I'm not the biggest fan of blog writing and I'd rather just post some pictures of my experience so I'll keep this one short and sweet. It was about one in
the morning on the shore of Copacabana Beach when I realized I had to keep
traveling the world. It wasn't because of the jaw-dropping views that I saw
from the top of Pão de Açúcar or the screaming in the middle of fifteen
thousand fans in the FIFA Fan Fest during the USA v. Portugal game. It wasn't
because I got to take selfies with Christ the Redeemer himself or because I
found myself inadvertently walking through the infamous favelas of Río. It was
because I found myself sipping Brahma (a famous Brazilian beer) and staring at
the endless ebb and flow of the ocean while I listened to the stories of the
cultures of the 4 other AIESECers in my project. I learned about the
difference between Hong Kong and mainland China, the difference in education
between the USA and Mexico, and the struggles with Puerto Rico being just a
territory. It was then that I confessed to these people that I came into the
internship not expecting much, and not really caring whether I kept in contact
with anyone. That was followed by remarks such as "Classic American."
But I ended my rare sentimental confession with a promise that I would actually
try to keep in touch with these new friends and hopefully meet up with them
somewhere along the road. That night on Copacabana Beach helped me realize that
the people you meet along the way will have a greater impact on you than the
experience itself. Now, don't get me wrong. I will always remember the time when the crowded bus in Río erupted into chants from six different countries simultaneously to support their soccer team. But in two years when I return (hopefully), it will be my new Brazilian friends that I seek out to continue our conversations that we've had the past six weeks. I hope that my new AIESEC friends will travel with me back to the quiet bars and small food shacks where so many of our nights began. Every time we came across a scenic view, everyone would scream "Selfie!" and try to get everyone in the picture with the scenic view in the background. At first I thought this was stupid and incredibly obnoxious as I just wanted a nice picture of the view, but I came to realize that these "selfies" could be viewed as less of a vain attempt to get yourself in every picture you take, and more of a way to make sure that everyone you had this experience with is frozen in time with you. My experience with these people that I've only known for six weeks has helped me reflect on the relationships I have with people back home and I hope that I will be better at keeping in touch with everyone that has had a significant impact on my life - especially the new graduates. And while I'll probably post on this blog the pictures of all of the cool places I've been to, I know that the pictures I will cherish the most are the group photos that seem to get taken everywhere I go. Muito obrigado, Brasil
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Farming in Taiwan - week 3
After some time working on the farm, we finally held the first of the four camps we're supposed to run for local children about organic farming. Fourteen kids showed up, and it was funny to hear why they came: almost every one of them told us that their parents made them come to the camp because they were spending too much time on the phones and computers, and they needed to get outside and appreciate nature more... something rather reminiscent of what parents like to say about kids in the US. The camp was, well, interesting - which is to say that it was pretty disorganized. All of the EPs at the farm had some miscommunication issues with the local LC, either during the course of applying for or preparing for this project, and these continued into the camp and made for some tense moments. It was a little frustrating at first, but working with the kids themselves turned out to be fun, and we learned how to run the camp more effectively for the future dates.
After the camp ended, the farmer gave us all four days of free time before start work again, so we have been traveling around Taiwan. First we went to Taichung. Having been there before, I actually remembered how to get around and where to go to get food, and most importantly the way around the huge Fengjia night market. It was fun to be there again with new people and to recognize the places and bus routes - I realized that I could actually feel comfortable in a place that used to be completely foreign to me, even somewhere where I didn't speak the language.
After Taichung, we went up to Taipei and started traveling down the east coast of Taiwan. In Jiaoxi we stopped at a natural hot spring, before going down to Luodong and spending the night in a hostel there (and of course visiting the nearby night market). The next day we travelled to Hualien, where we are currently staying, and as always went to the night market. I wish we had the equivalent of a night market in the US - I'm going to miss them a lot when I return home. They're immensely fun, and I even get a chance to practice my terrible Chinese when I order food.
Today was our last full day before we have to return to the farm, so two other EPs and I went to Taroko National Park, a beautiful expanse of mountains, gorges, and forest that is only an hour bus ride from Hualien. We hiked up a couple of trails and found some incredible views. I'm going to miss this traveling when we all return to the farm. The farming is fine, but traveling and seeing so many new places is really what I find exciting. I'm hoping we'll get the opportunity to travel more, and that the future camps will be even better.
After the camp ended, the farmer gave us all four days of free time before start work again, so we have been traveling around Taiwan. First we went to Taichung. Having been there before, I actually remembered how to get around and where to go to get food, and most importantly the way around the huge Fengjia night market. It was fun to be there again with new people and to recognize the places and bus routes - I realized that I could actually feel comfortable in a place that used to be completely foreign to me, even somewhere where I didn't speak the language.
After Taichung, we went up to Taipei and started traveling down the east coast of Taiwan. In Jiaoxi we stopped at a natural hot spring, before going down to Luodong and spending the night in a hostel there (and of course visiting the nearby night market). The next day we travelled to Hualien, where we are currently staying, and as always went to the night market. I wish we had the equivalent of a night market in the US - I'm going to miss them a lot when I return home. They're immensely fun, and I even get a chance to practice my terrible Chinese when I order food.
Today was our last full day before we have to return to the farm, so two other EPs and I went to Taroko National Park, a beautiful expanse of mountains, gorges, and forest that is only an hour bus ride from Hualien. We hiked up a couple of trails and found some incredible views. I'm going to miss this traveling when we all return to the farm. The farming is fine, but traveling and seeing so many new places is really what I find exciting. I'm hoping we'll get the opportunity to travel more, and that the future camps will be even better.
Monday, July 14, 2014
A humbling fifth week in Mauritius
So I should probably start by apologizing for going MIA this past week. The week was pretty dull and uneventful, so I didn't want to waste anyones precious moments reading things that weren't very interesting. To sum up work, I went back to Ile Aux Aigrettes for two days and continued installing gecko homes. I FINALLY got to see one of the little suckers in it's natural habitat, and on top of that the gecko had set up shop inside one of the older bamboo homes--so at least I know my efforts won't be wasted! Both days required us to get up at 5:45, but as a result we got to watch the sunrise on the way there, so it was a pretty gorgeous start to the day.
More interestingly, on Friday we went to Ile aux cerf, which is a major tourist hot spot since it's a gorgeous island off the eastern coast that offers tons of activities like parasailing and boating. We had to take a dinky boat over to the island, but once there the view was beautiful since you could see the mountains and thick vegetation of the mainland. The first hundred-ish feet of shore is only ankle deep, so we laid in the water, letting the tide come in and out around us for about an hour. It was a windy but warm day, and it was so relaxing just to lounge in the sun. I had to laugh at the tourists there though. There were tons of Europeans, many of which wearing USA themed bathing suits or t-shirts which made it really difficult for me to determine whether or not I should have approached them. Usually once they started speaking French though, I figured it was a lost cause.
Saturday was the long awaited day of Global Village. Everyone was required to bring flags, outfits, objects, and music from their country, as well as adhere to the World Cup theme. Being the American assholes we are, Wesley, Ashley and I all had the same genius idea of wearing football jerseys--not soccer (aka football for everyone else) jerseys like the rest of the AIESECers. Aside from displaying our fabulous wit, we decorated the table with flags and baseballs, as well as brought "homemade" (crappy store bought) cookies and made s'mores. Since there was no fire pit allowed on the Port Louis waterfront, we had to use a lighter to roast the marshmallows--a pretty laughable sight to anyone who actually knows what roasting marshmallows should look like. I had stole wire from the gecko-home supplies, so the four Americans were casually lighting things on fire at our booth. The s'mores were a HUGE hit though! We ran out in about 20 minutes because there was a crowd constantly hovering our booth, trying to get a taste of American culture.
Each country's booth offered food, stories, and cultural facts, so it was really interesting to peruse the various stands and learn a little bit about a ton of different places. Seeing everyone in their element was awesome because I felt like I learned so much about the friends I've made here that I didn't know about before. Global Village gave everyone a chance to share their home life with people from around the world, so in some ways it was a lot of pressure to do your country justice, but also really fun to be creative and analyze what makes your culture different than everyone else's. As a whole, it was a day well spent singing obnoxious American songs and doing tons of roll calls (AIESEC choreographed dances) to the music blaring from the DJ stand..... as well as participate in such an awesome form of cultural exchange between the Mauritian community and young interns.
Each country's booth offered food, stories, and cultural facts, so it was really interesting to peruse the various stands and learn a little bit about a ton of different places. Seeing everyone in their element was awesome because I felt like I learned so much about the friends I've made here that I didn't know about before. Global Village gave everyone a chance to share their home life with people from around the world, so in some ways it was a lot of pressure to do your country justice, but also really fun to be creative and analyze what makes your culture different than everyone else's. As a whole, it was a day well spent singing obnoxious American songs and doing tons of roll calls (AIESEC choreographed dances) to the music blaring from the DJ stand..... as well as participate in such an awesome form of cultural exchange between the Mauritian community and young interns.
Our lack of sleep and a late Saturday night resulted in our whole project sleeping in past noon on Sunday. The other AIESEC group that lives in our building, whom we've become quite close with, was hosting an event for children that day, and had asked that our project support them by making an appearance. The small festival had started around 9 am and lasted until 4, so I knew that we really had no excuse not to show up, even though we had no idea what the event was for and what we would be doing. It took a lot of convincing since everyone was exhausted and the weather was dismal, but Wes and I somehow managed to rally everyone for the last hour of the day party. We were greeted with homemade food and smiling, laughing children, so my reluctance to attend was instantly assuaged.
I was standing to the side, watching the kids play a game of Simon Says, when I was surprise hugged from behind by a small girl in a purple tracksuit. She was beyond adorable, trying to speak to me in Creole and motioning that she wanted me to take her to get a balloon off the DJ stand. When I bent down to her level, she immediately hugged me and started kissing me on the cheek. Then she put her small hand in mine and led me over to the balloon. We spent the rest of the afternoon with her in my lap, while she cuddled with me, played with her balloon, and we did each other's hair. I kid you not, the entire time she never stopped smiling, and truly I think she was the happiest child I've ever met--so carefree and affectionate. Eventually she ran off with a few of her friends, which broke my heart a little bit since this little girl had me seriously wrapped around her tiny fingers. Shortly afterwards, one of the ladies who appeared to be some sort of teacher or authoritative figure over the class of mostly girls came up to me and started telling me about the little girl I had just been playing with. She said that the girl, who could not have been more than 3 years old, had recently been found living on the streets with her grandmother. They had no idea where or who the girl's parents were, nor how old she truly was. Thankfully, when she was found by local church goers, she was moved into the local children's shelter. What really struck me most though, was that the little girl called everyone she talked to "Mommy"--including me, although I hadn't noticed at the time because she was saying it in Creole.
Hearing this actually brought me to tears on the spot. I could not believe that something so tragic could happen to such a sweet, perfect little girl at such an incredibly young age. I was in awe of this tiny child's strength; that she could still chat with and show love to strangers without any signs of trauma or emotional damage. This little girl has suffered more in her few years of life than I ever have, which pains me to think about. It's so unbelievably unfair that she wasn't even given a chance for a normal life, that she was too young to even understand the gravity of her situation or take action against it. At the same time though, I was so overwhelmed with gratitude for the shelter for taking her in and giving her a better quality of life---that someone able had taken her under their wing. Meeting this little girl put life in a whole new perspective for me. I hope that one day I can be just like her: not living life beaten down by my hardships, but rather taking each day as an opportunity to find happiness and enjoy being alive.
After hearing this, I was approached by a different girl, who was 9 years old and relatively shy, that wanted me to dance with her. My tears were instantly wiped away as she taught me several Mauritian dances--giggling at me the entire time. We somehow attracted a small group of her friends to dance with us, but after about 20 minutes of non stop jumping and spinning, I was exhausted. Thankfully I was saved by a break in which the kids were distracted by the goody bags they were given, but this was short lived since the little girls found it more interesting to put their new clips into my hair. This was followed by a game that Chacha taught a group of kids and myself that involved her calling out a number and the kids having to get into groups of that number. The little girl and her friends that had now officially become my groupies clung to me throughout this entire game; doing anything they could to always be in my group. It was really heart warming that the girls had buddied up to me so quickly just because I had showed them some attention and kindness, but it was extremely sad when the game had to be broken up because the kids had to go home. The looks of disappointment on the girls' faces when they realized we were going to be separated made me choke up. We had been having so much fun, even though their English was pretty rudimentary and we couldn't really communicate. After we said our goodbyes and gave countless hugs, the little girls gave me their hair clips as a gift, so I wouldn't forget them. It was so unbelievably sweet, and made it that much harder to leave them.
As we got in the van and pulled away, Sam dropped yet another bombshell on me. While I had thought that only that little girl was living in a shelter, I was completely wrong. ALL of the children at the event that day were living at one of two local children's shelters because they had no parents--a fact that made my heart stop considering I had asked the girls about their families, unknowing of the situation. I couldn't stop thinking about how incredible the kids had been: sweet, loving, and so carefree. It was so so so humbling to have spent the afternoon with children that appreciated life so much, even though they had suffered through such incredible hardships. I struggle to wrap my head around the entire situation, and I admire those little kids so much. To think that I was so reluctant to go to the event in the first place, but left having had one of the best three hours I've had in a long time. The afternoon gave me so much to think about, reflect on, and appreciate, and I really hope that in my last two weeks here I can return to the shelter and spend more time with those kids. They told me one day they wanted to go to America, and I really really hope one day that dream is realized and we can be reunited.
I apologize if this post was long or dragged on for you, but it was such a meaningful weekend that gave me so much to think about. I have learned so much about myself, about the world, and the reality of life in such a short span of time and I feel like I better understand how I want to approach life as a result--with an open heart for meeting different people and taking on each day with the goal of being happy. It was an incredible few days, and some of the most impactful of my life.
I was standing to the side, watching the kids play a game of Simon Says, when I was surprise hugged from behind by a small girl in a purple tracksuit. She was beyond adorable, trying to speak to me in Creole and motioning that she wanted me to take her to get a balloon off the DJ stand. When I bent down to her level, she immediately hugged me and started kissing me on the cheek. Then she put her small hand in mine and led me over to the balloon. We spent the rest of the afternoon with her in my lap, while she cuddled with me, played with her balloon, and we did each other's hair. I kid you not, the entire time she never stopped smiling, and truly I think she was the happiest child I've ever met--so carefree and affectionate. Eventually she ran off with a few of her friends, which broke my heart a little bit since this little girl had me seriously wrapped around her tiny fingers. Shortly afterwards, one of the ladies who appeared to be some sort of teacher or authoritative figure over the class of mostly girls came up to me and started telling me about the little girl I had just been playing with. She said that the girl, who could not have been more than 3 years old, had recently been found living on the streets with her grandmother. They had no idea where or who the girl's parents were, nor how old she truly was. Thankfully, when she was found by local church goers, she was moved into the local children's shelter. What really struck me most though, was that the little girl called everyone she talked to "Mommy"--including me, although I hadn't noticed at the time because she was saying it in Creole.
Hearing this actually brought me to tears on the spot. I could not believe that something so tragic could happen to such a sweet, perfect little girl at such an incredibly young age. I was in awe of this tiny child's strength; that she could still chat with and show love to strangers without any signs of trauma or emotional damage. This little girl has suffered more in her few years of life than I ever have, which pains me to think about. It's so unbelievably unfair that she wasn't even given a chance for a normal life, that she was too young to even understand the gravity of her situation or take action against it. At the same time though, I was so overwhelmed with gratitude for the shelter for taking her in and giving her a better quality of life---that someone able had taken her under their wing. Meeting this little girl put life in a whole new perspective for me. I hope that one day I can be just like her: not living life beaten down by my hardships, but rather taking each day as an opportunity to find happiness and enjoy being alive.
After hearing this, I was approached by a different girl, who was 9 years old and relatively shy, that wanted me to dance with her. My tears were instantly wiped away as she taught me several Mauritian dances--giggling at me the entire time. We somehow attracted a small group of her friends to dance with us, but after about 20 minutes of non stop jumping and spinning, I was exhausted. Thankfully I was saved by a break in which the kids were distracted by the goody bags they were given, but this was short lived since the little girls found it more interesting to put their new clips into my hair. This was followed by a game that Chacha taught a group of kids and myself that involved her calling out a number and the kids having to get into groups of that number. The little girl and her friends that had now officially become my groupies clung to me throughout this entire game; doing anything they could to always be in my group. It was really heart warming that the girls had buddied up to me so quickly just because I had showed them some attention and kindness, but it was extremely sad when the game had to be broken up because the kids had to go home. The looks of disappointment on the girls' faces when they realized we were going to be separated made me choke up. We had been having so much fun, even though their English was pretty rudimentary and we couldn't really communicate. After we said our goodbyes and gave countless hugs, the little girls gave me their hair clips as a gift, so I wouldn't forget them. It was so unbelievably sweet, and made it that much harder to leave them.
As we got in the van and pulled away, Sam dropped yet another bombshell on me. While I had thought that only that little girl was living in a shelter, I was completely wrong. ALL of the children at the event that day were living at one of two local children's shelters because they had no parents--a fact that made my heart stop considering I had asked the girls about their families, unknowing of the situation. I couldn't stop thinking about how incredible the kids had been: sweet, loving, and so carefree. It was so so so humbling to have spent the afternoon with children that appreciated life so much, even though they had suffered through such incredible hardships. I struggle to wrap my head around the entire situation, and I admire those little kids so much. To think that I was so reluctant to go to the event in the first place, but left having had one of the best three hours I've had in a long time. The afternoon gave me so much to think about, reflect on, and appreciate, and I really hope that in my last two weeks here I can return to the shelter and spend more time with those kids. They told me one day they wanted to go to America, and I really really hope one day that dream is realized and we can be reunited.
I apologize if this post was long or dragged on for you, but it was such a meaningful weekend that gave me so much to think about. I have learned so much about myself, about the world, and the reality of life in such a short span of time and I feel like I better understand how I want to approach life as a result--with an open heart for meeting different people and taking on each day with the goal of being happy. It was an incredible few days, and some of the most impactful of my life.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Postcards from Brazil
Before I start of with my experience thus far I apologize it has taken me so long to write! My computer experienced difficulties my first few days here which required me to take it to the shop. Thankfully, things are okay now.
Being a month into my internship and experience here in Brazil, I cannot characterize everything into one thing. I have had the opportunity to experience many different sides of Brazil. I did not have much conceived notions of the country and I am glad that now I now Brazil is not all about Rio, soccer, and beaches.
When I first arrived in Brazil, I was immediately shocked at how for the most part Portuguese is the sole language spoken and often the only language that most people know here. In America it is the norm for a person to speak more than one language. Furthermore, whenever I travel I have this assumption that in the least, I could use english to help get me by. However, arriving in Sao Paulo for the time, I realized english could not help me this time. With this in mind, when we wanted directions or needed help, my friend and I decided to use Spanish but we soon realized the different accents and different words made using spanish barely helpful. My first few interactions with people and right up until my homestay, the only way I knew to get a hold of the language was to take a mini course and listen to the native speakers. Taking my time to learn the language has taught me things like 'pollo' is not chicken in portuguese rather the word for chicken is 'frango.' I also learned the 'r' sounds more like an 'h' so words like 'rapido' sound more like 'happydue.' Reflecting now on when I first arrived, its amazing on how far I have come and how much of the culture I have been able to grasp.
A day after I arrived, I was taken to what would be my internship for the summer by a member of AIESEC in the Ribeirao Preto. On my first day going to see my internship, I was very scared. I did not have a comfortable grasp on the language in addition to having little knowledge on how transportation and streets worked to do this on my own for two months. Because of this I felt that it would be best if I worked at the same NGO as my friend who I came to Brazil with. In this way we will be able to go through any challenges we may face and be able to help each other along the way. Luckily, I was able to switch to be in the same NGO with my friend which has proven to be much easier.
Work at the NGO has taught me alot about working in developing communities. The program I work for provides the children of the neighborhood an alternative to hanging out on the streets. I am able to help with weekly activities such as karate, sewing, physical education, cooking lessons, and computer class. I have also been given the opportunity to teach my own class about my American culture. Aside from class time, I find that the children are very interested in learning American words, whether I have a boyfriend or not, having me to sing Happy Birthday in english for each one of them.
Apart from the NGO I have been able to see different perspectives of a Brazilian family across different cities of Brazil. I will save my sentiments on this topic for my next post. Once again sorry for being so late to post! I now feel like I have so much to say and hope I give you all a better picture as I continue my journey. Until then Tchau and beijous!
Being a month into my internship and experience here in Brazil, I cannot characterize everything into one thing. I have had the opportunity to experience many different sides of Brazil. I did not have much conceived notions of the country and I am glad that now I now Brazil is not all about Rio, soccer, and beaches.
When I first arrived in Brazil, I was immediately shocked at how for the most part Portuguese is the sole language spoken and often the only language that most people know here. In America it is the norm for a person to speak more than one language. Furthermore, whenever I travel I have this assumption that in the least, I could use english to help get me by. However, arriving in Sao Paulo for the time, I realized english could not help me this time. With this in mind, when we wanted directions or needed help, my friend and I decided to use Spanish but we soon realized the different accents and different words made using spanish barely helpful. My first few interactions with people and right up until my homestay, the only way I knew to get a hold of the language was to take a mini course and listen to the native speakers. Taking my time to learn the language has taught me things like 'pollo' is not chicken in portuguese rather the word for chicken is 'frango.' I also learned the 'r' sounds more like an 'h' so words like 'rapido' sound more like 'happydue.' Reflecting now on when I first arrived, its amazing on how far I have come and how much of the culture I have been able to grasp.
A day after I arrived, I was taken to what would be my internship for the summer by a member of AIESEC in the Ribeirao Preto. On my first day going to see my internship, I was very scared. I did not have a comfortable grasp on the language in addition to having little knowledge on how transportation and streets worked to do this on my own for two months. Because of this I felt that it would be best if I worked at the same NGO as my friend who I came to Brazil with. In this way we will be able to go through any challenges we may face and be able to help each other along the way. Luckily, I was able to switch to be in the same NGO with my friend which has proven to be much easier.
Work at the NGO has taught me alot about working in developing communities. The program I work for provides the children of the neighborhood an alternative to hanging out on the streets. I am able to help with weekly activities such as karate, sewing, physical education, cooking lessons, and computer class. I have also been given the opportunity to teach my own class about my American culture. Aside from class time, I find that the children are very interested in learning American words, whether I have a boyfriend or not, having me to sing Happy Birthday in english for each one of them.
Apart from the NGO I have been able to see different perspectives of a Brazilian family across different cities of Brazil. I will save my sentiments on this topic for my next post. Once again sorry for being so late to post! I now feel like I have so much to say and hope I give you all a better picture as I continue my journey. Until then Tchau and beijous!
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Goodbye Ghana
My six
weeks in Ghana have unfortunately come to an end. However, my sixth week was one of my
favorites in Kumasi. It started with a
trip to the public pool at the KNUST campus, known by all as “Poolside.” The
other interns and I spent an entire afternoon there. The pool was quite big, but nearly all of the
people in it stayed in the shallow end.
I learned that this is because most Ghanaians do not know how to swim. There were diving platforms at the deep end,
and I worked my way up from the 1-meter platform all the way to the 10-meter
jump at the very top. We stayed at the
Poolside to watch two World Cup matches on a large projector screen.
Tuesday,
July 1st, was Republic Day, a national holiday celebrating the day
Ghana gained complete control over its government a few years after it declared
independence. Since I had the day off
from school, I decided to go into the center of Kumasi on my own. I wandered through the Kejetia market, which,
as I mentioned in my first post, is the largest open air market in West
Africa. My eyes were overwhelmed by the
vibrant colors of the fabrics, foods, art crafts and other objects being
sold. My ears were overwhelmed
shopkeepers yelling out the names and prices of their products, and often
asking me to take a look at their shop.
I had to constantly be aware of my body and where I was walking, or I
might have gotten pushed or hit in the head by the large bowls many women
carried on their heads. I embraced all
these overwhelming elements, and let myself get lost in the narrow winding
allies of the market. I bartered with
vendors as I bought some gifts and souvenirs to bring home. Somehow I was able to successfully navigate
my way out of the market, and I decided to keep exploring the town. 
I made two discoveries. The first one came shortly after I left
Kejetia. I saw a bell tower at the top
of a hill, so I decided to go see what it was.
It was a large and beautiful cathedral that seemed to be perched on top
of Kumasi. The guard told me I could
enter, so I went in and enjoyed the large interior of the cathedral, which had
beautiful stained glass with some Ghanaian symbols that I recognized. Walking out of the church, I looked at the
top of the tower and thought to myself “I bet there’s a great view from up
there.” And so I asked the guard if it was possible to go up, but unfortunately
he said no. And so I walked down the
hill and kept exploring. Walking across
and overpass with a great view of some of Kumasi’s main streets, I saw a small
market that I had never seen before. I
knew I wanted to be inside it, but I had no idea where the entrance was. So I
walked around the area I had seen from above, looking for some sign or entrance
to the market. It turned out that the
entrance was a tiny little ally where only one or two people could pass at a
time. I only noticed it because I saw
people walking out of it and wondered where they were coming from. In this market, which I called the secret
market, vendors were selling a wide range of products including vegetables,
fruits, traditional medicines, jewelry, and books. After buying some cooking
ingredients from this market, I took a Tro-tro back the LC house, satisfied
with my exploration of Kumasi. 
This week was also my last week of
teaching at the Adako Jachie Junior High School. I taught 9 different classes, each for one
period per week, so every day this week I had to said goodbye to one of two of
my classes. During these last classes, I allowed the students to spend the last
10 minutes of class to ask me any questions they wanted and to take
pictures. All of the students were very
excited during these questioning periods.
Most classes asked me the same entertaining questions: are your parents’
names, do you have brothers and sisters, are you married, do you have children,
what is your favorite Ghanaian food, what is your favorite sport. Every class asked my age, and in every class
cries of disbelief followed when I told them I was 19. They told me they thought I was 25 or 30!
When we took group pictures at the end of each class, the students rushed to
the front of the class and surrounded me completely, each one fighting to stand
next to me or at grab on to my arm. After my very last class on my last day at
the school, I went to say goodbye to the headmistress of the school. I was shocked when she interrupted all
classes and called an assembly. The
students rushed out of their classes and stood in lines with their classes in
the schoolyard. The principle informed
them that I was leaving, and said that I had done a great service to the
school, and that they were grateful for having me and hope I return in the
future. When the students were
dismissed, they all waved and yelled goodbye.
Safe to say, I walked home from school with a big smile on my face that
day.
At the end of my week, Alina from
AIESEC Yale arrived in Kumasi.
Unfortunately our internship dates only overlapped by a couple days, but
it was really fun to see each other in Kumasi.
During my last week, all the interns that were in the house when I first
arrived in Kumasi had left, and so the other interns jokingly called me the
“senior intern.” This was incredibly odd for me. I still remembered clearly what it felt like
to be the new kid. During my first weeks
in Kumasi, when I was learning my way around, I was very dependent on the other
interns. They showed me all around
Kwamo, KNUST campus and Kumasi. They
showed me where to buy food and other supplies, and they explained to me which
Tro-tros to take. I realized that I had
come full circle when I showed Alina around the shops and markets of Kwamo,
following the same exact path that the German intern had used to show me around
on my first day. On my very last day in
Kumasi, we went back into the center of town one more time, and I led Alina and
the other interns all through the Kejetia market and other areas in town. It was very rewarding to be able to navigate
my way around streets that had once seemed like a giant maze to me. I am sure that Alina and the other interns
will also have this same experience at the end of their internships.
It was strange to leave the LC
house and say goodbye to the other interns and Ghanaians. By the time I left, I was so adjusted to my
daily routine, and the general lifestyle in Ghana. There is no doubt in my mind that I will
return to Ghana in the future.
Weeks 3-5 in Kenya
After six weeks in Kenya, I couldn't feel more at home. Everything, from the forty minute walk to school, to the rapport I've built with the neighborhood guards, to the previously bemoaned about food has become both natural and comforting. I'm simultaneously dreading my departure and struggling to accept its coming as I can't fathom where the weeks have disappeared to.
My last blog post left off at Fourteen Falls. The following week and a half marked the transition from the first half of my time here to the second, as the interns I came to know and love during my first three weeks in Kenya reached the conclusion of their own time here. The five interns who were living in the house upon my arrival in May left during this time, making me the most senior intern in the house and also quite possibly the loneliest, as I missed my friends and the constant familiar games, music, and laughter that had surrounded me.
Change is, of course, inevitable, and the departure of the original interns meant the arrival of new, eager faces. Many new interns have come through the house in the last few weeks, mainly from China and Taiwan, but also from Switzerland, Lebanon, and Barbados. With the house bustling again (and my Mandarin skills rapidly increasing from absolute zero to, well, slightly better than absolute zero), I began to embrace the second half of my adventure.
Two weekends ago, I stayed in Nairobi and attended a local football (um, soccer) match played by a team of young men from the neighborhood involved in the nonprofit Tofauti on the Move, an organization started by the man who owns the intern house I'm staying in and the umbrella group which facilitates many projects for AIESEC and non-AIESEC interns alike. The game was in Kilimani, one of the most upscale neighborhoods of Nairobi. Before the game started, I visited a nearby mall with two friends and found a thriving ex-pat community of American and European citizens. Though the expansive shopping center was modern and I certainly enjoyed my fresh smoothie and salad at a café inside, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with the general lack of diversity and wonder why so many foreign residents were content with luxury apartment buildings and shopping malls that were a world apart from the typical Kenyan experience. Of course, I have no personal contact with any of these people and can't offer judgment on their lifestyle, but I can say I prefer my neighborhood in South C, which, though better off than many in Nairobi, is filled with Kenyans who have become much more than neighbors.
The match was enjoyable, and gave me a glimpse into the importance of this sport for many young boys (and some girls!) in this country. Added bonus: the Tofauti team won! The weekend was less eventful than others but I was happy to relax in Nairobi and experience a new side of the city.
Last weekend was my last full weekend in Nairobi, and I spent it in Naivasha at an AIESEC conference. I got to meet many local AIESECers and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings, including the nearby Hell's Gate National Park.
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| Afternoon view from the intern house into the neighborhood field |
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| (from left) Jan, Yi, Me, Véro, Scotty, David -- the week of endless departures |
Change is, of course, inevitable, and the departure of the original interns meant the arrival of new, eager faces. Many new interns have come through the house in the last few weeks, mainly from China and Taiwan, but also from Switzerland, Lebanon, and Barbados. With the house bustling again (and my Mandarin skills rapidly increasing from absolute zero to, well, slightly better than absolute zero), I began to embrace the second half of my adventure.
Two weekends ago, I stayed in Nairobi and attended a local football (um, soccer) match played by a team of young men from the neighborhood involved in the nonprofit Tofauti on the Move, an organization started by the man who owns the intern house I'm staying in and the umbrella group which facilitates many projects for AIESEC and non-AIESEC interns alike. The game was in Kilimani, one of the most upscale neighborhoods of Nairobi. Before the game started, I visited a nearby mall with two friends and found a thriving ex-pat community of American and European citizens. Though the expansive shopping center was modern and I certainly enjoyed my fresh smoothie and salad at a café inside, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with the general lack of diversity and wonder why so many foreign residents were content with luxury apartment buildings and shopping malls that were a world apart from the typical Kenyan experience. Of course, I have no personal contact with any of these people and can't offer judgment on their lifestyle, but I can say I prefer my neighborhood in South C, which, though better off than many in Nairobi, is filled with Kenyans who have become much more than neighbors.
The match was enjoyable, and gave me a glimpse into the importance of this sport for many young boys (and some girls!) in this country. Added bonus: the Tofauti team won! The weekend was less eventful than others but I was happy to relax in Nairobi and experience a new side of the city.
Last weekend was my last full weekend in Nairobi, and I spent it in Naivasha at an AIESEC conference. I got to meet many local AIESECers and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings, including the nearby Hell's Gate National Park.
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| Hell's Gate National Park |
After returning to Nairobi, I visited an Ethiopian restaurant with friends and enjoyed the authentic (and delicious) food from one of my favorite cuisines. Yesterday was 'Saba Saba,' (saba is Swahili for seven, marking the 7th of July) a day hotly anticipated by all in Kenya as a large political opposition rally was planned. All interns were instructed to stay home from work and avoid leaving the neighborhood. Luckily, the rally was peaceful and we're all back to life as usual here.
This is most likely my last post from Kenya, as I'll be home one week from today.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Dylan in Salvador (weeks 3-4)
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| Watching Brazil - Colombia on the big screen at Barra ... on the Fourth of July... oops |
Wow it´s been an unforgettable couple of weeks. Due to the recent conjunction of two religious holidays -- Sao Jaoa (Saint John´s) and the World Cup -- our work at the Instituto was put on hold for about two weeks and me and a few other AIESECers went on some adventures. First we went to San Antonio where we (25 people) rented a tiny apartment for the week and went to the live concerts every night. All the newbies like me had to rapidly learn to dance Bahia´s famous dance, the Forro, because apparently it´s their only dance. After returning from that week we got a good night´s sleep back in Salvador before heading off this next day to Chapada Diamantina, one of the most beautiful natural areas in Brazil which is about a 6 hour bus ride from Salvador. We were there for 4 nights. Using a hostel as base camp, we hiked around on nearby trails, explored caves, swam in beautiful lakes, slid down water falls, and, of course, watched the World Cup. Then, the day after we returned, me and 3 friends decided to try to get tickets for the US-Belgium game in Salvador. Sure enough, we ran into an American selling 4 for 1600 reais and we nabbed them. The result of the game wasn´t pleasant but it was an incredible experience going to a WC match. Since then I´ve been recovering my lost hours of sleep and doing a little reading and eating. Today we returned to the Instituto, and tomorrow Brazil plays.. enough said. That is the briefest of summaries of the last couple weeks. I´ve provided a lot of pictures to compensate for this lackluster post!
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| About to go cave exploring, flashlights in tow |
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| The inside of the Fonte Nova before kickoff |
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| Pelourinho -- one of Salvador´s many late night attractions. From left to right: me, Mickael (French/Portuguese), John (Egyptian), Felipe (Mexican), Ruy (Brazilian), Oscar (Ukrainian) |
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| #DreamComeTrue |
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| Credit for this incredible pic goes to my friend Marie-Charlotte |
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| Riding out the food-coma with a nice view |
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| Mickael and I in Chapada |
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| Chapada |
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| Sao Jaoa |
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| Chapada |
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Karlee's Adventures in Mauritius: Week 4
The last two days have been spent working on a southern island in Blue Bay called Ile aux Aigrettes. Unfortunately this required those of us working there to catch the 7:15 am bus to Mahebourg, which was a job in itself since Sureyya woke up at 7. As a result, we had to sprint down the bus terminal in order to catch our ride. This was quite comical since I'm the only one that was physically capable of sprinting, and the looks that passerby gave me, the tall, white girl busting her butt down the hallway, were a mix of utter confusion and dismay. I got to the bus first, right as it was about to pull away, and told the bus driver to please wait for my friends (they were about 30 feet away). He nodded his head in agreement so I put both feet on the step, but then he proceeded to start driving away! I tried to jump off the bus in order to be with the girls, which caused him to slam on the breaks, giving Sureyya and Alice just enough time to get on board. It was beyond hectic but we made it. Some would say we really hit the ground running that morning... *please hold applause for excellent pun*
When we finally arrived at Blue Bay, we had to take a five minute boat ride to the island. There we would be working with the branch of the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation that focuses on restoring the population of geckos, skinks, giant tortoises, and a few different types of birds on Ile aux Aigrettes. The island isn't large, but it's unique in that it's composed of old coral and covered in vegetation. This makes it incredibly difficult to walk, however, because you have to watch your feet so you don't stumble on a piece of coral while simultaneously watching your head so you don't get slapped in the face by a branch. Needless to say, clumsy me wasn't thriving off of this.
The first thing we did when we arrived was chop up pineapples that would be used to feed the lizards. The fruits they use are donated daily by the local market because they are about to go bad or don't sell, which I thought was a cool way for the street vendors to contribute to the conservation of their country. After preparing the pineapple, we went around to all the different lizard habitats to clean their water bowls and dish out the delicious fruit. The lady showing us around, Nadine, explained that they only keep the young lizards in captivity because they get bullied, crushed, or eaten by shrews when left alone in the wild. The MWF is rebuilding the population by raising the geckos and skinks in habitats for the first year of their lives, then tagging them and releasing them into the wild. It was pretty interesting to hear her talk about the preservation of the reptiles, since they are endemic to Mauritius and now only exist on Ile aux Aigrettes. A lot of measures are taken by the MWF to keep the species alive, and this is all done with little funding from the government. Everything they use is either donated or fundraised for, which is impressive considering how much stuff they need to stay afloat. It's a testament to how passionate the people working for MWF are about their work, and how they are willing to sacrifice a fancy, well-paid job to do something they love.
After a long morning of walking around to the various habitats to distribute breakfast, we began working on their latest project. In an attempt to do more research on the Guenther's gecko, a hard-to-find lizard that they are attempting to monitor, the MWF is tying small pieces of bamboo to gecko-friendly trees in hopes that the geckos build homes in them. Once this particular species nests in the bamboo, the MWF will be able to track them and learn about how they function. Our job was to assist Nadine in installing the bamboo, which is simple in theory and difficult in practice because it required us to carry a huge ladder through the wilderness. Remember what I said about the vegetation hitting you in the face and the coral making you trip? Yea, off the path, this is escalated times a hundred. Then add in the ladder. It was a slooowwww process trying to weave our way through trees, under vines, and over coral rock build ups, all the while making sure we don't step on a lizard or scare a sleeping giant tortoise. It was exhausting physically and mentally, but it also made me feel like George of the Jungle of Eliza Thornberry--a true woman of nature!
The process of installing the bamboo worked like this: Nadine would use her compass and GPS to figure out which grid of the island we needed to be on, then she would walk around the large metaphorical square until she found a tree she thought was suitable for the gecko home. We would prop up the ladder, measure 2 meters from the ground, and then tie the bamboo to the tree using pliers and wire. We had to use her cool GPS monitor gadget to track exactly where this tree was geographically located, then document that as well as how high up the bamboo was tied. It's a simple process, but each round takes about 20-25 minutes to complete, and there are 400 bamboos that need to be set up by the end of summer. We went like this from grid space to grid space for two hours and only got about 4 done, which was exhausting. By the end of the day my shoulders were sore from carrying the ladder and my feet were on fire from being on them all day. Regardless, it was really rewarding manual work since we will eventually be able to see the results. It also felt really great to help the understaffed MWF do something positive for the environment. It's not as though the few bamboos I set up will greatly impact the gecko population, but it's cool to think that I had a small hand in it.
It was really an experience to check out the island and hear from those volunteers and students who work there for extended periods of time. Another project they've had going that I found particularly impressive was their work with pink pigeons, a bird endemic to Mauritius. In the 90s there were only 9 pink pigeons left in the world, but because of the MWF there are now almost 300 living on the mainland and Ile aux Aigrettes. We were lucky enough to see a few of them flying around, and they are beautiful! It would have been such a loss if they had gone extinct, and even though I'm not exactly a bird lover, I felt a lot of gratitude to the MWF for saving such incredible creatures.
I'm happy that I got to work outside and learn about the conservation projects--it was a cool place to spend the week and I look forward to going back! Until then though, I need to pick the twigs out of my hair and dirt out of my shoes. I feel so unbelievably dirty....
Lastly, this weekend was the half way mark of my time here. I can't believe it's already been a month! Each day is jam packed with activities and explorations, making time fly by. Obviously I miss my family and some of the conveniences of home, but this has been such an amazing experience thus far. I'm really excited to see what the next month has in store, but I'm sad that this means my days are numbered!
When we finally arrived at Blue Bay, we had to take a five minute boat ride to the island. There we would be working with the branch of the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation that focuses on restoring the population of geckos, skinks, giant tortoises, and a few different types of birds on Ile aux Aigrettes. The island isn't large, but it's unique in that it's composed of old coral and covered in vegetation. This makes it incredibly difficult to walk, however, because you have to watch your feet so you don't stumble on a piece of coral while simultaneously watching your head so you don't get slapped in the face by a branch. Needless to say, clumsy me wasn't thriving off of this.
The first thing we did when we arrived was chop up pineapples that would be used to feed the lizards. The fruits they use are donated daily by the local market because they are about to go bad or don't sell, which I thought was a cool way for the street vendors to contribute to the conservation of their country. After preparing the pineapple, we went around to all the different lizard habitats to clean their water bowls and dish out the delicious fruit. The lady showing us around, Nadine, explained that they only keep the young lizards in captivity because they get bullied, crushed, or eaten by shrews when left alone in the wild. The MWF is rebuilding the population by raising the geckos and skinks in habitats for the first year of their lives, then tagging them and releasing them into the wild. It was pretty interesting to hear her talk about the preservation of the reptiles, since they are endemic to Mauritius and now only exist on Ile aux Aigrettes. A lot of measures are taken by the MWF to keep the species alive, and this is all done with little funding from the government. Everything they use is either donated or fundraised for, which is impressive considering how much stuff they need to stay afloat. It's a testament to how passionate the people working for MWF are about their work, and how they are willing to sacrifice a fancy, well-paid job to do something they love.
After a long morning of walking around to the various habitats to distribute breakfast, we began working on their latest project. In an attempt to do more research on the Guenther's gecko, a hard-to-find lizard that they are attempting to monitor, the MWF is tying small pieces of bamboo to gecko-friendly trees in hopes that the geckos build homes in them. Once this particular species nests in the bamboo, the MWF will be able to track them and learn about how they function. Our job was to assist Nadine in installing the bamboo, which is simple in theory and difficult in practice because it required us to carry a huge ladder through the wilderness. Remember what I said about the vegetation hitting you in the face and the coral making you trip? Yea, off the path, this is escalated times a hundred. Then add in the ladder. It was a slooowwww process trying to weave our way through trees, under vines, and over coral rock build ups, all the while making sure we don't step on a lizard or scare a sleeping giant tortoise. It was exhausting physically and mentally, but it also made me feel like George of the Jungle of Eliza Thornberry--a true woman of nature!
The process of installing the bamboo worked like this: Nadine would use her compass and GPS to figure out which grid of the island we needed to be on, then she would walk around the large metaphorical square until she found a tree she thought was suitable for the gecko home. We would prop up the ladder, measure 2 meters from the ground, and then tie the bamboo to the tree using pliers and wire. We had to use her cool GPS monitor gadget to track exactly where this tree was geographically located, then document that as well as how high up the bamboo was tied. It's a simple process, but each round takes about 20-25 minutes to complete, and there are 400 bamboos that need to be set up by the end of summer. We went like this from grid space to grid space for two hours and only got about 4 done, which was exhausting. By the end of the day my shoulders were sore from carrying the ladder and my feet were on fire from being on them all day. Regardless, it was really rewarding manual work since we will eventually be able to see the results. It also felt really great to help the understaffed MWF do something positive for the environment. It's not as though the few bamboos I set up will greatly impact the gecko population, but it's cool to think that I had a small hand in it.
It was really an experience to check out the island and hear from those volunteers and students who work there for extended periods of time. Another project they've had going that I found particularly impressive was their work with pink pigeons, a bird endemic to Mauritius. In the 90s there were only 9 pink pigeons left in the world, but because of the MWF there are now almost 300 living on the mainland and Ile aux Aigrettes. We were lucky enough to see a few of them flying around, and they are beautiful! It would have been such a loss if they had gone extinct, and even though I'm not exactly a bird lover, I felt a lot of gratitude to the MWF for saving such incredible creatures.
I'm happy that I got to work outside and learn about the conservation projects--it was a cool place to spend the week and I look forward to going back! Until then though, I need to pick the twigs out of my hair and dirt out of my shoes. I feel so unbelievably dirty....
Lastly, this weekend was the half way mark of my time here. I can't believe it's already been a month! Each day is jam packed with activities and explorations, making time fly by. Obviously I miss my family and some of the conveniences of home, but this has been such an amazing experience thus far. I'm really excited to see what the next month has in store, but I'm sad that this means my days are numbered!
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Farming in Taiwan! Week 1.5
Going from the relative dry, cool weather of my hometown into the heat and humidity of Taiwan was a big change. Even though it was nighttime when I got out of the airport, it felt like it could be the middle of the day. The NCTU aiesecers brought me to the trainee house in Hsinchu via the high-speed train as I tried to deal with the sudden heat.
My project is working on an organic farm near Zhudong, but because the farmer wasn't on the farm for the first few days that I was in Taiwan, some other EPs and I had time to travel to other cities and explore Taiwan for ourselves. Almost every city here is easily accessible by bus, and tickets are only around 100NT for students, about 3 to 4 USD. In Taipei we visited Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, tried food in Ximen - a lively shopping and eating district - and went to the top of Taipei 101, which is one of the tallest buildings in the world. We also took a day trip to Taichung, and after getting totally lost on the bus system, we managed to get to the National Museum of Natural Science, an amazing and quite expansive museum that covers human cultures, prehistoric times, human development, biology, evolution, architecture, and even more that we didn't have time to see. We also went to the Fengjia Night Market, one of the largest night markets in Taiwan, which was absolutely incredible - hundreds of food and drink stands, thousands of people, the smells of fried meats, veggies and tofu, fruit milks and bubble tea, and bright lights and colorful signs everywhere. It was chaotic and beautiful, and a perfect way to end our period of free time before the project started.
The next day we got to see the farm for the first time. We moved from the NCTU trainee house in Hsinchu to a house in the little village next to the farm, where we have a lot more room. There are six EPs on the farm, split between two projects. My project also includes running a camp for local children about organic farming, which we will start next week. In the meantime, we harvest and pack vegetables, pull out weeds, clean the land around the farm, and host tour groups from major cities in Taiwan who want to see life in the more rural areas. It's a lot of work, and each day feels very long, but the people here and the other EPs at the farm are all nice. On the days we have off from work we are able to travel around Taiwan even more. It's been a long first week-and-a-half, but so far has been good.
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