Hillary Merwin
2013
Bogotá, Colombia
Community Development in Colombia
My name is Hillary Merwin and I am a recent graduate of Belmont University with a degree in English and Spanish. During my time in college, I discovered my passion for the Spanish language and consequently the immigrant population of Nashville. I began teaching English as a second language as a way to get to know immigrants in my community as well as to improve my Spanish. By working with the local Nashville nonprofit Conexión Américas, I was able to lead my own classes and even coordinate a language exchange program for English and Spanish speakers.
After going on a mission trip to Bogotá, Colombia in 2010, I knew I would someday return. With the support of the Lumos Award, I will be spending six months in Colombia’s capital working with a nonprofit organization called Fundación Comunidad Viva. My responsibilities will include: tutoring children in after-school programs, leading camps, teaching English, organizing community events, and most importantly just getting to know the people of my neighborhood and learning how to best meet their needs.
I could not be more excited about this incredible opportunity and I hope to return with a better understanding of a nonprofit’s role in fostering genuine community in broken neighborhoods as well as improved Spanish skills and a continued passion for Spanish-speaking people!
More about me....
Major(s): Spanish & English
My Stories
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Leaving home to go back home
This past week was definitely bittersweet. I’m so thankful that I got to begin my journey in the little town of Pacho and
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A quick update
Just a quick update to say we are in Pacho for another week of SuperVacas and wifi is a little sparse. I leave
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A break
While these past few weeks have been full of afterschool tutoring, planning, meetings with girls in the neighborhood, Pacho English class and movie
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SuperVacas
This past week was SuperVacas!! All of our hard work and planning finally came together in a week full of dancing, crafting, singing,
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Prep time
These past few weeks have been all about planning. Any free moments we had as a staff team, we were seated around a
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Reaching new heights
The reason this update is coming so late is because my life has been extremely busy. I truly feel like a part of
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A very cultural experience
This past week was anything but average. It started with the normal schedule: a time of rest Monday morning, meetings with neighborhood girls
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Week 9
I can’t believe I’ve already been here for more than 9 weeks! Time has truly flown by. It’s hard to even find a
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Busy, busy, busy!
It’s hard to wrap my mind around all that has happened these past few weeks. It’s been such a whirlwind. A beautiful, exhausting,
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Planning
This week I got a deeper look into what Fundación Comunidad Viva is all about–from the inside! Bright and early at 7am, the
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Moving on
This week we finished up our service to the Alturo family. And what an amazing way to end this experience. After battling an
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A week of service
This week, we continued our work serving the Alturo family while their daughter recovers from surgery. Here’s what a typical day looks like:
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An unexpected turn
This week took an unexpected turn…in the best way possible. While this week we had yet another Supervacas vacation bible school in the
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One week in Pacho
This past week has been crazy to say the least! Through Fundación Comunidad Viva, we took a team to Pacho for five days
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Why Colombia?
It’s official, I’ve landed in Colombia and I couldn’t be more excited! Many people have asked me why I chose this country and
