A Smile is the Same is Every Language

Ok so I know this title is completely corney and it has been ever since you seen the poster with this quote in your second grade classroom, but it is true. I had the unique opportunity to volunteer at the Sidu Moumen Cultural Center in Casablanca. This is a youth center that was created for the children who live in the slums of Casablanca. These kids have no running water, electricity, and they live in the most poverty stricken areas of Morocco. The founder of the center gave us a driving tour of the slums and then we went to the center. We painted two of their portable classrooms and picked up garbage around the building. It was amazing because the kids in the center were working beside us throughout the day. The center serves kids aged 4-18. The center offers music, art, sewing, and English classes. It also has a fitness and cooking class for the mothers of the children that attend the center. During our tour of the center I saw a ton of pictures of U.S. flags and newspaper articles with titles including Chicago. I learned that this center is in a Sister City program with Chicago. Mayor Richard Daley has done a lot of work for the center and there were pictures of him and other Chicago officials throughout the center. I felt very proud to tell the president that I was from that wonderful city.

Now back to the kids. The kids were working alongside us the entire day and we had a ton of fun with them. Most of the older kids spoke English, but many of the younger kids only spoke French and Arabic. When I was painting the outside of the classroom a little boy about 7 years old was painting next to me. I smiled and said hello in Arabic and after that he become my shadow for the day. I asked one of the older kids his name and it is Enmie. Enmie followed me around all day helping me pick up trash, holding open the trash bag, and sitting next to me when I was eating lunch. Enmie did not speak any English and I obviously do not speak French or Arabic, but we were still able to communicate through facial expressions and hand gestures. It was an AMAZING experiences and I am so glad to have spend time with all of the kids. It breaks my heart that they live in the conditions that they do, but I hope the little I did will help Enmie and all of the kids at the cultural center.