Hello, I am a student at Kutztown University and I was wondering if I could use some of these photos for a poster project. I'm doing an informational poster about La Chureca and how people could help. Just let me know!
So many questions Katie,
I stumbled onto your blog today and had many emotions associated with reading your entry. You write from the heart and that is wonderful and amazing. Thank you for being so open.
My husband and I are nurses and have not yet done any volunteer work but talk about doing some. We have had conversations about do people really help or are they doing this work to make themselves feel better. Intentions are good but how does it play out in reality.
I curious, if you don't mind, how you are feeling about all of this four years later?
I love your writing style. It would be great for you to start blogging again -- about your travels or your local area.
MJ
Volunteering in Latino America Hi Katie,
I am more on the become "bilingual, share Canadian culture, adapt to their culture". Having taught in Canada as a para professional, I decided to take early retirement and teach in latin america. First I volunteered for the UN through English Opens Doors and worked for three months in Maipú and Melipilla, Chile with 16 - 18 year olds in a high school in 2008. This February to April I spent in Chinandega, Nicaragua living with a friend and teaching at the library classroom a similar age group. The students of both places put on a wrap up performance proudly displaying their English conversational skills, maps, skits and songs from our Canadian culture. It led to many contacts and I am now on my way to Costa Rica and then to Spain.
I find the element which I feel comfortable in is teaching students who have studied English grammar but need the practice of speaking. It enables me to see the area and to adapt to the different lifestyle. For instance: the food was difficult to enjoy in Nicaragua as it was rice, beans, deep fried fish, freshly killed poultry; in Chile our spring/summer was their freezing winter with no central heating system.
I am happy that you challenged yourself reaching a new potential. I suggest that you determine your comfort zone and enable others to either become empowered through education, or save their animals, or learn to have a healthier lifestyle.
Good luck, but please continue your efforts as they are really needed.
Respectfully,
Suanne Miki
When I went to la chureca in 2000. Since, I can't live without thinking about it. I did a depression and I also try to kill myslelf. Now, I do better and try to maintain hope. I reconize miself in the way you have react. It make my feel beather to see that I am not alone. thanks for chearing your thought (sorry for my english, I know it suck) Sarah
la chureca i'm just about to go to the managua dumps in about a week. i've been traveling around latin america visiting different non-profs but am just planning on showing up at the dumps to see all that is being done. i've had a bunch of friends who had gone there doing work in the past and what you said is the impression i got from them: so many people going in and feeling bad and wanting to help, some may even help more, but nothing ever changes. i really don't know why i'm writing this but was looking around for info on the dumps and ran into your blog. any new thoughts in the last month or still only questions? I guess i sort of have the same ones but to help process i was just going to go and 'hang out.'
Your Blog Hola Katie. Estube leyendo tu blog sobre tu viaje a Nicaragua el año pasado. Es muy triste que te hallas decepcionado al encontrarte con la gente que conocistes el año anterior. Hopefully by now you are feeling better emotionally and have your thoughts clear on how to contribute to make this world a better place for all of us. I am sure there is lots of people who see you as their hero. Have a wonderful day. Adios muchacha :)
that good hey that report is goof because i know que that is truth i worked with pieat well Alejandra Cardenas is mi mother and the work what that organization doo is realli hard, they'r work very hard all day for the comuty have alittle education to they'r child, well i marabelous about these picture, because i live in Cuba and i have any picture of mi city...
congratulation... and sorry because your room is not very confortable..
Walter Ramirez....
-Habana cuba 9 Marzo 2008
La Chureca Hi
I visited the Chureca too. I was in Nicaragua developing a project - in a sort of social entrepreunerial way I guess! - and I'm working with an organisation that works on La Chureca. I'd love to talk to you about it. The experience had as transformative an effect on me as it sounds like it did on you. I'd love to be able to talk to someone who understands that!!! You can email me anytime on seth@sethreynolds.com. I'd love to hear about what you were doing there, and I'll explain more about my story too...!
Thank you I as a peruvian would like to give you a special thanks for your welcome help through out the peruvian land. Thanks and hope you enjoyed your trip/// Cant write well smoking a cigarrete right now
I really like both of the quotes you posted.
It's ok not to know. I find myself saying I don't know all over the place these days. It's almost a relief to identify that which we don't know, because that means there's still so much more to learn in life.
Glad to hear you're having such a good time in the selva =) I told dad you're safe and happy there.
Giving the finger to someone when you're really angry can feel really good. I did it once to a particular asshole (*cough x-bf*), and it was beautiful. I almost laughed afterwards.
Haha I love how you had an overprotective host family. You're right, you shouldn't pay to be disciplined. People go to college to escape discipline and to become an adult, not to become a child again.
I LOVE all of the pictures you posted- especially of Parque del Identidad and Ma Fe and the sheep. Very cute.
All I've been doing for the past few days is whining about how I want goo gah (you) to come home. Obviously, I still miss you. Hope you're getting as much as you can out of each day you spend in Huancayo.
I wish you would tell me what it is you went there for :’(
You are an amazing Ninna. I want to have another conversation with you in Spanish! I don’t like admitting when I’m wrong, but I don’t have a problem admitting when I don’t understand something. I think I’m a little too curious (annoying) when I talk to people lately.
Who is the professor? Is he annoying or something? YES sorry I got excited reading the word August (when you return).
I can picture all the kids clinging onto you.
What did you do when you got the note from the little boy? That must’ve been kind of awkward.
I don’t get why that woman repeated “how much she says” but I can picture that situation and for some reason, it’s annoying me. Maybe I’m just irritable.
You are important and not just to me and mom and dad. You’re important to those kids. Teachers, even assitant teachers, don’t realize the extent of their impact of the lives of others. Yes, you could leave. And the fact that you have chosen not to shows that you care. That’s what’s really important- that you actually care. The best teachers and the most influencial people need to care, and you do. About being important? No one is important to the world. Actually, there are some supposedly “important” people that our world could do without.
Talk to me! Please call me tomorrow (Monday) afternoon. I’ll send you an e-mail reminding you in case you don’t get this comment today. You are the only person who knows why you have to do what you’re doing, but I think it would be good for you to share that with someone. I vote me =D
I’ve told people what I’m passionate about and what I want to do, but I kind of only want to tell you and maybe a word document.
GO.
Your head should remind you that humans act out of self-interest. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be humans, we would be Jesuses (lol wow I am blasphemous).
Expect influence and knowledge and growth and discoveries (and this applies to life in general); And expect all that to effect the next path that life will lead you to.
We are lucky and priveledged. But we are human. And we are all part of the same blanket (Huckabees<3).
Oh my god OH MY GOD!!
How awesome are you?
Very much so, I think. I am somewhat tipsy at the moment, however, and unable to leave a better comment than that.
YOU ARE SO AWESOME!
And I am so going to South America someday. You have officially inspired me. (And Ella, who is looking over my shoulder.)
Love love love you.
Follow your instincts! Seriously, hon, this is YOUR TRIP! Don't feel obligated to stick to any plans that you made, and if your heart is trying to lead you somewhere else, follow it!
You are free to do what you want, when you want, and go anywhere that you want to. What's a bad reference in light of having an amazing adventure you'll remember for the rest of your life? You better have some damn good stories when you come back to Boulder.
I miss you like crazy!
When we have our crazy round-the-world trip, we have to go to Argentina, okay? In addition to everywhere else.
Pleasing people? Who gives a crap about that anymore?? This travel blog should be for you. So you can look back and be like, oh that's how I was feeling about that mango? I'm glad I wrote that down because individual experiences like that don't happen too much in America.
Parents?? Parents are awesome and all, but some parents *aheemmmm*, you need not care what they think so much. Just a reminder.
I get lost a lot. And you know what's starting to get fucked up? I end up in specific places, when I don't think too much about where I'm going. I was driving Mom's car around the other night. I ended up at Truro Road and Vikki Gilbert's house. I was killing some time and turned my brain half-off, (I do that, it's kind of a bad habit when I'm in the car slslslslsl), and was brought to Truro Road. I smiled when I got there. I kept driving and ended up at Vikki Gilbert's. I caught myself as I was approaching the driveway, and wondered "what the hell?" I turned my brain back on, and I was back in reality. I had been thinking about her that day (role model).
The voice needs to change to Don't do that right now. I don't know how to change that voice, but it's a crappy one. Ignore it. Get a new voice, they're cool. I think that mean voice comes from dream crushers.
Here's the thing about the heart (heart, not the organ, the thing that makes us want to be happy and passionate). The heart needs direction. The heart needs a home, and the home you give it is usually what you're most passionate about. It's the artistic outlet thing I was talking to you about on the phone. Just make sure the head rules over the heart. The heart is awesome and needs an outlet, so it can thrive, and give you happiness in return. But if the heart gets too much attention, it takes over the head and makes things too confusing, emotional, etc. for the head to work properly. Like right now, I'm writing. And my head is telling me, "people are going to read this and think this or that." And I should probably change how I'm writing so people don't think this or that, because I'm sensitive, so when people think I'm weird, crazy, or stupid, my reaction is ='( I ammmm???? Thankfully, my head can also bring me back when my heart reacts to criticism (sometimes... rarely... hopefully? lol). It says "People criticize, but that doesn't mean you have to believe them. Believe in yourself before others, because no one else can do that for you." - Inspirational look -
HOLA The cambis sound really exciting. I like your description of them, especially of the guy who tries to get as many people into the cambi as possible.
Those pictures are BEAUTIFUL. It makes me feel like I'm right there with you. I can't wait to see all the pictures- I hope you're taking as many as possible.
I want to hear about what happened when you talked to the people at the church. I also would really like to hear more about your volunteer work in Tonito. THE AIKIDO CAME IN HANDY! Wow... that is like magic.
I'm glad I could be part of your journey into such a wonderful culture. Hopefully, one day, you and I will go to a Spanish-speaking country together.
I'm really happy that you're having these experiences. You deserve them and I can't wait to have discussions with you about what you saw and learned.
(I'm sorry it has taken me so long to subscribe. I feel like an asshole.)
Hi Ninna Boulder is beautiful and those pictures are really good. I love the one of Nicole hugging the tree and the one of you and dad.
I miss you so much :( I should give up on Mass and come to Boulder. People are too angry around here. But wait, if I go to New York, people are even angrier there!
Oh well, hopefully you'll come join me in NY someday and we can be together. We can get those apartments and have cats, dogs, and some money.
Hey Katie, hope you remember me (the swiss traveler :). Unlike for you, my travels are over now, and it's time to look for something new. Your blog is really interesting. Enjoy your trip, get new experiences and return safely and enriched...
-Marco
Hey darlin! It's so good to hear from you, way on the other side of the world. I miss you tons, and wish I was there too. All my current travel plans have fallen through. But I might be going to the Burning Man Festival in August. Weird!
Miss and love you. I can't wait to hear the rest of your stories. I wish I was there! (Or at least somewhere else...)
Much Love, Nicole
I don't think living life afraid to die is living life! However, I guess there is a certain line at which it just becomes recklessness. I don't know where that line is.
katie! katie! you're in peru... how exciting-- hope you're doing well talking, learning, seeing, and being alive. i hope you find much inspiration and it was great spending time with you in nicaragua this year. i look forward to reading more about your travels!
Dude, getting on random busses and exploring the places I get lost in are my favorite way to travel. As long as I can find my way back...
And, btw, my advice on blogs and journals is to keep them, mainly for yourself. Write about the things that you found interesting and beautiful. It will show through your writing.
Much love,
Nicole
PS.
I talked to your dad- ignore my last few emails. Rent is now taken care of.
Woo-hoo!
Taylor Sharp
non-member comment
Hello,
I am a student at Kutztown University and I was wondering if I could use some of these photos for a poster project. I'm doing an informational poster about La Chureca and how people could help. Just let me know!