What I took from the Chicas Conference...

Because I have a mostly unwritten policy with my blog that I don't mention too many things about work I probably won't talk much about the recent Chicas Brillantes conference I went to. I do want to talk about an "Archie Bunker" activity, but I am still trying to find an Amanda-way to do that. Until then I give you "What I took from Chicas Brillantes".

Two things. 

The first: 

Most of the pages from a 2003 calendar. I was attracted to the images while my group began working on their collages. Unfortunately for them, and fortunately for me, none of the girls in my group were interested in these images.

Imagine my luck when the activity was over and the leadership told people to go ahead and take the leftovers. I offered the images first to the Dominican leader in my group, because she and I had been looking through them the entire time, but she was also ready to trash them.

I've learned a lot from these images. For starters, 2003 was the international year of freshwater. Pretty cool. Also, each piece is made with water from the location in the world it represents (wash image was originally a water color done by Dave Parker.) I also learned that I like "art" in my house. I was going to wait until the volunteers left because I am sharing space with them and since they live here too I want them to be comfortable, but they all liked the pictures, so up they went. It's cool for me to have something to remind myself that water can be scarce for some people. My water goes out, but I have confidence it'll be back the same day. Others don't afford such luxury. 

The second thing I took from the Chicas Brillantes conference was the idea of encouraging notes being sent within a group of people. We all know emotions can run high, especially when a lot of girls live together in one house, so I thought this could be fun. 

I started with white Manila folders I had on hand (you can see I was short one) and I just asked my housemates to each decorate one. You may have noticed a theme, rainbows. I was drawing mine next to Cole and as she began drawing her rainbow I let her know that I was planning on drawing a rainbow too. After that Taylor drew hers and I wondered if she had noticed the rainbow theme too, but she hadn't. The rest we pushed to draw rainbows, I mean after three it's a theme right? 

Hopefully thinking about good qualities someone has, as all of my roommates possess, will help keep good spirits for all. 

For more information about water in asia and maybe this 11 year old calendar www.adb.org/water