You haven’t heard anything from me because I’ve been in the middle of the move south.

Actually, it was more difficult than it sounds on paper. I visited the dear friends I had made in my time in Santiago. Even though I was only leaving their city (not even the country) there were tears shed and I had to assure them that I wasn’t abandoning them, and that I’d continue to come and visit them.

Arriving here in Coltauco was an experience in stepping into another world.  I had chosen this community to begin the project in, as a “practice run” because it’s close to Santiago so that Margaret (the psychologist who’ll be coming to give the talleres with me) can come on Saturdays, since she works during the week in Santiago.

Nevertheless arriving in a little farming village, tucked away against the mountains was more of a change than I had expected.  Quite a bit of this township was destroyed in the earthquake last year and is in different stages of being rebuilt, repaired, or (in some cases) survived in. Ana and Santiago have graciously offered to host me in their home. It’s the only house that withstood the earthquake on the entire street! It’s a strange sensation to walk past the tumble-down rubble of adobe houses….signs left of events gone by. Some families have built wooden shacks on the back of their properties, which they’re still living in. Others have managed to tear down the damaged structures and are living in temporary plywood and plastic tarp rooms, until they can take their next step in building more suitable housing.

I am very grateful for this opportunity to give the workshops here first. It makes a big difference to start off with the wise suggestions and input from Santiago and Ana. They’re helping me to “learn the ropes” of how to get things done outside of the big, fast –paced, cosmopolitan city. I’m also realizing how much there is yet to do in order to really have things organized enough to present the seminars and get the kids to come! It’s a different situation now than when we gave the seminars in the refugee camps , shortly after the earthquake last year. There we had a “captive audience” of children – who were all “right there” to gather together.

On the other hand, we have some exciting possibilities now (gleaning experiences and more of a clear vision and goal). One of the things that Margaret has prepared is a simple questionnaire for the children to answer yes and no to, plus another one for the teachers, which will help us also gather important information about some of the effects of major  disasters on children. Through follow-up we will be able to see which are the more clearly effective ways to help children over-come; and learn to cope with difficulties which intrude into their lives.