Disclaimer: Didn't proof this.
I connected to the wifi this morning and my phone started going crazy! "What is going on???!" ... Everyone on Facebook was telling me Happy Birthday. I laughed at myself. Who forgets it's their birthday? Me haha.
We're leaving for the garbage dump in a few minutes. I've seen pictures of people living in dumps, but I've never seen it in person, and I'm honestly a little apprehensive about seeing it. We're not taking photos because "we're not going to make a spectacle of these people."
...I don't know where to start. The dump is big. Very big. It's rainy season so there are puddles of water sprinkled throughout the trash. When you walk through there are flies everywhere. It's Mother's Day, so there aren't many people digging for trash today. But there are a few. A young woman with a baby on one hip and a bag to collect plastic and metal in the other hand. Trailing behind her are two young boys (sans shoes), no older than 3 and 5, carrying their shovels. The 300 or so families that live along the edge of the dump make money by digging through the trash and selling the plastic and metal they find. They live in open homes that are essentially one room with a tin roof. The walls around the property are made of sheets. They make their own electric wires and poles and steal the electricity from a nearby wealthy landowner. The agreement is that they stay off his property and he let's them take the electricity. So maybe they aren't stealing. That's a bad word to use.
"So what's the government doing about this?"...well the people here in the dump aren't educated, so they don't vote. And they don't have money, so who cares. That's the real answer...I eavesdrop on their history lesson. Another corrupt dictator supported by the American government. Let me tell you what the American government will do: support a ruthless, corrupt dictator for the sake of avoiding communism...Trujillo en la Republica Dominicana...Pinochet in Chile...Nicaragua...anyone else feel free to chime in on this list...
...On the bus leaving Villa Catalina. Loved the people. They're so industrious. Real business people live here (and other places for that matter). They just need the opportunity to prove themselves...bus slows to let calves pass. A little JB in the background followed by Ms. Swift...People on the trip keep asking where else I want to go (and offering to help!!! Blessings pouring down). So in case you're reading and wondering, my next stop is Peru. There are three organizations in Ghana that I've talked to, an organization in Jordan, Mexico, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Guatemala, and Ecuador that are interested in having MODEL26 help with their volunteer recruitment. Before we agree to put an org in our database and send volunteers their way, I have to do a site visit. Well where does funding come from? Right now from my pocket, but that won't be enough. If you want to help stop by the site www.model26.org and make a tax-deductible donation online or send us a check made out to MODEL26. If you're between 18 and 27 and you want to volunteer in one of these countries or need help finding an internship with an org that helps state-side, download an application and send it to applications@model26.org. There are billions of people around the world that need YOU. They don't need you to throw money or supplies at them. They want you to work beside them. Dig water wells with them. Build schools with them. Help them start their own businesses. Teach them.
...Let me tell you about this full body workout called making cement...
...Thank God for cold showers!! Power just went out. Dinner in the dark via ipod light. Authentic Central American tacos. Love....power's back. All's we'll that ends well.
Peace and Love
*Galatians 6:9*
Monday, May 30, 2011
Today the sun rose behind the volcano
So I wrote this post throughout the day from the time I arrived until now, lying in bed at the end of the day. This is how it works: I keep my whackberry with me all day and journal as things pop up in my head. Then I copy and paste from a note to a blog post. These are my (pretty much) uncensored thoughts about my first day in Nicaragua...
The trip here was easy I suppose, other than MIA being the worst airport. Ok not the worst, but one of the worst. Remember when I asked you guys to pray for cheap luggage prices, well I have a praise for the Big Man. Even though I was traveling with two different airlines, I was able check the bags straight through and I only paid 50 extra instead of 90 or 150 which I thought I would have to pay. Sidenote: packs of paper and notebooks might not take up a lot of space but they are SUPER heavy. I was really nervous/scared about traveling alone (internationally) for the first time, so my mother prayed that God would send good-hearted, Christ-like people to look over me...low and behold I sit next to a nun on the plane ride from Miami!!
...
I'm sitting here watching them take the luggage off the plane, and let me tell you something about how hard they just toss stuff around lol. Don't put anything fragile in a bag you are checking on a plane lol.
...As I was flying into Managua, Sister Isabel pointed out all the big landmarks she could from the air. Lagoons everywhere! And volcanoes! Have you ever seen a real live volcano? Well I did once in Hawaii. This was cooler though lol...Sidenote: still haven't seen my bags yet, so I hope they made that switch from Delta to AA! Ah there's one!
The juxtaposition of the landscape and the city is intriguing. As you fly over Nicaragua all you see is green and water. Absolutely amazing. But as you get closer to the city the sun reflects the tin roofs of the homes in Managua. You can tell from the air that things are bad. Now don't get me wrong, I've seen worst, but people shouldn't live like this. I didn't want to take pictures because the taxi driver was with me and I don't believe in taking pictures of people like they are animals for show. The cows are malnourished and the neighborhoods are filthy. But the roads are better than Auburn Ave. in ATL (que interesante).
Sergio, my taxi driver, is telling me about his sick mother. I ask if it's expensive to go to the doctor. "Si, como 20 dolares." He thinks 20 dollars is a ton of money. I spend that on a pedicure...well close to it. Sergio was at the airport waiting for me (just like my mom said he would be :-). The name read 'Lardycia' on his paper -_- LOL. If you know me you know how I feel about that name.
There's no AC in the car, but it's not like being in Sunshine back home. There's always a breeze and the heat doesn't stick on you like Georgia heat. He's yelling in the phone "un chino alto con pelo largo" haha I can't even imagine that. Aaahhh, admittedly, it's refreshing to ride down the winding roads. Forgetting if even for 20 minutes the poverty I just witnessed replaced with the coastline and the trees. But therein lies a problem; we are aware of the problems that other people face, but we like to look at the pretty parts and forget about it because it makes us feel better. Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone cared about the problems of their brother/sister and didn't just think about themselves or ignore what's happening around them?
...
Amanda and Patrick are excited about the possibility of bringing MODEL26 to their campuses...I'm hiding that I'm much more excited than they are :-)
I've been here a few hours and I already love it. I wish I were staying. I'm so anxious to get into some volunteering out in the community tomorrow. I'm really bad at taking pictures, but I'll make sure my journals are very descriptive.
...Rachel's voice reminds me of that feeling you get when you open up your window and let the steady beat of summer rain put you to sleep. She's rocking on that guitar singing something I've never heard. We're ten or so on the porch listening and singing with her. She tells me wake up is at 630 and I remember that I've slept 3 hours in the last 36. I'll sleep well tonight.
...Word to the wise from Kathleen: don't tell the weekend guard I speak Spanish. He'll never stop talking. *noted*
...
Lying in bed upstairs. Rachel's downstairs on the guitar singing 'Grenade' with the drum in the background. *fave* :-) **Proverbs 16:9**
D <3
The trip here was easy I suppose, other than MIA being the worst airport. Ok not the worst, but one of the worst. Remember when I asked you guys to pray for cheap luggage prices, well I have a praise for the Big Man. Even though I was traveling with two different airlines, I was able check the bags straight through and I only paid 50 extra instead of 90 or 150 which I thought I would have to pay. Sidenote: packs of paper and notebooks might not take up a lot of space but they are SUPER heavy. I was really nervous/scared about traveling alone (internationally) for the first time, so my mother prayed that God would send good-hearted, Christ-like people to look over me...low and behold I sit next to a nun on the plane ride from Miami!!
...
I'm sitting here watching them take the luggage off the plane, and let me tell you something about how hard they just toss stuff around lol. Don't put anything fragile in a bag you are checking on a plane lol.
...As I was flying into Managua, Sister Isabel pointed out all the big landmarks she could from the air. Lagoons everywhere! And volcanoes! Have you ever seen a real live volcano? Well I did once in Hawaii. This was cooler though lol...Sidenote: still haven't seen my bags yet, so I hope they made that switch from Delta to AA! Ah there's one!
The juxtaposition of the landscape and the city is intriguing. As you fly over Nicaragua all you see is green and water. Absolutely amazing. But as you get closer to the city the sun reflects the tin roofs of the homes in Managua. You can tell from the air that things are bad. Now don't get me wrong, I've seen worst, but people shouldn't live like this. I didn't want to take pictures because the taxi driver was with me and I don't believe in taking pictures of people like they are animals for show. The cows are malnourished and the neighborhoods are filthy. But the roads are better than Auburn Ave. in ATL (que interesante).
Sergio, my taxi driver, is telling me about his sick mother. I ask if it's expensive to go to the doctor. "Si, como 20 dolares." He thinks 20 dollars is a ton of money. I spend that on a pedicure...well close to it. Sergio was at the airport waiting for me (just like my mom said he would be :-). The name read 'Lardycia' on his paper -_- LOL. If you know me you know how I feel about that name.
There's no AC in the car, but it's not like being in Sunshine back home. There's always a breeze and the heat doesn't stick on you like Georgia heat. He's yelling in the phone "un chino alto con pelo largo" haha I can't even imagine that. Aaahhh, admittedly, it's refreshing to ride down the winding roads. Forgetting if even for 20 minutes the poverty I just witnessed replaced with the coastline and the trees. But therein lies a problem; we are aware of the problems that other people face, but we like to look at the pretty parts and forget about it because it makes us feel better. Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone cared about the problems of their brother/sister and didn't just think about themselves or ignore what's happening around them?
...
Amanda and Patrick are excited about the possibility of bringing MODEL26 to their campuses...I'm hiding that I'm much more excited than they are :-)
I've been here a few hours and I already love it. I wish I were staying. I'm so anxious to get into some volunteering out in the community tomorrow. I'm really bad at taking pictures, but I'll make sure my journals are very descriptive.
...Rachel's voice reminds me of that feeling you get when you open up your window and let the steady beat of summer rain put you to sleep. She's rocking on that guitar singing something I've never heard. We're ten or so on the porch listening and singing with her. She tells me wake up is at 630 and I remember that I've slept 3 hours in the last 36. I'll sleep well tonight.
...Word to the wise from Kathleen: don't tell the weekend guard I speak Spanish. He'll never stop talking. *noted*
...
Lying in bed upstairs. Rachel's downstairs on the guitar singing 'Grenade' with the drum in the background. *fave* :-) **Proverbs 16:9**
D <3
Saturday, May 28, 2011
The Day Before
So in 13 hours I head to the best airport in the world...Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta, of course! Then to Nicaragua by way of Miami. I just spent...well I'm not sure how long it took, but it was a lot of time...packing up all the school supplies to take on my trip. I counted on fitting all the supplies into one big suitcase, but that didn't work out. Also, in case you didn't know, packs of paper are heavy when you put them all together. Consequently, I am almost positive the larger of the two suitcases I have weighs more than the 50lbs limit, which is gonna hit my pockets hard if the Delta agent isn't nice enough to let me slide. I've been let off the hook before, but that was when my bags were a pound or two over, and I have a feeling this bag is A LOT more than a pound or two over 50. So, say a prayer that the ticketing agent will take pity on me or will be so inspired by my noble purpose that (s)he will let me slide. Oooorrrr, if you are reading this and want to help me out ;-) you can go to www.model26.org and click the DONATE button on the homepage (shameless, I know. But closed mouths don't get fed right)
Speaking of MODEL26...I can't believe I'm leaving someone else in charge for 10 whole days! This organization is my baby, but I fully trust Julia to handle things. She's been great already and I'm sure she'll keep everyone on top of things at "the office" while I'm gone. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the school supplies I'm taking with me were collected by MODEL UN at Peachtree Ridge High School in Georgia and DPO at UGA. The list of everything going with me is below:
Speaking of MODEL26...I can't believe I'm leaving someone else in charge for 10 whole days! This organization is my baby, but I fully trust Julia to handle things. She's been great already and I'm sure she'll keep everyone on top of things at "the office" while I'm gone. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the school supplies I'm taking with me were collected by MODEL UN at Peachtree Ridge High School in Georgia and DPO at UGA. The list of everything going with me is below:
24 packs of markers
22 pencil cases
13 rulers
9 glue sticks
5 colored pencil packs
541 pencils
6 crayon packs
88 folders
73 erasers
127 pens
30 notebooks
Big thank you to my best friend Shelly for sitting in my garage in Georgia summer heat the day after she returned from France to help me count all these supplies!
Although I will have to be stealthy about getting my checked bags on the plane for free ;-) or at regular price, I have no worries when it comes to my carry-on baggage. I am so proud of myself for managing to pack VERY light. AND I have ten days worth of snacks in my backpack. At least I got that part right. I won't be taking my laptop with me (too much pressure), but I'll have my little whackberry, which isn't so bad I guess. Overall, I'm a little nervous about traveling alone. How will I know which taxi driver I'm supposed to be riding with? What if my bags get lost? What if I forget all the Spanish I've learned? What if I miss my flight? What if I lose my money/passport? So please say a prayer for me!! Even though I'm anxious, I'm looking forward to solo plane/bus rides so that I can spend some one-on-one quiet time with the Big Man. While I'm on this tiny journey, I'll be listening for that still, small whisper. :-)
<3
D
D
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Pre-Departure
Hmmm...well this is my first travel blog post and I'm not really sure where to start. I've been traveling for about 3 years now and never though to document it until someone asked me if they could follow my blog. I told them that I didn't have one and they looked at me as if I had grown two heads. Apparently, you aren't a truly well-traveled (or is that travelled...oh well, don't judge me. I grew up with spell-check) if you don't blog about it. I'm not going to spend time catching everyone up on my trips to Belize, Argentina, Finland, DC, or New Mexico (which is a foreign country in itself geographically when you've lived in Georgia most of your life). So here goes...
In 3 days I will be in Nicaragua for 5 days, then I'm headed to Peru for another 5 days. It's the first year I'll be spending my birthday away from my mom...I'm not sad. Should I be? I don't think she is either though LOL. I started a nonprofit organization about a year ago called MODEL26 (Making Opportunities by Developing Emerging Leaders. 26 for Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights), and a goal of one of our programs is to connect youth ages 18-27 with international volunteer opportunities and to provide financial assistance for minority and low-income students that can't afford to travel to the volunteer sites. There are tons of organizations out there that have great programs set-up, but students just don't know they are out there, so we're the middle man between the orgs that need volunteers and the students that don't know where to start looking. Our goal is to send our first students to volunteer in the summer of 2012 (if we're all still here, of course. Apparently the world is ending any day now), so I want to spend the next few months traveling to different volunteer to sites to meet the staff and check out their programs, living accommodations, etc. before we send folks down there. I remember being on a program and getting dropped in a small Mayan village with no real instructions on how to behave, what was expected, where I'd be sleeping, what I'd be eating, etc. I made it through, but when the program coordinator told me that they hadn't sent anyone to actually meet the people we were living with and she didn't really know what to expect either I thought, "WHAAATTTT DO YOU MEEAAANN??? O_O" So we don't want kids to feel like that when we are sending them out to the middle of nowhere. MODEL26's focus is education and women's empowerment, so we also want to make sure the programs our partner orgs are running fall under one of those categories. We don't want to send a student to a country where they think they'll be doing one thing and they get down there and they're doing something totally different. That wouldn't be cool either.
So in Nicaragua I'll be in Chinadega with Amigos for Christ and I'll be in Trujillo, Peru with VEN Peru. Amigos for Christ? Is M26 a religious org? Nope, not at all. But a lot of the students we work with put a large importance on their faith, so we like to have organizations in our database that cater to all types of students. Sooo anyway, raise your hand if you're excited to spend 10 days meeting amazing people and volunteering abroad! *raises hand*
My goal is to do at least 3-4 posts while I'm down there, but no promises! Also, don't judge me if there are typos, etc. If there is one thing I hate in this world, it's proofreading, and I refuse to proofread my travel posts. They're supposed to be fun!
The next time you'll hear from me I'll be in Central America. Till next time...
<3 D
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