Meeting People Who Want to Succeed
Posted by Hope In Shadows on May 19, 2009
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Andres Fadul with one of the subjects of the winning shot on the cover of the 2009 calendar, Robert Bonner, who recently visited the Hope in Shadows office. Andres' internship for Hope in Shadows involved many activities, including helping with the training sessions for people who want to sell calendars between early October and early December. Robert says he's getting used to people recognizing him on the street - including a couple of calendar sellers who get him to sign their calendars before hitting the streets to sell them
Vancouver, December 10 - Hope in Shadows ESL intern Andres Fadul writes about his experience assisting with the sales training program.
I consider this program a great opportunity for people to express how they perceive living in a community like the Downtown Eastside.
I had the opportunity to go to the award ceremony at Carnegie Community Centre. I found a community that is really proud and that has a lot of stories to tell to the rest of the people of Vancouver.
During my ten weeks as an intern for Hope in Shadows, I have worked with the training sessions created for people who want to sell the calendars. My work is to make I.D. badges for the calendar sellers. I have met a lot of nice and friendly people in this community.
When I arrived in Vancouver, I only heard negative things about the Downtown Eastside. I think it might be the same for everyone else who comes to Vancouver, as a student or as a tourist. But having worked with Hope in Shadows I realized that this perception is about stereotypes.
I have realized that the Downtown Eastside is not all about drugs as you can hear from the media. I am meeting people who want to succeed and improve their lives they just need to take a chance and realize how talented they can be.
In Colombia, Andres studies International Relations at Universidad del Norte and worked with forced displaced communities.
