse with was making jokes each other in Spanish, so she could not understand, and although some volunteers came late so she had more responsibilities, Audrea ( our team leader for this event) had courtesy, patience, and she kept smiling.We could see she was forcing herself to smile and to be nice but she was smiling. And this behavior has to be found anywhere( in a pantry when you receiving people...). 


As an outsider it is important to understand how to do that, To fit into this culture you have to be smiling,courteous, patient, be able to manage your feelings and your fatigue, have communication skills.