Hi everyone, I just wanted to tell you about a great experience I had this weekend. First I have to tell you what the SWY is.
The Ship of World Youth,it is a program in which the goverment of Japan, invites youth of 10 or so diferent countrys to travel in a ship with japanese youth to create better international relationships, and to get to know each other cultures, thoughts, and traditions.
This year, my country (Mexico) was invited, every youth of 18 to 30 can participate in a contest to try to qualify for the ship. We had 2 headquarters, one in Mexico City, and one in Saltillo (where I live).
So obviusly, I applied, first thing we had do, was send an essay of 1200 words tops, and of 500 aplicants, I passed to the next round, in Saltillo we were only 19 people that passed, and in México around 230.
That round consisted in written exams of english, mexican history, and cultural knowledge, and general knowledge of the other 10 countrys participating in the program. And I passed that round (Saltillo 10, México 100)
The third stage of the prosses was a social activity, in the case of Saltillo, we went to a ejido, call "El Jazminal" to help, renewing the town, painting houses and arranging their improvised soccer, baseball and voleyball fields, It was an amazing experience, not the work we did, but being able to spend time with the people, they are awesome people, that despite not having anything, they are willing to give all to total extrangers like us.
Even though it wasn't fun per se, because we were working under a 35º celcius heat, under direct sun, and the fact I fell of a lather while painting a house (a fall of more or less 2.5 mts) and smashed my left ankle (though it's not broken, I can't walk, and its swollen and a little purple) the experience was something I will never forget.
Oh... and about the program, now we are waiting to now, how passes to the next stage.