Town Square Smiles ‒ Cofradia, Mexico

Tuesday night in Cofradia, Mexico is community market night. When you wander into the tiny town square you are instantly greeted by the smell of a street vendors tacos, the sight of locals selling everything from spatulas to silly string, and the sounds of whole families out on the town. The sight of dozens of children hanging around inspired us to run home to change into our clown attire and give an impromptu show. On our way back from changing we heard that news of our show had found its way to the town’s loudspeaker system‒ “we are announcing that all children in the vicinity should come to the town square because Circus of Smiles has arrived from the United States!”


Tyler, always the ham, gets excited when he hears the announcement that clowns are coming to town.

Cofradía de Suchitlàn, known as “Cofradía” for short, is a typical country village in western Mexico with a population of about 1,700 people. It is located about 20 km (12 mi) north of the city of Colima on the west coast of Mexico. Tiny rural town only begins to describe the charm. There are cobblestone roads, artisan shops built into family compounds, and delightful children everywhere you turn. We performed that evening to one of the most enthusiastic audiences we have come across. I am not sure who was more delighted... them at our performance, or us at their reactions!



We want to give children something to take with them, not just be a fading memory of someone who once visited to make them laugh.

A smile is universal, laughter a common language.

As we move forward with planning for round two of our circus performance tour, we have begun to brainstorm how to make even more of an impact. The thing we talk a lot about is how to create something tangible out of the experience. We want to give children something to take with them, not just be a fading memory of someone who once visited to make them laugh.

One idea that has been brought to the table is adding thematic elements to our show. For example, using circus and clowning to teach useful life skills. Notice that in so many of the pictures I have posted you can see the effects of poor nutrition and a lack of good dental hygiene in those beautiful ear to ear grins. It seems like a perfect opportunity to teach about nutrition and teeth brushing-- while maybe even giving out donated toothbrushes. It's certainly possible as there are organizations out there doing something similar. In my research I came across one organization in Argentina that runs volunteer based dental clinics.

Todos Juntos' MISSION STATEMENT: Our aim is to improve the daily living conditions of these underprivileged children by supplying free restorative dental care and hygiene, school supplies, food, clothing and shoes. The trust also supports a network of state-run soup kitchens with materials and equipment.

They are high on our list of people to contact before heading down to South America. Because what educator wouldn't like a few clowns to stop by and support their cause? ;-)

The Bali Children's Project

Travel to places where children need laughs and inspire them.

Sounds simple enough, yes?
 

Once we had decided on our project, the work really began. The first hurdle became researching and contacting organizations that would host us. My first Balinese contact was with the The Bali Children's Project who promoted themselves as an organization with volunteer possibilities. Since they are based in the states, they do make an effort to stay on top of e-mails and such, something that only really worked for contacting them. For just about everywhere else it was a combination of phone calls that very quickly made clear the language barrier, or showing up unanounced --armed, of course, with our best charades for can we do a circus show for the children-- and hoping for the best. 

Our inquiry began:

My name is Paula. My partner Tyler and I are teachers in California. We are now visiting Bali through the end of the month. After exploring your website, it seems like your organization has a network of schools throughout the country, and we would be very interested in getting involved. Besides having a background in preschool and elementary teaching, we are both circus teachers.

Our goal is to travel throughout Indonesia and offer a variety of circus theatre shows in local orphanages, schools, shelters, and other non-profit centers that cater to children. If you are interested in providing details of some of your school program locations, we'd be happy to do a quick circus theatre performance for your children. We are, of course, not charging for these presentations.

I look forward to hearing from you. 
Best, 
Paula 


Almost immediately I heard back from one of their California based directors who put us in touch with their Balinese coordinator, Eka. Now THIS is were the fun begins. Bless her heart, because what Eka lacks in organization and timeliness she makes up for in smiles and compassion. Our first meeting should have been the first clue, but even so we fell trap to her lack of forward planning more than once. Each time we arranged to meet her, we were given a time, date, and the name of a place... though never an actual address, or really even more than a vague description of the general vicinity in which to begin our search. 

On the first day we tromped off on what should have been a 15 minute drive to the main office of BCP. When we arrived an hour later we discovered that Eka had already left to a province in the far NW of the island-- 5 hours away. We set out up the mountain on our slick black motor bike armed with a map, two very small backpacks, big smiles, and big time hope that this long-shot would work out. This, like every coming appointment, was an adventure of driving in circles, repeatedly asking for directions, and finally finding out she'd sent us to a completely different part of the province than she actually wanted us. Near the top of the volcano we got caught in a rainstorm that ran us off the road, struggled to find edible food, and ended up in an $8 a night homestay with a million dollar view.

When we finally made it to rural Munduk two days later, we found "Sanda House" hidden away down a dirt walking path in the middle of a rice field. When she arrived an hour late, the look of shock on her face that we'd actually found it was priceless. We now know that "just drive to Munduk and ask someone" is never a good sign. Thank goodness for Tyler's gift with maps and orientation. Anyone who knows me can attest to my lack of any sense of direction.

Ty and his team at Sanda House study our route to the various schools

On the brighter (and less off road adventure) side, once we'd sat down with Eka to form a plan the tour began. Through the BCP we performed in four kindergartens that were all set-up and supported by the organization. These are all in rural villages where the emphasis on family value seems as high --and higher-- than the poverty level. We'd arrive to be greeted by wide-eyed school children all running around in matching school uniforms. Now, in most parts of the world, Kindergarteners are small... but Indonesian kindergarteners are tiny. Over the course of the 30-minute performance, their looks of timid curiosity would evolve into smiles and then full on laughter. Though in many of the classes the children started off shy and almost skeptical of the oddly dressed westerners, by the end they were more than ready to join in.

And join in they did.

BCP Kindergarten; Goblek, Munduk

The rice field across from Sanda House

About the BCP: "For more than twelve years the Bali Children's Project has been quietly touching the lives of young people and their families. It grew from a simple desire to give back to the Balinese people, as a gesture of gratitude, something tangible in return for the joy and delight their warm welcome and rich culture have given to us. BCP programs are designed to integrate the demands of economic progress with the island’s traditional values." Over the years, they have created rural kindergartens and pre-schools, provided ongoing teacher training, provided classroom materials and enhancements to the schools they support, and more. They are always looking for volunteers who are independent and adaptable, self-motivated and energetic. Particularly welcome are those with special skills and who are able to stay for a prolonged visit. Experienced teachers, particularly those with ESL and Montessori training are always in demand, as are health and dental professionals.

Have Heart; Get Out; Do Good...

It's not always so easy.

Two months into this Southeast Asia adventure and I am even more convinced than before that in order to do significant good abroad you need an unlimited amount of a) patience, diligence, and time; or b) an unlimited pocketbook. There are plenty of people out there interested in volunteer work and other ways to give back while traveling to another country, but opportunities are like hidden jewels, you have to buy them or search hard.

I, for one, do not have an open pocketbook- so for me only the first option exists. To do the projects we've done across Indonesia and Thailand (highlighted later) it's been a series of back-roads travel, hard work, research, phone calls, and sometimes even begging. There are a few reasons for why it is so complicated. First of all, there are scams and big money organizations waiting to place you-- for the right price-- clouding the search engines. If you can get past that to doing the research and making contact yourself, often the organizations that would benefit most from the help are the ones too disorganized to accept it. There is the struggle to know where the most help is needed, what organizations are honest, where the money goes, and how to make it happen. All these hurdles can turn perfectly giving individuals away. And if one goes the organized volunteer placement route the first hardship is simply the expense of it- travel lodging, volunteer fees-- you need a pocketbook to match your heart.

For every show we did out here (3 shelters, 3 orphanages, and 4 kindergartens) there was an average of at least 3 hours of research and planning. Not to mention the language gap. Time constraints, applications, studying up, making contact, miscommunications, and lost in translations... Chore after chore, and for what? Children's laughter, stronger communities, a human connection, and a bond across continents and cultures.

It started as two circus performing teachers in Indonesia who wanted to do good and be around children.

We connected with two organizations that support orphaned and poverty stricken children.

Two teachers, two islands, two organizations, and a slick black motor bike.

Hence began our performance tour of Bali and Lombok.