Writing was a useful tool for the women to connect with their thoughts and express their personal reflections on the topics, thus providing a closer look at the way they viewed themselves.

Today is one of the days when I will come to writing class. I like to come here because here I meet very interesting people, where we express our opinion on different things. Here is a nice friendly environment for expression of your thoughts and to let everybody know it. It is very important that your voice be heard. I like to listen to what people like to say with their life experiences. Also in the class I like surprises—like we have to write about something I even wasn't having the chance to think about in my life. Is it not a nice surprise and good exercise for your brain?

I think that I started to see things with a different point of view and more attentively and curiously. For instance with flowers, I will not think that it is just a flower, I will now think that it is our planet earth showing her expression of love to us in the form of a flower with a big welcome to all siblings who live here. So when I look at the flower I understand it and give thanks to her for this gift to us, and in return of this love I try to care about her whatever I can. This is just one example of it. I like this group for helping my mind to stretch and exercise. What can be better than that?
— Natalia

Poetry

Poetry is a chance to play with words, to explore meanings of language and express oneself. Yet, for many of the women, the challenge of writing poetry felt daunting:

You've got to be kidding, I am no poet. I can't rhyme anything. My grandma always wrote poetry on our birthday cards but I never could figure out how she did it. Poetry? Yeah right!

Many of the participants shared the misconception that poetry must rhyme in order to be considered of value, and for this reason many had never given poetry a valid effort past the school experience. When poetry was presented in a new light—simply that of thoughts put on paper, that poetry in fact does not have to rhyme—the challenge became much more attainable.

I invited the women to write some comments on the way they felt about themselves. The earlier discussion had created questions for the women to consider: "Why do you suppose you feel this way about yourself?" "What experiences have made you feel this way?" "What types of situations have reinforced those beliefs?" Some questions were addressed as a group, and some were left for individual consideration.