It really is difficult to learn a new language.

Violeta and I had the same realization last night at Paragon as we worked with Rafael from Chiapas. As we taught him the names of colors in English, he taught us the names of colors in his native Mayan language of Tzotzil. I can assure you that he has a much better chance of becoming a Clemson English than I do of learning to speak Tzotzil fluently.

Strange sounds. Odd positioning of the tougue on the back of front teeth. Sounds that do not resemble sounds that I have any familarity with.

To many migrant, English sounds like Tzotzil to me. It can be overwhelming to constantly hear strange sounds when all you want to do is be able to pay for your groceries or pay your cell phone bill. Why not just go back to where you came from? A land where Tzotzil or any of the numerous Mayan Dialects are spoken? 

Of course we know the opportunities for a better life are here. It makes it a little easier (perhaps) to experience a completely different language when you know that it is just something you have to tolerate in order to provide income for your family many miles to the south.

One of the main goals of the OSY program is to provide migrant works with some basic language and lifeskills that will facilitate their interactions with locals as much as possible. Although I do not think that it's a written goal, I do feel that one of our particular OSY program objectives is to bring awareness of some of the challenges that migrants endure on a daily basis.

The Clown of Shop Camp

When the other men at Shop Camp kept referring to Roman as a clown, I thought they were just kidding--at least at first I did until Roman took a photo of himself out of his wallet. There he was--a payaso. A professional clown at that. He had even brought his costume, a remarkable feat considering how few items most migrant workers pack from home.

Before coming to the United States as a migrant worker, Roman worked as a clown in Chiapas, Mexico. He used to entertain people of all ages, but he prefers to entertain young children because their joy makes him happy.

After showing us his photo, Roman quickly returned to his room for the balloons that he proceeded to turn into animals of all shapes and colors. We suddenly had a brainstorm. Maybe Roman would come with us to the other camps where there were lots of children who would love his balloon creations. When we presented the idea to him, he became somewhat somber.

"I would be honored to entertain the children," he said looking into the distance. "I no longer have my children since my wife left with them [back in Chiapas]. If I can bring joy to other children, it will be like bringing happiness to my own children."

With this last remark he clearly fought back his tears.

Many husbands and wives are separated by the economic forces that drive a family member (more often the man) to find work in the United States. Immediate and extended family members rely on the wiring of moneythat usually occurs on Fridays of every week. However, the extreme distance and years of absence takes aextreme toll on husbands and wives, and all too often, the temptation and need for intimacy results in brokenfamilies and hearts--one of the less visible, but still painful injuries endured by migrant workers and their families.

Roman makes a French Poodle for Violeta after class.

"Policia! Policia!"

Just as we arrived at Paragon Camp last Thursday night, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Department car pulled in behind us. This is a fairly common sight. More often than not, the officer will ask us why we are visiting the camps--at least until he gets used to seeing us. These encounters with the police are always friendly.

Therefore, we were a bit surprised when the officer drove past and came to a stop only to be meet by a group of excited children. We discovered that the officer comes to the camp on a regular basis to pass out candy and to let kids know that the police department is there to help when there is a need.

I asked the officer if I could take his photo with a group of migrant children as he passed out the candy. He said that it was against department rules to have his picture taken. It would have been a heartwarming photo.

He called the children by name as they squealed in delight as he passed out the candy. The smiles were present on the faces of the children and the face of the officer who obviously enjoyed passing out the treats.

So many times, a police car in a migrant camp can be a scarey or threatening sight for migrant workers and their families. There is so much misinformation with regard to the "new" migrant laws and rumors and of  workers  being stopped and treated disrespectfully by law enforcement up and down the East Coast. There are numerous stories of arrests and deportations throughout migrant season. While some of these stories may be true, it was absolutely  heartwarming for us to see this BCSO officer passing out candy to a group of joyous children as night began to fall on one of the many migrant camps on St. Helena Island.

May we all create positive memories for those whom we encounter in our lives regardless of social or economic status.

The Paradox of each new Migrant Season

This season will be my 5th year working for the Beaufort County Migrant Education Program. I have to admit that I begin to look forward each year to seeing the same men, women, and children who have been passing through Beaufort County over the years. And yet, if this were an ideal world, there would be no need for my position as the OSY Coordinator, there would be no need for any Migrant Program.

In the ideal world, the political and economic opportunities would be of such a nature that these same men and women and children would be able  to work in their own countries. They would be able to adequately educate their own children in schools in their own communities surrounded by family and friends and a culture that they truly understood because they were born into it.

However, this is not the world in which we live. So while I will enjoy seeing Miguel from Guatemala and Juan from Honduras and Irene from Mexico again this summer, I am also aware that the forces that brought these individuals here have made their lives quite difficult.

In conclusion, I do look forward to another year with the migrant program. The paradox? My excitement is tempered by the wave of human need coming our way.



A lesson on handling money at Shop Camp





This year the OSY team is making a concerted effort
to fill out a Needs Assessment on every OSY we enroll.

 

An active game of soccer at Paragon Camp
after a long day of getting the fields ready for planting.








Jamye enjoys working with some of the many children who live in the camps.

    

This is one of three OSY who have been enrolled in local
schools so far this migrant season. With any luck, these students
will remain in Beaufort long enough to complete the school year
before moving north to the Eastern Shore of Virginia to pick
tomatos.

While we try to focus our classes on OSY, we also have many

 "younger students" who enjoy reading, drawing, and interacting with the OSY.

 


Roman, a professional clown when in Mexico, 

takes time to make balloon animals (and hearts)

for the OSY staff.  





Introductory English Lesson