Arnulfo Oxlaj – St Giles Educational Trust Scholarship Student

My name is Arnulfo Oxlaj. I was born deaf, blind and mute. I start to help my people in my country and now is transform in the NGO AMOR. Also, I am an author of the book The Light of the Soul, artist and philosopher. I am the president of AMOR, and AMOR helps to teach how women and young people can get a voice, especially through education, because education is the most important bridge for the peace and the unity of the people in the world. Because education too is like a glass; it can help the person to see more clearly in the world. But that isn´t possible if we only programme the mind, so AMOR is dedicated to educating people from the soul to the heart, the heart to the mind, the mind to action and this is the balance of peace.

However one of my big obstacles is I can´t speak the English language. It was very hard to me to speak about my dream and vision for many years of my life and I lost a lot of opportunities for AMOR and also my book that raises funds for AMOR because my book and all my life are AMOR. I wished to study the language but in my country it´s not easy to have opportunities. The education in my country is very down, and one of the obstacles to go to a country where they speak English is the visa, not easy to get, also the economy because the flight is very expensive, also the accommodation and food. Memorial University in Canada invited me to speak at the Future of Nature Philosophy Conference in September and they paid for my flight. When I got this good news, my AMOR coworkers look for scholarship for me in England. Why England? Because always I love the accent of the English people who I meet in my life.

Before, I hear of the excellent reputation of St. Giles School and the teaching give St Giles. AMOR get a relationship with St Giles Educational Trust, and I get the privilege of an eight week scholarship with them, in two parts: six weeks in London Central St Giles, and two weeks in Highgate School. It´s very fascinating to have two good experiences between that two schools.

When I had the news for my scholarship I feel the happiest person in the world personally, but in the collectivity my team and the 14,000 people in my village. I give the news to them and they are very happy, because it´s important we open a door. When we open doors, we know we can get more help to develop in the way of education and economical sustainability in our families. This is a great gift not only for me but for my people. I not get the words to thanks to St Giles Educational Trust and St Giles School.

I arrive a little bit prepared because in my country there come some tourists so I catch some words from them, but in reality I have never studied English, so I thought it will not be easy. For the first few weeks I feel very confused, but I am very grateful because my teachers are very enthusiastic in their work and they have patience to help each student to improve their English and speaking depending on their capacity. So I learned a lot, but it wasn’t easy for me for the grammar. I never wrote in English before so now I try.

To my surprise, the school is locate in very beautiful place in London Central with very good access to museums, shops and restaurants and beautiful architecture.

To study at St. Giles has been a great experience – also because the principal Mark Rendell allow me to give talks on the work of AMOR to students, staff and teachers. But the most beautiful thing is that St. Giles has become like a family home to me. I recommend this school very much because it´s a beautiful place for all ages and very safe.
I speak at a lot of events and with groups and organisations. Now I feel very happy because this act of that lovely school, after I finish my class now I have that weapon not perfectly yet but step by step that will help me to present more directly and naturally without translator my vision and dream with AMOR. Because if I speak personally with the person or institution who are interesting about the work of AMOR, that make more easily to understand the work and to see more clearly, and will make more impact in the heart of the people. This is a key to get more international donations and help in many ways for the work of AMOR. With the St. Giles Educational Trust we work together, we make a commitment to help my people in my community. We have the support of the Trust to send teacher trainers to my village to teach them in English and English teaching and to support them.

All of this is thanks to Mark Rendell and Diane Mullen. They are people with great human principles of generous heart and objective .

Arnulfo G Oxlaj
Founder and president, AMOR
www.amorguatemala.org
Author of The Light of the Soul
www.arnulfooxlaj.com