A Positive Look at Challenges

Planning for Week in the Life, learning what it was about, and trying to think of ways to prepare for it, was all very exciting. However, now that we are actually a part of the experience, we have a totally new mindset. So far this week we have learned new cooking skills and how to work in the orchard and in the fields.  The first day we had it pretty easy, moving into our house, cooking and setting up around home. Monday was harder, adding work at the orchard to chores and cooking was rough. Our work included cleaning up debris and leaves, and watering the trees. A seven hour day, working in the hot sun was exhausting, and then when we got home we had to do maintenance on our house, grocery shopping, and cooking. It made us realize the work people have to do every day to make little money and keep up their living spaces.

Monday night was a tough one.  It rained a little bit, getting many of our things wet, including our firewood and matches. So on Tuesday morning it took us a long time to get the fire started to refry our beans for lunch. With no time to walk to the bus, we had to pay for a ride. It was not the best morning, but it is all part of the experience and learning about daily challenges that arise when you don’t have access to electricity, a stove, or a secure shelter. 

Our work on Tuesday was at a local farm picking strawberries. Because the bushes were not mature, there were not a lot of berries to pick. Thankfully, when it’s like this the farmer pays each worker by the day, not by the case of strawberries. 

Within these first few days we have learned a lot about ourselves, each other, and life. It is the people around you that help you out when times are tough. We recognize that we all need to stay positive and determined and we can learn a lot through this experience. With this in mind, I came to the realization that every outhouse is going to be gross so I might as well get over it. I also understand now that when I am at home and my mom comes home from work and I say “What’s for dinner?” that I’m not being fair to her because she’s been working all day. It’s very tiring to go to work and then come home and continue working around the house. I commend the people here who wake up before the sun and labour in the fields all day. I also admire the people at home, in Mexico, and elsewhere in the world that put in a full day of hard work, return home and find the energy to raise a family and maintain a household.

– Grace, LiveDifferent Academy Student 2015

We learn from one another

We had our first full week of volunteering and I felt it went really well. We volunteered at various organizations including Casa Hogar Ebenezer and Buen Samaritano – old age homes, Oasis – an after-school program, Welcome Home – a daycare, New Beginnings- a women’s shelter, and we taught English and an art class at a local school and a community center.

            Throughout the week I really enjoyed teaching English at the Chula Vista Community Centre to kids in grades 1-3. Our class has about 15 children in it and more are joining as the class is becoming known in the community. It is an incredible experience to be these children’s resource to learn a new language. The ability for them to speak and understand English can open up numerous possibilities and opportunities in their lives. It is, however, extremely challenging, as I am not a teacher and have never taught English to anyone.  We were lucky to have an English teacher in Canada devise a beginner program for us and then send a woman down to Mexico to teach us in person.  Even with the program, it is difficult but we are all learning together and from each other as well.  My highlight from our first class was when the children started to catch on to the sounds and letters we were trying to teach them. It is very rewarding hearing the children speak in English even though its only one small word.  Seeing them starting to understand it is an incredible experience.

            I had a great personal experience at Buen Samartiano.  We got to work closely with the seniors and it was really nice to help them out in any way that we could.  While we were there, Ally and I were painting the women’s fingernails. There was one woman who I had a strong connection with. While painting her nails, she was telling me all sorts of stories, which I couldn’t understand since they were in Spanish.  I did my best and smiled and laughed when it was appropriate and she got noticeably happier as our time continued. It is amazing how happy this woman was to have someone listen to her stories and to share laughs with, and I was happy to share that with her too.

            After this first week of volunteering I am very excited for what’s to come within these next few weeks, as we continue to strengthen relationships where we volunteer and with the people in the community. 

~ Danica, LiveDifferent Academy Student, 2015

A Glimpse of What is to Come

During our first week back in Zapata, after Spanish school in Ensenada, we spent most of our time visiting all the volunteering locations and learning about their history and mission. We visited a few afterschool daycares – Oasis, Welcome Home, and Chula Vista Community Center; a couple old age homes – Buen Samaritano and Casa Hogar Ebenezer; and a Women’s shelter called New Beginnings.

Visiting these places was an experience of their own. Each place was so welcoming and passionate about the organization and willing to talk to us about the struggles and path they had to take to create the organization. It felt as if we were entering a bundle of both positive and negative emotions when we listened to the stories of the creators. We were very excited to meet the founders of these organizations and they were excited to meet us and have us help them with their daily activities.

One NGO that stood out to me was the women’s shelter. We met Dorothy, the founder of New Beginnings, and we listened to all the empowering and somber stories of the women at the shelter. Many of the women have been involved in the sex trade or were victims of abuse and neglect. The shelter was set up to help these women rediscover themselves and learn skills such as sewing, cooking, and child care. They fundraise for the shelter every weekend by selling jams in three different flavours: Mango, Strawberry, and Mixed Berry, and mixed in are Jalapeño peppers to make a very sweet, spicy and delicious jam, a treat they graciously shared with us.

This week was a great experience, listening to all the stories, and we are all excited to start volunteering next week.

– George, Academy Student 2015

Ensenada, Spanish classes, and a Trek to find Buddha

Traveling to Mexico and living immersed in the culture is an incredible privilege that I am very lucky to be a part of.  The opportunity to learn Spanish while living here is such a blessing and advantage I did not think I would have. The idea of learning another language did not sink in with me until this week. Traveling to Ensenada left me feeling of anxious, I was really nervous about staying with a host family because of the language barrier. I wondered if they would be able to understand me and how I would be able to communicate with them if we did not speak the same language. After I spent a week with Diana and Roberto, I felt at ease.  Diana prepared every meal for us and made it a warm, welcoming stay, and overall an awesome experience. Mexican food is very different from what we are used to eating in Canada.

At every meal we are offered homemade tortillas or a kind of burrito, and of course refried beans. It very delicious although some of the spices are very strong and not what we are all used to. Diana and Roberto did their very best to make us feel at home and comfortable.  Not only did we learn Spanish in our schooling but we also learned it in the home speaking to each other. I have to admit that working to learn a new language in such a short amount of time is mentally exhausting, so our days usually ended pretty early, to catch up on much needed sleep.

The first week in Spanish school was somewhat difficult. The first couple days were easier with learning verbs and adjectives, but as we got more into the language, I found it to be a challenge.  We attended Spanish lessons Monday to Friday, 9am to 2pm. Since we had some down time after school, we were able to explore the city of Ensenada.  My Academy family and I trekked to find a statue of a giant Buddha and we hiked up one of the mountains to find a gorgeous view of the whole city.  Three sides of the city are surrounded by mountains. The Pacific Ocean is on the fourth side.  We also went horseback riding down the beach. I was so nervous but was happy I faced my fears and went with the group.

Getting to know the area of Ensenada was different than the area of Zapata where we live during the program. There, everything is spread out and poverty is more prominent, and it is much smaller in population, with only 4682 people. Ensenada is a city with a population of 466,814 and consists of old and new developments. I am told that it is very much like California, USA.  I am learning a lot about Mexico and the culture, and I am hopeful I will be able to retain and speak Spanish with my Academy family, the community, and even with my parents on face time!

– Grace, LiveDifferent Academy Student, Fall 2015

Laughter, Stories, and Love

When I thought about going to do a LiveDifferent Build, I couldn’t wrap my head around what I would to actually experience. I could only try to picture the people I was going to meet and the house I was going to help build. I am pleased to say that the picture in my head was not as awesome as it actually here! I have never met such inspiring people in my life, including one of our families, Hilda and Fransicso. Their way of living might not be how we live in Canada or the US but they make it work, they laugh, they have love stories just like you and I, and they love each other unconditionally.

           
At first the family was a little bit shy of all of us, but today they started to come out of their shells and to build alongside us more and more. Hilda, the mother, was so excited to see the green apple paint color she had chosen for the outside of their new home and helped paint almost all day. Fransisco, the Father, and Havar, the Grandfather, came to help also after working his regular day job of delivering water. Lupe, the Grandmother, loved to paint and especially loved telling her loved stories about how she met Havar at such a young age!  Lastly, the children stole our hearts immediately. The language barrier means nothing when you’re laughing and playing soccer with them. They are fun and excited to have us all at the work site – even the neighboring kids come around to play!

Tomorrow is another day at the work site and everyone is saying how different everyday will be and I am so excited to experience it! I am so filled with hope for Hilda, Fransicso, Lupe, Havar, and all the children as we all continue to help build their new home.

Kaelin, LiveDifferent Volunteer, Mexico Public Trip, 2015

The Happiest Place on Earth

Ryley School – All the Hard Work Was Worth It

Coming into this week, we were not really sure what we should expect. Should we be excited? Nervous? Scared? A mix of all three? Upon arrival, we soon realized that the cultural differences between rural Alberta and rural Mexico was too much to comprehend. When we first met the family we were shocked at the emotional and technological differences between our lives and theirs, as well as the appreciation they showed as we first started to help them on their life-changing build. When we first started, we could tell the family was shy to be around us, but they quickly warmed up as we worked with them and played games with their children. As far as construction goes, it was relatively easy, but it was also a great learning experience for everyone. We all learned something about building from our head construction leader, Saùl, and we all learned something about ourselves from our time working together. As a result, teamwork now has a new meeting for us. It helps us grow closer together, and accomplish greater things. It was easy to see that this family deserved this build, whether it be from the father’s admirable work ethic, or the mother’s never ending smiles.

Each build day, a group of four of us accompanied our LiveDifferent translator Felipe on “A Day in the Life,” which is an experience of the daily lives of citizens of Zapata. This experience really opened our eyes into the true lives of Mexicans, and the challenges they face. Many of the amenities we take for granted are considered luxuries for the people of Zapata, and that really made us realize how fortunate we really are. Think about your daily lives. You wash clothes at least once a week, dishes whenever the machine is full, and clean whenever necessary, but to the people of Zapata, it’s a full 12 hour day, seven days a week, just to take care of their families. This experience made us realize how much we take our lives for granted when families can be so happy with a lot less. A fun thing we got to do was make traditional tortillas with the families finding out how good each family’s own salsa recipe is!

As previously stated, the actual build was relatively easy, but it was a lot of fun. The family helped us with everything from cutting wood and hammering in nails, to just interacting with our group in general. There was always time for capuchis (piggy backs) for the children and time to let loose. The parents are quiet people, but even with a big language barrier, if we helped them with the smallest of tasks they tried their best to show their appreciation. The mother of the family showed a very nurturing character by the way she wanted to take care of us, and the father was just a genuinely hard worker.  

The house dedication ceremony affected us all in a very powerful way. Seeing the joy radiating off the family’s faces made all of our hard work worth it. The pastor of the family was there to bless the house and deliver a wonderful prayer towards us all. In the final moments, watching the keys being handed over, the weight of our work really hit home for everyone, even staff who have done this time and time again. Nearly everyone was brought to tears by the powerful emotions of the moment. The pastor, his wife and Saúl also showed great emotion to see what we have all accomplished in such a short time. It was such a pleasure to affect someone’s life in such a significant way, and it’s an experience that none of us will ever forget.  

We would also like to thank LiveDifferent for all of their great support in our journey with this family and how welcoming the staff were. Our group, Ryley School Leadership, would like to give huge thanks to Andrew, Dawn and their son Anthony for sharing this experience with us and making this all possible. They are such a loving and caring family who go out of their way to help countless groups build houses for families in need. Again, a big thanks to Saúl for being patient and guiding us through the build, and to Felipé for taking us on “A Day in the Life” and being the coolest translator that can fit in and tell endless stories to us all. Also would like to thank Yulisa who helped us translate and go through this build. She was another person who had a smile, no matter the situation. Lastly a great big thanks to the kitchen and cleaning staff who made this a whole lot easier and filled our stomachs three times a day while introducing us to many traditional cuisines! Thank you- A trip to remember and an experience we will never forget for the rest of our lives!!

– Daniel and Brady, Ryley School LiveDifferent Build, Mexico, 2015

The best things about Mexico

Giving is Getting

Parksville Rotary Team Mexico – Dedicated To The Ones We Love

It has been a day of many emotions as we dedicated a new home to our new family, Policarpio, Augustina, Jennifer and Puol.

The day started with a flurry of shopping – beds, furniture, groceries, dishes, cutlery and household supplies. Then it was off to the house to install everything and set up bedrooms with bedding (including beautiful quilts handmade by Louise), and lay out donations of clothing and personal items, including teddy bears for the children.

And before we knew it, it was showtime. The family had not yet seen inside the house, and we all gathered around in a semi-circle around the front door. The keys were passed from team member to team member, each of us who wished to do so saying a few words to the family, with translation by our co- worker and amigo, Isaak. It was a time of honest emotion and more than a few tears.

Working alongside the family as a team, all our lives had been changed forever…and the Rotary Club of Parksville AM has been changed, as this project marks the beginning of what will undoubtedly be a long and successful partnership with LiveDifferent.  This project was but the beginning – Rotarians are now engaged!

After the dedication, we ate together – chicken and fish with salsa, pasta salad and tortillas – all prepared by Policarpio and Augustina. It was a gesture of gracious hospitality that was unexpected but so appreciated.

And now for some final thoughts from the team:

– Definite highlight of the day – the smiles on the faces of the family as they entered their new home, leaving behind 120 sq feet of space for a 484 sq ft 3 room home.

– Long lasting impact – a feeling of truly bonding with the family and we could always come back and feel welcome.

– The biggest OMG moment came from Louise when a roll of toilet paper she was unwrapping flew out of her hands and landed in the toilet bowl – a major “oops” since toilet paper is not to be flushed.  Bring out the tongs!!

–  Favorite Mexican taste sensation – Jamaica – pronounced ha-micah – a delicious and refreshing drink brewed from hibiscus flowers.  another first – fresh caught mercado caught by Policarpio the night before the dedication, cooked whole and served in a huge pot.

– And we could not end this blog without mentioning someone who was with us every step of the way. Pedro and his family had their home built 2 years ago and, as his way of giving back, has participated in every home build as a volunteer since then. He an his wife also sell local crafts, and this evening he brought his beautiful merchandise to our compound. At the end of the evening, he gave us all a hand-braided bracelet as a gift. Such generosity was a wonderful end to our visit and a heartwarming highlight.

Adios Amigos,

Rotary team Mexico, LiveDifferent Trip, 2014