My first assessment

My stay in Kentau ends tomorrow. Time to take a first assessment.

The high engagement of the staff, their interest and openness, the child-friendly facilities, and the appealing variety of supporting materials greatly facilitated my work at the Centro Eko Atameken.

From the perspective of some parents, hope was placed in my role as an SES expert for solutions/healing for their children. The fact that autism is not curable even in the highly developed West was a central message for these parents and a prerequisite for the eventual recognition of the institution's work. This again shows that the prophet (the institution here) receives little resonance in its own land, while the one from Germania receives much more. I encountered the idea that the education was solely the responsibility of Centro (after all, they are paying for it) in my interactions with parents.

Observing children in individualized support, reflecting on the support, and pointing out further help were essential parts of my work. In concrete situations (e.g., a child throws themselves on the ground and screams), it could often be demonstrated and experienced how ignoring negative behavior and consistently reinforcing positive behavior affects a child. “Catch them being good” and reflecting on one’s own position towards a child were central concerns that I tried to convey.

Of course, it would be presumptuous to claim that my efforts have led to sustainable changes. However, I believe that through my outside perspective and impulses, I was able to provide some inspiration for reflecting on everyday support. Perhaps this will lead to perspectives for further professional development.

Encountering people with their traditions, customs, religion, the food, and experiencing different realities of life are a personal enrichment for me. Through my engagements for the SES, I gain insights that would be closed off to me as a tourist. A luxury that I greatly appreciate and for which I am grateful.

Today, I was invited to a picnic by the river with swimming. Tomorrow there is another event for farewell. With this report, my blog comes to an end. On Monday evening, I fly to Astana and on Tuesday the plane goes to Frankfurt. I am already looking forward to it!

I thank everyone who followed my blog with interest, especially I thank my Hedi, who generously understands my apparently genetically determined urge for adventure. Without her support, I could only undertake such trips with a guilty conscience.