This season is one of my favorites of the year, and not only because it means warbling off carols with family and friends or immersing myself in the yuletide spirit (or spirits). It’s because every year in the Bennett family, we duke it out to see just who can give the most responsibly: we exchange goats through Heifer International, carbon credits through Carbon Fund, and donations to NPR and Wikipedia.

Sure, it comes off as a competition in self-congratulatory giving. (And yes, since you ask, we are liberals from the East Coast.) But it’s also a valuable practice in stopping to recognize that we are fortunate enough to help those that need it most. Furthermore, it’s a practice that everyone can partake in, regardless of political leaning, denomination, or country of residence.

A recent article in GOOD Magazine pointed out that, “in fact, according to a study by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, the Americans who give away the biggest proportion of their own income [to charity] are women who make $23,509 or less a year, not ridiculously wealthy white dudes named Bill.” But this is not only because we ladyfolks with shallow pockets are good and wise and magnanimous. (Though this assuredly must play a big role.)

It’s because philanthropy doesn’t just mean a million dollar aid package, a fleet of new computers for an orphanage in Honduras, or a new well sunk in an South African village. Philanthropy can come in smaller and unconventional packages. And so it was that several years ago the Bennett family discovered the paragon of responsible giving.

Behold: the Kiva Card. It comes in red and green or blue and silver* and is the gift that keeps on giving. Benefits to you: you look like a real do-gooder, and your recipient will find you both beneficent and savvy. Benefits to them: they will get to experience the exhilaration and certain joy of picking their own entrepreneur to lend to through the Kiva website. They’ll be given an opportunity to learn about an incredible and potent organization working in a vital emerging field in development. Finally, your recipient will reap the direct monetary benefits of their borrowers’ repayments (at least, 98.93%  of the time) over the next four to thirty-six months. Benefits to the world: somewhere in the sixty-one countries where Kiva works, yet another entrepreneur will be able to realize their microenterprise, and thus bolster the local economy, create jobs, and provide their families with the income and tools to move forward.

And best yet, unlike many other responsible gifts this holiday season, Kiva charges absolutely no overhead for Kiva Cards. (Unless you choose to donate on top of your $25 Kiva Card, which we could hardly blame you for.)

So what’s the drawback? You might actually look too generous and informed. And no-one likes being handed just an envelope, so be sure to find an extra big box in which to place your gift card before delivering it to its lucky recipient.

*Depending on what color construction paper you print it out on and what color markers you use. To give the gift of Kiva this holiday season (wink wink nudge nudge), check out Kiva Cards here! Kate Bennett is currently living in Ica, Peru and working as a Kiva Fellow with Kiva Field Partner Caja Rural Señor de Luren.

On the Día del Grito de Santiago, a Spanish couchsurfer named Roser came to stay with me. We had a great time, but she found Santiago to be feo, and didn’t understand the reactions of the people here. Since she has light eyes and does not dress like a Panamanian, Roser got gringa treatment: “Am I a dog,” she said, “that they yell at me and talk as if I don’t understand? I don’t know how you live here.”

Roser playing for us at a local hotel.

She went on to ask me how I keep the volunteers I work with motivated in this town. Of course, most volunteers live with host families, which protects them immeasurably from the behavior Roser was experiencing. Nonetheless, I told her if my volunteers are having difficulties, I brainstorm specific solutions for their problems and ways to make improvements and advances. And when a situation is especially bad, or truly unchangeable, the best thing I can do is give up on being positive, if only for a moment. Often a volunteer simply needs to hear the acknowledgement that what they are dealing with is legitimately difficult; they feel better for having had their struggles noticed and appreciated. We accept that things aren’t easy, and we push through because we believe in what we’re doing.

That day, the Día del Grito de Santiago, there was an eighteen-hour-long parade, in which every single school in the comuna sent their marching band (snares, brass, and xylophones, mostly) down Calle Décima, the street which I call home. I spent all morning in my office working with half a brain and trying to identify the xylophone melodies with the other half. These included the Himno Istmeño, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, some Sousa, a couple of Panamanian club favorites, and a few other standbys.  The parade lasted from 8 am to 2 am, and was followed by an all-night reggaeton party. Talk about extreme positivity.

Despite the celebrations, Roser left early, after only a few days. Since 2009, she has been traveling in Latin America, and has hitch-hiked up from Argentina, earning money along the way singing and selling handicrafts. Roser has seen it all. And yet, she said it was Santiago, with its awkward combination of big-city indifference and small-town xenophobia, that made her stop a moment and think: “maybe I’ve been traveling for too long.” I totally understood the sentiment, and it was so validating to hear it from a seasoned traveler like herself. I’ve had a hard time here, too. And at some point after she left, I realized that Roser did for me exactly what I try to do for my volunteers: she legitimized my challenges. I had been too relentlessly positive with myself; Roser made me realize not only that it was ok for me to be struggling, but also that admitting it to myself and others was not a bad thing. It was a very empowering realization, and I’m grateful to her for it.

Nereida Heller works in Santiago de Veraguas as the Field Director for WorldTeach’s Panama programs. For more about her experiences, check out her blog. The views expressed in this post are Nereida’s own and do not represent the WorldTeach Program or any of its partner organizations.

My favorite presentations by far are the ones that compare and contrast Venezuelan and United States holidays and traditions.  I get to talk a little bit about American culture, then sit back and absorb a wealth of anecdotes and information about equally rich, equally quirky Venezuelan traditions.  Just before the Christmas break, a comparison of Venezuelan and American Christmas and New Years traditions sparked a lively discussion. While our dear old Santa lands on the roof, drags his sack of presents down the chimney, fills stockings, and maybe munches on some cookies and milk before squeezing back out, Santa passes present-delivering duties in Venezuela to the Niño Jesus (that’s the Baby Jesus).  Children write to the Baby Jesus for presents and, on Christmas Eve, he delivers.  There was a long pause followed by laughter when I asked students how Jesus (in infant form) manages to drag all the presents into homes.

With scholarship students after a discussion on Venezuelan-American Christmas traditions

More recently, a discussion with the 8-year-old I live with sparked an idea for a new presentation.  Upon losing a tooth, Rosa got very excited and told me she was expecting a visit from Ratón Pérez.   My visions of the Tooth Fairy were instead replaced by a long-tailed, disease-ridden rat scurrying under my dear Rosa’s pillow.  After I threatened to punt Señor Pérez out the window, Rosa assured me that this mouse (“ratón” being a false cognate; I must remember to translate properly next time) was actually a very friendly mouse and she had no problem with his visiting (and leaving some dinero).  Thus, a presentation on Venezuelan and American mythological characters was born.  My students and I tackled Ratón Pérez vs. the Tooth Fairy, El Niño Jesus vs. Santa Claus, The Bogeyman vs. El Coco (virtually the same thing, we discovered), and some truly bone-chilling Venezuelan ghosts against the likes of Bloody Mary and the Headless Horseman.   Here’s hoping El Coco isn’t hiding in the closet.

Lianne Gonsalves is currently a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at the Centro Venezolano Americano. To hear more about her experiences, check out her blog.

For one thing, it was warm. Secondly, there are no coniferous trees on the island, so there are no natural Christmas trees. Some people, mainly Dominicans, do get artificial trees and decorate them. Some string lights, but it is very few compared to what you see in the U.S. There is also no mall here with a Santa Claus and I have not actually seen any chimneys. The biggest change in Puerto Plata during the holidays are palm leaf huts that pop up in the streets where people sell mainly apples, oranges, and bundles of hanging grapes.

When talking about Christmas, everyone refers to December 24th, not the 25th. Leading up to the date last year, I thought that Christmas was just celebrated on the 24th. It turns out that Christmas Eve is a put-on-new-clothes and party big kind of day, but the following day is spent with loved ones, eating a big meal. With roasted pigs on large sticks sold all around town, this eating and family time goes on until New Year’s Day, at least for Haitians that is.

I recently shared the story of Santa Claus with five young men in our program for Haitian boys who have come to the Dominican Republic in “search of life” and end up in pretty tough situations shining shoes or street vending. One of the boys mentioned “Tonton Noel” in reference to a decoration on a nearby house, which means “Uncle Noel” in Haitian Creole. This is how Santa Claus is referred to. I began talking about Tonton Noel and as it grew quiet, I realized they didn’t know anything about him.

Wanted: Santa Claus. Photo via Flickr user kevindooley (Creative Commons)

I told them how he looks and dresses. I explained that he carries a big red sack full of gifts and visits every house in the world in one night. I told them about reindeer, although they’ve never seen deer before. At one point, the youngest member of the group interrupted to talk about another matter. He was quickly hushed. “Don’t you see she’s talking?” someone said in an agitated way. I was amused as I realized that they were into this.

The chimney explanation was a little difficult as I had to describe what it was, along with a fireplace. When I finished saying that Santa Claus enters the house, one boy commented that he would beat him up if he found that guy in his house. I reminded him that he was bringing presents and informed them that they should not beat him up, but rather, leave out milk and cookies instead. They laughed.

It makes sense, though, that he would react with thoughts of beating Santa Claus up. I have often been told by the boys about people in Haiti who turn into a creature called a “galpot,” which jumps or flies across rooftops and eats babies. (My husband’s grandmother was accused of being a galpot, which of course, was strongly denied.) Many Haitians are also distrusting. This causes them to be cautious when it comes to eating other people’s food, not knowing whether or not the giver is trustworthy, something harmful was added, or the food is being given with negative intentions. With this cultural knowledge, it makes sense that Santa Claus landing on rooftops — entering homes and offering gifts — would appear suspicious.

One young man asked where Santa Claus got the gifts from. I was able to tie the story into things they had learned in geography and explained the North Pole. I didn’t know the word for elf in Creole or if there even is one, but luckily we all knew the word in Spanish from reading and watching The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I then realized I had forgotten to tell about stockings and the concept of “naughty and nice.” Everyone, myself included, laughed when I said those who misbehaved received a lump of coal in their “sock,”  as charcoal is what the boys and many Haitians use to cook on a daily basis. I thought about how growing up, I associated the lump of coal with summer cookouts on a grill, but now I associate it with everyday cooking on a small aluminum stove called a “recho.”

Lastly, I realized that the concept of punishing the naughty and rewarding the nice, which our program has introduced and tried to reinforce, was actually a somewhat foreign concept to the boys.  It seems as though the boys are used to a system where the strongest, hardest, trickiest, and most forceful find rewards, but genuine good behavior often just leaves one more susceptible to abuse and being taken advantage of.

But after reviewing the story, we all seemed a bit in awe and comfort at the idea of Good Old St. Nick.

Caitlin McHale is currently living in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic as the co-founder and executive director of Project Esperanza.

Holiday Festivities

End of year holiday events, like fundraisers and luncheons, are a great way to make contacts. You will probably run into people  you don’t normally get a chance to see: the directors of your foundation, family members, friends, donors/sponsors, related organizations, etc…

Coming Back Next Year?

Many organizations assume your stay is temporary, and very unlikely to last into the following the year. Make sure to be vocal if you plan on staying so you remain in their plans.

Teaching English

I got a chance to try out teaching English this year and there is a good possibility I will continue  in 2010. While I don’t think I would ever want to pursue it as a full-time career, it’s  good to know that if I were ever to find myself in dire financial straits, I could teach English if I absolutely had to.

Language/Spanish

I have met people who have been in South America for over two years and still can barely speak the language. In most of Latin America, there are plenty of enablers (e.g. aspiring or native English speakers) that can deter your learning efforts. If learning Spanish is an important goal, be aware. Looking to attend Spanish school in Bogotá? For about $160/month, Universidad Pedagogica and Universidad Nacional offer courses at all levels.

Blogging

In addition to being a new volunteer in South America, I was new to blogging. Personally, writing helps me to become aware of things that I normally wouldn’t without arranging my thoughts. I have also gotten a few emails from people regarding visas and volunteer opportunities in Bogotá. I look forward to continuing in 2010. Some things that I plan on doing and sharing:

*Getting a visa (finally)

*Obtaining an ID card

*Setting up a Colombian bank account

I am hoping with more experience living and volunteering in Colombia, my posts will help encourage more people to get involved.