We compared the differences and similarities between the two markets. A similarity that the kids noticed of each of the markets was that they allowed you to try items before you bought them but as one student put it "I felt way safer try'n food at the Milwaukee Market than the People's Market."

In the Summer the CESAR project does not have Spanish classes, that is reserved for the school year. In the Summer we learn geography, cultural differences around the world, art projects, visit cultural festivals and many other activities. I hope you enjoy hearing about our many Summer adventures in the future.

Teneisha

Saturday July 28th was a great activity. A friend of mine, Halanna, taught the kids about the continent of Africa. She lived 6 months in the Ivory Coast a few years ago, before the country broke out in Civil War and then she was moved to Ghana.

Halanna is deeply interested in the culture and economy of the entire continent. She taught the kids about the different regions, the traditional clothing and a multitude of music that is within Africa.

The boys were very curious and Halanna was very knowledgeable. If she did not know the answer to their questions she gave them great direction in the best places to look to find the answer.

Listening to Halanna's cooking instructions

We made a traditional dish called Peanut Chicken with rice. You should have seen the look on the boys faces when she said that it was made of peanuts and tomato sauce. Those skeptical looks changed the moment they tasted the finish product. I must admit that I was a little surprised myself. It was very good.

Good to the last drop

We also made a traditional drink called Bissap which is made with dried flowers. The boys said that it tasted just like koolaid. Everyone had a great time and I thank Halanna so much for taking the time out of her busy schedule to teach CESAR something new!

Teneisha

I have some pretty exciting news. We have accepted three new boys to the CESAR program. Their names are Kendal, Darrell and Kentrell. This brings our total for the summer to 7 boys. All the boys seem pretty excited about the new additions. On Thursday we had an informal meal to let the boys introduce themselves to one another and the original boys talked about what they liked about CESAR, the rules of the program and what the new boys hope to get out of the program.

Friday we went to the Wisconsin State Fair, kind of a getting back to our roots activities. The theme for this activity is why I love Wisconsin. We have been learning about so many other people and places so I thought that it would be fun to get back to us as Wisconsinites. Coming soon will be the paragraphs from the boys on the 5 best things about Wisconsin which will be attached to the new pictures for this month. Stay tuned for more of the CESAR program! Next week we will be volunteering.

Teneisha

This week the boys and I went to Irish Fest and we also worked with KEEP
GREATER MILWAUKEE BEAUTIFUL. The boys had a great time volunteering at the
GreenWish Village on the Summer Fest Grounds.

It has been a few weeks since our last CESAR update. No worries, we are
still going strong. :) For the last few weeks we have had Spanish classes
twice a week and an activity one day a week. I am still actively
recruiting other students for the program and hope to have a wide variety
of students apply! Further more, if any one has any fundraising ideas that
they wish to share please email me at teneisha@global-lab.org . The kids
are always asking what trip we have planned for next summer and we could
all do with a little (a lot) of funding.

The group and I went to the Milwaukee International Film Festival's
movie, Viva Zapatero!. This movie was a documentary about a famous Italian
comedian, Sabina Guzzanti, who's show was canceled when she chose to make
fun of the Italian government and her quest to get media executives and
the government to honestly admit to why her show was axed. It touched on
censorship and democracy and was a funny take on citizen responsibility.
The boys and I had a discussion afterward about what they felt censorship
and democracy meant and if they believed that some things should be
censored.

They felt that since they were kids there was some things that they were
not allowed to see on t.v. because their parents did not think that it was
age appropriate. They joked about their parents censoring them as well as
school but I also mentioned that once they turned 18 they would be allowed
to make more decisions on what was appropriate but while they were kids,
sometimes adults did things because they felt that it was for their own
good, which led us into a discussion about human responsibility toward one
another. (In the future I plan to discuss the Declaration of Human Rights
with the kids later next month.)
Stay tuned for next week update!

Teneisha

They boys also got a chance to see nature up close when we went on an hour
hike. They were a little disappointed that they only got to see one deer
and a few ducks but the fact is no matter how many times I asked them to
walk silently and whisper when they talked, the noise seemed to get
louder. We did here animals running away from us though,or you could see
the grass move while animals were escaping us :). They really did enjoy
the walk and they asked if they could do it again sometime. It is starting
to get pretty cold here so it might be something that we plan for the
Spring.

I want to thank you for reading the updates of CESAR's activities over the
last few months. As always we enjoy reading the great feedback about what
a positive program that you all believe CESAR is and can be. I am writing
to let you know the CESAR is going to be taking a little break for the
rest of December. We will begin again in January and I hope to see you all
right back here. Thank you so much again for everyone's support and
encouragement. Until 2008, Happy Holidays:)

Thank you so much for your patience as we have begun 2008 with more new
students and activities. :) C.E.S.A.R. now has a central meeting place
thanks to Faith Temple Church in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Minister Ernest
Eubanks has graciously offered the use of their classroom so that I can teach
Spanish and programing with C.E.S.A.R.

I have been teaching Spanish for the last few weeks to over 15 people and
C.E.S.A.R. will do programming once a month and during Spanish classes. I
have been busy building lesson plans, homework etc. I have never met so
many people excited about homework before :)

If there is anyone interested in joining C.E.S.A.R. and our Spanish
classes which are FREE, please contact me, Teneisha Ellis, at
teneisha@global-lab.org. Global Learning Across Borders is comitted to
helping youth and minorities experience study abroad and cultural
education opportunities. Again, I want to remind everyone that a majority of the
C.E.S.A.R. student are 11-17 but everyone is welcome to the Spanish
classes.