Last Saturday, Fran (upon my advice) decided to quit her job at the grocery store. She was working long hours and getting paid so little it really wasn't worth the stress and the lost time for study. Literally, some months she made less than $40. That was a big turning point! Now she can focus on getting through the first year.
She only had one more piece of paper to turn into the school before the start of classes, and for that she had to (and wanted to) to to her village for a medical checkup and to visit her family for the last time until Navidad. So she left Saturday night and returned Wednesday afternoon -- yesterday.
PANIC!
When she checked the school's website, she discovered that her first class had already started on Monday!!!! We don't know how she overlooked that, but it happened. Websites here are not easy to navigate, and Fran just didn't click herself to the right place to find the announcement of the early start. We all do things like this occasionally, at least I do!
Needless to say, neither of us slept last night.
MIRACLE!
I woke up at 6:30 this morning!
A NEW LIFE BEGINS!
With our hearts and stomachs in our throats, Fran and I took a collectivo to her school to try and straighten things out. We got there an hour before class began and started walking around, asking questions, waiting -- and then repeated this regime several times until class began. We could not find the director of the program, so decided to take our chances with the teachers...one of whom frowned and shook his head, but let her in. I sat outside her classroom for 4 hours, and then we both went to find the director of the program to make sure she could still continue attending. You can probably tell that it turned out well. I think my presence helped.
And so, Fran's new life began with a BANG, about 10 days earlier than we had anticipated.
Her new regime starts very early tomorrow morning, and it involves a long commute, but the beauty and peace at her school are well worth the wait. There was a hand-painted sign in the grass, under 2 lovely shade trees in front of her classroom that said (in Spanish of course) -- "A school without green would be like a river without water."
Thank you so much for helping to make this happen.
More next week!
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
SHE PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FRANCISCA PASSED HER EXAM AT THE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY!!!! SHE WAS ONE OF ONLY 70 WHO MADE IT, AND SHE WAS #20 ON THE LIST. YOU ARE LOOKING AT A FUTURE COMPUTER SCIENCE ENGINEER!!!!
Monday, July 15, 2013
More moral support for Fran!
Again with permission, I am publishing another statement, from another one of Fran's donors, in support of Fran's bright future!
"It seems to me that Fran is a remarkable person and has both an unusually good attitude and also the energy/perseverance necessary to achieve her goals in life. On her way I would expect that she will continue to have many more 'tests', both literally and figuratively; that seems to be a given for her. Naturally she will suffer disappointment but I can't help but think that any 'setbacks' are only one more way that she paves her own way forward. Without knowing her all that well, I don't see her as having much of a victim mentality; she's more an example of "What does not destroy me makes me stronger"."
-- Steve
"It seems to me that Fran is a remarkable person and has both an unusually good attitude and also the energy/perseverance necessary to achieve her goals in life. On her way I would expect that she will continue to have many more 'tests', both literally and figuratively; that seems to be a given for her. Naturally she will suffer disappointment but I can't help but think that any 'setbacks' are only one more way that she paves her own way forward. Without knowing her all that well, I don't see her as having much of a victim mentality; she's more an example of "What does not destroy me makes me stronger"."
-- Steve
E-mail in support of Fran
I am posting this with Sheela's permission. I wanted it to be here for Fran to read now and in the future, when she has become a successful, financially secure professional woman!!!
Dear Fran,
Dear Fran,
PLEASE! Do not be discouraged about the Benito Juarez exam. From what Lorena wrote, you failed before you even began....as did hundreds of other students. You have chosen a wise, long, difficult, though rewarding journey. I'm positive that all your friends out here in cyberland, will stand behind you 100%! Do try to be positive and BELIEVE that we supporters stand behind you and BELIEVE in you and your journey.
Now! onward and upward, dear girl. If you can, I want to see you smiling right now! One foot ahead of the other gets the job done....no matter how long it takes. No matter how long it takes,
I will be donating to your fund, for whatever needs you have.
A huge hug for you, Fran, I'm so proud of you!
Sheela
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Results from Benito Juarez University
The short story is: Fran's number did not appear in the list of those who passed. She is disappointed of course, but I am not -- and the reasons why are illustrated in the long story...
The long story is: (I will list the facts, you, kind reader will be able to link them in your own mind).
In the list of numbers, whole blocks in the sequence were missing. Perhaps one number out of each large block of several hundred appeared.
Fran was told before she took the test that some families pay 40,000 pesos to the director BEFORE the test to assure that their kids get in. Her dentist personally knows 2 families, one who paid, and one who did not -- the one who paid got in.
The test is not difficult. Thousands of kids take it, and each one pays for the privilege. The school profits from offering the test to thousands of students while accepting very few.
Her teacher at the Center told her that about 70% of the students are already chosen because their family paid "donations" to the school BEFORE the test, so they can only fill 30% of the open spots. A good number of these are filled by brothers and sisters of existing students.
So...
Although Fran feels let down, neither of us intended for her to attend Benito Juarez. She has momentarily forgotten that she only signed up for this test to practice for the much more difficult one she took for the Tech college a week later. But she is resiliant, and will recover.
Since the next test was more difficult, and this was her first year trying to take it with only 3 months of intensive study, we are talking about alternatives for her in case she doesn't pass. She said that she met several students at both tests who were taking them for the 2nd and 3rd time. We don't intend to give up either!!! (Although there is no sense in re-taking Benito Juarez acceptance is based mostly on mordidas).
But as we wait for the upcoming results of her final test, Fran has started to look for other courses in private schools she might take over the course of the year to keep her on course for retaking the exam next year. We are in it for the long haul, and we hope you continue to give her your support and encouragement.
More soon!
The long story is: (I will list the facts, you, kind reader will be able to link them in your own mind).
In the list of numbers, whole blocks in the sequence were missing. Perhaps one number out of each large block of several hundred appeared.
Fran was told before she took the test that some families pay 40,000 pesos to the director BEFORE the test to assure that their kids get in. Her dentist personally knows 2 families, one who paid, and one who did not -- the one who paid got in.
The test is not difficult. Thousands of kids take it, and each one pays for the privilege. The school profits from offering the test to thousands of students while accepting very few.
Her teacher at the Center told her that about 70% of the students are already chosen because their family paid "donations" to the school BEFORE the test, so they can only fill 30% of the open spots. A good number of these are filled by brothers and sisters of existing students.
So...
Although Fran feels let down, neither of us intended for her to attend Benito Juarez. She has momentarily forgotten that she only signed up for this test to practice for the much more difficult one she took for the Tech college a week later. But she is resiliant, and will recover.
Since the next test was more difficult, and this was her first year trying to take it with only 3 months of intensive study, we are talking about alternatives for her in case she doesn't pass. She said that she met several students at both tests who were taking them for the 2nd and 3rd time. We don't intend to give up either!!! (Although there is no sense in re-taking Benito Juarez acceptance is based mostly on mordidas).
But as we wait for the upcoming results of her final test, Fran has started to look for other courses in private schools she might take over the course of the year to keep her on course for retaking the exam next year. We are in it for the long haul, and we hope you continue to give her your support and encouragement.
More soon!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Exams completed!
It's been ages since I've updated the blog, I know. Just got back from almost a month in the States with family.
Fran took two entrance exams while I was gone. Marisol and her mother were here in Oaxaca during that time and they took good care of Fran, making sure she was adequately fed.
Fran said that the first exam at Benito Juarez University was easy and only two hours long. But the second one two weeks later at the Tech University was four hours, 500 questions, and more difficult. She was worried that there were an unexpected 35 questions in English which she may have answered incorrectly, but seemed reasonably confident about the math section. Her instructors at the Oaxaca Learning Center encouraged her not to give up hope because she may have passed on the basis of the math.
We will find out July 7th about whether she is accepted at Benito Juarez (the lesser of the two institutions) but have to wait until August 9th to see if the Tech University accepts her. We have our fingers crossed!!
Fran continues to study every day, even though there is a break at the Learning Center. If she manages to get in the Tech University she will still have another test to take for final entrance a month after classes start. She can't afford to relax now!
While I was gone, Fran went up to the mountains to visit her family for 2 days. It is a long 6 hour journey, the last part on roads that often wash out in the current rainy season. Here is a photo she sent to my Facebook from that trip. Her older sister took the photo. Fran and her two brothers are accompanied in this photo by younger cousins.
I want to take this opportunity to again thank all of you who have been supporting Fran's education with your well wishes, donations, and occasional gifts. If you would like to help this or next month, she really needs a good pair of black leather shoes to wear on her job, where she stands 6 hours a day at the cash register All she has are some old black boots which have a raised heel and are very uncomfortable. Good shoes are just as expensive here as they are in the States, unfortunately, which make them a precious commodity!
I will be sure to update you all with news of her examinations, if not sooner! For now, peace and smiles from Oaxaca!
Fran took two entrance exams while I was gone. Marisol and her mother were here in Oaxaca during that time and they took good care of Fran, making sure she was adequately fed.
Fran said that the first exam at Benito Juarez University was easy and only two hours long. But the second one two weeks later at the Tech University was four hours, 500 questions, and more difficult. She was worried that there were an unexpected 35 questions in English which she may have answered incorrectly, but seemed reasonably confident about the math section. Her instructors at the Oaxaca Learning Center encouraged her not to give up hope because she may have passed on the basis of the math.
We will find out July 7th about whether she is accepted at Benito Juarez (the lesser of the two institutions) but have to wait until August 9th to see if the Tech University accepts her. We have our fingers crossed!!
Fran continues to study every day, even though there is a break at the Learning Center. If she manages to get in the Tech University she will still have another test to take for final entrance a month after classes start. She can't afford to relax now!
While I was gone, Fran went up to the mountains to visit her family for 2 days. It is a long 6 hour journey, the last part on roads that often wash out in the current rainy season. Here is a photo she sent to my Facebook from that trip. Her older sister took the photo. Fran and her two brothers are accompanied in this photo by younger cousins.
I will be sure to update you all with news of her examinations, if not sooner! For now, peace and smiles from Oaxaca!
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