Volunteer Experiences - Meagan

¡Hola a todos! I stumbled upon the Hogar Miguel Magone somewhat randomly last summer. I was determined to work with children somewhere in Latin America at the end of the summer, but after deciding to go to the hogar, started to seriously doubt my choice. By the time I left, however, I knew I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

Needless to say, my confidence in my Spanish abilities improved vastly. After trying for seven years, I finally learned to roll my “rr”s while yelling at little boys to stop fighting – that’s quite an incentive for good pronunciation. Moreover, this experience, combined with my work with students of primarily immigrant families in Cleveland earlier that summer, convinced me that I had to pursue a career where I would be working with and/or for children. Now I hope to become an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) teacher in Philly public schools and perhaps work in ESOL policy. So this was clearly far more than just a couple of weeks working with cute kids!

As amazing as this experience was, I wish I had been better prepared. Potential volunteers should know that the boys are predominantly foster children, and far too many come from neglectful or abusive homes. While in Guatemala, I had an amazing time hiking a volcano, exploring Antigua, meeting volunteers from around the world, dancing in a Guatemala City bar, and teaching the kids games and lessons. But I also saw and shed plenty of tears, doled out many punishments, broke up fights regularly (mostly between very small boys), and dealt with new boys arriving, leaving or even attempting to run away to rejoin their families regularly. The hogar sometimes uses harsh discipline (no physical punishment is ever used) on the boys, and you won’t always know what kind of background a given child has suffered.

Nevertheless, there’s a reason I wouldn’t trade in this experience. The staff is also amazing. They care about the welfare of the volunteers and we had some good conversations. Karen speaks fluent English, for those who are not hispanohablantes. And the volunteer accommodations were better than I expected. They’re no hotel, but the bathrooms were honestly better than some of the dorms at my university. Also, if you’re concerned about communication, a bus that stops near the hogar will drop you off right at a mall with an internet café after only a short ride. Also, I was able to use a satellite cell phone to call the US directly from the hogar.

If you are wary about volunteering at the hogar, don't be. Miguel Magone will be an awesome experience for you.

Most importantly, the boys themselves, even the little bullies, are awe-inspiring. I still miss them and worry about them (especially the little bullies). Meeting a previously abused child who hugs near-strangers or a teenager who’s spent years in foster care yet succeeds in schools and aspires to become an engineer, and being able to brighten their day a little bit, is worth feeling a fraction of the sorrow they feel on a daily basis. Yes, there are children who fit this description in Philadelphia, but Hogar Miguel Magone receives no government support and direly needs your help, money or resources. And if you think volunteering at the hogar is for you, please do it! You will have an incredible experience.

¡Gracias!

Meagan