FROM THE NORTH SHORE

Bucerias Bilingual Community Center
By Lisa Nicole Greiner – November 2007.

I first stepped foot into the (then) Academia Bilingüe in May. Curiousity would have brought me sooner but I had trouble finding out where it was. I introduced myself to Judy and Laura. I was excited and impressed by their collection of books, especially children’s stories in English. I don’t read well in Spanish, and have been struggling for years to build up a good collection for my daughter Isabel, now 5. Isabel and I then started to attend Claudie’s excellent Story Hour on Saturday mornings. How pleasant not to have to drive all the way to the Biblioteca Los Mangos in P.V.! I began to realize this was a real Community Center – the first I’ve seen in 20 years in Mexico. How exciting!

I happened to stop in one afternoon in early July, which must have been fate. Judy was poring over children’s materials and began to relate the transformations of the school’s first Summer Program – then only in its second week. They’d had to form a “splinter group” for 5 to 7 year olds, and the teacher for these little ones had had to leave. Judy remembered that I am an E.S.L. teacher and offered me the job. I’d been wondering what Isabel and I were going to do for 6 weeks of vacation, and here was the perfect answer! A group of new friends for her and music, computer and swimming classes to boot! We both had fun, and I think those 8 kids even learned some English!

At the end of our Summer Session – more transformations. Laura Serrano, practically the life’s-blood of the Community Center, was made an offer from outside that she couldn’t refuse. Although remaining behind the scenes, she would for the time being, not be a constant presence there. Again, everything fell into place for me. It is not easy finding steady work between the hours of 10am and 1pm (the kindergarten hours)! Laura patiently taught me some computer stuff (I had no idea they could DO all those things!) and the ins and outs of running the office. I am still anxiously awaiting the day when I’ll have time to catalogue our books – I much prefer books to computers! Even now, on occasion, when the computer and I are having a disagreement over some detail on a new form, I long for the good ole days of a pen and a ruler.

Meanwhile our Sept-Oct Session is underway with English classes in the mornings and evenings, and Tae Kwon Do classes. The Nov-Dec Session is starting to take shape and promises to be livelier with many of our contributors/supporters flocking in. English and Spanish of course, Yoga, Tae Kwon Do, Arts and Crafts, Chess Club, Kids’ Hour and more.

I have been working on making our Children’s Room cozier. I believe every child needs access to crayons and books, and it’s very satisfying to be a part of making that a reality, at least for this community. As the new name reflects, we have an honest-to-God Community Center right here in Bucerias (located 2 blocks behind the Bajo Cero “Ice House”, take a left).

PS – To anyone who would like to bring us something from the Great White North, we are short of childrens’ books in Spanish. No doubt there are more of them in the States and Canada than here.

Lisa Nicole Greiner
E-mail: lng229@yahoo.com

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