As we spent our last few days in Querétaro, we had many opportunities to reflect on what we had learned during our time in Mexico. Many of us share the similar view that communication is a human right, as our professor Dr. Core once said at an ASHA Convention, and this is part of the reason that we are pursuing our master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. We were able to see this value shared by all of the professionals that we met and worked with in Mexico. Their affection for their clients is sincere, and they prove daily how “it takes a village” to help our children grow. The professionals that work at Gigi’s Playhouse and Ándale Para Oír are passionate about communication and about fostering growth for their students and families. The other big takeaway that we had was how important being caring and warm is and how far the quality of being affectionate, or “cariñoso,” can take you. People in Querétaro and in Mexico in general were very kind and open towards us and it made us feel accepted and as if we were truly part of the team, a part of their family. While here in Mexico we even learned about some Mexican language that reflects how warm the culture is. For example, there is a verb “apapachar” which means to hold or squeeze someone tight with love, or “to hug with the soul.” As the trip progressed, we found ourselves using this verb daily when we reflected on our clients, our loved ones, and even each other! We found those around us using it often, showing us how much love there is between the professionals we collaborated with and the populations we served.
We spent the last few days wrapping up our Spanish classes with our wonderful teachers Liz and Vanesa and finishing our work at both Ándale Para Oír and Gigi’s Playhouse. In our last Spanish class, we spent some time reviewing terminology surrounding the deaf and hard of hearing population and then we did an activity where we listened to a transcript from a language sample and then wrote a report on different areas of language for the child, including their phonology, morpho-syntax, semantics and pragmatics. It was such a challenging activity! It put our language skills to the test, but was so valuable to us as it will help us when bridging language gaps in the United States if and when we serve bilingual families.
Following these areas of language we were asked to write long term goals (“metas al corto plazo”), short term goals (“metas al corto plazo”), create recommendations for the parents at home and teachers at school. We then wrote objectives for a hypothetical next session. This final activity allowed us to practice our clinical writing and to use the appropriate terminology and style in Spanish for this kind of report. Over our three week-course, we had many opportunities to practice both speaking and writing about goals and recommendations for clients and families.
Following that activity, we discussed how different factors, such as education level, profession, and other factors impact the type of language we use with different individuals. For example, the way we discuss speech-language pathology and cases with another speech-language pathologist will differ from how we would discuss things with teachers and parents. However, we also discussed how we would meet those gaps in knowledge across populations, regardless of social status.
When we were asked to explain concepts to individuals, we expressed how even though someone may not have had access to knowledge, we can empower them through introducing concepts and providing examples to reinforce their learning. It’s important to think about how parents/caretakers of children and adults with disabilities need knowledge about their loved ones to advocate for them, and to navigate the health systems they will have to be a part of. Our job is to identify where their knowledge is, and help bridge any gaps to empower them as they continue through their journeys.
Each of us took turns explaining how we would discuss speech and language information to different individuals. This particular paper reads, “Hispanic grandparents with no education or English knowledge.”
The last days at Gigi’s Playhouse and Ándale Para Oír were spent not only saying goodbye to our clients, but to their families, and the amazing professionals at the sites. We were moved by how impactful each session was. Our clients showed us so many emotions about our departure, making us realize the impact that we were able to make in such little time. We were met with hugs, with laughter, and even some tears (on both sides).
At Ándale Para Oír, it was a special time. The last week was spent collaborating with teachers as we were allowed to lead activities in their schedule. We led art activities, motor activities, and reading activities. During recess times, we (including our supervisor, Professor Comer!) played with the kids, enriching their games with language and communication opportunities as we built towers, played “kitchen” and played with blocks.The last day of the month was spent with the children bringing along a friend or family member to learn with them. The purpose of this is to help siblings and friends learn about their siblings and to help empower them to support their siblings’ needs. The loving environment helps siblings and families redefine “normal” and creates positive experiences for students and their families. Additionally, one student is chosen to bring lunch for the class, so their families lovingly prepare enough food for students (and teachers!). We were provided with opportunities to share those experiences with everyone, and also led activities throughout the day. These opportunities allowed us to truly collaborate and share practice approaches with the professionals at Ándale. At the end of our day at Ándale, we shared hugs with the children and their teachers, hoping that we could “apapachar” them enough to convey how much they meant to us.
One of the children at Andale, building a clock tower with Sara and Jessica (after gesturing and requesting Jessica’s watch to finish his architectural project)
Jessica Nolasco reading “Vamos a Cazar un Oso” (“Going on a Bear Hunt”) to the students.
At Gigi’s Playhouse, sessions were met with lots of excitement from our clients. Our activities not only targeted goals, but allowed for plenty of movement and fun, even dancing to some of our clients’ favorite songs and having conversations about their favorite bands. While it was a bittersweet time, each session was left on a good note and showed just how much love was shared during our time here.
At the end of the day, we were met with a farewell party that was planned by the professionals at Gigi’s. They shared beautiful words with us about our impact, letting us know how parents observed remarkable changes in their children, and how they wished we would stay to continue working with them. We were taken aback by this, as we felt like we were there for such a short time. However, we shared how THEY impacted us and our growth. It was important for us to highlight how resilient each and every one of these children, young adults, and their families are. It was important for us to highlight how the passion of the professionals at Gigi’s allow for all this growth to take place, and for Gigi’s to be such a safe space. While they said we made an impact, the impact they left on us is one that will follow us throughout our lives as speech-language pathologists and as human beings.
From left to right: Eva Barba (Director of Gigi’s Playhouse Mexico), Datie, Sara, Genesis, Jessica, and Marcela (Speech-Language Pathologist at Gigi’s Playhouse Mexico)
We want to thank Dr. Cynthia Core and Professor Kari Comer for all of the dedication that they put into preparing for this Independent Study and for supporting us four students during this incredible journey. Their hard work and desire to make this trip happen allowed us to grow as clinicians and individuals and we will be forever grateful to them for their passion and loving nature!
Con cariño,
Jessica and Datie
