The workshop unfolded in two parts. In the morning session, CRAs revisited body mapping, an visual methodology they had begun during the previous methods school and which they have also started to conduct on their own. With new feedback and guidance, the body mapping process was expanded and refined, allowing participants to visually explore and document how water practices and mosquito exposure affect their physical wellbeing. Each body map was followed by a testimonio, where CRAs described their drawings, offering rich narratives that complemented the visual work.

After lunch, the second session shifted focus toward spatial mapping. Divided into three groups, CRAs collectively sketched their neighborhood, including streets, homes, and key water infrastructures such as wells, septic tanks, cisterns, and public water connections. Importantly, they also mapped the presence of mosquitoes and other more-than-human beings that share their environments.

This workshop not only generated valuable insights into the spatial and bodily dimensions of water labor and mosquito exposure, but also demonstrated the power of artistic and cartographic methods in qualitative research. Drawing on participatory and collaborative mapping practices, the workshop highlighted how community-led visual methods can surface nuanced, often overlooked dimensions of everyday life and infrastructure.

The Life Histories Workshop focused on creating space for Raizal women and community members to share intergenerational narratives about the island, New Guinne neighborhood, as well as socio-ecological practices, such as medicinal and food gardening, and the preservation of the Creole language. Using photographs, they documented changes in their environment caused by tourism, development, and government policies, as well as spaces where cultural traditions thrive. The workshop highlighted the resilience of the Raizal community and the vital role of women in sustaining their heritage. Through collective reflection, participants emphasized the importance of passing down traditions to future generations to ensure the continuity of their cultural and ecological identity. Overall, by weaving together oral histories, photography, and communal dialogue, the workshop created a vital space for Raizal women and their community to voice their stories, celebrate their traditions, and confront the challenges shaping their lives and land.

In a parallel session, the workshop “Stories of Migration” was held with the participation of CRAs from different regions of Colombia who have made San Andres their home. In preparation for the workshop, the CRAs shared photos of their hometowns and the places they liked in San Andres. Each of them talked about their place of origin, the reasons why they migrated, and the process of adapting to the new city. As many of them came to live in San Andres more than 20 or 30 years ago, they narrated the history of the neighborhood New Guinne, which they have inhabited for so long and have helped to build. Furthermore, some women shared how they have taken on the task of improving the neighborhood's streets and are carrying out activities to raise funds to improve the roads and water infrastructure. These activities are carried out in the hope that in the future their children can continue to belong to this neighborhood, that their grandchildren will be able to play in the streets and enjoy community life.

The workshop was divided into two interconnected parts. The first centered around building an Ecological Calendar of Water Insecurity. Through group discussions and storytelling the participants reflected on seasonal rhythms and how they are being reshaped by shifting climate patterns and tourism flows. This calendar was developed through three thematic layers: first, we explored environmental and tourism fluctuations—how rainfall, droughts, and high tourist seasons overlap and influence access to water. Then, participants described how these environmental changes affect daily practices, from cooking and cleaning to caring for domestic water infrastructures. Finally, the women shared the emotional and psychological toll of living with chronic water insecurity, revealing feelings of stress, resilience, frustration, and adaptation.

The second part of the workshop focused on Counter-Mapping San Andrés. Using large-scale printed maps, drawing tools, and digital resources, the CRAs collaboratively remapped the island from their own perspectives. Instead of tourist landmarks or administrative zones, these maps highlighted places of inclusion and exclusion, places of water abundance and scarcity, key community resources, and the routes they walk daily. This exercise allowed the women to challenge dominant narratives about the island and assert their spatial knowledge and priorities.

The school aimed to create a base for the project, engaging the CRAs in the research process. Under the motto: "everybody trains, everybody gains", this school was essential in the recognition of the role of the local community in the knowledge production. Participants not only are going to offer interviews. They are assistant researchers who are willing to tell their own stories. In that sense, during the school, participants were introduced to various research methods. The first week of the school focused on introducing the project's objectives, the importance of studying water and domestic landscapes, and the ethical considerations of research. Participants learned about ethnographic methods, including how to conduct interviews, create body maps, and write autobiographical accounts. They also practiced using mobile apps like Survey123 to document their daily water-related activities and analyze water quality. The second week delved deeper into specific methods, such as relational interviews, photo-voice techniques, and the creation of life histories.

Beyond the academic and methodological training, the school also fostered a strong sense of community. We enjoyed amazing lunches every day, and during breaks, the CRAs and the project team had the opportunity to get to each other, creating a social atmosphere that helped build confidence and trust. This social element was crucial in making the CRAs feel comfortable and supported in their roles. A particularly touching moment occurred when the CRAs surprised one of the master students working on the project with a birthday celebration. They fundraised among themselves to buy a cake, balloons, and drinks, introducing the foreign students to the Colombian culture of celebrating.

The event opened Monday (23/09) at the VMA Building, where Tatiana Acevedo-Guerrero, Principal Investigator of HOMESCAPES, delivered introductory remarks outlining the workshop’s objectives and research challenges. The opening panel, “How do we engage with water?” brought together three perspectives on water, both material and political. The first panel, by Angela Maria Bayona (Leeds University in UK), explored community engagement with water, focusing on the ecology of water quality, health risks and the role of microorganisms. Alejandro Camargo (Universidad del Norte in Colombia) followed with a thought-provoking reflection on “disastrous and other waters”, emphasizing the complex narratives surrounding water in vulnerable contexts. Sara Blanco Ramirez (Universitat Zurich in Switzerland) extended the panel by sharing insights on citizen science and community-based monitoring. All three speakers also participated in the master class “Introduction to Political Ecology” and shared their experiences related to “how to study the political ecology of water.”