Voluntourists

Conveying the Voluntourism Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:48:00 +0000

One of the first things Kristen and I discussed when we began planning our trip was that we needed a blog, and obviously, that blog needed a name. We enlisted suggestions from friends. My friend Dave came up with Voluntourists. It turns out that Voluntourism was already a noun enjoying some regular usage. In fact, an entire website is devoted to it. Voluntourism.org. Today I had the pleasure of participating in a webcast on Voluntourism.org- the subject of which was "Conveying the Voluntourism Experience."

You can listen to it HERE.

I recommend checking out the whole website. There's lots of cool stuff on there.

Trip in Review: Part 3- Central America and Home

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 23:00:00 +0000

We left Thailand and enjoyed a short stop in San Francisco, catching up with friends and taking in all those American comforts we'd grown to miss. Then it was off to Belize, for the last chapter (if chapters are organized by continents) of our trip.

We headed to Dangriga, Belize because Kris knew some people who had volunteered there. Our taxi driver took us to the one guest house we'd heard of, the Jungle Huts. The Jungle Huts is run by Phil, who is an all around great guy. He and his wife have four daughters, who are among the world's cutest children.

Here I am with Samara, Alexei and Nyera.

Nyera and Mariah:

And Samara again, because this is just too cute not to post:

While we were in Dangriga, we volunteered at the Holy Ghost school. It was a flexible volunteer stint, to say the least. We filled in for absent teachers, gave extra help to kids who need it, and had a bunch of rain days because of the tropical storms and flood warnings. Thankfully, the floods weren't as bad in Dangriga as predicted and everyone was fine, aside from a lot of cases of cabin fever. Here's a group of the students from Holy Ghost, lining up after lunch:

These two girls continued to work on math problems during recess.

Right now all the classrooms are in trailers. The building behind the kids playing is scheduled to be demolished and then work on a new school will begin.

Recess fun.

It's easy to meet people in Dangriga. There's not much to do in a traditional touristy sense, so Kris and I spent a lot of time walking around and chatting with locals. We became fast friends with G, who then had us over for a traditional Garifuna meal. He and his friend Cliff cooked up a delicious feast. Here's Kris pitching in to "organize the mash", AKA smush up the plaintains.

While on one of our aforementioned walks, we spotted this pathetic little guy.

When we first got to Dangriga, the river was crystal clear and bright blue, but the heavy rains made the water muddy.

Along with G, our wandering through town led us to Fabrizio, who became another fast friend. The four of us, on the surface, seem completely different, but we had a great time spending an insane amount of time together. Here's Kris with Fabrizio and G on our last day in Dangriga.

After our time in Dangriga, we spent a week taking in the fun and the sun of Caye Caulker and San Pedro. Simply delightful.

From there we headed to Costa Rica, and more specifically Purasuerte. There was a recent post with the details of our time there, so I'll keep it brief. Here's Kris planting some stuff:

And here's a Heliconia that was on the property:

My friend Anne (of JVC roommate in Montana days) met up with us in Quepos, Costa Rica. It was so great to see her. The three of us girltalked nonstop for about 5 days.

We three of us also checked out the jungles and beaches of Manuel Antonio. We heard the howls of howler monkeys and saw squirrel monkeys and some other type of monkey that's name I'm forgetting. We saw a sloth from afar and some raccoons up close. And this cute iguana:

Before Anne had to head back to San Diego, we, along with John our Purasuerte pal, squeezed in a trip to a coffee plantation outside of Alejuela. Carlos, our tour guide, was fantastic. Here he is demonstrating coffee picking.

Then Anne flew off to San Diego, and a few days later Kris and I took off to New Orleans. We originally planned to volunteer in New Orleans for about a week, but some of the people we know there were headed to Fort Benning, Georgia for the annual vigil to close the School of the Americas. Joining them seemed like a great way to wrap up our trip. Before we went, Jocelyn, founder and Director of Contemplatives in Action, (an all around great gal!) gave us a tour of the city and we stopped in at some the places we'd worked on the last time we were there. The trip produced lots of mixed emotions. There's clearly so much more that needs to be done.

But, there's also so much that has been done since we were last there. The daycare we worked on is finished and many of the streets that were full of debris and rotted out houses are now full of new homes. Here's a street in Habitat for Humanity's Musician's Village.

Kris and I joined Jocelyn and Matt (a current Jesuit Volunteer in New Orleans) for the road trip to Fort Benning, GA. For those who aren't familiar with the School of the Americas and the push to have it closed, there's plenty more info here. This was the first time Kris and I had been to the SOA vigil. Having both gone to St. Joe's and done JVC, and generally mucking about Jesuit circles, we'd heard a lot about it. The Ignatians are a social justice enforcing kind of crowd. So, it was interesting to learn more, especially having just been in Central America. It was also great to run into old friends from college and JVC, because both places were a huge influence on why we got into all this volunteer stuff in the first place.

From the SOA Vigil (a solemn procession in which the names of those who were killed by graduates of the SOA are sung out):

A highlight of Fort Benning was meeting up with our friend Andrew. It's always a laugh riot when that guy is around. Adding to the hilarity was the addition of Andrew's instant new best friend, Christo. These two are a buddy movie waiting to happen.

Andrew, Kris and I drove up to Atlanta, where we met up with my fantastic cousins. Here I am with my cousins Loretta and Michael.

It was great to wrap up a long trip in which we met so many new people, by reconnecting with friends and family.

I feel particularly thankful this year. I'm so thankful for having the opportunity to take a trip like this. I'm thankful to all my friends and family (and some strangers!) for generously supporting us in all kinds of ways. I'm thankful to the many people who literally helped us find our way. I'm thankful for all the great people we met while volunteering- the people that run the organizations, the other volunteers, the Habitat homeowners, the kids at the orphanage, the people taking our English classes, and everyone in between. I'm thankful for friendly strangers chatting with us at bus stations and park benches. I'm thankful for interesting architecture, and ancient ruins and tropical wildlife. I'm thankful for delicious food and fresh fruit. I'm thankful for oceans and mountains and everything in between. I'm thankful to live in a place that I love yet still be able to see the world. I'm thankful for all the new friends I've met and all the old friends I return home to. I'm thankful for hope and change and all that stuff that sounds so trite and corny but is truly the stuff that changes the world. I'm thankful that, just from this experience, which in the grand scheme of things is a drop in the bucket when it comes to really understanding the world, it seems that we're all way more similar than we are different and that if we'd just stop and listen, peace might not be THAT hard.

And I'm thankful for Kris. Not only would I probably be too chicken to take a trip like this alone, but I wouldn't have laughed nearly as much, or overanalyzed every aspect of life or had so many incredible experiences. Here we are on our last night of the trip.

I'm looking forward to settling into a routine for a while, but I'm pretty sure this is not the last time we'll travel together.

Trip in Review: Part 2B- Southeast Asia

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 19:48:00 +0000

After our excellent time in Thailand, Kris and I made our way (via bus and taxi on very bumpy roads) to Siem Reap, Cambodia. It was there that we met up with my friend Debbie, who was on her own whirlwind trip around Asia. We had plans to meet at the WLS volunteer house, but happened to run into each other on the busy streets of Siem Reap. Here's Kris and Debbie, standing on the corner outside the house where we stayed. Our neighborhood took a little getting used to, but after a few days it began to feel like home. A weird temporary home. But home.

There were five of us staying at the WLS house. Debbie, Kris and I, along with Michelle from England (and NY) and Annabelle from Sydney, Australia. We all had trials and tribulations when it came to adjusting to life in Cambodia and the poverty and difficulties we witnessed through our volunteer work, but we all shared many amazing experiences and laughed a lot. Here we are at dinner in downtown Siem Reap. Me, Annabelle, Debbie, Michelle and Kristen:

Most of our time in Siem Reap was spent volunteering at the ACODO Orphanage. We taught English to the children who lived there (67 in all) and also taught English classes for teenagers who came in the afternoons. Here's Kristen with some of the kids:

Here I am getting beaten at thumb wrestling by Chai:

This is the bedroom for all 67 of the orphans:

A bunch of the ACODO crew, including Sobean, an awesome staff member who is amazing with the kids:

After some lessons on body parts, clothing and colors, we traced this little guy and the kids colored and labeled him.

I swear I don't play favorites.

The kids line up every day for a lunch of rice and some soup.

We were lucky to be there for the premiere of the kids' dance performance. They practiced every day for the big show and planned to perform a couple times a week as a fundraiser for ACODO. We were beaming with pride for those guys. They did so well!

Our bracelet making craft project was such a hit that even the security guards wanted one. Here's Kris presenting one of the guys with his bracelet.

At the end of our time at ACODO, we were each presented with an "Expression of Appreciation" from the ACODO President.

Vanna, the director of SOID (Another group we volunteered with while in Siem Reap) invited us to his son's first birthday party. A great time was had by all.

I'm a party animal.

Traveling around Siem Reap usually happened via tuk tuk because Debbie, Kris and I were too chicken to ride on motorbikes. Here I am with Sokun, one of our favorite tuk tuk drivers.

The gas station in Siem Reap was a shelf on the side of the road stacked with some old bottles filled with gas.

And a trip to Siem Reap wouldn't be a trip without a visit to Angkor Wat. Impressive and awe-inspiring is an understatement.

Here we are on our last night in Siem Reap, with Bob and Meriam (great folks from Holland that were also volunteering) and Tom and Maureen, the couple that coordinates WLS in Cambodia.

Following our time in Cambodia, Debbie, Kris and I made our way to Vietnam. We took in the sights and sounds of Saigon which included the motorbikes filling the streets, a Water Puppet show and a very educational yet disturbing visit to the War Remnants Museum. From Saigon we traveled north through Na Trang, and then to the small town of Hoi An. Hoi An is known for tailoring clothes. We had a bit of a field day with that, and also enjoyed the quaint surroundings and delicious food (might I recommend the White Rose and the Cao Lau). Here's Kris and Debbie in the streets of Hoi An.

Here's Debbie and I biking back to town from the beach.

Our cooking class...

An adorable mother/son duo we met at the market:

From Hoi An, we went to the nearby city of Hue for a couple days, and then we headed north to the Hanoi airport. After a bizarre interaction with an airport security guard who really wanted to take our passports, we finally flew out of Hanoi and arrived in Luang Prabang, Laos. I love that place so very much. Rivers, mountains, smiley monks, a great market, delicious food, and friendly people everywhere...life in Luang Prabang was grand.

Debbie and Me in LP:

The place we stayed was right next to a big Temple, so we'd often stop in and chat with the monks there. It probably goes without saying that monks are nice people but, good grief, were these guys nice. This sums it up:

Every morning the monks get up bright and early (or still dark and early), and then collect alms. They eat and live on whatever they collect from alms. But no eating after 11am. We got up one morning to see what the alms collection was all about. This picture is the result of some fiddling with the color adjustment feature on my camera.

While in Luang Prabang, we took a boat trip to some nearby villages. The poverty there was really extreme. I believe this family has 15 children.

Our boat driver, Mr. Thungdy, is awesome. Our trip was fantastic and educational. We got back, and Mr. Thungdy invited us in and served up peanuts and beer. That turned into more beer, and then fried seaweed (best stuff ever). We chatted with Mr. Thungdy for hours and laughed hysterically. Mr. Thungdy summed it up well with, "You funny! I funny! We friends!"

Bars in Luang Prabang close at 11:30pm. If the clock strikes 11:30 and you're still in the mood to hang out, then there are two options. The bowling alley and the dance club. On one of our first nights in town, we went to the bowling alley and met Grant the American butcher and Tim the English farmer. We became fast friends, and pretty much hung out non-stop for the rest of the week.

It was very sad to say goodbye to Luang Prabang, but it's definitely a place I plan to return to someday.

Next stop: Central America.

Trip in Review: Part 2A- Southeast Asia

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:56:00 +0000

After one night in Bangkok, literally, we headed off to Chaing Mai, where Nong, our new best friend, met us at the airport. Nong is the wife of Seth, our HFH team leader. Nong currently lives in Lampang, Thailand but she's gearing up for a move to the US. Kris and I were so lucky to not only have the best tour guide we could ask for, but meet someone as kind and funny as Nong.

Chaing Mai is full of beautiful mountains, ornate temples and friendly people. Nong took us into the mountains to see some Hmong villages.

The Chaing Mai night market was full of excitement. Kris and I got caught up in a shopping/bargaining frenzy, then were introduced to Rotee the delicious pancake/funnel cake dessert, and we all rounded out the evening with a run-in with an elephant.

One of the many great things about traveling with Nong in Thailand, was her interest and knowledge of Buddhism. We went to a slew of Temples and Nong was able to tell us about the details and symbolism behind everything. At one Temple, there were slates that, for a small donation, you could write a message on, and then make a wish for one of the families that attend that Temple. Here's Kris and I making our wishes.

The highlight of our time with Nong, was the visit to her family's house. Nong's parents don't speak much English but it didn't really matter. We had a great time visiting with them, sharing in the delicious meal they cooked up, and getting to know each other without all that pesky language stuff. Here I am with Nong, her sister Mai, and her parents.

After Nong's whole family sent us off at the bus station, Kris and I headed back to Bangkok. We did an afternoon of touristy stuff in Bangkok and it because of gentlemen like this one, that I rank people watching among my favorite activities.

Just when I felt out of my element and overwhelmed with cultural differences, I'd spot a 7-11 and remember that the world is sometimes smaller than I think. It was at the Bangkok bus station (which is bigger and brighter than I could have ever imagined a bus station to be) that we spotted the one and only Dunkin Donuts of the trip. Kris and I have great friends, Andrew and Danny, who once drove overnight from San Francisco to Eugene, Oregon just to get some Dunkin Donuts for their staff meeting. This one's for you, guys!

And in the "it's impossible to resist taking a picture of this" category...

From Bangkok, we took the overnight bus to Khao Lak (we got good at those overnight buses. Not too shabby an experience especially when they didn't blast Chinese movies with Thai subtitles). Khao Lak is home of the Tsumani Volunteer Center, and what quickly turned into one of the best towns I've ever visited. There's more details on our experiences in Khao Lak in earlier posts but I'll just summarize by saying it was a magical two weeks. We met such amazing people, both locals and volunteers, and really felt like part of the community. Plus, it's a beach town and I can't emphasis enough how beautiful the beaches in Thailand are.

Some highlights of Khao Lak...

Kids from the English Camp we taught:

The Volunteer party where we all dressed in traditional Thai clothes:

John, Goi and Ken at the Volunteer party. Ken now runs Volunteer Teacher Thailand, an off shoot of the Tsunami Volunteer Center. If you have even the slightest hankering to travel to Thailand and help out a great cause, contact Ken. He's a great guy and is doing excellent work. You will not regret it.

Kris coloring with the kids at Home and Life orphanage:

David and I attempting to teach the kids animals in English. THIS IS A BEAR! (I recommend checking out the Home and Life blog. It's a really well-run, homey atmosphere, and Root and Rasa who run Home and Life are a great inspiration. There's a wish list on their blog if you're in the mood to send holiday packages overseas!)

And here's Kris and I with some of our volunteer pals, taking part in one of John's photo shoots. John, also a volunteer, works on a number of websites in Khao Lak. John is yet another amazing guy we were so lucky to get to know. His art knows no bounds. In order to take this picture, he stook on a chair in the middle of the street.

While in Khao Lak, John took Sophie, David, Kris and I on an outing to Phangna Bay, home of "James Bond Island." Apparently they filmed a scene there for one of those old Bond movies (I'm clueless on the Bond front). Here's John and Kris with Bao, our boat driver.

On the way back, we stopped at a Muslim fishing village. These folks have an entire village on stilts. Fascinating stuff.

Another outing involved a stop at a Temple that was built out of a boat.

After our volunteer stint in Khao Lak finished, Kris, Sophie (a fantastic gal from England who also volunteered in Khao Lak) and I spent a weird and fun night in Panang (Ladyboy central).

From there, we headed out to Railey, where we watched the best sunset ever. That's right. Ever.

The Trip in Review: Part 1- Eastern Europe

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 05:09:00 +0000

The big voluntouring trip is officially done. We didn't post as much to this blog as we would've liked. From the sights we saw to the volunteer work we did, to the amazing people we met, it's hard to know where to begin. For now, I'll do a little trip overview using just a fraction of our zillions of pictures.

Our first stop was Prague. Prague seemed like it was straight out of a Disney movie. I'm sure Disney bases their movies on places like Prague, rather than the reverse but I saw Disney first so c'est la vie. Prague is an adorable city that is easy to get lost in. We never grew tired of making up stupid Czech puns. Czech me out. Czech mates. What's the Praguenosis.

Miles, a friend of Kristen's from SF, was on his own round the world adventure, and met us on our very first stop. Here's Miles and Kris taking in some of the tasty Czech beer, on a midday stop at a skate park.

After Prague, the three of us headed south to Cesky Krumlov, the cutest town on the planet. Ok, maybe that's extreme, but I recommend that everyone goes to CK if they get the chance. It's even more homey and beautiful and quaint than the name would suggest.

I'm sure that Slovakia is beautiful. Our experience of Slovakia was limited to a couple days in Bratislava. We stayed at an old dorm that is also used as a hostel in the summers. We found a certain sterility in Slovakia. This train, and Kristen's expression, sum it up.

People often ask what types of places we stayed in along the way. Because of our tight budget, some of the locations were less than stellar. This place in Lake Balatan, Hungary was pretty decent aside from the terrifying artwork.

We both loved Budapest despite getting unncessarily fined on the train, ripped off by a cab driver, and assaulted by a gypsy. The energy, architecture, and general vibe of the city made it a place I'd love to go back to. Budapest is where we met up with our fellow Habitat for Humanity volunteers. After a day in the big city, our group headed off to the HFH affiliate in the small town of Hajduboszormeny.

Our volunteer work involved a variety of tasks. Here's some of the crew working on the roof and insulation.

Much of the success of that experience can be attributed to the Habitat leadership. Here's Kris and I with Seth, the leader of our volunteer crew who's a staff member at HFH, and Pisti, who is the construction manager at the Hajdu HFH affiliate. Both of them are patient, hilarious, and generous beyond belief.

Throughout the two weeks, we became close with the other volunteers. One of our fellow volunteers, Danica, celebrated a birthday during our time in Hadju. Here's Danica and the vegan birthday feast that Robin so artistically arranged.

And, updates on the houses! In the few months since our group was in Hajdu, the houses have been finished, dedicated, and the families moved in! Here's the Toth family. The boys all look very intense here, but they're a happy, fun crew. Dani, the oldest son, is a senior in high school, and spent his entire summer working on site. Dani got to the work site at 7am every day and would be the last one working. Dani was a great teacher when it came to all things roofing. I'm so excited that he and his family have a home to call their own. I couldn't think of a more well deserving group of people.

And here's a look at the finished houses from the outside.

I can't talk about HFH Hajdu without a mention of Sandor, the Project Supervisor. Sandor was not only the supervisor of the worksite, he coordinated the volunteers and always made sure we had everything we needed. HFH Hajdu is really lucky to have him.

After we finished our work in Hajdu, we headed back to Budapest for a few days of touristy stuff. Here's the whole group.

The world is jam packed with interesting food, and new and interesting ways to prepare food. Unfortunately, I never got around to trying one of these giant tubes of bread stuffed with something or other, that we kept seeing in Budapest.

After a sad farewell to our new friends from HFH, Kris and I spent a couple more days in Budapest and then headed out to Turkey. It's hard to sum up Turkey. Istanbul is gigantic and overwhelming and fascinating. Us silly Americans think a house that is 100 years old is old. The Aya Sofya was built in 537. That's right, folks. 537.

Here's the world famous Blue Mosque.

Kris at the Spice Bazaar.

Busy streets in Istanbul.

After a few days in Istanbul, we did a bit more touring in Western Turkey. First we headed off to the island of Bozcaada. Beautiful and relaxing. Thanks for the suggestion, Dinah!

We saw very impressive ruins in Bergama. Here's the Acropolis.

Then to Pamukkale, home of these crazy calcium deposits and thermal waters. It was a ridiculously hot day so I attempted to cool off in the waters. It was probably heat stroke at work.

I leave you with this important message from this gentleman we saw at the Ephesus ruins.

Stay tuned for Part 2: Southeast Asia.

Itsy Bitsy Spider

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:40:00 +0000

Itsy Bitsy Spider
Originally uploaded by mc973

Teaching English in Cambodia turned out to involve a lot of singing. Here's video of some of the kids singing one of the many songs we taught them.

Bats, and scorpions and lizards...oh my.

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:17:00 +0000

Greetings friends, family and random internet stalkers. We apologize for the delay in posting. It's tricky to update the blog when you're in a jungle with no internet. But alas, we are now back in the USA (New Orleans to be exact) and are here to tell you about our volunteer stint at Purasuerte in Costa Rica.

Kris and I arrived in San Isidro, and after an unsuccessful attempt to get in touch with our contact at Purasuerte, trusted a cab driver who claimed he knew how to get there. The farm was about an hour out of town, via many long and windy mountain roads. Our driver, as one would expect from a native Costa Rican, only spoke Spanish. Kris and I have limited Spanish. Yet we chatted all the way there. I'm not sure how that got accomplished but the three of us laughed a lot. We finally, after some confusing twists and turns, arrived, in the dark, at a sign that said Purasuerte. The driver turned off the car and said, "Purasuerte!" There was nothing around. Uh...we're not getting out right here, amigo. Thankfully, our next attempt to call Drennan was successful and he picked us up.

Drennan dropped us off at the volunteer house where we met Mud Flap, the friendly dreaded chap who ran the gardens, and John, the only other volunteer. In "it's a small world" news, John is a native Jerseyite now living in Philly. So, the four of us got to chatting right away, and started chopping up the ingredients for some fresh salsa.

Before I get to the details on our volunteer work, let me just tell you about my nemesis (plural nemeneaux?). The bats living above my bed. Meet Beatrice and Nadia!

If they just hung there quietly, I may've been able to adjust, but the loud swooping at night a)scheeved me out b)was just so rude and distracting for those of us who are NOT NOCTURAL. I turned into Bill Murray a la Caddyshack when it came to trying to get rid of these gals. If I wasn't on an organic farm, I may've just stabbed or punched them or both. But, alas, we're all about not killing stuff and being au natural...so I took the Flap's advice and gathered up some fresh citronella.

Here I am, working on that important project.

I tied it up in bundles all over the ceiling and alas, they found a new place to live! They still swooped through the room now and then, but I think it was clear who was boss.

So...the farm. PS, as I'll refer to it, is located in the Costa Rican jungle, in the tiny town of La Florida. There are 30 acres of beautiful, lush with flowers and plants land. There's a big 'ol greenhouse with lots of veggies and fruit. This is Mud Flap's pride and joy. Our work involved helping out in the greenhouse with watering and weeding and trimming, cleaning up dead plants and flowers throughout the property, replanting beds of spinach and cayote (This is not how you spell it. Whatever it's called, it's a tuber), and cleaning the volunteer house.

Here's Kris and I after some replanting in Mara's Garden:

Kris developing her machete weilding skills:

And here I am, with one of the many mysteries we uncovered while cleaning:

This nasty substance was on many of the books I pulled out of the bookcase. I later learned that it's larvae from the infamous Goo Bug. Just what I wanted to hear. The Goo Bug leaves this sticky, nasty substance, which is something akin to rusty honey. In short, it's disgusting.

But it wasn't all Goo Bugs and Scorpions (oh yes, found one of those crawling out of the bookcase too!). Here's one of the many types of beautiful flora that we came upon. I forget the name but let's just call it Prettyalia, or something like that.

And then we have our four-legged pals. Wuli, the cat that thinks she's a dog, loved reading American Pastoral. That's right Matt- she might be smarter than Don.

And, meet the new love of my life, Mana. If I was dognapping sort of gal, she'd be with me now. She's even cooler than this picture would suggest, if that's even possible.

Lots of down time was spent hanging out on the porch, listening to the sounds of the jungle, and contemplating life's mysteries. I swear it was more exciting than this picture of John and I would suggest.

When the sun goes down at 5:20 every day, it means nights are all about dinner and games. Here's Mud Flap, sorting out the rules for Cranium.

And here I am, cooking up some banana pancakes, next to that oh so lovely fridge.

So, there ya have it. Life in the Costa Rican jungle had it's up and downs but overall, it was a beautiful place. It was nice to wind down our big trip with lots of natural beauty, gardening, reflecting on the porch, meeting new friends, and eating the tastiest fresh pineapple I've ever had.

And, now, we're off to check out New Orleans and see what's changed since we were here about two years ago. Stay tuned for a report!

Milton

noreply@blogger.com (kristen) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:18:00 +0000

Milton
Originally uploaded by kristenkk2

Here is a picture of that toothy smile...

Dangriga Days

noreply@blogger.com (kristen) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:04:00 +0000

kristen 037
Originally uploaded by kristenkk2

We've been in Dangriga, Belize for a week. Our contact for volunteering here was a man named Dennis and The Jungle Huts was the guesthouse I was told to check out. These were boh passed on from The University of San Franciso and were their contacts for student volunteer groups. My conversation with Dennis before we arrived went something like, "Yes, we will find a place for you to volunteer when you arrive. We'll meet and discuss it when you come." A few months ago I might have questioned his lax response and wondered where, how, or when we would meet. But, I've begun to trust and go with it.

And trusting worked. We showed up at The Jungle Huts and met Phil, the owner. While we were waiting for a room to be fixed up, I figured it would be worth an ask if Phil knew where we might find Dennis. Phil said, "Oh yeah, I can take you over to see Dennis right now." Uh, OK. Then Phil also offered us a discount on our room since we were going to be volunteers.

With no warning, but a beep of Phil's horn, we show up to Dennis' front door. He said, "Oh, I was just on my way out." We offered to come back at a more convienent time and he assured us now was great. I laughed and thought in America he'd be like, "Um, yes, looks like I can pencil you from 2:00 - 2:04 tomorrow." But, instead he sat down and chatted with us for about an hour. We agreed to meet him the next day and he'd show us to Holy Ghost, the school we'd be helping out at.

Holy Ghost didn't seem to know excatly what to do with us, but we found our way to a classroom where a teacher was absent and the vice-principal was filling in. The school was much different then what we became accustomed to in Asia. It was much more "American" in it's sturcture and style. The kids are much like kids everywhere...they are interested in you or at least interested in that you pay attention to them, say hysterical things, and love to get their picture taken. After our brief afternoon there, we assured them we'd be back on Tuesday because Monday was a holiday.

On Tuesday, a third grade teacher was absent and we got thrown in there without much direction. We had a good time and got to know some of the students, who of course cracked up us...There was Milton who took our name tag exmples right to heart and wrote Milton Kristen Mary on his tag. So, we called him Milton Kristen Mary all day and were given a huge toothy smile in return. There was Howard who was the first kid's name you learn because you have to. He was obsessed with the dried fruit his teacher gave out despite the fact we told him he'd have to wait until she got back. Howard couldn't stop thinking of it. And there was Latrice who we thought looked like a 70 year old Price is Right contestant. She went to the board with her long sleeve tied around her neck so she didn't catch a chill and was erasing her answer and rewriting it like she was about to win a new car!

On Wednesday we subbed in that class again in the morning and then did some small group work in another class in the afternoon. A note got passed around saying school was closing early because of a tropical storm warning. School actually closed for the next two days. We don't think the storm was so bad, but they were worried about the river flooding. More next week...

Volunteering in Siem Reap, Cambodia

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:39:00 +0000

Picture 059
Originally uploaded by mc973

Our two weeks of volunteering in Siem Reap, Cambodia are about to come to a close. There's so much to say about this country and this experience, but internet time is limited. Soon we have to head back to the orphanage for our last afternoon of teaching.

My friend Debbie joined us in Cambodia. Here she is with a group of the kids from the orphanage. There are 67 kids living at the orphanage. We teach the kids at the orphanage for 3 hours in the morning. In the afternoon, Kristen and I teach English to teenagers, and Debbie motorbikes out to a school about 30 minutes from Siem Reap, and teaches the kids there.

Every day is a huge learning experience here. The country is still clearly recovering from the horrific events during the reign of the Khmer Rouge. Their is political unrest and corruption yet many people are working hard to create a better life here. The poverty we've witnessed is intense. The average Cambodian makes about $1.30 a day. The average age of Cambodians is 10. 65% of the population has TB.

But all those staggering statistics aside, we have had an incredible time getting to know the kids at the orphanage. Last night they had a dance recital. Debbie was the MC. I gave a few speeches, and the 3 of us were beaming with pride because all their practice paid off. They did so well and had a really great time. This morning, because it was our last day, we slacked off a bit on the English lesson and made bracelets with strings and beads. Even the security guards and kitchen staff made them.

It's an understatement to say that it's going to be to sad to say goodbye to them this afternoon. I get choked up just thinking about it. Long after we leave I'll be picturing their sweet little faces and the sounds of their giggles in my head.

Voluntour Donation Update

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:41:00 +0000

In a few days we'll be heading into Cambodia and beginning our volunteer stint at WLS in Siem Reap. Our time will be split between teaching at SOID (School for Poor Children) in the morning and working at the orphanage in the afternoon. Of the 23 children at the orphanage, ranging from 5 to 17 years of age, about 10 of them are blind or visually impaired. They are joined by another 180 children for English lessons throughout the day. Without volunteers, there is just one teacher to teach all 200 children in 6 classes a day. We're looking forward to pitching in and helping out whereever needed.

A quick update on the donation front...

First of all, thank you so much to everyone who has contributed. Because of the kindness of friends (and a few strangers!) our fees for the Habitat for Humanity work in Hungary were covered, as were our fees for our work with WLS in Cambodia. $1000 went directly to the HFH chapter in Hungary, and a large portion of our WLS fees will go directly to the programs being run in Siem Reap.

We are still gratiously accepting donations to help cover the costs of the rest of our volunteer projects. Our work in Khao Lak Thailand cost a total of $760, which includes a $200 donation to Volunteer Teacher Thailand . Look closely and you'll find us on the website!

Our work in Belize, Costa Rica and New Orleans will cost approximately $1600. None of this includes the fees for flights. So...if you or anyone you know is willing to contribute to the cause, please click on the paypal link and donate away! We sincerely appreciate it.

We can guarantee that your donation is being put to good use. In both Hungary and Thailand, necessary supplies were few and far between. Even a small donation made a big difference- the HFH chapter in Hungary bought a new, much needed, circular saw. Volunteer Teacher Thailand was able to buy materials like laminating paper, pens and paper to help develop more lessons for the students.

Beyond the monetary donations, we continue to develop connections with people where we volunteer and hope to continue to work with these groups in some way in the future. In our free time, we're often brainstorming ways that we can continue to assist these worthy organizations and stay in contact with the amazing people we've met. Unfortunately, our internet time is fairly limited, because we have hundreds of stories about the people we've met and the work we've done. We'll try to keep you updated as much as possible!

Thanks again for your support and please spread the word!

Blueberries and Banana Leaves

noreply@blogger.com (kristen) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:45:00 +0000

Pi is packing heat
Originally uploaded by kristenkk2

TVC partners with Home and Life Orphanage on Tuesday nights to do English education, play games, cooking classes, etc. The home was started by a couple who had an orphanage up north but thought there might be a need in this area after the Tsunami, so Home and Life was born. The "parents" looked no older than me and care for the 25 kids who live there on their own. Some of the children are orphans from the Tsunami, others are from poor families who can not afford to raise them. The kids all attend school and are also taught traditional Thai dancing, as well as the English taught on Tuesday nights.

The kids were excited and polite as they greeted the TVC crew with open arms. Well, actually it was more like folded hands...the polite way to greet or thank someone in Thailand. The kids names often translate to English words, sometimes they end up being beautiful other times unfortunate. Last night we taught the most adorable Blueberry ever. There was also a Banana Leaf in the bunch. Both were such hard workers and willing to give anything we asked a try. Although Pi didn't take his eyes off the lesson, he kept his hand on his toy gun...just in case anyone got out of hand I'm guessing. Supaporn and Poo are two of the more unfortunate names...however, their smiles and Khawp Kun Ka's (thank yous) made up for anything else.

We concluded our two week stint in Khao Lak and have moved to Railey, a beachy island with plenty of lounging and not much else to do. After a few days here we are off on what seems like might turn out to be an epic journey into Cambodia to volunteer again. Can't wait to see if it is just as amazing as Thailand...

Safe in Thailand

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:44:00 +0000

I don't know what kind of press the protests in Thailand are getting in the western world, but I just wanted to let everyone know that we're safe and sound. We're in Khao Lak now, where we just finished up our two weeks of volunteering. It was a fantastic experience. We're heading to a couple of the Thai islands this week and then we go to Cambodia to begin our volunteer stint with WLS.

Until our next update, I leave you with this adorable, giggly duo that we met the other day.

I'll miss Khao Lak.

Amazing Khao Lak

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 02:27:00 +0000

Khao Lak was one of the towns in Thailand severely affected by the Tsunami. The tourism industry here has suffered greatly as a result. Because the Tsunami Volunteer Center is based here, volunteers from all over the world found their way here over the past 4 years looking for a way that they could lend a helping hand. As the community is rebuilding, TVCs efforts are part of the fabric of the town. Some volunteers came here to help out and found a new place to call home in the process. Some come for a month every year. Others stop in to help out for a few days and then are on their way. But whether you're here for 2 days, a month or 10 years, it's easy for Khao Lak to feel like home.

There's not much use of cell phones around here. There's no need for it. It's beautiful out so why not just stroll up the street and see if anyone you know is at Lazy House Bar. If not, why not just chat with the people who are there and make a new friend. It starts downpouring on your way? No big whoop. It's refreshing and it'll probably only last for 15 minutes. Volunteers and locals gather together for dinners on an almost daily basis on one of the zillions of delicious places to eat. Maybe go for a swim afterwards. Or, maybe it's TVC volunteer party night. Here's Kristen and I dressed up for the Traditional Thai dress party.

John, one of the aforementioned volunteers who decided to stick around Khao Lak, created the website amazingkhaolak.com. Check it out. And start planning your next trip. You won't regret it.

Hope. Spirit. Renewal.

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:28:00 +0000

That's the motto of the Tsunami Volunteer Center. On Sunday a group of the new volunteers got a tour of some of the Tsunami affected areas, significant landmarks related to the Tsunami and some of TVC's projects that have put their motto into action. It's tragic to see the devastation the Tsunami caused but very uplifting to see how communities have rebuilt in its wake.

It's difficult to see from a picture how far this police boat is on land. This 40,000 ton police boat traveled about a mile on land and killed many people in its path.

This 4 star hotel had its grand opening just 5 days before the Tsunami struck. Staff from many other areas had left their families for the Christmas holiday to come here to help with the grand opening. All of the guests and staff from this hotel were killed in the Tsunami. This dilapidated reception area is all that remains.

Tsunami Memorial Park is located in an area that was very badly hit. The wave struck from two different directions so it was impossible to run from it. The park has a gallery of photographs and a huge metal wall that symbolizes the wave. There's also a wall with memorials to many of the Tsunami victims.

When the Tsunami struck, a boat now referred to as the Red Devil traveled on land, destroyed many homes and killed more than 100 people in its path. The Blue Angel, however, didn't kill anyone. The boatman on board survived and a man carrying his 3 year old daughter was able to grab on to the side of the boat and save himself and his daughter.

In addition to the devastation from the Tsunami we saw many signs of renewal. One of the projects that came out of the Tsunami Volunteer Center's efforts is a shop that teaches children how to make batiks. The batiks are sold in a couple of stores in town and the 100% of the proceeds go directly to the child who made that batik.

A Japanese man visited Khao Lak after the Tsunami struck and met many women lost their husbands in the Tsunami and therefore, had no means of earning money for their families. He taught women Japanese weaving so they could make crafts and be able to support their families. Since then, many local women continue to weave beautiful crafts and sell them in town. Here's Kaew, who works at TVC (and is an all around amazing gal), giving weaving a try.

The TVC also began a project called Thaikea (I love a good pun!) where scrap wood found after the Tsunami is used to make furniture. The furniture at this restaurant is Thaikea-made.

The last stop of the day was a visit to a beach covered in giant rocks that were washed up during the Tsunami. I'm no geologist so I have no idea what they are, but I've never seen anything like it on a beach. In addition to the rocks, there were tons of beautiful coral and many hermit crabs that found their home there.

It sounds trite to go on about how beautiful and warm and welcoming I've found Thai people to be, and how impressed I am with their ability to continue after they've suffered so much loss. I'll just say that meeting people like this woman make me happy and make me see that there are always opportunities for hope, spirit and renewal.

Tsunami Volunteer Center - Khao Lak, Thailand

noreply@blogger.com (kristen) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:41:00 +0000

Greetings from Khao Lak, Thailand. We began volunteering with The Tsunami Volunteer Center (TVC) on Monday. TVC was started the day after the December 26, 2004 tsunami hit. It started with rebuilding and construction but grew into a boat rebuilding project, handicraft education, and English education. They have hosted around 4,000 volunteers, many for months at a time and many for multiple return trips. One volunteer, Ken, actually came to do some construction, but after a while saw the need for English education since many of the English speakers who worked in the tourist industry had died in the storm. He has now been here for 3 years and is in the process of starting a new non-profit Volunteer Teaching in Thailand. TVC is actually closing their doors on September 4th. They have completed all of the rebuilding they can and will be able to contribute some of their resources to Volunteer Teaching in Thailand. I feel lucky that we got to be part of the second to last group to work here.

On our first day, we met a group of amazingly sweet, funny, and smart girls from Leeds University in England. They had been here for two weeks already teaching English at camps around Khao Lak. They shared their expertise and we began preparing our lessons for the next two days when we would be at Ban Thanun English Camp in Phang Nga, about an hour from Khao Lak. We taught lessons introducing words on topics like, my village, my family, foods, greetings, and directions. The kids were very polite and respectful. Most were very timid to speak English and participate in the silly games we had prepared. They are used to learning in a more copy and repeat format.

The kids were so adorable we wanted to snatch a few up and bring them home. Thai's tend to have really long names so they tell foreigners their short versions. Some translated to some English words. We had a Bus, Pond, Porn, Poo, Pup...each one cuter then the next.

The students would repeat exactly what was said to them. I was going over "places in your village" words and when I got to the last word I would naturally say, "and, police station". The kids would repeat with a smile, "and police station." It cracked me up every time. The next day my topic was "people in our family" and the kids were learning to say, "I have one brother and 2 sisters" or whatever the case may have been for them. Few of them spoke with much confidence but this one kid, in the most confident way, said, "I have one son!" My partner Laura and I couldn't help but giggle at the thought of this little boy with one son. Laura and I were both speaking English but with very different accents. We would sometimes get perplexed looks from the kids like, "um that is not what she just said."

The goodbye ceremony we recieved was full of gratitude and emotion. The kids were even asking for our autographs! Kawp Kun Ka!

I look forward to the next week and a half....

New Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 07:22:00 +0000

In between our volunteer gigs, we've done some sightseeing, exploring and meeting new friends. After leaving Hungary, we went to Turkey for about 10 days. We explored the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya in Instanbul, had a failed attempted walk to Asia (only to realize you can only drive over that bridge), took in some sand and surf at the insland of Bozcaada, explored the ruins in Bergama, explored more ruins at Ephesus and amazing calcium walls and thermal pools at Pamukkale and then bussed it back up to Istanbul. Along the way, we met many incredible people. There was Hilmi, the friendly and intelligent man at the bus stop in Bergama. We chatted about politics, books and the cultural differences and similarities as we waited for our bus to Izmir. Then we had the hilarious Italian duo of Stefano and Fabrizio. The four of us toured ruins, hit the beach, crashed a Turkish wedding with Mustafa the gracious hostel owner (where we drank apple tea and played backgammon- it was a mellow wedding), all while chatting about music, relationships, travel and cracking each other up. In Selcuk, me met a bevvy of friendly folks including Dave- the serious but funny Aussie, Oli- the savvy young traveling Brit, Nuri- the sweet and very funny gal from Korea, and Jessica- the bold solo traveler from Canada.

On our last night in Turkey, we had the great fortune of meeting Maurizio and Paola, our instant friends from Travino, Italy. They shared their dessert with us and the rest was history. You'd be hard-pressed to find a kinder, funnier, more perfectly matched duo.

From Istanbul we flew to Bangkok with a layover in Dubai. Azam, our flight attendent on the way to Dubai, became a new friend too. That guy was hilarious. And then we arrived in Chaig Mai, Thailand, where we were met by Nong. This gal tops the new friend charts. Seth, the team leader from the Habitat trip, hooked us up with his wife Nong, who lives in Thailand. She was the best tour guide imaginable. Nong drove us into the mountains to visit a Hmong village, showed us the Queen's Palace, and took us to amazing Temples all over Chaing Mai. Nong taught us a lot about Thai culture and Buddhism. And then there was the food. We ate incredible Pad Thai, Tom Yum Soup, crispy fish, green curry, red curry, and delicious fruits of every variety. The highlight was going to Nong's family's house. Her parents and sister Mai were all just as kind and welcoming. The food was amazing but the hospitality was what I'll cherish the most. Nong is gearing up for a move to America soon. I hope her family comes to visit the U.S. so we can attempt to offer them the same hospitality that they showed us.

Now we're in Khao Lak, Thailand. We begin our two weeks of volunteering with the Tsunami Volunteer Center tomorrow morning. I'm excited to be put to work and make some more new friends.

Kristen and Harry on the roof

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:31:00 +0000

Kristen and Harry
Originally uploaded by mc973

Our group of volunteers was jam packed with great folks. It's probably not right to pick favorites but I did. We all did. Harry is the best. He lives in a town of 500 in the Northern Territories of Canada. Teaches special education. Brought us all pins. Has the greatest stories. Is kind and hilarious and the snappiest dresser in the crowd. Not to mention an all star on the work site. Harry would walk out on a limb, literally, to get the job done. Harry is the kind of person I feel truly lucky to consider a friend. Just another reason why Habitat for Humanity is so darn cool.

Erica

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:20:00 +0000

Erica
Originally uploaded by mc973

One of the best parts of the Habitat trip was meeting other volunteers. The other volunteers included people in our group, homeowners, and local volunteers from Hajdu. Erica lives in Hajdu. She's 18 and came to work on the site every day from 8am to 5pm. She wants to practice speaking English and found that working with the English speaking Habitat groups has helped her. She was also the Superstar worker bee. Erica never wanted to leave a project unfinished and begged to skip lunch so she could just finish insulating a wall. Inspirational, to say the least.

Leopard house

noreply@blogger.com (kristen) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:32:00 +0000

Leopard house
Originally uploaded by kristenkk2

And it is finished!

pre-insulation

noreply@blogger.com (kristen) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:31:00 +0000

kristen 035
Originally uploaded by kristenkk2

I never knew how houses were insulated before and I have no idea if this was just the Hungarian way, but we spent many hours climbing the scafoldiıng puttiıng up this white styrofoam insulatıon all over this house. It not only covered the outside walls, but also the floor inside. We became "experts" at measuring to the centimeter, guessiıng upcoming angels, and giving Hungarian haircuts. A Hungarian haircut was when all else failed in the measuring department and we just needed a tad off. Since it was styrofoam, we could rub off the excess. Again, perfect construction skills at work. We got very excited when we cut a "miracle" piece on the first shot. Our team member, Danıca, got had three miracles while on the highest of scafolding...not an easy task! Anyway, I hope that the family in this place might not be too chilly this wiınter.

Getting somewhere with this roof

noreply@blogger.com (kristen) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:33:00 +0000

getting somewhere with this roof
Originally uploaded by kristenkk2

When we arrived on site, the first four of the triangle frames (a very scientific construction term) were in place. We finished them off, then put up some sturdy beams before adding the OSB.

Here are Harry and Fefe, a friend of a homeower, taking a minute to figure some things out.

The finished roof

noreply@blogger.com (kristen) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:23:00 +0000

The OSB is on the roof
Originally uploaded by kristenkk2

After 5 days of hammering, bolting, leveling, andOSB boarding, the frame of the roof was completed. Mare was even harnessed off of it for awhile. Donny, the 18 year old son of the homeowner, was the number one builder up there. Of course, Harry, our Canadian team member, came in a close second.

Habitat in Hajduboszormeny

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:09:00 +0000

Whole group on the last day at the site

We finished up our first volunteer stint of the trip and had an amazing time.

After some relaxation at Lake Balatan, Hungary's answer to the Jersey Shore, we met the rest of our Habitat for Humanity crew in Budapest, and the next day boarded a bus to the small town of Hajdubozsormeny, a few hours west of Budapest.

Hajdu (that's what we call it for short) is a town of about 30,000. There are about 400 families in need of better housing. The main industry in Hajdu is agriculture. The Habitat Chapter in Hajdu began in 2007. Despite the Chapter's short life, much has been done already. There are four duplexes being built, and the eight families are expected to move into their new homes this September.

When we arrived in Hajdu, our group of 13 was warmly greeted by the HFH Volunteer Coordinator, Sandor, who turned out to be our tour guide for the week, a supervisor on the build and an all around incredible person. Pisti, the HFH Construction Supervisor, was equally amazing and so patient. We spent most of our time working on two of the four duplexes. During our week there, we put a roof on one home and insultated the outside of another home. With every hole drilled, board braced and styrofoam piece fit just so, we got to know the homeowner families, the HFH staff and each other. We reached new heights. Literally. One afternoon Kristen drilled in insulation from the high scaffolding, while Mary was harnassed to a roof drilling in OSB board.

Our group had represenation from the US, The Northern Territories of Canada and the coolest Australian brother-sister duo around. After our goodbyes to our new friends in Hajdu, we headed back to Budapest for some touring. Between a ticket on the metro, a participant's stolen bag, and that gypsy that pushed Mary, Budapest really didn't want us to like it. But we love it. Rich history, beautiful buildings, and baths all over the place...its worth a trip.

We're very thankful to Seth, our team leader, the rest of the volunteers, the HFH staff, the homeowners, and all the generous people who donated to the trip, for making this possible.

If you're ever in Hungary, make a stop in Hajdubozsormeny, not only will you meet amazing people, but you'll learn how to pronounce the name of the town.

More stories about our Habitat trip coming soon!

Czech it out.

noreply@blogger.com (kristen) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:42:00 +0000

We promise we're having a better time than this picture would lead you to believe. Here we were coming out of our dorm at the "hostel" in Bratislava, Slovakia. The university dorms are converted to hostel rooms in the summer. They were simple, to say the least.

Now for the cutest town you've ever seen...

Cesky Krumlov. It sounds like something out of a movie and it looks like it too. It has everything from quaint cobblestone streets, to a castle with a bear moat, kielbasa being barbecued on the corner, and funny Irishmen. Pay it a visit if you can.

Now we're coming to you from the Villa Benjamin hostel in Lake Balatan, Hungarz. That's actually Hungary but the z and y are switched on this computer. Lake Balatan offers a taste of the Jersey Shore complete with ill-fitting acid wash shorty shorts and overpriced fried food. But with a hint of paprika. All the guide books told us the Hungarians love their paprika and lo and behold, it's right there on the table with the salt and pepper.

We're gearing up to meet our crew from Habitat this Saturday. After a night in Budapest we'll head to Hadju and get to work. Stay tuned for more details!