Today we went to Cusco to see Inti Raymi, which is the winter solstice festival. Although chaotic, It was beautiful. Watching the dances and all the people in their beautiful outfits made everyone take a step back. Everything about the festival was so rich with history and culture. Everything we had learned about during the…
Over the past five days or so, we’ve been working at the Himalayan Hope Home; lugging bricks up four flights of stairs, shoveling sand to make concrete, and getting to know the amazing girls who live there. These girls are orphans, mostly from Solukhumbu, and range in age from five to fifteen years old. We’ve…
As we look at the current progress we have made so far on the guesthouse, it is truly inspiring seeing how one action can have a ripple effect. Working side-by-side, “shoulder to shoulder” with our fellow Kenyans has made my eyes open to the limitless possibilities when people of all backgrounds come together. No task…
We have been living in the home stays for 3 days now, and the experience is a once in a life time opportunity! The first night was very interesting and a small challenge to say the least. The whole family, including some of the extended family, came to the house to meet us. It was…
Although the weather was very hot and humid, our group was excited about the outcome of our work. The first job was transferring potted trees onto a new surface in order to avoid sprouting weeds. Later in the week, we will be planting the trees from the nursery in the wetlands. For the second task,…
Today we spent most of our day back at the school mixing cement and creating more pillars. In comparison to yesterday, we are twice as efficient at post making which was really awesome. During one of our breaks we listened to one of the main work managers play a traditional Cambodian song using a leaf…
Tibet. We have only been here for about six days and I feel as though I never left home. The streets of Tagong and the homes that we are staying in are so inviting and comfortable. I can hardly articulate how stunning and tranquil it is here. Everything oozes with beauty; the people especially. Everywhere…
Friday was our first day in Meru, and the warm sunshine and lush landscape were a nice change from bustling Nairobi. After a nice breakfast of oranges, bananas, pineapple, pancakes, and eggs, our group met with Dr. K to discuss how IPI began and why she decided to run her program the way she runs…
Today couldn’t have started and ended any better than it did. From potting plants at dawn to dining until 8 o’clock, we enjoyed ourselves. The day began with waking up early to complete some work as usual. Teamwork would be the keyword to use to describe this morning. The hot sun could not stop our…
In only two weeks we have had to say many goodbyes. Some of the people we met were only in our lives for a few days, or a few hours, and most we will never see again, yet each one has left an impact on us. Having to say goodbye made me focus on what…
Tashidale everyone! That’s Sherpa for greetings! I am so glad I have another opportunity to post a blog today. I want to share with everyone how much progress we have made and what we have been doing for the community here in Salleri. We are building the first women’s hostel here in the Everest region…
We woke up today to the sound of rain falling on the metal rooftop of the Amani Community Home. Still jet-lagged and somewhat exhausted from our extensive travels, the zombie-like group woke up slowly to cups of chai, toast, and sandwiches. We then spent an hour or so going over some Kiswahili phrases and words….
Though the updates may have seen few and far in between, the incredible experiences on our course since the last update have not been. We continue to stay safe and happy while our eyes are opened to this wonderful country. Since the last update, we’ve visited a private Kenyan university and talked to a peace…