We spent most of the day working with Focus: HOPE. We started out by touring some of the facilities. We saw a school and walked into the gym where they were teaching some kids a song. We watched them dance and sing for a little while and it filled me with so much hope for…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]Today, we spoke with many inspirational and trailblazing people from various nonprofits: NSO (Neighborhood Service Organization), Avalon Village, and the Heidelberg Project. James Carrie, who works at NSO’s homeless drop-in center, shared his vision for the people who come into the shelter. James does not want to manage homelessness, he wants to end homelessness….
We’re finally back home in Urubamba after four nights camping in the high-Andean community, Cancha Cancha. After getting dirty and working hard in the community, the whole group is not only satisfied with the work we have accomplished but also more inspired than ever by the people we worked with. One of the most impactful…
The only thing you will always have with you is your mind. On this trip I realized pictures cannot capture the essence and effect of a place; You can capture a scene, but you can never capture a feeling. The vibe that resonates from century old buildings will not reach you through a screen and…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]Compassion encompasses our entire trip; it is present in our group and in the Lakota people. The twelve of us were brought together by a common feeling of compassion for the Lakota. The healing camp and Anpo Wicahpi (Morning Star) Pine Ridge Girl’s School would not be possible without the endless compassion of the…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]Alex Saadé When I was young, I was told that I could be anything. “The sky is the limit” my Mom would say. I knew this to be true. My teachers always said the same thing to my classmates and me. It was that culture of optimism and ambition that had reinforced all of…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]Esprit de Corps is a phrase that most people know the meaning of, but few know the name itself. It is defined as “a feeling of pride, fellowship, and common loyalty shared by the members of a particular group.” Today we talked as a group about examples of this within the Lakota culture and…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]From the very first day of school, Fernanda was my favorite. An energetic and yet contemplative 7-year-old, she had stolen my heart as well as most of my pencils. She was a star student and a little bit of a diva; her English skills were rivaled only by her confidence. The yellow clips she…
Today we travelled to Chincero, Moray, and Ollantaytambo to explore ancient Incan ruins. Our group experienced a different side of Peru, getting a taste of this country’s rich history and also seeing a much more touristy side of the Sacred Valley. Fortunately, our trusty pal Augustine from the Llama Pack Project joined us and helped…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”-Harriet Tubman As mentioned in the last post, we learned that one of the six poles of the tipi structure stands for fortitude. We’ve learned throughout…
Wednesday – July 5th Our 17th day in Nepal started with a breakfast of potatoes with curry,and chick peas and poori (fried dough). It gave us much needed energy for our impending 9 hour trek. We left the village of Kinja around 8:30am and started our journey by crossing two suspension bridges situated above a…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]On our second day in the Black Hills, we had many exciting cultural experiences. One of which was building a traditional tipi. The men built a tipi first, followed by the women. The tipi is considered a woman’s place and her responsibility. The young Lakota women and the girls on our trip learned that…
Today was our second day of working on our project here at the island. We started the day off right with a little change in our diet this morning, eating noodles instead of rice. We then headed back to our work sites and quickly started where we had left off. Our two groups came together…
Today was a day of firsts including our first morning waking up in our homestay. Our alarm clock has taken on a new sound of roosters, cows and early rising villagers. We gathered as a group to share a breakfast of rice and eggs to prepare for our first day of work. Not to worry,…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]Today our group awoke back at the Shechen Guest House where we first started our trip in Nepal. Although the stay in this hotel is luxurious with hot showers and delicious food, it is also bitter sweet as it is the near end of our trip. Following a breakfast of pancakes and eggs, Shawn…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]Today was triumphant for us. For the last few days, we had been working hard on the eco-waste bin, but today we accomplished so much on the project! We did have a small setback the day prior due to weather, but I am truly proud to say that everyone stepped up to the plate and…
It’s amazing how we find different ways to communicate with each other. While some students in our group speak Spanish very well, others just know the basics. As a non-Spanish speaker and someone who has not taken a Spanish class since the 6th grade, I can honestly say that it was nerve wracking going to…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]After finishing breakfast, we headed to the worksite to continue the project. We filtered sand and gravel, mixed cement, and moved bricks. From here, we finally saw some structure build up. After about four hours of work, we headed back down to the homestay for lunch. I think this was the point where we…
Opportunity. While this word does have an objective definition, I see it as more of a subjective concept. I embarked on this trip because I wanted to create opportunities for people who were less fortunate than myself. After being in Nicaragua for a little over a week, I realized that I’m not here to create…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]As Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reasons for existing.” Ten of us from all over the country arrived having many different feelings about the journey we were about to embark on. Perhaps the foremost feeling among us was that of curiosity; curiosity about…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]The hardest part of travel is not surviving the stress of airports or adapting to new environments. It is not learning a new language or eating new food. In my opinion, the hardest part lies in the goodbyes. As we said our goodbyes to everyone at KACH, I had time to reflect on all…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]After classes end and the kids are ready to go home, we get into groups and the kids point us to which side of the island they live on. Today I walked Cristal and Johari home, they live to the left of Hacienda Merida. A LOT to the left. With no street names, it’s…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]A very busy day as we had students at the school this morning eager to learn about mountain ecosystems. The teacher strike is still on but students from the mountain communities trekked down to school (some for 2hrs) to learn from our group of dedicated SStS “strike breakers.” Our group had many great discussions…
La Isla del Sol is the most beautiful place I have ever been. We have spent our mornings hiking around the island and our afternoons reading and journaling and enjoying the beauty of this place. It has been an incredible end to our equally incredible journey. Tonight, in celebration of the 4th of July, we…
Today was our first day with the cutest bundles of joy I have ever met. I learned many new things whether they had to do with Spanish or how different our lives are. To start off, when I arrived to the bottle-built school, I noticed the lack of doors. All of the wonderful classrooms are…
We awoke this morning on a mission to complete day one of service work at the school. We filled our stomachs with delicious mysterious milk, pita bread, and local fruit. Leaving the house with packs full of sunscreen and toilet paper, we boarded a bus and drove 20 minutes to the school. Unfortunately, the teachers…
Day 3! After getting hardly any sleep following a full 24 hours of travel, day 2 was a bit of a blur. Today sort of felt like day 1. I’d like to start by recognizing just how amazing the food is here. Our cooks have yet to give us a meal that wasn’t enjoyed by…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text letter_spacing=””]Poem for part 1 Here’s a summary of the first half of our trip through a poem that I wrote along the way 🙂 sorry it’s long but it barely scratches the surface of the first half of this trip. These people take life with a grain of salt They were born into poverty…
Day three of the jungle was hardcore! It rained in La Paz which caused the river level to rise drastically. This meant we couldn’t walk in the riverbed and had to carry the filters directly through the forest. This was a lot harder than walking through the riverbed. The raised river also made carrying the…
We woke up in the pouring rain with 7/12 filters left to install. Although the weather was not on our side, we had to get our work done. We split up into groups and managed to finish with only a couple issues. 1) we did not have enough sand for our 12th filter, but our…