National museum of American Indian NYC- Maria Liger (Week 2)

Thursday

    07/13 Start of a new phase for the project! Today I got some feedback on the project and the flyer and was able to come up with an idea for an activity to accompany it. I am very greatful for everyones help in the office and the time and effort they have invested in my project. So a little recap of what my project is, it is a little flyer and explanation on where chocolate comes from and an activity for kids to put the different steps it takes for chocolate to go from the Bean to the Bar. The activity is on a board where they can stick the different steps (which are on laminated flashcards) to the board with velcro. William, one of my coworkers, was also nice enough to give me some real chocolate beans and cacao plants that are dried to show to the public for them to smell and touch it which makes me even more excited for the project. I love to collaborate with others at the office even more because of how many resources and help they have given me. The beans smell amazing btw.

Today I got to work with materials and do more hands on work which I loved and enjoyed throughoutly. I was also able to help Kate with her pamphlet making again which is the best part of my day always. Tomorrow is the big day where the campers come and I get to talk to actual strangers about it. I am 50% nervous and 50% excited but I really hope everything goes well!


Friday

    07/14 Today was the big day! it honestly went great. I was finally able to test my project for the first time and although it was very hard to acclimate myself to speaking in public and to strangers, I loved their reactions and engagement towards the activity and history of chocolate. I genuinely feel like I am learning more about how to communicate and teach others without having to make it a lecture but a conversation. I also really enjoyed talking to people my age or older kids just because i am able to engage them more and talk more in detail about the origins of chocolate. I have also noticed that I enjoy more talking to people my age or older kids because their attention spam is much longer and I can also add more complex facts or elaborate more than with little kids. There was this group specifically that I was really able to connect with who were also rising freshman in college and they were really interested and impressed on the project. I have overall had very good feedback to everyone I asked if they liked it and if they would add anything. I got some good pictures from people who tried to do the activity, biggest shoutout to Kate for being my photographer and making me nervous about presenting 🔥. I am very excited for the rest of the project and to be able to educate people on natives and their influence and connection to todays world especially through food. I am leaving for the weekend with a very good feeling about my project 😁

       

Monday 

    07/17 Monday I was actually not in the office because I had to go to my schools orientation so I will just leave some pictures for that :)



Tuesday
    07/18 Today I also wasn't at the office but only because I had my storytime! The storytime went great there were A LOT more kids than I expected, 19 kids and 11 adults, but I think I was able to captivate their attention well enough for them to be able to understand the book. I do wish i had a book in spanish to read apart of the one we were given just because the group that came was a spanish camp called "Paso a paso" so everyone there knew spanish, and most parents would have probably understood Spanish more than English. Even with that, everyone seemed to have enjoyed the storytime and at the end of the storytime when I asked some questions for them to process and create their own thoughts on what they though painting and creating color in their neighboorhood was to them. They all seemed to think about it and reflect very well as they were able to answer the question with their own opinions included. I actually really enjoyed it and was able to connect with the camp councelors as well and learn about them and the camps purpose. All throughout i loved doing the storytime and I am really thankful everything went to plan. Also the activities later were pretty much a success, at least after explaining it wasn't homework and it was more to draw and think about things that are beautiful and about what they love. I am not a very big person on kids but they were alright and not smelly. Also excuse the andriod quality of the pictures I didn't have an alumni to help me so i had to resort to other ways.






Wednesday
        07/19 Today I finally came back to the office and it was a bit hard to get back in the routine of working just because of not being in the office since Friday. I was able to do more testing but with not as many people because the weather really made the museum be empty. All the people who came in where still very invested and I got to meet a sweedish family which was also pretty cool! I also  helped Kate again with her little zines (mini magazines) and had lunhc with all of the interns. This week has been just so good but very tiring. Unfortunately for the blog I am doing my last on site day on Friday, but I won't tell you guys why yet... 🤫








Comments

  1. Mariapaula VargasJuly 19, 2023 at 2:20 PM

    Super cool! I love your project, and story time looks awesome!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. RoselianeJuly 20, 2023 at 6:30 AM

    Little Zines is such a cute and creative name for that concept

    ReplyDelete

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