Love Will Change the World: Global Citizens Program 2014

Also late...but, as always, better than never...

Last spring I got the opportunity to chaperone an international service trip called Global Citizens Program (GCP) to Tellunas, Indonesia with 28 high school kidlets. We spent 24 hours traveling there with plains, trains, busses, and a few types of boats. Every minute was worth it when arriving to our accommodations...

 We did a few days of service work with a local village by hauling sand, building some well walls, and taking care of children. My students made me SO proud and really jumped in to serve this community.

 I got to do a home stay with five of my girls at the home of an amazing family. They made us feel so welcome and it was an emotion departure. After our service days and home stay, we did a jungle trek and stayed overnight! It was beautiful and hammock sleeping in the jungle was amazing. I actually woke up in the middle of an Indonesian island jungle on my 29th birthday - wow!! My students even made me a surprise cookie cake with an elaborate drama to get my to the 'surprise party'. They were amazing!

 This is Will and Yaya...what a pair. It is moments like this in teaching when you realize that all you have to show students is that Love will change the world. It's love of others that will transform lives. I could not be more blessed to be in this career with these kids. The future looks pretty bright to me. 

I'm On a Boat! Spring break 2014

Better late than never, right??

No running water, no wifi, no phone reception, no email, no electricity (well, sometimes a few hours from a generator)...sounds like a little slice of Heaven! After a few flights and a cozy hotel in Manila, I got on a boat for a week with five co-workers, one long time friend, and Tyler's parents (Tyler is a co-worker with very brave parents). I could not have asked for a more amazing trip! Snorkeling, playing in the water, walking beaches, fishing, bon fires, naps, reading, relaxing, fresh food, and awesome friends. 

Thanks to the suggestion of teachers who were at APIS before my time there was even a dream, we embarked on a TAO trip. This was one week of being on the boat and at various base camps between Coron and El Nido in Palawan, Philippines. It was fanominal and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the simple life, full of beauty but not electricity :). 

Each morning we would have breakfast and then snorkel to the boat. We would then go island hoping, fishing, swimming, snorkeling, or just cruising. Around lunch time we would stop and swim while the chef whipped up something amazing in the tiny kitchen on the boat. He was AWESOME! Fresh fish, calamari, fruits and side dishes I had never seen. The food was delicious every single time. Then we would do more of the above list and settle at a base camp about two hours before dinner. We would explore around, have an island cocktail, and relax. Some evenings we played games or watched the beautiful sunset before turning in for the night. I can only describe it as paradise. 

I distinctly remember thinking to myself, as we floated past an uninhabited tropical island, that I couldn't be more thankful for the life that God had provided for me. Never in a million years did I think this would be my reality.

I got the opportunity to go on a discovery dive (SCUBA) before our boat trip which has me hooked! I'm hoping to get my dive certification soon so that I can keep exploring the underwater world. I also caught the first fish on the boat - much in the way I caught my first fish ever...after taking over a line from someone named Matt. Thanks to the Matt's in my life for the fishing luck :) As it turns out, I also have a natural aptitude for blow dart guns...who know. Thanks Philippines, I'll be back!