2012-02-09
I spent part of yesterday afternoon raking leaves into plastic bags. As pieces crunched underfoot, the smell of freshly fallen leaves wafted through the air. Ah, the start of autumn. But wait. I’m in Pimampiro, Ecuador, where springtime is eternal and the only real season change comes with the rain. In fact, the leaves that...
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2012-02-07
It is pronounced sam-eh, and is a small coastal town towards the north of Ecuador. We were told the coast would be our host for the mid-term retreat. Since I am from PA, I was expecting a beach like New Jersey. Instead, as we drove through the mountains, all of a sudden the mountains tumbled...
Read More2012-02-07
How do you put into words something that renders you speechless? You can’t explain your emotions or share your thoughts because it seems like there is nothing to say, but you feel like you should. I have been putting off writing this blog post for as long as possible for this exact reason. Within the...
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2012-02-07
One morning as I sat on the mat in the sand in Megan’s village, drinking my ataya, I watched Ibrahima, her six year old brother leaving for school, carrying his little backpack. This reminded me of how my little brother and all of the students in first grade in my village had recently received free...
Read More2012-02-05
15 years after Michael Jackson chose to record his historic music video “They Don’t Care About Us” in Brazil, the problems that Jackson tried to reveal through his video still exists. If you haven’t watched his video (the one he made in Brazil, not the one that was made in the U.S.), I recommend...
Read More2012-02-04
After a while of getting settled into my new home and working with my supervisor when requested, I have found myself regularly volunteering at an organization called Bagunçaço. Bagunçaço is an after school project that is geared towards keeping at-risk youth off the streets, lowering the risk of being influenced by the negative aspects of their...
Read More2012-02-04
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CURRENT NEWS IS ONLY OCCURRING BECAUSE THE MILITARY POLICE IS ON STRIKE. THEY WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY THEM A DECENT LIVING WAGE AND ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO DOING THEIR JOB, “PROTECTING THE PEOPLE AND CATCHING THE CRIMES.” Before reading on, take a moment and watch this video that was recorded here...
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