May all beings be happy…May all beings be free… May all beings have access to and ipods and facebook during vows of silence.
(This last affirmation being our group’s request to modernize Buddhist practice).
We just finished our 5 day intro to Buddhism and meditation retreat which ended in a full day of nobel silence. Nobel silence redefines silence as inadequately quiet, requiring abstinence from speaking, reading, writing, or attempts… Read More
Hello from an internet cafe in Kabale!
We’ve been doing so much, I have a lot to cover-
Free travel was definitely a learning experience for all of us. Figuring out transportation was a bit of a challenge, but we ended up taking a public bus from Lake Nkuruba to Mbarara. The day was a stretch on our comfort zones but we all stuck together and worked things out. We… Read More
Yesterday I took a walk down the bank of the Ganges with Nelle, Jeff, and Amanda Ji. It was a walk that won’t leave me for a while.
As we began our stroll we immediately came across a Bollywood style dance scene being filmed on the steps leading to a temple that sits on the edge of the river. Indian music was blasting from a speaker as ten dancers, half… Read More
Hello blog readers, Whitney and Lillie checking in on our last night in Xela. Today was our final day of classes and we had a party and a lovely goodbye ceremony with our teachers and staff of Casa Xelaju. It was also Jaime´s, one of the office workers, birthday so we had cake (!!!) and tostadas. They were both delicious and many of us went back for thirds (we´ll admit… Read More
Varanasi
There is so much to say.
This is our sixth of nine days in this holy city on the Ganges. In that time, all remaining healthy members of the group got their first taste of Indian sickness (Dylan and Trevor). No need to worry parents, everyone is healthy now and stronger for their struggles with unfamiliar looking bowel movements. Please excuse the crudity. Meanwhile, we have all taken part… Read More
Hello!
We’re stopped in Kabale to pick up some fruit at the market and some cookies at the bakery while en route to Edirisa’s Special Needs Education Center (SNEC). I’m sort of short on time but here’s some stuff everyone had to say:
Chris- I got to teach 2 classes in primary school. I taught science in P3 and social studies in P4. I love the entire Edirisa program and… Read More
Group on top of Santa Maria
San Andres
Market in Chi Chi
Santa Maria
¨Look, it´s Mexico!¨
Santiaguito eruptingHello faithful viewers, Greg and Katrina here with news from the past week in Xela, Guatemala.
On Monday the 18th, after classes at Casa Xelaju, some of the group attended a Guatemalan history lecture from one of the Xelaju teachers, Victor, regarding the Guatemalan revolution. On Tuesday, we had classes in the… Read More
Sorry it has been so long since the last blog! We have been doing so much in these past 10 days that we have hardly had time to get into a town with internet.
So since the last blog by Izzy we have completed a major part of our semester; the R&R; weekend ! Our R&R; weekend took place at one of the beautiful Crater Lakes called Lake Nkuruba where… Read More
Greetings from Coban….Kelley here!!
Let me start this weeks blog entry by saying everyone is alive and well after our week in the cloud forrest. (Dirty, smelly, and cold…but alive, and happy to be alive!) After our super relaxing week in San Marcos getting in touch with our spiritual, creative sides we had a bit of a change of pace hiking to a remote village with no plumbing or electricity.… Read More
Hi Everybody,
We last left off in Otavalo and so much has happened since then. Last time we blogged we were about to go to Cuicoche (thats how you actually spell it) a crater lake right outside of Otavalo. To hike around the whole thing it takes a number of hours so we only hiked a portion of it to get spectacular views. After hiking for an hour or so… Read More
There is nothing more unsettling to me than being surprised by a gigantic winged insect whilst visiting the restroom. On an average night, I would have responded with A. a scream, B. an immediate retreat, C. the throwing of something heavy at the intruder, or D. some combination of the three.
On our first night at the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuit Center, however, I encountered a bug that made… Read More
We got off the sixteen (but what felt like longer) hour train ride in a sleepy daze. The sun hit us hard as we stepped off of our sleepers and into the plains of India. We realize winter here means the hottest day in summer where most of us come from. We smoothly found rickshaws and easily bargained our prices to get from Gaya to Shechen Monastery in Bodhgaya. We… Read More
compliments of Bridget!
The Rural Village
hike to waterfalls in the rural village
Birthday Boy with his homestay dad
A Fishy dinner
Bridget with her brother and sisters
Sarah´s Birthday
Xela
Hannah and Xela
Mary!
The Market
A toast to Grupo Maya
Grupo Maya at dinner last night… Read More
Hola family and friends Bridget and Sarah here :)We arrived in Rocja Pomtila way past our bedtimes of 7pm to an amazingly welcoming village. We were all escorted to our new bungalows with our assigned roommates. (Me and Bridget were together! How cute!) The walk was pitch black and treacherous. This village has no electricity to light our ways, so we had to rely on a single flashlight. The new… Read More
Hello everyone, its Christmas, or so it appears in rickety old Kolkata now that Durga Puja is in full swing. The town has been taken over by lights and shoppers, eager to be ready in time for the festival. The actual festivities involve walking around “trick or treat” style to visit the many temporarily erected shrines to the Goddess Durga who slayed “Asura” to reestablish peace and sanctity for all.… Read More
Hello Stalkers! Samira and Tate here reporting from Marama Farms!
The group had mixed experiences in the city of Auckland. For most the time was spent exploring the city and even taking time to have a ride on a dolphin at the world famous Sky Tower.
We learned lots of things like: Where to find delicious gelato, kebabs, and burgers. We learned that nothing good happens in a hostel bathroom… Read More
Hi Everybody,
Greetings from your new bloggers, Mia and Anna. Be prepared for the best blogs ever.
Our second week in Agualongo was easier and went by so quickly. We all became more comfortable with our families and grew to love the community. The groups switched and everybody had new roles in the clinic and spanish classes.Our weekend in Agualongo was very interesting. There was a wedding in the… Read More
Last Tuesday we arrived in Fort Portal after 13 hours of traveling.
We have been staying at a hostel run by Youth Encouragement Services. YES was founded 15 years ago by Carol Adams, an American. Her organization now takes care of over 300 kids who came from elderly-led families, child-led families, or orphanhood.
Throughout the week we have been working at the Manna Rescue Home where 30 kids with HIV… Read More
Kiaora from our new location– Taupo, New Zealand. Here is a poem to let all you mates know what we have been up to:
We started this week on a Morai,
where we picked thistles, painted fences, oh how time flew by.
We went on a hike with tons of sheep and beautiful hills,
and some of our group members learned how to catch eels.
For fun we played frisbee… Read More
Hola familias!
Debbie here, writing from the super zen, super hippie town of San Marcos. So, last time we checked in was in during our lovely 2 weeks in Xela homestays! Where we are now, is quite different, not in a bad way though, in fact most of us love it here more than Xela! San Marcos is a tiny town located on Lago Atitlan (one of the most beautiful… Read More
