Imagine NEVER being able to communicate with the people around you. Imagine having all these amazing ideas and no way of saying them. Imagine being in a room full of people laughing and talking and having no idea what is going on.
As usual I am in awe by the amazing people in this fabulous program. Elizabeth is from Ecuador. Her first language is Quichua, a native Inca dialect. Her second language is Spanish which she learned growing up. English is her third language. It was very obvious in the beginning of the program that her English is the weakest of anyone's in the group. I have gotten to spend a lot of time with Elizabeth these past two weeks, acting as her personal translator in a way, and I must say she rivals me in terms of energy. She is ALWAYS smiling, laughing and dancing even if no said anything funny or if there is no music. She never complains, never feels sorry for herself (though she is constantly saying sorry for her English...) and never gets frustrated.
Every time I feel like I'm about to lose it I think of Elizabeth. Whatever is bothering me CAN NOT be as frustrating as what she goes through every day here.
Make a point of finding the people around you everyday who may be new or not fully understand or comprehend what's going on and go out of your way to make them feel at home.
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