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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]After a smooth 2 days of travel, we landed in Nairobi with a warm welcoming from Dr. Karambu, the leader and founder of the NGO International Peace Initiatives. We began our course visiting an elephant orphanage and giraffe sanctuary in a prosperous neighborhood. We later drove through Kibera, the largest slum in Kenya. Bess…
June 21, 2017 Wednesday Day 1 – Kathmandu Waking up with the light was a new and interesting experience for me, with the added confusion of not knowing the time beckoning me to consider not waking up. After going downstairs (where it was clear that the sun had risen over cloudy Kathmandu), I noted that…
This afternoon, Sarah and I sat down to chat with each student individually to debrief and close out their experience in Detroit. We wanted to share some of the lessons that they will be taking with them in hopes that this enthusiasm for service, compassion and empathy will continue long into their futures. Tomorrow they…
Today was our third day here in Detroit. We started the day by receiving an introduction to the Focus Hope Organization from their director of volunteers, Khristi. We toured their facility, and saw that they provided support for the community of all ages. We were amazed by the dedication to and strong presence in the…
When we first came on this trip, we understood that conditions would be temporary. The housing, food, and activities wouldn’t last forever. The teaching and the cement shoveling would continue after our 2 weeks. The sun would still set; its golden colors would still reflect against the serene lake, and there’d be others there to…
Well, this is it. We’ve departed with the kids. There are no more work days. And we leave Ometepe for good within the next 12 hours. For our departure, we had heard about an “inauguration” being held in our honor for our contributions to the community. I had figured it was simply a few “thank…
Before this trip, I would much rather labor over a pile of rocks than struggle to teach kids English. Yet here I am, I have done both, and I will miss it. Every day I see the energy bounce the kindergarteners as they recite the various English they were taught. Everyday I am harassed by…
It’s hard to believe that two weeks has already gone by. I can vividly remember how nervous I was during our first teaching day and now I’m sitting in a hammock reflecting about our last. The day started out like any other day, waking up to the kitchen bell that signals breakfast is ready and…
To Build a School You’ll need money and time. A lot of metal bars, countless bags of cement, and some non-corrosive paint. You will need a galvanized roof, supported by eight strong posts. Begin by building the foundation. Level it out, add rocks and re-bars. Now get some cement. Mix as much as you thought…
Today, unlike any other day, was different for a change. Unfortunately, one of our group mates were unable to work along side of us because he has fallen ill. However, that did not stop us from helping the children. For the first time in two days, we were not greeted by heavy rainfall but a…
So today we got up after a good night’s sleep on a soccer field in a tiny community in the middle of the Andes mountains. We ate in the breakfast tent, got packed up, and headed out on our last day of the trek. The hike today was mostly on a dirt road down to…
We are almost halfway through our second week and I can feel myself becoming more and more connected with the kids every day. There are kids that I have been building relationships with since the first day and kids that I am just meeting. Today, in third grade I met a boy that spoke Spanish,…
Musings on Day 1 of our Trek As we had our last breakfast at Munaychay, I couldn’t help but think of the great memories we’ve all made with the kids, the tías, and the German volunteers here At Munaychay. Saying goodbye was extremely bitter sweet. On the one hand, I’d like to stay for a…
It is a Monday. I woke up this morning at 4:30am to the sound of silence. Then a splitting crack of thunder boomed, like an explosion, and was followed by pounding rain. It was the kind of rain that was so loud that it sounded more like a hail storm that was going to make…
Yesterday we were greeted with another wonderful breakfast of breakfast burritos and oatmeal prepared by Bev and Fern. While we ate, we listened to a story from Bev about the history of her family and the significance of the Sundance. A Sundance is a religious ceremony in which the Lakota will dance, pray, and fast…
In a few of the group’s reflection sessions, the casual question came up: What is your biggest fear? Since I am a naturally timid person, a plethora of horrors popped into my mind: the dark, bugs, deep water, loneliness, humiliation, failure, death, and so on. I realized my fears have often kept me sheltered and…
Our group has only been together for a week now and we are already starting to discuss our reunion. I think everyone here can agree that we all have an incredible connection, despite our very different lives at home. Considering that, we have a lot in common. We all laugh at the same jokes, enjoy…
We just finished our last evening discussion at the close of our safari. In addition to having a wonderful safari that included sightings of lions, elephants, impala, hippopotamus, ostriches, and many more, the group has had some valuable time to reflect on what they have each learned during their time with IPI in Kenya. Although…
Quinn: One week ago today we were all awkwardly lounging in the Miami Airport. Silence was one of the favorite activities. It’s weird how now we play card games and connect on deeper levels. It takes time for most things to become better. For example: wine, indie films, naps. But it took less than a…
Today was our last day at Munaychay. We woke up at 7:15 and had our usual breakfast of scrambled eggs and bread. At 8:00, we headed down to Santa Rosa and began clearing out a space for farming. About an hour into our work it started raining so we went to the house and chilled…
GOOD MORNING VIET-MERICA! Today was a great day. One of the best at Munaychay. I had a great night’s sleep and a weird dream that I was in a video game. We had hard boiled eggs for breakfast with the always delicious bread and jam. After our yummy breakfast, we headed off to the farm…
The morning began with an impromptu breakfast composed of bananas, tea, and granola. After, we met our guide, Pedro, who took us to Moray– an ancient Incan site entailing agricultural terraces. Our eccentric guide told us that the terraces were filled with spirits of fertility, duality, and “good vibes”. He continued to explain the ancient…
Something that’s always bothered me is our society’s need for everything (and everyone) to be groundbreaking and extraordinary at each moment in order for the activity or person to be noteworthy. This leads to raging disappointment (at least for me) when I am a part of something that doesn’t shout “impressive!” However, as I’ve grown…
The view from my new home is incredible. I live in a second story room on a refurbished coffee plantation that was built on an island created from 2 massive volcanoes. The porch outside overlooks a torn down building; covered with a mixture of a vibrant green moss and pruned ferns. Tall trees surround the…
Our second day of work greeted us with the bluest skies and hottest weather we had seen since arriving in Nicaragua. Despite the heat, we were all optimistic as we began our day’s work. Once we arrived at the worksite, Janier, the leader of the construction project, appointed us the task of creating and mixing…
At the end of our first work day we were laying on the dock as the crickets chirped beside us and the waves splashed below us. We gazed up at the stars reflecting on our first days on the island. As we talked, we realized that despite being from Boston, Colorado, North Carolina, Texas, New…
It was warm out this morning rather than the usual cool. Our breakfast crew, promptly after wake up, cooked a delicious breakfast of oatmeal -Mazel tov. Everyone got ready- two full water bottles, sunscreen and full brimmed hat in hand – and began the walk down to the bus, some stepping with exhaustion, some with…
We awoke from our slumbers quite early. We stuffed everything we could in our packs in preparation for the excursion to Isla Del Sol. Although we were tired, the lively city of La Paz was fully awake. Our breakfast consisted of bread and corn flakes, a nutritious start to our day. The bus to take…
This place feels like home. It’s a strange thing to say, because I don’t usually sleep with a bug net over my bed, find geckos in my shower, or live on a tropical island. Yet, only two days into our stay at Ometepe, it feels like home. After a delicious breakfast at the Hacienda Merida,…
I’m not phased by a lot. In most settings, this is helpful (like being the only one not to cry at the end of The Notebook.) So when I stepped out of the Nicaraguan airport, nothing really hit me except for humid air. Granada, of course, was wonderful, as you heard in Jaxon’s amazing post….