Adios FunArte

So its my last day here at FunArte and it feels as though my heart is breaking into a million pieces. This is home to meee now, I can´t leave these people! FunArte is like my equivalent of heaven on earth. Working with kiddos, painting, drawing, singing, talking about equality, AIDS, anti-drug and violence etc. And with the best staff of people. I have really grown attached to my coworkers. Leaving Manuel, Jafeth, Katy, Tania, Rafita (Rafita Chalita Gringita), Carlitros, Freddy, Wilmer, Chio, Angelina, Aura, Tamara, Elvia, Orlando.
Yo no creo que esta la fin! Me siento muy triste, pero yo se que yo voy volver aqui espero pronto.
I also can´t believe that I can get by with my Spanish, considering landing here I was absolutely useless. Now I take cabs and the drivers think I´ve lived here for years! I don´t say much, mind you, but what I do say I say perfectly!

I just can´t get over not seeing them and working with them all of next week. There is still so much to do here, to talk about, to paint and get done. I have to come back, its just something I know I am going to do. Being here is really being in another world. I don´t feel as though I´m on the same stretch of land as Canada. They are worlds apart. This trip has awakened a desire to travel and meet people through conversation and the building of relationships that I never knew I had. I have only ever really traveled to Europe for no longer than one month and strictly as a tourist and art gallery observer. Never have I invested months in getting to know the people of a place on as close a level as I have on this trip. I know them, I know their upbringings, their family tragedies, their struggles and a connection has been made to them that will make it harder to leave Esteli, Nicaragua more than any other European country I have been to yet. Despite the uncomfortable situations a Third World Country brings, I will remember what I have learned from those situations and leave this place without regret or resentment. Nicaragua has taught me to let go, that I can not control everything and that I have to accept things and let go of my attachments. In moments when I feel as though my life is crumbling apart I have to stop and think of the kids that I work every single day with who are beaten yet brave and unbroken. That is unbelievable. They´re laughter resonates and reassures me that I can be brave and happy too. It´s okay to be happy! I know that sounds dumb but its something that has taken a lot to understand, but I get it now.

xoxo
S

Putting Things in Perspective

Hello Everyone,
its me again, your favourite email buddy. With a little bit over one week to go on my three month stint I´ve a lot to think about. Working day in and day out with the kids has taught me more about myself then I ever thought I would learn here. It is a constant struggle, but a happy struggle. The kids and my work and my family here give me wake up call after wake up call. This past Thursday I was asked by FUNARTE to go to managua and work with the down and out at two different mercados (markets) giving art classes to the kids. We left at 5am in the morning and i did not see my bed that evening until 10pm. What a long day. But the theme of the day was ¨Derecho,¨ meaning human rights, what is necessary to make you happy. As you can imagine the answers we received were not iPods or Abercombie and Fitch. They were instead family above all, bicycles to take younger siblings to school and get back home with (most of the kids live hours and hours away,) food, jobs for money, playing football etc. It is a really wonderful thing to witness, these kids who are absolutely filthy dirty but still smiling and bursting with desire to learn. I guess if you are feeling hopeless, lonely or sorry for yourself in this moment you can just imagine what I am talking about. A tiny cramped class room full of lice ridden children of all description dressed in rags and eager to laugh smile and hold your hand. It is certainly something to get me up and ready to face another day each morning, even when my body is giving me every signal not to (Including something I have recently discovered I received from the kids--head lice! oh yay me! Thousands of eggs and head lice for Siobhan that Marissa had to sift through and pick out for hours on end this morning, oh joy! What a friendship) This email is just my recent realizations, its not to make you feel belittled in any way as I have also discovered that no matter where you are in the world or of what class you belong to, it is inevitable to suffer. This goes without saying. But it is these kids, these tired little bodies that suffer so much but still are able to always muster up a smile and a brave face. They get up and beat the odds every day to inspire everyone else to get up one more time too. Its one of the worlds many miracles I think, and I am so greatful to have witnessed it.
Anyways, I will leave you with that.
I´m sure I´ll see you all sooner than we both know.

xoxo
S

The Final Countdown

I have two weeks to go, TWO WEEKS! That seems very strange to put into writing!
Yesterday William, my wonderful host brother, took Jess, Marissa, Dan, Sam and I (Dan and Sam are American new comers to Edna´s house!) to the great Somoto Canyon. It is beautiful! very far north on the West side of Nicaragua, very close to the Honduran boarder. Very hot and sweaty day though. When we got to the start of the canyon by hike and by boat we decided to stop and eat our signature banana peanut butter hot dogs for lunch. That has consisted of many of my meals here in Nicaragua, well when the meals are left me at least. Last night I decided to join my host brother Denis, his two friends and my host sister Samaria to the theater to see Transformers for roughly a dollar fifty American. I absolutely hated the movie and found it just embarrassing to watch, very very different from when I went to see Up! at the theater only a week before with all of my boy cousins here. Transformers was ridiculous, all the excess and the frivolity. Ive never been so embarrassed in a movie theater in my life. It wasnt the plot or the transformers it was the portrayal of American College and and all the unnecessary sexuality etc. Anyways, it really brought me into a huge reality check, infact I think it was my first real instance of culture shock so far on my journey home. Coming from Esteli for three months, seeing La Chureca and the children in inhumane poverty and then seeing the ignorance and lax carelessness of the teenagers in that movie just made me sick. I suppose its something that I´m just going to have to live with. I can´t go one living in disgust or frustration though, I have to find a way to see the good parts in everything but to never forget the horrors or the injustices I witnessed. Its all a delicate balance, as everything almost always is.
Anyways, until the next time.

S

Granada y Isle de Ometepe

Hello Everyone,

The five days I spent in Granada and Isle de Ometepe were exactly what I
needed. Exactly half way on this trip I hit a wall, and I hit it hard.
I read up on what I should do to get out of the rut and a vacation was
the antidote. I went with Jess, Marissa and new friends Sara and
Austin. Sara lived with my family and worked at FUNARTE last year with
Intercordia. She also knows alot of spanish and was a very very big
help.

We arrived in Granada on the 5th of July. Its a beautiful city but its
very hot. So colourful, everything is painted in bright colours and
very kept. What a refreshing sight. That night after our horse drawn
carrage ride around the city, we ended up meeting two of Sara´s friends
from london Ontario completely by coincidence. It was great, they are
two very very interesting characters. Juan Diego from Columbia
originally and Justin bobby, a london native. These guys were caught in
a huge Honduran protest and have many many stories to tell that would
really blow your mind. I was beyond happy to know that they would
accompany us on the ferry the next morning to Ometepe.

The Ferry was tiny and scary. We made it to Ometepe and took a very
crowded bus two hours to Altagracia where we settled into our 4 dollar
a night room at the Hotel Castillo. The seven of us then set out to Ojo
de Agua (Eye of Water) which is this crystal clear mineral spring on
the island. You couldn´t pay me to get out of the water. I was in there
swimming with Juan Diego (someone who just love swimming as much as I
do) and with everyone for hours and hours. It was incredible. When they
finally managed to get me out we returned back to Altagracia and had
two girls from the town to take us around. We ended up at their
cemetery in pitch darkness.. Then to reward the girl´s kindness we took
them out for dinner at a local restaurant. The night of sleeping was
horrendous. Bed bugs everywhere. It was a mental exercise to not rip my
skin off my body. I just lay there in agony all night, in the heat and
the bugs.

Juan and Justin left early the next morning to climb the volcano
Maderas, so the five of us split to Playa Santa Domingo (a beautiful
beack on the lake of Nicaragua.) The water was wonderful and the sun
was very very strong. The backs of my legs and my back were burnt to a
crisp, even after applying sunscreen four times. After the beach we
made our way to what I like to call the heavenly hostel. For $6
american a night you get a cabin with the greatest beds and pillows,
the most delicious food (which is brought to you while you lay in your
hammock) and the most amazing dock that allows for kayaking, swimming
and watching heartwrenching sunsets. Kayaking to Monkey Islands was
incredible. There are these two islands that spider and howler monkeys
inhabit respectively. You cannot get any closer than 50 ft or the
monkeys will jump into your kayak and bite you, no joke. It was a tough
kayak as the water was rough but I enjoyed it so much.

The next morning was really early, we had our hearts set on climbing
the volcano. Most physically exhausting thing I´ve ever done.  We ended
up only going half way to the waterfall because of a huge mix up from
our guides but it was sufficient for me! 12 km of brutal brutal hiking.
Unreal. After the walk down my legs were jelly. I jumped off the dock
sooo fast when I got back, and rewarded my hard work with an afternoon
in a hammock with cafe con leche and coconut ice cream. I slept like a
baby that night.

The next day was trying, starting with a trek in the rain and mud to
the bus that took three hours and was so beyond capacity. I was so
ready to stand up and breath fresh oxygen at the end of it. Then back
on the tiny Ferry full of fumes. Then into a cab that we paid five
dollars each to get driven back from San Jorge to granada.

That night in Granada was laid back, we went out to the tourist strip
and had a delightful dinner of vegetarian curry crepe and a deliciouso
sangria. The Hostel we stayed in was rather sketchy and lacking in air
so I didnt sleep at all and woke up the next morning at 5 to take a bus
to managua, then another to esteli. We got back to Esteli at 10:30am
which from granada is record time. All my clothing stank horribly so I
did laundry for two hours and then took a shower and slept.



There! You are all sufficiently caught up!

I am home very very soon guys, I have mixed feelings about this. I
really dont want to leave but on the other hand I really miss certain
things at home (like my beautiful family) an abundant amount.

Can´t wait to start back at work on Tuesday.

xoxo

S

a few pictures!

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Priscilla has emailed me some really sad news. Fabiola, the little girl from La Chureca, will not be moved out of the dump because of refusal from her mother and step father to let her go. This is very very upsetting but I´m staying hopeful that her mother has a change of heart. Priscilla visits Fabiola at least once a week and is not giving up hope either.

In other news...Yesterday while walking home with Marissa, my Canadian FUNARTE partner, two guys (who´s images are burned in my brain forever) decided to rob me infront of a school and in the middle of tonnes of mothers, fathers and children all of whom did nothing to defend me when the two men were easily stoppable. They only managed to get my Toronto cell phone but it was the principal of it, it was the public humilitation and mockery. I am sooo fed up with men here. Their comments, remarks, rude gestures. These guys were just horrible. One pushed Marissa onto me and then the other started feeling the side of my body. I was in total shock so without really thinking I elbowed the one feeling my side really hard in his arm. He recoiled and then walked off laughing with the other one. One of the bystander mothers shock her head and said ¨poor girl¨in spanish of course. She tried to mime that they had taken my cell phone. The only thing left that had pictures from Nicaragua. Anyways its just really unfortunate that things like that have to happen after a good day at work. It really defeats a person. I got on the phone with mom right away and got her to cancel the phone plan. Then when I got home yesterday in tears from what had happened, Sayda ran and got me a package from Rachel for my birthday and I was sooo moved and happy. I called rach and told her all about what had happened and how her package could not have come at a better time. This is just the way life is here, still I find it all very hard to just accept. I am treated like dirt and scum from the guys as a female here and I´m treated even worse as a foreigner. We get up and give our all to the next day though, thats all I can do. Must not dwell.

Next week FUNARTE is on vacation so Jess, Marissa and I have decided to pack it all up and go to Granada and the Isle de Ometepe for five glorious days. They will not be without their challenges but we have been doing mucho research and according to all of our friends here, Ometepe and Granada are where it is at. I am thrilled. We leave Sunday morning. Tomorrow I´m going to work on a mural project with Manuel from FUNARTE and a bunch of kids. The mural is going on the Esteli Library! Its very naturalistic and flowing. I love it. All from Manuel´s imagination. He is an artistic, let me tell you. I´ll take many pictures with my new memory card that I just picked up at RadioShack here (Yes there is a RadioShack here! Payless and RadioShack are the only familiar stores here in esteli and they look nothing like the ones we have back home.)

Thought I´d just tell you all how I`m doing. Its a battle of ups and downs but I perservere. There isn´t really much of an alternative.

XOXO
S

Memory Cards and Leon

Hello Everyone,
Oh its been a great balance of ups and downs here in Nicaragua. After a very long working week the gang had a great friday night in honour of our great pal Jon Daley, who left us for his home in England this past Saturday. Needless to say it was a great send off dinner and dancing that followed at the Sandinista Bar called Ricon Legal (Legal Corner.) Saturday was another FUNARTE extravaganza, but this time good old Benny came to visit me at my work. Saturday afternoon I found four very lost looking california guys and decided they should be escorted to Hostel Luna beside Cafe Luz, as it is the best hostel in Esteli. They were thankful and we ended up meeting up again at Cafe Luz that night. After our beer fest with the Intercordians and the guys, Jess and I boarded a taxi with the four to Somafero to dance the night away. In retrospect this was a very bad idea as I had to wake up way too early for Leon the next morning and already was feeling under the weather. Anyways got home safe woke up for the bus to Leon and no sooner realized my memory card for my camera was gonzo. I had taken it out of my camera to make sure it would be safe incase my camera was stolen. This was counterproductive as my camera was left untouched and my memory card never to be seen again. OI VEY. Luckily everyone else (mostly Benny) have taken many many photos that they will put on cd and share with yours truly.

Leon is a beautiful city. I couldnt get enough of it. It is SOOOO hot, but it has this rustic Spanish feel that I haven´t come across anywhere else in Nica. Sunday was suppose to be a relaxing pacific ocean beach day. Ohh how naive we were in believing that! Megan, Laura, Benny and I took forever to find the bus to the beach. That was our first struggle. Then we load off when everyone else does thinking that would be a good idea. Huge mistake. It was the blind leading the blind. We ended up at the local´s beach in a horrific restaurant where the food took forever that the flies were EVERYWHERE. The bathroom was an aluminum sheet constituting as walls surrounding a toilet bowl, no back, no flush, in the middle of the dinning area. Disgust. After that little taste of hell, we decided to set out to find this beautiful beach we had heard so much about. Ended up walking down the entirety of three full beaches, stumbling across a used bent syringe, naked bathing Nicaraguan men drinking Toña, and a dead possom thing that looked like a gigantic rat (I screamed soooo loud when I first realized it was right infront of me. Grossest dead animal I´ve ever seen.) So tired and forelorn, we sat by the ocean. No idea where to find a bus back home we decided to trust a kid that was clearly high on glue. He showed us to the street behind the beach and said that the bus would be there in half an hour. I kid you not, we were stuck in Hotel California. Ya know the place that you can check into anytime you like but can never leave?? A green water pool with bathing men to our right, zombie children on glue to our left, mud beneath us, and a darkening sky above. Finally the bus despelled our doubt and came. Our relief only lasted ten minutes as the next thing we knew, we were stuck in a hole. No one was willing to give up their seats and get off the bus, so the bus driver struggled to get us out with around 95 people on the bus. Mmmm the smell of burning rubber and sweat. Finally all got off and within about an hour and a half the bus had been rescued from the hole and back on track. My feeling under the weather quickly bloomed into full blown laringitis, miagrane and sinus infection. By the time I got back to Via Via hostel I decided I could not climb up Cerro Negro (the volcano I had my heart on climbing the entire time. Bummer.) Megan stayed back from the volcano climb with me and the two of us roamed around Leon. We climbed to the top of the Cathedral instead of the volcano. Beautiful view. People in Leon are just nicer, I´ve decided. Megan and I ended up spending our afternoon talking to an amazing Nursing student by the name of Richard (another bloke from Cali.) He was traveling alone and wanted a few hours company, which we were very capable of providing. After missing our bus back to Esteli Monday night, we had to go to Ocotal and hitch a ride back on an express bus from Managua to Esteli in the pouring rain. Let me tell you, nothing goes smoothly or without obstacle when travelling in Nicaragua.

Took yesterday off work to get healthy, Back here today. Recharged and ready to work this week well and head off for Granada and Isle of Ometepe next week when FUNARTE goes on holidays.

XOXO
S





I

FUNARTE

I have been working here for a while now and haven´t really introduced any one of my wonderful coworkers. I´m just going to briefly describe the staff of FUNARTE (aka the most inspirational people ever.)

Rafa- He was the first one we met. He is the quintessential joker. You ask him how to say something in Spanish and he tells you the wrong word so you can look like a baffling idiot infront of your bosses. Thats his deal. His deal is also being a male example to the kids he teaches. He is such a good teacher. He gets right in there with the kids and they love him. As do I.

Jafeth- Oh Jafeth. The staff here call him a child of 30 years old and it is so true. He´s the first to borrow one of the kids bicycle´s and ride it all around the art class being most disruptive. He is so welcoming though, never makes you feel weird for not understanding the language. I am so greatful for him here.

Manuel - If Rafa´s the joker and Jafeth´s the kid at heart, Manuel is the monkey. You will often find this amazingly fit 30 year old climbing something unclimbable, walking on his hands, or outrunning the kids in an intense game of soccer. He is a riot. Lovable and unstoppable.

Katy- Katy has the most fun with my name, every time she says it she cracks up and comes up with a million variations, ¨Shevonny, Shabonny, Shabonbonbon, CHEVVVVonnn..¨ It goes on for what seems to be forever.. She is my mentor and has taught me the most in terms of painting techniques. She never holds back if she doesnt like something I´ve done, she also is very constructive and I´ve learned a tonne from her.

Tania- Tania is a sweetheart, when she heard about my cousin she came right up to me and told me that her sister died last year from Leukemia while she was studying in Ireland. She just looked at me and we understood eachother. Shes got a lot of strength and poise for such a petite chica.

These are the instructors I work with the most on a day to day basis. There are also many influential volunteers like Nadine from Germany and Lena from Germany or some other regulars to FUNARTE from Esteli like Freddy (Jafeth´s nephew who takes after him alot...) Carlos (a quiet and timid teddy bear) and Tamara (you´ll always find her singing her heart out to the car radio, we have a lot in common...)

Hope that helps give you a better image of the people I work with here everyday. I am sooo lucky to have met these people, they are ridiculously amazing.

till the next time,
xo
S

La Chureca

If you want to know what hell looks like, take a 2.5 hour bus to Managua from Esteli and barter with a bandito, careless taxi driver to La Chureca (the dump.) My wednesday in Managua changed my life. I always knew evil in this world existed but to that degree, never. The weakness of some human beings really baffles me. The ability we have as humans to be so heartless, uncaring, perverted, sick and twisted just breaks my spirit. What reason do we have to be that way? There is no excuse for Daniel Ortega´s actions. He sits there on his high thrown delighted with the rich people of the country riding on the backs of the human recycling factory that is La Chureca. He gives them petty presents of clean water and lunch some days just to keep them grovelling at how wonderful he is to them. They have no education, they do not know their rights as humans, in their minds they deserve this life. Its all they´ve ever known. 400 families live there, in the mounds of garbage. 2000 people a day sift through garbage, spearing what they believe to be worth something. Plastic and metal are among the treasures they desire. The air is simply unbreathable. Smoke and stench toxicate your lungs and burn your eyes. You cough and heave, everyone in La Chureca suffers from respiratory conditions. Fires can start at any time and at any place. Goats, dogs, horses, cows, pigs, vultures and children all compete for the same food source: trash. The childrens bellies are extended, swollen with air from parasites. They have head lice and flees. They sleep on garbage. They sleep ten to one single hut. The girls start prostitution in La Chureca from the age of 5. The truck drivers come each night without fail and pay the girls for their bodies in garbage, not even cordobas (the currency of Nicaragua.)

When our group got out of the cab the children of the dump immediately sensed and saw our gawking faces and asked, ¨Que Paso!¨thoroughly concerned for the disgust in our eyes. ¨Nada, nada¨we quickly had to respond and attempted at a smile. They cannot understand why you look that way, how could they understand when this is the reality they´ve never escaped from. They are normal kids. Mostly not hard done by, laughing jumping, climbing up and down your body and stealing your camera to practice their budding photography skills. The kids were hilarious. The were no different from any other kids except for their living conditions, clothing, food and child labour.

Before we got to the dump we went to a hotel that is owned by an amazing family that includes two sisters, Dorothy and Priscilla. These girls are the strongest women I have ever met. They have had this vision for a new Nicaragua and unlike most people with visions that seem larger than life, they have decided to make it happen. Cuenta Conmiga is the name of their brand new organization. In english this title means Count on Me. Priscilla told our group that 45% of Nicarauga are between the ages of 18-25 with more than half out of work, education and without opportunity. According to these sisters something has to be done. Nicaragua is just being ruined. Its becoming the second Costa Rica where rich Americans come in offering pennies to the people for their land and because the people do not know the worth of the land or have any understanding about realty and economics they are selling the prescious eco havens only to be demolished and turned into casinos or resorts. Cuenta Conmiga is starting small, their goal is to take 12 youth out of the dump and focus all their energy into educating them, teaching them english, mathematics, geography, economics etc. Then when these youth have a firm grasp and foundation they can help with Dorothy and Priscilla´s mission and will go out and teach more so the organization will grow.

The very first thing these two sisters want to do, however, is to save one very special girl in particular. Her name is Fabiola and she is nine years old. Every single night after her day of sifting through garbage her step father rapes and molests her. Her mother is helpless as he will beat her if she does anything. Police do not enter la Chureca. The police of Managua are mostly useless and disgusting human beings. Priscilla and Dorothy have arranged for Fabiola to be taken out of the dump with the signature and consent of her mother and put into an adoption house specialized for sexually abused children. Her mother is going to sign her only little girl away to a new and better life. I got the immense pleasure of meeting Fabiola, she is gorgeous. She does not lift her eyes from her feet. Her hand stays infront of her mouth and her lips do not make a sound. I bent down to her level and asked her if I could give her a hug, she nodded. Then I took her by the hand and brought her with the group to the bathing hole where children can be safe from harms way because an amazing Italian organization guards and protects them there. I spoke to Fabiola a lot, asked her simple questions and told her about myself. Even though I had no response I knew I was getting to her. By the end of it she even looked up at me, that quick glance up at me was an accomplishment I will never forget.

Leaving was horribly difficult. I got so attached to those monkey kids, and boy oh boy were those kids Monkeys!! You´ll all see the pictures of them climbing all over us when I get home.
Leaving little Fabiola was one of the hardest things I´ve had to do. If I could i would keep her with me, always. She shouldnt have to go through what she does. Next week Priscilla and Dorothy are hoping to take her out of there. PLease please keep Fabiola in your prayers so everything goes according to plan and she gets a second chance at a great future with the two amazing sisters!

Thanks for reading these posts guys. Your responses have amazed and humbled me and have really inspired me to continue. Its not always easy being here and sometimes I feel really alone. So thanks for reading and going through some of these experiences with me, it means alot.

XOXO
S

Cumpleaños!

I must be brief but I just wanted to thank everyone for the warm birthday wishes and also inclose that I had such a great 20th birthday here in the wonderful Nica. Friday was filled with many cakes, and a night of live music and friends and family. Saturday the girls got up way too early to board a bus Miraflor bound and go to our favourite getaway at Gene and Katharina´s finca. We got a private cabana with a hammock and washroom! And the dogs, kittens, horses, chickens, and cows roamed free. The food and rum were both plentiful and amazing! Especially after our afternoon hike to the Cascada where all four lovely ladies jumped in to reap the glorious benefits of the pure and refreshing water! It is such an amazing feeling to feel cold and have to wear pants and drink fresh peppermint tea from the garden after dinner! We had such a bonding extravaganza. I love my girlies here. Got back Sunday night and had a low key night. Going to La Casita with Marissa in la tardes and then back at work mañana!

xoxo
S

Para los Jovenes

Aqui esta tu proteccion contra la violencia
Aqui esta tu espada,
Crees en nuestras vidas,
en el valor de los humanos.
Por nuestro futuro, busca y cultiva,
Si tu tienes que morir,
Pero crece y refuerza.

En silencio van las granadas
Alto a la marcha contra la merte,
Alto con espirity, la guerra es
Desprecio de la vida, la paz es crear.
Da tus fuereas, la muerte va a perder.

Los humanos son nobles.
La tierra es rica.
Si existe miseria y hambre
se debe a la traicion.

Rompe, la justicia va allegar
en nobre de la vida.
Todos van a poseer sol, pan y espiritu.


Estas son nuestras prmesas,
De hermano a hermano.
Queremos estar bien con la tierra.
Queremos cuidar la belleza y el calor de la tierra,
Como llevamos probablemente a un niño.

Rodeado de enemigos entra tu tiempo,
Bajo una sangrienta tormenta,
te consagras por la lucha.
Quizas pregunta con angustia
Desnudo y abierto ¿Con que vas a combatir?
¿Cual es mi arma?

Said

Let me introduce you all to a two year old boy called Said. This boy is the son of the cleaning girl at the house beside where Benny, Marissa and Jessica live. His situation breaks my heart to a million pieces. You see, its a long history of power struggles and hierarchy. The owner of the house does not pay the 22 year old cleaning girl adequate funds so she is really trapped there with no options to leave and find work elsewhere. She lives there and works there and that is her life. However, her son´s life is unbearable. She puts him on a hard chair as soon as he wakes up and forces him to sit there, completely still and without sound for the entire duration of the day, day in day out, that is his existence. He moves, he makes a sound, he gets slapped. Every day his bright eyes lose another spark. It is imperative that two year olds explore, communicate, learn motor skills and develop. To be imprisoned on a chair to the point of intense fear is simply criminal. The only thing this boy has is his thumb. He loves to suck his thumb and yesterday his mother noticed this and put his thumb in hot sauce so that he would cry in agony when he brought it to his lips only to wipe the tears away from his eyes with the same hand and spread the pain all over. Cherry and Jenet that live there in that house are tormented by a helpless feeling for him. They have bought him toys and books only to see them be locked up in the bedroom by his mother. Last weekend they begged her to let them take him out to the park for an hour and she finally permitted it. The experience they described to me was overwhelming. This little boy just stood there for many minutes taking the world outside in, deadly afraid to move a muscle in fear of being slapped. The pictures of his visit to the park are unbelievable. A smile from ear to ear figuring out all that the playground had to offer. But after their short hour of freedom together, he had to go back to his hell on the chair.
It just makes me think of all the men on the streets and how their upbringings must have been like. A boy who is brought up in a family full of love and respect doesn´t feel the need to sit on a street corner and belittle and demoralize girls walking by. It is the little boys like Said, supressed and unloved that need the power high of degrading people to make themselves feel important and worth something. To watch Said, so perfect and loving, morph just a little bit more into a broken spirit kills me because I see his future and it is not bright. Its a cruel cruel cycle this being brought up in a supressed environment because when they do grow up that will be all they´ve ever known.
This is why we have to keep organizations like FUNARTE alive. Everyday the great people of Funarte set out to give that kid a fighting chance at discovery and expression, sometimes its the only chance that kid will ever have. Once a week kids of every demographic taste what it is to be loved and appreciated. They taste what it is like to have wonderful conversations and to feel important and worth something to someone. To go out to the FUNARTE studio in the country and see those kids that have walked some two hours just to get there for the hour of art class is so moving. You can tell they feel safe and at home there. Its their happy place, their escape. I´m so proud to be apart of this organization. So so so proud.

xoxo,
S

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Hola,
So I have arrived back in the arms of my host family safe and sound. It´s quite strange to be back but I´m really glad I am. It was my commitment to be here this summer and I´m really proud of myself for being able to recognize that and come back. It isnt without its struggles though. In Canada I was surrounded by family members who felt the same pain I was and here its really as though I´m carrying this alone. I have to really focus on channeling my energy into being strong for my kids come tomorrow and continuing on my positive experience from where I left off on May 27 when I came back home. It was so great to see my host family again, I genuinely missed them so much. I am realizing how hard it is going to be to say goodbye to them for good. Very strange to think about that too. Yesterday my host mom, Lupe, took the family to El Tisey for a beautiful luncheon in the mountains. Cool and breezy, the typical Nicaraguan stew we all had for lunch tasted extra spectacular. They are so impressed at my keener attitude towards eating whatever they do. I´ve never had a real problem being choosy with food and my host mom thinks this is just the greatest. Ella tiene una amiga quin come los frijoles y los huevos con en la mañana por que los autres (Samaria) no gusta frijoles por desayunar. (English: She has someone to eat beans and eggs with for breakfast as Samaria and the others hate eating beans in the mornings.)
I start back at FUNARTE tomorrow and I can´t wait.
Stay Tuned.
love,
S

Tragedy

Hello Everyone,
I havent written a new post in a while because, well, I'm not in Nicaragua. I came home last Wednesday and am going back this coming Saturday (very early in the morning.) This trip home was never suppose to happen. My dear cousin, France-Anne Sweeny, had a horrific accident last week on Monday night, May 25. She fell off her horse and was then kicked once in the head and once in her ribs. She was kept alive so that they could donate her organs to later save five children and give back the gift of sight to two others from her corneas. When I found this out via phone call with my dad Tuesday night I was in shock, pure and simple. I could not wrap my head around it and so my body thought it would handle things itself by causing me throwing up fits all through the night. After a trip to the clinic Wednesday morning I got in the car with a Intercordia driver/stranger the 2.5 hours to Managua then boarded a plan to El Salvador then to Toronto. Home felt strange. Culture shock was very present as I drove home with my dad from the airport. I was going through all kind of shock. This past week has probably been the hardest of my life. Going through fits of guilt than of rememberance and then of contentness of seeing familiar faces and friends. France-Anne was more than a cousin to me, she was a sister and a future maid of honour. We had made a pinky promise. She and I were a team and I loved her like an older sister would. Returning to Nicaragua is going to be hard, I knew this from the start. I had to come home though, to have missed that funeral and being there for my aunt, uncle and cousin Christopher, her brother, would have been the biggest regret of my life. Something more powerful than myself got me home from Esteli last Wednesday, and something stronger than myself is going to get me back there. I just thought I should keep you all in the loop and understand why I haven't been keeping up with this blog. Stay tuned, soon there will be more Nicaraguan adventures to come, but in the mean time please keep me and my family in your prayers.
Thanks and as always,
Love,
S

Cumpleaños

Hello all,
Last night I got the great pleasure of being invited to Ana´s birthday party. Ana is a first cousin (primero) of Samaria, Tamara, Denis, and William. She has two beautiful children Javier and Paulo.
At times I feel alone, being the only one of the group of Canadians to be living on their own with a family. Megan and Malinda are together and now Jess, Marissa and Benny are together too (although Benny is leaving for Miraflor soon during the weeks.) It is at times like last night, however, that I realize how lucky I am to be so immersed in the family and to be so taken in by them all. I had so much fun last night, I couldnt stop smiling. The strong rain of the afternoon cooled the night down sooo much so everyone was comfortable and ready to sing, dance and tell jokes until the early hours of the morning. Toña (the very loved Nicaraguan beer) was in the hand of everyone who was old enough. Denis was sent out twice throughout the night for reinforcements. Ana´s husband is so talented with the guitar and William brought his piano. We all danced together (after they simply refused to have me stay seated.) It also made me realize how fortunate I am for my family back home. Despite the lack of very latino music and torillas and Toña, the festivities and the love were not so far off from when the Sweeny´s get together. Even the Stauch´s gather round Jan´s piano playing and have a similar night. The gathering of family made me feel right at home.
It also reminded me what a powerful thing music can be. I am constantly humbled with the language barrier (although I´ve improved ten fold I still cant understand a good 50% when these guys get together and speak at the speed of light.) Music is universal. I picked up the refrain and instantly I was speaking the same as everyone else. This was beyond refreshing. Lupe and her family were the last to leave Ana´s house. I even left with Samaria (who had written a four hour exam just hours earlier) before Denis and William. Who stayed to the very end, around 2:30. Perhaps why they still are not awake...
Today is market Domingo! And then the Nicaraguan football finals with Esteli, the undefeated champions.
Mass again at 5 tonight. I go to the 5pm one now because the 10 am is WAY too hot. The priest is so good at preaching because he speaks so clearly, I can almost understand everything. It just happens to always start a good 40 minutes from when it was suppose to have and then go on for an extra hour. I am going to appreciate Toronto Masses a lot when I get home.

xo
S

La Cascada

Marissa and I didnt have work today (we start tomorrow) so we decided to make good use of our morning off and go for a 10km hike and a swim in a waterfall! Took the Urbano bus from our usual corner and got off at the end of the line by the Hospital. From there we were told from our friends who run the bus which way to go (they also happen to mention how nuts we were to walk it.) The hike was mostly uphill, I´d say a good 85%. Sweaty and disgusting, our excitment came as no surprise when a man came by in his pick up truck and we did not hesitate to jump in the back for the final 1km. At the gate we paid the family 15 cordoba to see their waterfall. Climbed down a very steep 800m to this beautiful lagoon with a skyscrapping waterfall that did not disappoint. There was this awkward couple kissing at the bottom that Marissa and I tried to avoid...Once they got the idea that we were going to go swimming they shy´d off somewhere. So we got our privacy and our swim in peace. That water felt soooo good after sweating out a 4km incline plus the hike down past the gate! The water was murky and brown but I was not phased. Marissa and I stripped down to our bathing suits and just went for it. We swam behind and through the falls numerous times. I just floated there and tried to soak up everything in that moment, haunted by thoughts of the long trek home. Once we had our fill of swimming we changed into our sweat drenched clothes and ventured up the steep ridge back up to the gate and homeward bound. We were very proud of ourselves when we got back to the hospital in exactly an hour! That is a 5km hike of hill ridden terrain in very hot weather! An hour was a great accomplishment on our part. Must have been all the endorphines we worked up on the way there. Got home at 11am and just lay in bed until I was called down for lunch (Boiling hot Soup!!) Ate my entire bowl of the hot soup, sweat some more and took a shower. I swear I would never imagine myself doing all of this physical activity back home on less than three meals a day! It makes for greaaaat night sleeps though so I suppose I´ll keep it up.

Tomorrow I´m meeting with Funarte to work out my schedule for work! Im pumped!
XO
S

Masaya and la Lluvia

Hello everyone,
So i suppose I´ve fallen behind on the updates! Two big things have happened since my last post. 1) Day trip to Masaya and 2) the crazzzy rain.

Last Saturday Benny, Marissa, Jess and I decided to wake up at 4:30 and hitch a ride with a cousin of the family to Tipi Tapa where we would there catch a crowded and stuffy bus to Masaya, the market city! After a wander around the marked Benny and I decided to venture out and climbed a 2km mountain in 36 degrees weather. Are we crazy or what? I drank my weight in water, no joke. At the top of this mountain, called COYOTEPE btw, there lays one of the three Somozan prisons that the horrible dictator used to imprison Sandinistas during the revolution. This prison was used for unhumane acts of torture beyond comprehension up until the 1980s!! Let me tell you it was horrible. Benny and i went to the 1st and 2nd levels, the 2nd being pitch black. Torture rooms with blood still stained on the walls, it was so unbelievable I cant even describe it. What these people have lived through I can never know. There were scorpions, huge spiders and a heck of a lot of bats down there too. How exciting.... I actually am quite surprised at the calm and saving face kind of manner I had while down there.
I´ve still got quite the cold and am trying very very hard to get healthy. I had a bad experience last Saturday night with drinking untreated water too. So that didnt help situations. Felt as though I was going to die. Oi, not a fun night. I keep thinking I can drink the water but I really cant. From now on I have to chlorinate it with my drops or just buy bottles.
Ali makes me so happy, he can be quite the unruly monkey but when he sees me and squeals with many a SHARI SHARI my heart melts. He and I are quite the pair.

On to the rain situations! It was raining so hard the other day, I think it was Monday, that a stream built up in the street outside my house as deep as my knees with a violently rapid current. Garbage and childrens shoes wizzed by me standing out on the porch of the house. Cars were caught and had to remain stagnant as they couldnt move. The courtyard of the house was completely flooded. Flooded so badly that water was coming in to the house. I was soaking wet from running around the kitchen and dinning room with buckets to try and catch the water...of course to almost NO avail. Insane. Apparently its like this during the rain season. Monsoons. Ive never seen rain come down that hard that strong for that long. Samaria just looked at me and said, ¨All we can do is pray that it stops.¨ (In spanish of course.)

Boy oh boy am I in for an interesting three months. How does one get to their work placement in knee high rapid current? HOW????? They did NOT prepare me for this! I wish I could have taken pictures to show you guys but my camera was upstairs in my room beyond reach. I´ll keep it on my person for the next time, I assure you. You can´t believe what I am describing until you can see it for yourself. Amazing. Truly truly amazing.

until the next time,
xo
S

funarte studio! im excited to spend my sabado mornings here looking after 400 kids in spanish...YIKES

Hola

Man, I cant believe im this sick. Stupid stupid stupid sinus infections. Ive been medicated for two days straight and I still can´t function let alone converse in Spanish. And today my Toronto cell stopped working tambien. It was on the CLARO service here like all nicaraguan phones and then today it magically decided to be on Emergency Calls Only. I never used it to call anyone, as I have a cell that I got here to call people, but it was just kind of a security blanket, a way back home, an escape. My esteli phone wont let me text most of the time so it was like this sudden feeling of extreme isolation came over me today. Could be the sickness wearing me down too. I also read some emails sent to me from my other dear intercordians. Apparently many of them are having a really really difficult time. Swaziland is a huge huge huge challenge. And so is Ghana as malaria has already affected our dear Isobel. Ecuador hasnt been an easy go either. It makes me sad to think of my really great friends suffereing. We met in Intercordia and we bonded through the process. Its like we´re in this together and so because they are suffering so am I. I just hope it all works out for them. Some may have to come home before the three months, I just hope they know that if that is what has to happen, they arent disappointing anyone. Its only the second week in. That is really intimidating. I have to remember what my mom has told me time and time again, BABY STEPS: Little by little, Poco a poco. Dont look at the grand picture because then it all seems impossible. Day by day and just focus on getting healthy again.

Thanks for all the support
xo
S

My Sabado

So I am going to try, with all my heart and might, to put into words everything I felt and experienced hayer, Nueve de Mayo.

The day commenced with an alarm from my cell phone notifying me it was 4 30, time to get up. I had to drink a yogurt piña down and run to meet Benny y Marissa so that we could grab a cab to Cotran Norte (North Bus Terminal) together as driving in a cab that early in the morning by yourself as a tourist is very dangerous. Once at the terminal we met up with the three other Canadians and boarded a school bus Miraflor bound. The bus, seemingly comfortable and harmless in the beginning, began packing in more and more people each stop. Megan and I were quickly surrounded by women holding one or two babies struggling for any inch of our bus seat. As I was by the window I noticed the wall of the bus i was sitting beside was covered with cardboard. Folding the cardboard back towards me a gaping hole in the metal wall was revealed and all the screws keeping my side of the bus together had been replaced with patches of ducktape. This bus ride was by far the most incredible bus ride of my life. Pressed up against a cardboard wall, children screaming, only second hand oxygen available, all the while climbing very very slowly up a steeply vertical mountain on a road that was made up of displaced rock, ledge and cliff. The ride that should have taken 40 minutes at most lasted up to two hours and a half.
When we finally unloaded ourselves off the bus we had arrived atop a misty plateau and started hiking up right away, not knowing where the heck we were suppose to be going. Tired and very very hungry we just kept going until we reached a huge field cultivating cabbage, this was the neighbours land of the German couple we were visiting. Their names were Gene and Katharine, spoke perfect spanish but were born in Germany and grew up in America. They came to Miraflor in 83 to escape to their garden of eden. At this time in the hills of Miraflor it was not a safe place at all though, this couple lived through the Catras raping the land and brutally murdering the hiding farming families. They have this beautiful cottage now though and they served us breakfast and spoke about their lives here. Organic coffee from their farm with a little fresh milk from that morning made the most scrumptous drink Ive ever tasted. They proceeded to bring out six horses and asked us who the most skilled rider was of the group. Since nearly no one had ever ridden before in their lives, I was it. They gave me Ray, the young male lusting after the female of the group. He needed someone who knew what they were doing so as to insure he would not mount her with me on top of him. Very daunting stuff to say the least. On horse back we road down what use to be a river, but now was just a mangle of huge unstable rocks. We stopped at an orchid garden and had a lesson on growing orchids, coffee and bananas and how the three make an ideal living situation for the other. Wandering further into the forest we came upon the oldest tree of Nicaragua, that wasnt a tree at all. It is a vine parasite that is many hundreds of years old. I was the second one inside of it and climbed up its interior as far as I was able. Took many pictures.
Got back on our horses for a long treck down to this stream, tied up our horses and were lead to a little waterfall and grotto. Our guide said it was a favourite spot for swimming, so being the craziest one of the bunch, i ripped of my waterproof jacket and hiking shoes and jumped in ( I kid you not.) The others stood around in amazement and decided I was MUCHOS LOCO, which is undeniably true. Soaking wet I untied my horse and Cantored home (Riding a horse that fast on rocks was exhilerating, I cant even try to describe it.) When we got back to the cottage Megan looked at me and said that I was the bravest girl shes ever met which immediately striked me as very odd, Nooo one had ever really called me brave before. I was the homesick kid who never wanted to go to Summer camp, not the daring kid riding horseback and jumping into waterfalls. This trip has changed me already.
Lunch was ready for us, mangos, pineapples, steamed beens, rice, home made bread, and chicken and vegetable soup. I honestly felt so at peace there, it was the first time I think i´ve been to paradise. Katharine came to the group and asked us how we were getting back to the city, we answered ¨By Bus.¨ She asked because one of the visitors there was riding back to the city in her pick up truck and had room for us if we wanted to hitch a ride.
Again, THERE ARE NO WORDS. The six of us loaded into the open back of a rusty pick up truck along with about seven other NIcaraguans and drove down the same route we had driven up by bus. Cramped, bruised, and all holding onto the sides of the truck for our lives I could only take in the ominous view of the mountains, mist and valley and smile. At about 6 30 she pulled into a gas station just outside the city of Esteli and told us in spanish that that is were her ride would end.
We were disgusting. We smelt of horse and sweat and about two milimeters of dirt on ever surface of our being. We then walked home from there, a pretty sizeable distance. I got to my house and collapsed, only able to lift myself up for a shower (La Ducha.)

What a day, What a day.

Buenos Tardes!

Hello Beautiful Canadians,

Spanish Lessons start every mañana at 8am and go until doze for duos semena. They are exhausting to say the least. Learning another language with no alternative takes a lot of brain work 24-7. I´m put in the class with Marissa as the beginner-intermediate group (I have no idea how they thought I was almost intermediate...I guess I have Maria to thank!.) Jessica, Megan and Malinda are all in the very very very beginners class, they can only say HOLA, and Benny is solo in the intermediate class. He is our rescource for understanding most of the time. I dont think this thrills him at all. Megan´s luggage was found yesterday (as we all told her it would be) so she was very very contente. After class I´m always starving. I thought I´d be extra adventurous and walk back to my house all the way from Los Pipitos. Let me tell you I regreted that decision pretty rapido as it was MUCHOS CALOR. But I got here safely and ate a huge plate of pollo and rice with a simple salad of cocombre and tomado with white vinegar and jugo fresco (freshly squeezed juice) of melon and limone. Mucho Gusto!!! They make this salad with non ripe mangos and sea salt too for an afternoon snack. The food here is always very very good. Little Ali, the two year old I spoke of before, now has a nickname for me as he cannnnot pronounce my name. (NO ONE HERE CAN PRONOUNCE MY NAME. I am often found cursing my parents for naming me the most complicated name in spanish. They all look at me with the strangest face and attempt a syyyohbhhagnna? And I have to answer, Ce Irlandais, loco nombre irlandais.) So Ali runs around the house yelling SHARI SHARIII as that is what i am called here. We play hide and go seek all the time and we both drink yogurt in between our games. He is fascinated with my purple water bottle and whenever i drink from it he says Por Favor Shari Aqua! Aqua! So I end up giving him a tonne of water too. He has these two bicycles that he rides around the house all the time. They are his only toys but he loves them so so much. He has this stick that he pretends is his guitar and we both pretend to play it and cantan (sing.) Very cute. Yesterday is the first day it hasnt rained. In fact last night was soooo cold I could not sleep for more than half an hour with only a sheet to cover me. I put on two sweaters and socks and I was still so cold I couldnt concentrate of sleep. I kept dreaming of the word ¨blankets¨ in espagnol to ask them for another one. I should get on that before Im sorry tonight. I might meet up with Benny and Marissa later as we have cell phones and text to keep in touch. I may just stay here with the family though. They treat me completely equal. Theyve hosted two other girls two years in a row and Im not a novelty whatsoever. I guess its the best way to fully grasp what its like to vivre here day by day without being treated like royalty but instead igual (equal.) I love it here though with them, they are very very kind and always singing and smiling. They go about their own life and just let me do my own thing. William, who is 16, speaks the most english. I showed him all the New York pictures that were already on my camera from my family´s trip there. He loved the Empire States building. He plays his playstation three all the time and loves learning english songs like ¨Yellow¨by coldplay on the piano. He studies the chords for so long. Anways I could ramble on and on about everyone. I will keep you all posted as I want you to experience all of these things with me. Sayda (the cleaning girl) just brought me a steaming cup of cafe, so I will get on drinking that!
MUCHOS MUCHOS AMORE
I love you all so much

xo
Shari.

Pictures

http://ccsunicaraguatrip.shutterfly.com/
my host sister Tamara just showed my this site, created by a girl who had a trip to Nicaragua simlar to mine and took pictures wherever she went. Please do check them out, you´ll get a better idea of how it is here until i can send you all some personal pictures.

XO
S

I´m Here!!

I made it here safely after a couple bumps on the way. They wouldnt let us into Nicaragua without an address here and of course with Intercordia we are given no information whatsover' so i had to be escorted by security guards (all wearing swine flu masks) to the outside of the airport where I had to frantically search an Intercordia sign and beg them for an address to return to the customs desk with. After that we had a two and a half hour bus ride to Esteli, the mountains were huge black silhouettes and ominous at best. Very very vast valleys and dry lightning and thunder. The air is thick here and I always feel very grimy. Benny and Marissa live with eachother for orientation week, so do Meghan from Friedrichton and Maljinda from Saskatoon. Jessica and I are the only ones by ourselves with a family for this week. Yesterday night I hardly got to meet with them as it was 2 30 Canada time when I arrived and I was very disoriented and overwhelmed with fatigue. They helped me lift my 66 kilo bag up this very trecherous spiral iron staircase and said goodnight. I sleep alone in the only attick room upstaird under a tin roof that amplifies the sound of the terrential down pours that come each night in the rain season. I actually really enjoy listening to it. The view from my window is amazing. And the nights are not too too hot to sleep in. For breakfast I had coffee and a simple sandwich. Tamara, the sister of Samaria (who I live with) spilt my coffee mug all over me by accident so I started the morning of the first day tending to boiling water burns on my stomach and thighs. They made me a new coffee and i washed my outfit (including my drenched coffee stained underwear.) Tamara has a little boy, Ali, who is two years old and the most mature little boy I´ve ever met. He is my favourite thing about Nicaragua so far. We are inseperable. Tamara and Ali and their Abolita dont live in this house though, they live far away and will be returning home on saturday. I will live with Samaria and her brother William (about 13-14) and their cleaning girl Sayda (who is 18, she is very nice we get along very well but she speaks no english.) Samaria knows some english so we can understand one another. Samaria and Williams mother, Lupa, and older brother, Denis, live in Managua by week and here in Esteli by weekend.
Meghan, one of our intercordians, never got her baggage yesterday night. It was really tragic as she was already having a really hard time coping being by far the most homesick on the flights over. The airport really convinced her she´d get the luggage back though so I have full confidence she will. Today I get to know my family and then get picked up with the other intercordians to attend spanish lessons and initiation exercises.
My host family does have internet and a computer so i will be in touch. My cell phone still works here for texts as well and I´m planning on buying a twenty dollar one as soon as possible for emergency circumstances. Here is very very different from anything I´ve ever seen. I started feeling as though I was living outside of Rome like I did one summer but Rome doesnt have half as much barbed wire as here or as many tin rooves. So many paintings and bright murals around the city though. I´m excited to go exploring with my family.

Talk to you all again soon. They dont get any postal service so I´ll find out the address of the post office and get your letters and mail from there.

XO

S

4 DAYS

Lots of calming breathing exercises going on over on my end. They cut it so close, my final exam in Art History is this Friday and I leave Monday the 4th at 2:20pm Miami bound. I think then I sit tight for about 45 minutes and then take a connecting flight (only another 45 minutes) to Managua. Once in Managua I presume I get on a bus to Estelí? But honestly I haven't the slightest! I'm really hoping someone will be there in the baggage claim with a sign saying "Intercordia Students" or something as I am pretty in the dark right now...oh its always the way with me.
So I've had a pretty stressful past few weeks with my seemingly healthy Grandma getting really really sick on Easter Sunday. The Grandparents live in Ottawa so it’s been extra tricky juggling around schedules to try and be there with them and be here studying/finishing up outstanding essays!! It’s my Grandpa that’s actually been the most worrisome. He’s really disoriented with the whole situation and finding it hard to understand sometimes. Its also hard because my mother has been there since that Easter Sunday, with the exception of two nights. She is finally coming home tonight though to get me settled and take me to the airport come Monday.
Alsooo, I am probably not going to be working at Funarte this summer. Huge change of plans! I still am going to be living with a host family in Estelí but I don’t think Funarte can take Marissa (the other Canadian girl I’m going with) and I for three months. Instead we will either be placed at Los Pipitos doing similar artistic things with only mentally handicapped children or working for INPRHU. INRPHU is focused on human rights - specifically the rights of children. In Estelí they do a lot of work to get child workers out of the tobacco fields and other working situations and into schools. I would be more of a social worker, or at least that’s the impression I get.

In any event, it will be exhilarating and somewhat daunting! I cannot believe it’s in four days guys. Cannot believe it!

XO
S

The Final Countdown

I have been successfully vaccinated for Typhoid fever and Hepatitis A. Also got my prescription for Malaria and diarrhea (lovely!) Still need a physical and a visa, oh and of course a departure date- which is still, unfortunately, outstanding! They tell me I'm to leave between May 5 and May 7th and to return August 5, 6, 7. I'd still like to know for sure...

In other news, I have found myself really getting excited about this upcoming adventure. A strange sensation for me as I have usually looked upon my trip with great fear and dread. Its going to be okay, I can finally accept this now! Of course it won't go without tremendous challenges and shaky days but overall my outlook is a positive one- hurray!

I have reached my fundraising goal through the help some of my favourite people ever. I have also started collecting necessary items to pack, so I'm off to a fine start. Now just to finish my end of term papers and exams!! Let's get to it!!!

xo
S

Months Away

As I sit here writing my reflection response to Dorothy Day's Loaves and Fishes for tonight's Intercordia class, I cannot help but realize how closely I approach my departure! Not only that but what astounds me even more is how closely I approach my fundraising goal! I just received an email today saying I had been given yet another donation on my CanadaHelps page- you cannot even imagine my excitement at receiving these emails. I start shaking and holding my breath, its actually quite amusing for the unsuspecting onlooker. In any event I was taken aback by the sum of money my aunt and uncle in Ottawa decided to invest in my summer and I realized how inconceivably fortunate I am to be surrounded my such support. If you would let me, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the following benefactors,

-Mary-Jane Finlayson, my female heroine of the architectural realm
-Peter Neelands, choir friend and pub partner
-Angie Eagan, sweetest Parkdale inhabitant
-Barry, Jan and Anna Bennett, my childhood home away from home
-Karla and Michael Bateman, my high school second parental unit. Inspirational family.
- Jeff and Odette Hanning, salt of the earth couple who are surprisingly good at rowing!
- Ladan Dana, work colleague and friend.
- David Ben and Jan Howlette, a magical couple, as charismatic as this world has ever known.
-Vanessa Bohn, Rosedale bus buddy, high school friend
-Stephanie Arnau, my Calgary cousin of a cousin, she's adorable.
- The Ronzios, they know me inside and out, been there at my start and have seen me through.
-Daniel Lynch, a rosedale regular always up for a good laugh.
-Rachel Mahon, my best friend since our tap shoes and tutus days. We're inseparable.
- Caroline Richard, deserving of my utmost respect. One of the realest people I know
- Janet and Jeff, I love you two so much and always hope to make you two proud.
- Isa and Greg, my Toronto aunt and uncle. Thank you for always being there with the hugs.
-Marian Decouto, makes me proud to be a friend of hers every single day
- Courtney Cook, generous to a fault a beautiful human being.
-Emily Quail, my organizer and reassurance I honestly don't know where I'd be without her.
-Emilie Hudson and Youki Tanaka, my party organizers and the greatest friends ever.
-Maria Pineros, my fantastic and kindred Spanish teacher, donates her time and energy every week.
-Mark Palmieri, generous and outstanding friend and compass member.

other mentions:
Kieran Manion, Agnese Nunno, Tom Parker, Julian Baptista, Gracie Bannon, Katie Lee, Alexandra Doumouras, Lina Nasir, Natalie Doubonovich, Andrew Baldanza, Sydney Bateman, Daniel Gibson, Dalen McClintock, Briana Anderton, Vanessa Rowlin, Liza Quail, &Co
and many many others including mysterious anonymous donors whom I owe a great deal of thanks and praise.

xo
S

Happy New Year!

Today marks the beginning of second semester and this trip is actually becoming a reality. There's this part of me that knows that I am very cut out for this and that enthusiasm will grip me as soon as I see the kids but then there is also this other side of me that is really scared to go into a community severely different from anything I've ever known for three whole months. I got so caught up with the fundraising that I haven't really been able to mentally prepare myself for this. I guess it is kind of impossible to mentally prepare yourself for the unknown, maybe that is why I've been avoiding it. However, so many of you have continued to voice your support and that along with the brave, enthusiastic side of me assures me everything will be okay.
Come what may.

S