OK today was a fun day. We woke up at 8 am, had breakfast (these delicious pancakes), and got on a boat to go snorkeling. The boat ride there was so nice and breezy, and when we reached the first stop (which was a beach), the water was incredibly clear and clean . There was…
Today is day five. This morning we began our day with a hike to Wizard Beach. One of the most memorable things we saw along the trail were all of the ants carrying food for their colonies. Arriving at the beach, only slightly bitten by ants, we were greeted by soft sand and the sight…
While watching the kids live through their daily lives, I realized how numb I’ve become to my privilege back at home. I talked a lot to a child named Jesus, and as we read picture books together, we were equally teaching each other our respective languages. For me, the Spanish I learned has become helpful…
Today we started off the day with breakfast in the hostel in San Diego. Then we walked to the “museum of us” and saw an exhibit about the history of the US-Mexico border. We learned about how border policies negatively impacted the indigenous community (O’odham tribe) in the area and the surrounding environment. Then we…
As our trip goes on, we begin to learn, focus, and practice Learning Service and how we shift our comfort zones. Seeing the group practice to understand Learning Service has been so amazing. Understanding in Cristbol & Basti that we are not here to benefit or change people’s way of being, but instead, learn about…
Today was the first official day of our Panama trip! Despite the heat and humidity, I really enjoyed our boat ride to Bocas Del Toro. I’m really happy that everyone has learned a lot about each other already. My favorite part of today was meeting all of the kids at the Cristobál school. I was…
We went to a children’s shelter in the morning to spend some time and play with kids. While we were there, we played bowling and Loteria (Mexican bingo), as well as making paper airplanes and drawing with them. Despite there being somewhat of a language barrier, the kids were understanding that we were not…
On Monday, we went to a shelter to serve food to migrants, deportees, and homeless people in Tijuana. We got to speak with a few of them and listen to their stories about their journeys in reaching Tijuana. Afterwards we went to Maria’s office and got to ask questions to Haitian migrants, a deported U.S….
We just received a message from the field informing us they have settled into their program with Give and Surf. The group arrived in Bocas del Toro this morning and, after orientation, jumped right into supporting the after-school centers run by Give and Surf. They will be staying on Cristobal Island until Wednesday afternoon, at…
Since our arrival in Tijuana, we have had many experiences that showed us a new perspective. On the first night we witnessed countless recently deported immigrants who were seeking a new place in the world to feel at home after being forced to leave theirs. The next morning we traveled to “friendship park” were we…
After our group came together at the airport, we made our way to cross the border to Tijuana. We ate dinner with our NGO partners, Alex and Maria, and we got to see the Madres y Familias deportadas office. Maria showed us what she does, and how she helps people who come to the office…
-Day 12 of the Trip- On July 1st, 2024, the group woke in the remote Andean community of Cancha-Cancha. This community, which is only accessible by a hike, is so small it has no school of its own. A cloudy sky contrasted the incredible starry sky of the previous night. After close to a week…
I’ll finish the rest of the story later, but one thing that has been really fun is the construction we’ve been doing. To start, we dug a huge ring in the dirt. We brought down bags and bags of sand and rocks. We mixed it with powdered cement & water, and then it became concrete….
Going to a home away from home for one night was not something expected to leave in awe. Solomon was the second oldest brother of the family of seven. The back side of the home was all garden; it was not neat and inorganically planted but was grown in harmony with the surrounding plants for…
So many different experiences and stories have already been made on this trip, so it is not so easy to pick one day. If I had to choose, I would say both days where we hiked up a mountain are top on my list of my favorite memories that I will take home with me….
Two days ago we all went to see the other children’s home that was being built. After a brief tour of the campus and the different zones, we all hiked up the lone mountain looming over us. We started hiking. It was a steep treacherous path if you can even call it that. It was…
Hi Mom and Dad, I hope you are having a peaceful couple of weeks. Enjoying time together and with Myles too. I am enjoying my time here in Kenya. I have a wonderful group of people here that is easy to have fun with and learn. I am enjoying the time away from my phone…
After our church service, I had the opportunity to try playing some of the instruments. The music during the service really touched. While talking to the piano player, he showed me several cords and cord progressions for gospel music. A couple years ago I quit playing piano, but after this I feel as though this…
The sweet Juices of sugar cane flushed our teeth at Momma Joy’s house two days ago. Mama Joy is a wonderful and courageous woman who let my friend Mariam and I spend a night. It was a night filled with song, laughter, and chat; our tummies filled to the brim with chapati, soup, and tea….
This week, I have earned a few new bruises and a few new rips in my previously brand-new pants. Whether it was moving sand from point A to point B, or following “uncle” Silas’s paver pattern, I am always left with a little something. Most often, it’s not a tear or a cut, but a…
There’s a specific allegory that was written by Plato, or maybe it was Socrates or some other old white guy who had way too much time on his hands, either way it’s one killer allegory. It’s called the cave allegory and it opens with three prisoners. These three prisoners are chained to a wall and…
Today we started the day with another rare sight of Mt. Numbur, which since our first day has been obscured by clouds, an affect of monsoon season in Nepal. After a final yummy breakfast and hot milk tea, we left to begin our three day trek which will take us though different villages with hopes…
“Wake up!”, the boys called as they banged at our door. It was a ripe 3:30 am. All of the girls groaned as we slowly opened our eyes into a pitch-black room. We had to be out of the hotel and on the bus by 4. I had fallen asleep on the 30-minute bus ride…
Our final full day in Salleri was one to remember. The day began with a delicious breakfast featuring banana pancakes which tasted like home. After breakfast we were lead on a hike by two local Nepali women who were extremely kind and well knowing of the area. The hike took around one hour and featured…
Today was a special day for the community; they were celebrating San Juan and Humisha. To contribute to the decoration of the Humisha tree, we brought over toys and gifts for the children. In the community, we helped the villagers chop wood with an ax to start the process for creating charcoal. Then, we placed…
I walked into the Miami airport and bumped into a circle of teenagers with huge duffle bags who were dressed funny. I figured – well, this is probably the group of people I’m going to be spending 24/7 with for the next 2 weeks. I observed them for a second and they were playing cards,…
This post is a few days old from when the students first arrived to Meru. I am writing this a day late. Yesterday was an incredible journey as we drove 7 hours north to Meru. The drive was filled with new landscapes and new (to me) ways of life. Driving started promptly at 7:00 after…
The second day in Salleri did not disappoint. Everyone was up early in the morning again, and we passed the time waiting for breakfast by talking on the deck and appreciating the foggy views. I finally took my first bucket shower, and it lived up to my expectations. After Breakfast we got right back to…
Today we settled a little further into our routine with the community. Our service today was planting native trees in some gardens as well as the forest surrounding the village. Some of the species of trees we planted are medicinal while others provide fruit. After our work was done we walked to a community member’s…
The first day in Salleri has been magical. The village is frequently engulfed in fog, but I woke up to a clear view of the 22,828 ft Mount Numbur, a peak that is so far unclimbed. A sacred mountain to the villagers, it is told that any time adventurers attempt to summit it, severe weather…