Home Stays in Guatemala

MARCH 3, 2017 | CENTRAL AMERICA - MAYA

We arrived in Xela after a 5 hour bus ride from Guatemala City on Friday. A couple hours into the trip we stopped for some food but other than that it was a looong bus ride. This is our first week with home-stays and we've been using what we learned from G22 and to be environmentally responsible. This whole week went by like a blur, we've been taking 5 hour long Spanish classes everyday at PLQ. A few of us went on some activities in the morning like medicinal baths in the city of Almolonga and to visit a skeleton that represents the patron saint of death, Saint Pascualito. Tomorrow, we´re hopefully going to have a family dinner (this is going to be our 3rd attempt) and this weekend were off to the Mountain School, the sister school of the school we´re at right now!

Thai Time

MARCH 3, 2017 | SOUTHEAST ASIA - SABAI

More than two weeks have gone by since the South East Asia cohort has begun our travels and the group has created a strong bond with each other as well our two important leaders. Also, many of us received Thai names. We have already stayed one and half weeks in a village (Bung Tung Ha) near Chiang Mai, all each of us staying at our own homestay family. Throughout the time in our homestays we had Thai classes, learning Thai everyday, four hours a day. As all of us remembering our very first day with our homestay families, only knowing “hello” and “thank you”, stuttering our words in Thai, looking into our Thai Learning packets every time we started a dialogue with our families, or when we spoke to native citizen. Also, our homestay mothers, basically stuffing our bellies with food, morning, afternoon and night time. It was very rare to be hungry.

Also we learned about Buddhism, the important of its impact in Thailand society. After learning about Buddhism, later that night we had the honor to practice meditation on a temple with the citizens and monks. It was a quiet meditation of 1 hour and half sitting in the ground. It was the most unique experience, all of us struggling to sit down, finding a position our body felt comfortable, our body cramping up as time went, but knowing that this same practice has been practiced by many that have come before us.

The homestay families are very humbling, very curious about us, our families, our backgrounds. As much as we the students are learning from them, in someway they are learning from us, many want to know bits of English. An example, my homestay mother, being 69 years old, after all she has seen throughout her life, she was curious to know how to say some fruits in English, and because I know Spanish I taught her some spanish. This is the importance about cultural exchange, there is always something to learn no matter what moment in life you are in.

At the end of the of the home-stays we had a Thai ceremony, where everyone was involved. We ate a lot of Thai food, said thank you to our homestay families with a speech, sang a famous Thai song “Chang Chang Chang” (Elephant song), and did a religious ceremony, so we can be protected throughout our rest of our journey. Now we will conduct a three day trek in the deep hot jungle of Thailand.

Growth and Reflection in Ecuador

MARCH 5, 2017 | SOUTH AMERICA - INTI

Here we are: the end of Week Two. When I look back on the trip thus far, I see limitless memories made through experiences we have lived, and when I look forward to our time ahead, I see unlimited potential for more life from which to learn. Each person in this group is an incredibly unique individual with different goals, passions, and stories to tell, but I can try to speak for us all when I say we are here for the experience. The unfamiliar, unknown, unpredictable experiences we encounter each week, each day, each moment.

Here we are: La Finca Mono Verde, Tabuga, Ecuador. A family-run, agroforestry permaculture farm serving as yet another rich catalyst for experience. Yet it is not necessarily where we are, or specifically what we are doing that brings about growth and learning. It is more about the how and the why. How we choose to work hard and still have fun when the work is constructing walls made of mud, or shoveling components of fresh fertilizer. Why we choose to ask the extra question, or (try to) use our Spanish so we can glimpse a little further into the lives of our temporary neighbors.

Here we go: leaving behind a place and its people, reflecting on how we have let this community affect us, and the marks we may have left behind. We get to see the natural landscape of the Ecuadorian coast- every tree and vine a beautiful masterpiece, every small leaf or mushroom a work of art. We have witnessed the labor and processes that go into crops such as coffee and cacao from the earth to our table. Friendships amongst us take on new dimensions through open conversations, nightly trips to bathe in the river, mealtime discussions, hammock hangout sessions, working together, and constantly marveling at what we get to do and see.

Here we go: on to Week Three. We are excited for homestays in Baños, and though we cannot know what will happen, we can continue to decide how and why we are here- this will determine the depth of our experiences.

Watching the sunrise over Jaipur...

FEBRUARY 28, 2017 | INDIA - SHANTI

Greetings from India! After almost two weeks here, I think it’s really starting to sink in that we are here. Although our days are jam packed and feel long, these first two weeks have flown by. Our seven days in Jaipur seemed especially quick. We were all a little apprehensive about staying with host families, but everyone was warmly welcomed and we have been enjoying getting to know our families a little bit. We have had several interesting field trips, including to the Amber Fort, the Barefoot College, a handmade paper factory, a pottery studio, a block printing studio, and an art museum. We have also been taking some basic Hindi and yoga classes and had some interesting lectures on Indian history and government.

After how overwhelming Delhi was it has been nice to be in Jaipur and get a feel for a different Indian city. Everyone seems to be gaining more confidence navigating another country overall.

The best part is just experiencing genuinely magical little moments that will eventually piece together our whole trip. Like watching the sun rising over the pink city of Jaipur from our rikshaws on the way to class. Or sitting in our host family’s garden hearing Bollywood music drifting past from a nearby wedding. Or on the walk home from class being invited into the neighbors yard for chai served in china teacups and broken Hindi/English conversation. I think it’s these small things that we will remember and leave a lasting impact on us. And Jaipur is just the beginning. I am very excited to continue this adventure with our great group of people.

Swahili in East Africa

FEBRUARY 27, 2017 | EAST AFRICA - KIFARU

The East Africa Group started their Swahili classes Wednesday morning at the Lutheran Seminary School. The Lutheran school is a boarding school with students from Kindergarten to graduation. All of the students wear blue and white uniforms.

When we arrived, we were taken to a small classroom. A student assistant, Eliamini, introduced us to our teacher, Mama Josephine. We began by learning a few greetings in Swahili. We started out easy, but we quickly became overwhelmed as we started on verbs.

Our brains got breaks from Swahili during our morning tea time. After sipping our tea and enjoying a few treats, we headed back to class. We studied noun classes for an hour and then headed out to our 2 1/2 hour lunch break. During our lunch break we eat together, play cards, journal, play basketball, listen to music, or gather together as a group.

Every day after lunch we have Swahili conversation lessons. We were divided into small groups to practice what we learned. We laughed with, and at each other, when we mispronounced Swahili. After school was over, we headed out to our last tea break.

Before sundown, we all head back to our home stays. The first day was uncomfortable for most of us. There were lots of bugs and bucket showers. Most people didn’t get much sleep due to the early singing roosters, cars, the crying pigs, or the energetic monkeys. The world here awakens around 5 AM, so most times an alarm clock is not necessary.

We are in the process of adjusting to and understanding the Tanzanian culture. A lot of things are new to us: Bucket showers, eating with our hands, petting and milking cows, and socializing (at least for me). We’ve been spending most of our time in Swahili class or playing card games. When we are not together as a group, we are with our homestay families, either being spoiled or feeling uncomfortable.

Today is the last Swahili class. It’s been a day full of review and blank faces. We started our class by singing “mahuri ni pazuri”. A teacher, named Happiness, led our small chorus. Her voice echoed around the room and gave us a sense of peace.

Sunday morning we will be going on a hike. Our group is very excited to explore nature in Morogoro. We are definitely hoping to take great pictures to share with our families back home.

Updates from South America!

FEBRUARY 26, 2017 | SOUTH AMERICA - INTI

After lots of travel to get to Quito, the South American INTI group spent three days in a quaint hostel getting to know each other and doing lots of orientation activities. After orientation we came and to Las Delicias farm where we have spent the week. Chari and Juan Carlos’s family have been incredibly kind and welcoming. This was our first week of Spanish classes, so every morning we went to our various classes and learned quite a bit. In the afternoons we did tons of fun activities. We worked on the plantation helping to collect, clean and package plantains which was very hard work. We all got to witness Owen and Nicole killing a chicken for lunch. We got to make chocolate from fresh cacao beans which was delicious. Between all of that we came to have a lot of appreciation for the food we eat. Many of us enjoyed swimming in the little lake on the farm, it was very refreshing in the hot afternoons. After a busy week we finished with a relaxing day at the beach. This week we bonded a lot as a group and made many friends on the farm as well. It was a week of Spanish learning, hard work, adventures and lots of laughs, mixed with lots of sweat and mosquito bites. We won’t have internet next week as well because we are going to another farm so stay posted for our next adventure!

Hola From Guatemala

FEBRUARY 23, 2017 | CENTRAL AMERICA - MAYA

Its been great first week so far. We started out with meeting each other at the LAX airport. The vibe and connection within the group was amaze balllsssss! After that we were off to the beautiful country of Guatemalaaaa. We all landed safely. We started the week off with orientation at Earth Lodge. which was beyond beautiful. the view was amazing. you could see all the volcanoes and look down the city. Our first day was exhausting since we landed in Guatemala around 7 am and didn't have much rest on the plane. But our second day was so nice. we got to know each other and played some games and went over the rules and expectations. on our third day we went to Antigua, Guatemala and it’s like someone took Europe and randomly dropped it in central america. Its to die for! we did a scavenger hunt around town and got some really good banana bread. the town is so colorful and the people are so nice! After Antigua, we traveled to G22 in Guatemala city where we learned about urban sustainability. We learned about how the earth is our home and we should recycle and treat our earth as home. We also went to museums and learned about the Mayan cultures andddd we saw a cotton tree! how cool is that! We had amazing authentic foods and a bunch of avocados. We’re staying in Guatemala city for almost a week and are heading off to Xela tomorrow for a week where we will stay with our FIRST home-stay family! Guatemala is for sure treating us right so far!

First Impressions in Tanzania

FEBRUARY 22, 2017 | EAST AFRICA - KIFARU

Here is a collection of some of our first impressions in Tanzania: 

Tanzania is a beautiful country, and the mountains we are near are amazing. It is pretty hot, but not unbearable. The thing that has struck me the most is the infrastructure here. It is much better than I was expecting. The power lines here are all organized, especially when compared to the Philippines. The people here are also much friendlier than New Yorkers, maybe its the sun!

Our first impressions of Tanzania were definitely a culture shock. We encountered an eclectic and vibrant city in Dar es Salaam and a friendly and diverse people in its midst. On the way to Morogoro we had a 5 hour lesson in Tanzanian hip hop. Upon arriving at the foothills of the Uluru mountains we found a quaint hostel called Mama Pierina’s. It is lovely. We like the monkeys and the chipsy maiaii at mchana!

The first thing that I noticed when walking in the streets here at Morogoro is that people are extremely friendly and kind. Everyone will say hi and help you with your Swahili. At the places we have stayed the locals are caring and ever willing to help us find the places we would need to visit or eat. Aside from being nice and friendly people are everywhere. They are walking by the street, on the street, and zooming by (crazily if I might add) on motor bikes and in cars.

And yes as you would expect what people have and their show of wealth is startlingly different, this is all the more reason that their kindness and care is astounding. We have driven by rubble of peoples homes who were simply kicked out in order to build a road. What you have can simply be gone the next day, so I guess it makes since that kindness and care is more important than wealth.

This place is beautiful. The trees, the flowers, the clouds, and the smiling faces. I am yet to get used to all the heat and all the eyes that follow the group of “mzungu” or white people. I fear that I may come to love this place and its people more than I can presently imagine.

Scavenger Hunts in South America

FEBRUARY 20, 2017 | SOUTH AMERICA - INTI

4 teams, 11 tasks, and only 1 winner. Teams set out to discover the coolest, funniest, and strangest aspects of Quito. In just the first hour of our adventure, we tried tamarind and coconut drinks, shot darts at candy, went canoeing, played volleyball with locals, got attacked and took revenge on a little boy with an oversized water gun, enjoyed a fellow explorer´s private concert in the park, took selfies with a security guard, got a personal escort through the city by a traditionally dressed and very friendly family, and even witnessed the changing of the guard at Palacio de Carondelet, where the president of Ecuador lives. We also spoke with lots of locals. One man in particular, who sells natural products and medicines, taught us about how farmers are the heart of this country. He also explained a new government initiative that is helping turn unused land into cacao plantations. More chocolate for everyone! This whole day has been about stepping out of our comfort zones in order to form bonds with the amazing people and culture here. Pretty solid way to set the stage for the rest of our trip!!

First Impressions in Delhi

FEBRUARY 20, 2017 | INDIA - SHANTI

Here is a collection of some of our first impressions in Delhi, India. 

These first few days in Delhi have been insane, but wonderful. From seeing elephants in the street, to people diving down the wrong side of the road, to crowds of people trying to take photos with us, India is everything I thought it would be and more. Namaste to everyone back at home!              

Everywhere you look there is something new and amazing to see. So far it has been totally overwhelming, but in a wonderful way. Often you see things that break your heart but the next you see something beautifully uplifting and it is all just an amazing display of humanity.

Delhi is definitely a city that never sleeps. People are always going somewhere and or doing something. The colors and the smells are all very overwhelmingly beautiful. These first 3 days has been an amazing experience and it’s something that I am looking forward to facing everyday.

Sitting in a small internet cafe on our third day in Delhi, we are feeling energized, overstimulated, and excited for this adventure. So far, India has been crazy. The amount of people swarming around every where is intense but beautiful. The cars, rickshaws, and motorcycles follow no laws on the road. There is constant honking from every auto mobile trying to establish their own individual dominance. Cows, camels, and stray dogs roam around the roads as well as people who sleep in the middle of the road through all the commotion! Our group is staying in a hip, chill, hostel with a nice breakfast every morning and kind hostel staff.

Today the group created an agreement we will carry with us for the next three months which includes the philosophy of respecting each other and our belongings as well as avoiding gossip, being honest, and letting each other know when we might need personal space.

In two days we will be traveling to Jaipur, in Rajasthan, to live with our host families. More updates to come. Love from our group to you all!Aum shanti shanti shanti!!!