Rejoice

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy. 
~ Thich Nhat Hanh 

Maybe it’s the oppressive heatwave lately but this quote by Thich Nhat Hanh was just what I needed to come across last week. Figuratively speaking, I guess you could say that it hit me like a refreshingly cold shower! Ahhh…

In any case, these timely words of wisdom and the memories they draw near allowed me to sit back and soak in the thoughts and feelings that have brought me so much joy working with students at GADI, most of whom have Down's syndrome. It’s a brief post but here are a couple joy-filled moments to share with you:

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile…”

Joy was the word that popped into my head as I was swamped with hugs last week after returning to work from some time off.  Between tight squeezes and kisses on the cheek, a few of the older students couldn’t wait to say:
 
How are you? I’m fine.

Which actually sounded more like: Owwwa you? I fiiiiy.

I realize that we won’t have perfectly fluent English students by the end of the year and that’s okay. Besides getting our facial muscles to work in a new way, the point in teaching English at GADI is to help students enjoy the satisfaction in learning something new. That sense of confidence and enthusiasm that my students exuded that morning was the source of the cheek-aching smile on my face.

Now I won't be able to forget how contagious joy really is every time I cup my hands around my mouth to emphasize how to use our lips when pronouncing: “Howww arrrrrre youuu? III’mm fiiiinnne."
 
“…but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”

After walking around the garden one morning, Gonzalo came up to me and said: Contento! (Happy!). 

I love that Gonzalo wanted to tell me how happy he felt in that moment, except he didn’t even have to say the words. Already, his thin lips were curled into a cute grin and the smile lines around his 54-year-old face said it all. 

¡Contento!

Here are a few more pictures from the center where I work:

Lupita, Elsa (one of the teachers) and Carolina outside in the garden for English class.

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Hanging out: Elsa, Carolina and Alex

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Clapping to the beat...

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