Ten Days!!

In just ten days I will be flying to Ghana for my three month internship!

My feelings are completely mixed with fear and excitement but I cannot wait to leave. I have been looking forward to this trip for months now and it is finally here!

Along with this trip has come a lot of administrative procedures and a lot of things I needed to take care of. For starters, Christmas. Oh how I love the hustle and bustle of Christmas, but sometimes it gets a little too hectic for me to handle. This year my family decided to spend Christmas at the cottage- Best. Decision. Ever. Escaping the city was incredible and seen as we got snowed on just a few days earlier, the country looked absolutely beautiful. We went snowboarding, baked cookies, picked out a pretty ugly Charlie Brown tree, and watched home videos! It was so much fun and incredibly relaxing. It didn't feel like Christmas- which was strange but I enjoyed it. I felt at ease with everything and I really felt like the true meaning of Christmas was there. We didn't focus on presents, we just spent so much time together and laughed so much! Just what I wanted. It was wonderful to see my family and close family friends together to celebrate the holidays.

After working today (Boxing Day) I really felt ready to leave. I have been at my job for three years now, working in retail. Although it can be fun, watching tons of people buy thousands of dollars worth of electronics kind of made me sick... It was difficult to watch, not going to lie. And I get- sweet sales, whatever, but let's be real- do you really need half the stuff you bought? You'll probably return it in a week or two anyways. Beyond the point (sorry). With that being said, tomorrow is my last day at work. I have made so many wonderful friends at work and I couldn't be more thankful for them. They have been so supportive of my traveling and volunteering, it is unbelievable! They have been accommodating and encouraging, I will most definitely miss them. However, I do feel it is time to move on. I would love to find a job related to my field, or even just volunteer to gain more experience. It is time to narrow down my interests and focus on a career that benefits others! When I get back from my internship I am hoping to have some more things figured out pertaining to who I want to be and what direction I would like to go in!

Other than work and the holidays, the other preparation just includes the usual needles, medication, packing, and of course my Visa! I applied for my visa at the Ghanaian Embassy in Ottawa and received it back a couple of weeks ago- that is when it really started to feel real! Other than that, the usual needles and malaria pills need to be taken. The best part about Christmas- every thing I got was for me trip... pretty sure I got a lifetime supply of hand sanitizer! I also got a beautiful backpack to use! I am getting so excited just thinking about it! I am starting to feel prepared and I have one whole week off to settle down and prepare and figure out any last minute things I need to get. After that, I will relax and say my final goodbyes!

Ghanaian Embassy, Ottawa

Once I arrive in Ghana I have an in-country orientation in the capital of Accra and then I will head up north to Damongo where I will be for the next three months! Stay tuned for more blogs :) I'll try to post one right before I leave!

Lots of Love,

Bianca

Training

Hey :)

My flight to Ghana has officially been booked on January 6... only 16 days, 4 hours, and 2 minutes until I leave! It is creeping up on me... but I am so excited!

One thing that I really like about going on an international internship through school is the mandatory pre-departure training. At first we were told we have to complete 30 hours of this training which sounds exhausting and overwhelming when you are trying to complete assignments and study for exams. However, so far this pre-departure training has proved to be extremely beneficial and in a way I feel more advantaged. We have discussed so many interesting things that I probably wouldn't have even considered or realized if I just took off on a trip. With that being said, this blog is going to be focused on sharing some of the thoughts and insights I have learnt through these training sessions!

During our first official training we discussed the concept of power in terms of sociology and how we are perceived in different places. I compared myself in Canada to how I will be seen in Ghana. So what we did was draw a "Social Power Flower" and each petal was a different concept to look at: education, ability, race, citizenship, age, language, religion, class/wealth, gender, and culture/ethnicity. So in Canada my education is seen as valued, however most people nowadays go for a Masters so I am still not considered the most "powerful". However, in Ghana I am extremely valuable because I completed high school and am currently studying in a university. Another interesting thing that we discussed was age. In Canada, my age is seen as valuable, but we concluded that around 30-50 you are most efficient because you are settled down and working at the best of your ability. In Ghana, children would most likely not be as valued but the elderly are usually very well respected. I found it very interesting to compare my social power in Canada to how I could be perceived in Ghana. It really opened up my eyes and got me thinking. I loved it!

Another interesting pre-departure training we had was on accountabilities and we discussed paradoxes:
1. You are in charge but not in control
2. It's all about you but it's not about you
3. You are on your own but not alone
4. You get out of it what you put into it
5. No pain, no gain
6. There are no good internships, just good interns

These were also interesting and kept me thinking, definitely something to reflect on and consider when volunteering or working abroad!

We still have two more training sessions to go in the beginning of January, but so far they have been extremely beneficial and I feel advantaged because of them. I feel like my eyes have been opened before I have even left! I am so excited to put everything we have discussed in training into practice when I am in Ghana! It will be interesting to go back and see if things made sense or worked out the way we had discussed them in training. It will be an adventure to say the least!

I cannot wait... departure is coming up so soon!!

Love Always,
Bianca :)

Reflective Rant

Tonight's blog is solely based on my reflections lately...

I am currently in my third year of university, studying International Development and Globalization. Over the past few years I have had numerous people ask me what my program is about and I usually just say the generics- economics, politics, and sociology all mixed together. After going through two and a half years I have learnt that it is without a doubt so much more complicated than I that- almost a little too complicated for my liking.

I used to think about poor people and just simple ways to help and all of a sudden such an easy sounding phrase turned into a complicated mess. Through the years I have learnt the ins and outs of development and how complex it really is. There are numerous amounts of actors involved and there are so many contradictions within development that is does get very, very discouraging. This has been something I have been dealing with for a while- a struggle I have been trying to overcome. I wish I could tell you that this blog will provide a solution, but it won't. I haven't found the answer yet, but this is a step closer.

When studying development you learn about all of the issues related to the environment, the people, food issues, health, education, ...the list goes on and on. It gets very overwhelming and often directs me in a way that really scares me: it gets me thinking about what if I took another path, what if I didn't choose development and what if I just went to school to study journalism or to study psychology, what would life be like then? I still think about this on a everyday and wonder. But then again, I was never a "what if" girl, I like to live in the moment and always plan the future or my next move, I don't like looking back and wondering what if I took a different route. Plus everything happens for a reason, right? Who knows. I'm hoping to find that out along the way as well... *sigh* so much to look forward to.

Looking at my current position, things are alright. I am beginning exams and looking forward to Christmas will my super awesome family. But next semester, that is the where the excitement begins. As you may or may not know I am embarking on an entirely knew adventure, something I have never done before. I am going (more or less) alone to Ghana for three whole months. I am relatively isolated up north in the sense that majority of volunteers are in the south near the city. I am unsure of my actual mandate there and have no idea who I am working with or where I am staying.. adventure, right? I am really excited to challenge myself, but with that a lot of worries arise to.

If there is one thing I have learnt in development it is to have a critical eye... on everything. Which, truth be told, I absolutely hate. I hate hate hate hate hate having a critical eye. There I said it. Some (k probably all) might say I am naive.. mainly because all I want is peace and love... but seriously. I just find having a critical eye can totally ruin everything that is good in a situation and it really turns me away from ever believing in anything and I don't like that. In a way, I like to find out the hard way that things are wrong or not how they should be- because that is how I learn best. In Thailand, we were talking about the situation there and how human trafficking is terrible and what not, until we turned our positive eye towards what we were doing and realized that it was actually a story of hope. I really don't believe in looking at the negative or the critical eye- feel free to agree or disagree, doesn't matter to me- but I think there is a huge difference between becoming aware of things and being critical of things. Because there is. It is important to be aware of your surroundings and how things work, but you don't need to criticize everything and automatically assume the worst.  I don't want to become a negative person and that is something that, truthfully, I am scared of. And that is a fear of mine- to become somebody who thinks that way... (There's nothing wrong with learning from your mistakes, right?)

Anyways, back to my point, with my trip to Ghana I am really excited and trying to have a positive attitude but at the same time I am terrified of what I am going to experience- everything seems so awesome at this point and what if I turn that critical eye to everything I see and end up hating it? Sure I will learn from my experience and blah blah blah, but let's be real- focusing on girls' education, how could that turn bad? Oh but it can, just get out your "critical lens." I'm scared for what is to come and I am trying to stay positive but in development it is really difficult.

With that being said, I am trying to be "the bigger person" to myself.. if that makes sense? I continuously tell myself that if something doesn't seem appropriate or right, I have the power to change it because I am working with this organization. I will have a say and with my education I have knowledge to share. I guess I am just struggling with my place in society.. and in the world. Hopefully through this trip and through finishing up my undergrad I will be able to have a positive view on things (again). Pretty much I am just having an identity crisis... and after thinking about that, I realized that it's okay. I don't need to know who I am or what I want, but I do need to stick to my morals and values and in the end that's all that matters.

Anyways, I think that's enough for now... Last weekend I was hanging out with some friends and one asked who I rant to about development problems and I actually said nobody (which is true)... well, this is my rant for the day! I apologize for the lack of sentence structure and flow.. but after all this was just a rant.

Until next time!
Bianca


P.S.: I will be blogging again in a week or two about my pre-departure training and it will most likely make ya think, stay tuned!

Pre-Departure Thoughts

Hi everyone! I am officially back to blogging and cannot wait to get started! I will be blogging a bit within the next couple of months leading to up to my departure and then of course I will be blogging all of the time!

I am going to spend three months in Ghana next semester through school and as a result I have to write blogs for the University of Ottawa website as well as for the Students Without Borders webpage. Here is my first posting for the SWB blog :) Enjoy

Pre-Departure Thoughts:

In less than two months I will be arriving in Ghana for my three month internship! I am currently in my third year at the University of Ottawa studying International Development and Globalization. I love traveling, playing soccer, and working with kids and therefore cannot wait to start my internship in Ejura, Ghana.

I chose to do an international internship because I believe you can gain so much from going abroad and learning from real life experiences. With everything I have learnt in class, I cannot wait to put it in to practice when I am in Ghana.

I am volunteering with the Girls Education Unit as a Gender Advocacy Assistant. I have always loved learning and felt education was so important; I cannot wait to share this with the people of Ghana. In Ghana, I will be promoting girls education through assisting with the Girls Clubs and helping with homework. I chose this placement because I truly feel that poverty can be eliminated by empowering women directly through education!

Through this internship, I hope to accomplish something different than what I am used to. After recently traveling with a non-governmental organization and building homes, I am really excited to gain a different experience. I am looking forward to seeing the ins and outs of a non-governmental organization and see how policies and programs are implemented.

During my internship, I am hoping to learn a lot about the Ghanaian culture including the language, food, practices, and religion! I am really excited for this experience to challenge me as a traveler and as a student. I have never traveled alone nor have I been away from home for three months so I am really looking forward to learning my way around, dealing with issues on my own, trying new things, and becoming a more independent person. I am excited to learn more about myself and cannot wait to approach and overcome new challenges! I currently have the typical nervous-excited mixed feelings… but more on the excited side! It’s so soon!

I am sure the next two months will fly by and you will be hearing back from me when I am taking my first steps as a Gender Advocacy Assistant in Ghana!

Also! Please note that this blog can also be found on the Students Without Borders (SWB) blog located at http://blog.studentswithoutborders.ca/bianca-staltari/pre-departure-thoughts/ which is also under Fun Links on the right hand side of my home page. Following this are a number of resources available all relating to my internship. I will be writing a blog for the University of Ottawa in months to come. Also feel free to check out Uniterra, World University Service of Canada (WUSC), and Students Without Borders (SWB) who are all supporting and guiding me on my international experience! Any questions, feel free to comment below, send me an e-mail or tweet me (@bstaltari - also on the right)!

Talk to you soon!

Bianca

Surrounding Struggles

Hey!


From now on if I blog it will be more about things I have noticed while traveling and being in a completely different country. For the past three days I went to HaLong Bay which was absolutely beautiful, google pictures if you haven't already- even though they don't do it justice. It was so relaxing and I was starting to feel myself again after my volunteering. It was calm and relaxing- just what I needed to take everything in. It's crazy how we don't realize how much our surroundings really do affect us. 

 

Today I had an entirely different experience in Vietnam. I was in Hanoi which is where we are currently staying. It is full of people and crazy scooters that don't stop... ever. We were about to leave our hotel and just before we got out we heard a big crash. We looked outside our hotel door and saw an old lady underneath her bike- she had been hit by a taxi. The taxi did stop (which is unusual) and helped her. Other than that people just walked by her or kept driving on. She was fuming and definitely did something to her ankle as she was limping to the side walk. My brother and his girlfriend also shared stories about how they have seen a couple of people crawling in the middle of the streets trying to get to safety as bikes and cars drive right past. I got really upset seeing this and really really frustrated... so much that I had to blog about it. I didn't know what to do, all I wanted to do was go up to the lady and give her a big hug- just to let her know that somebody is here and somebody cares for her. People always say to be vocal and act when something goes wrong, to intervene when something isn't right or is unjust. I couldn't do something this time, I felt helpless and hopeless. Here I am standing in a strange country where the language barrier plays a huge role in everything we do. I wanted to help her but I didn't know where I stood, maybe she didn't want help? Maybe it's inappropriate for a white person to just grab their hand and help them up. I didn't want to disrespect them in any way and it really truly bothered me. It's really difficult to find the distinction of when to help and when not to. It just amazes me how people here don't care for one another like we do back home. Sure it probably happens every day but does that make it a norm... and if so does that make it okay? Maybe I'm just not used to? But on the other hand, just because I'm not used to their way of life doesn't mean it is okay or acceptable. It's a really difficult think to grasp and I am really struggling with it. Once again it brings me back to that commercial about restoring somebody's faith in humanity that always plays on the radio... Coming from working with the kids all they wanted was to be loved and played with all the time and we knew that, but here we don't really know what is acceptable and what isn't so it's a tough call. But today I didn't act, and to be honest I feel guilty. There is so much more I could have done, even if it was just getting ice, but I didn't. I just froze on the steps and watched... was that acceptable? Should I have done more? Truth is, I really don't know. It's crazy being in a different country than your own but to see different values and cultures up close is mind boggling. One thing for sure, it really makes you appreciate Canada. The first thing I thought of was getting her ice, something that they never did... my little education on minor health fixes makes a big difference, something I didn't even think about. People in Canada are so caring for one another, even if it's shown in the smallest of ways. I couldn't be happier to be from a country like Canada, I am so blessed. However, it's really important and something that I am recently discovering, but I am really blessed to have the opportunities to travel- not only volunteering- but just to experience other cultures and lifestyles. It really helps me understand more about the world and helps me to realize and appreciate a lot more about my life. 

I apologize for my rant... this day just really bothered me and I needed to vent about it so I figured I would blog- more of a reflection than anything. I am still absolutely loving Vietnam, it is a beautiful country- from what I have seen- and am meeting a lot of fun backpackers! I am off to see a water puppet show tonight and then heading back to Thailand tomorrow! Hope everything is going well back home.


Love and Miss you,
Bianca 

Myanmar

Hey!!


On Wednesday we went to Myanmar for the day. When we were heading over to cross the boarder we had to leave our passport behind- I had never done this before. And for once in my life I felt stateless. My conditions were obviously not comparable to actually being stateless but it was a strange feeling. To walk away from your passport, from the one thing that holds your Canadian identity was scary. We often don't think about how blessed we are to be from Canada and how truly free we are. Being in a strange country with no identity is very frightening, it gave me weird feelings of insecurity and the unknown- something I was not familiar to. It was interesting to say the least. 

I did not enjoy Myanmar, it is very poor and the people really like to hustle you, especially in the market. We took TukTuks and drove past a garbage dump where some of the children from the home used to live. It was incredible to see where they came from and let your mind wander in to thinking about how much they have grown and evolved. You can only imagine how far they have come from before and the struggles they faced in between. 

In the afternoon we went to one of the drop in centres related to the children's home. This is a place where children who work and beg on the bridge can go and feel safe. There are volunteers at the drop in centre that go out to the bridge and talk to the children each day and provide them with basic necessities like simple medical supplies and food. Children can go to the drop in centre and say that they want to move to the children's home and get off the streets, with the agreement of the parents they can do so. When we were at the drop in centre we ended up taking a kid back to the children's home with us. He told them he wanted to try and go to the children's home. You have to wonder and think to yourself, what was the breaking point? What happened that made you want to get out of your situation and look for change and a better future? There are so many untold stories, but no matter what you have to remember that these kids have all gone through something a child should never have to: whether it's physical or emotional abuse, drugs, or sexual exploitation. Kids are just kids and should be able to embrace their innocence in the freest of ways- like playing games or finger painting, things that are so normal to us.

Myanmar was definitely an interesting experience to say the least. It was really good to see everything start to come together but there are still so many unanswered questions. I cannot wait to go home and educate myself more and more on the matter and see where and how I can help! 


My journey has not come to an end, but it has only just begun. I cannot wait to further develop my skills and be able to continue travelling and helping people in any way that I can. From now on I will be travelling with my brother to Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand and will probably not be blogging or communicating nearly as much.


Thank you so much for all of your support, I couldn't have done this without you. 


I love you all so much :)


& have a very Happy Mother's Day!


Bianca

One World

Hey! The last couple of days have been super busy so I haven't been able to blog... but that means I have plenty to share with you now :)

Wednesday evening we had our goodbye party at the children's home. This day made my entire trip. When we arrived we just hung out with the kids by the basketball court and at their new playground! Afterwards we all ate dinner on the ground together and watched a slideshow of pictures of the past few days we spent together. After dinner was when the real fun began: we played the baby powder game. Everybody sits in a huge circle and you pass two bottles of baby powder around (similar to hot potato) and then when the music stops the person holding the baby powder has to go read a paper from a hat. The papers read different things like "someone wearing pants, a Canadian, or whoever you want" and so you had to go up to the appropriate person and throw baby powder in their face. This was AMAZING. It was so much fun! We played a couple of round until it got out of hand and we just ended up throwing baby powder everywhere. It was so awesome and the kids just loved it. Once you wipe the baby powder off, someone new comes up and just covers you in so much more! It was hilarious. 

After the baby powder game we handed out the donation bags. The kids were so anxious-excited! They each got their bags and opened them in seconds. The best part was when they all opened their notebooks and went around to each of us asking us to write something and our names. They are still learning basic English but they just wanted a little memory message. Some of the older kids asked for our names and e-mails for Facebook so we can all stay in touch! 


After this we did something so magical. It's funny because I added this specific thing to my bucket list just that morning: we released floating lanterns into the sky! It was so amazing and so beautiful. I was with my new friends that I just started to create a special bond with and we held the lantern together. On the count of three we released it and made a wish as we released it in to the sky. There is something to magical about the sky and the stars. Even when I was in the Dominican I found it incredible. I would always stop, wait, and look at the sky and try to find the moon. No matter what it amazes me that we share the same moon, the same stars, the same world. And that is the purpose of the name of my blog: One World- to always remember and never forget that we are one world. It is so important to remember that the only difference between us and them is where we are born and that no matter how different we are, we are still one world. Releasing the lanterns and making a wish was so magical, as we all watched them float away I literally felt like for that very moment we were one world, we all shared the moment together and all felt a strong bond. It was amazing- something I will never forget.

Unfortunately, after this was done it was time to say goodbye. This was terrible. It was one of those times where we were all getting super close with the kids and then it was time to go. I met Aitu just one day before the goodbye party and we became very close. She is 17 years old and taught me how to Thai dance all night. We released the lantern together and she walked me to the car at the end of the night. It was so hard to let her go. She kept telling me to stop crying and that I was beautiful as she wiped my tears away. Another girl who was only 15 was sobbing on my shoulder telling me how special I was to her. It broke my heart to leave and I haven't stopped thinking about them since. I cannot wait to e-mail and Facebook them when I get home. It is so incredible how easily you can make such a strong connection with total strangers. I hung out with these girls for maybe two days and it feels like we have been friends forever. Not a day goes by that I won't think about them and that incredible night. 

Thailand is such a beautiful country with so many beautiful people. I am so thankful to have had this opportunity and am so happy I got to share it with all about you reading my blog, I appreciate it! Every time I go on a trip like this I am reminded of why I do what I do, why I keep coming back: if you have the chance to change somebody's life and make somebody else's life a little easier- why wouldn't you take it? Every time I go on one of these trips I learn so much about the world, about the culture, and even about myself- it's incredible. I couldn't be more thankful! 


I love and miss you all,
Bianca


We are One World

The Best Ingredient: Love

Hey!!!

So this morning was absolutely incredible! And I know I have started every blog off that way, but each day keeps getting better! 

They always say you should cook with love, and today I witnessed that first hand. Today I got to help prepare lunch with Yim. Everything they use in their food is always fresh which makes it taste that much more delicious! Today we made soup with noodles and tons of veggies: carrots, cauliflower, baby corn as well as lemon grass and some mango on the side! We started of by cutting the veggies and the noodles and Yim would should us how to do it properly. She is so smart and truly has a passion for cooking. She taught us all about each food and told us where they all come from! After that we put the sauces on and cooked them on these huge woks!! When we finally sat down to eat and saw everything come together it was incredible- it tasted SO good!

The Noodles!

                                                                             The noodles cooking in the huge wok!!!

When we think about cooking, we often see it as a chore, another task that needs to be done. When I watched Yim and the other girls cooking it was not a chore at all- it was rather relaxing and fun! We listened to music and laughed as we learnt more and more about one another. We probably cooked for around three hours in order to feed all 80+ kids, which seems like a long time but none of it was rushed and none of it was tiring. I found a new appreciation for cooking. It goes back to the prayer about thanking the farmers for the rice. Yim and the other students help to make every meal at the home and they put so much effort in to it and it really does show. Often when we eat we see the food and just enjoy it, but first you should sit back and look at it. Look at where the food came from and see how much effort has been put in to. When I make stir fry at home I buy a bag of frozen veggies... here they cut up each vegetable, sometimes even in to flower designs! It's amazing how much time and effort they put in to cooking. They also cook because they think it is a good skill for the young adults to have when they are older and become wives or mothers. This is an awesome opportunity for the teenagers staying at the home, especially if they are learning from Yim! Next time you are cooking, don't think of it as a chore but rather as a gift, to provide a safe and healthy meal for your friends and family. Not every body has the ability or opportunity to do so, so make the most of it. Now when I go shopping for food, I want to begin by going to the local markets for fresher food and to support the farmers. I want to spend more time cooking and less time complaining about the "work" that it entails. It is not a chore, not even close. 

The Finished Product

               Beautiful Yim!

Working alongside Yim has been incredible, she is such an inspiring person and saying goodbye to her will be very tough. Tonight we are having our goodbye party where we hand out donations and play games with the kids! It will be tough to say goodbye to all of the kids tonight, but it was an amazing experience meeting each of them!  Stay tuned for updates on the party tonight :)

Love always,

Bianca :)

Paper Plates and Stream Swimming

Hi! :)


Yesterday the road was still wet so we couldn't work, instead we set up an activity day for the kids. There were four stations: sports/activities, music, art, and yoga and the kids would rotate between each one. I was running the art station with Gabrielle and Alli. There is something about art that is so incredibly powerful. The kids were making animal masks out of paper plates as well as crowns to wear. From the second the kids walked into the art room to the second they left, they were incredibly focused and putting all of their efforts towards their work. I have never seen these kids so quiet and concentrated. After each kid was done their mask they would hold it up for a picture and then go show their friends, they were so incredibly proud of what they accomplished. It is so neat to see how easy it is to make somebody happy. Ever heard that commercial about restoring people's faith in humanity- even if it is just by holding the door for someone, that is how I feel right now. Yesterday we just supplied them with the supplies and the kids took it where they wanted it to go, and they did it with all of their heart. It was amazing to see how easy it is to make somebody else happy. Whether it is sitting down and cutting out ears for a paper plate lion or just giving a hug when you greet someone, it is so easy and so worth it. If we have the ability to make somebody else happy, why shouldn't we take it? Why not make life a little better for someone else? You would probably want the same in return. Doing the art with the children was amazing and incredibly moving. They all worked together and were so polite and respectful. There is something about this orphanage that really demonstrates a strong sense of community- and I am so envious. The siblings take care of one another, the older ones helping with their younger sibling's hair and food, and every single staff is incredibly patient and well respected. Their natural instincts to take care and love one another is amazing. The amount of things we can learn from these kids is amazing.

Yesterday afternoon we took a boat ride to Laos which is just across the river from where we are. When we got to the other side we went shopping in a little market that sold everything from Chanel bags to cobra whiskey! After the boat ride was when the fun really began... we finally got to take the kids swimming!!

We arrived at the water and following our van were two small trucks with approximately 60 kids piling off the back! As we walked down to the water a kid would grab each of your hands and start running with you. We started walking in the water, which pretty much resembled a swamp, and were pretty grossed out. After a while we just gave it our all- if the kids can do it so can we! And oh boy was it tons of fun!! We splashed and swamp and played games all afternoon. The kids would cling on to you and jump on to your bag expecting you to carry them upstream- it was hilarious! I started off swimming with two little sisters and noticed throughout the entire time we were there, the older sister constantly checked up on the younger one and was always ready to assist her if need be. The older sister is probably around the age of 10-15 and already has motherly instincts. She is so incredible and shows so much love towards her sister. When we got into the truck to go back to the hotel she brushed her sisters hair and wrapped her in a sweater as she placed her head on lap. It was the cutest and most heartwarming thing I have ever seen. Swimming was by far my favourite experience with the kids, they were so full of life and energy and, in my opinion anyway, it really allows the kids to just be kids and not think about anything else but that very moment of splashing around in a river! I love it.

Why is it that every time you start to get attached you have to go? We are saying our goodbyes soon so stay tuned!


Love you :)


Bianca

Rainy Days in Thailand

Hello!!


The last couple days have been rainy here in Thailand which causes some problems. Yesterday we were unable to go to the orphanage because the road leading there was too soft and our van wouldn't make it. Instead we decided to go donation shopping, which was awesome! We filled 80 donation bags for each child in the orphanage. Each bag is filled with school supplies, toys, hair clips, and hygiene products. We went to the Tesco just out of town and each grabbed a shopping cart and cleared the shelves! It was so exciting to put together the donations. We will be giving the bags to the kids on our Goodbye Party in just a couple of days! 

Today was an interesting day... still raining, but we decided to tough it out and head over to the orphanage! Once we were there we looked up at the playground and noticed how much work they had done on it! There was now a huge hut where the sandbox will be and the fence is fully completed! Due to the rain there was not much work to do so we got to play with the kids... let me tell you, that is enough work in itself! We played three games: a huge game of rock paper scissors, another game similar to tug of war, and the last game was called horse where the cowboy had to find their partner, the horse when the music stopped! After the games we had a delicious meal cooked by the older kids, volunteers, and staff at the orphanage. We had rice, chicken, pumpkin, soup, and pineapple! So good!!! After lunch we decided to go home... this was an adventure. The van got stuck a few times and came close to sliding off the bridge! But we did make it, thanks to Milk (our super awesome driver)!

Tonight we are going to head out for dinner on the town by the water and then we are having a day with the kids tomorrow doing art, yoga, music, and sports! The rain has put a hold on our work projects, especially the chicken coop and pig pen! But the bonding with the kids is awesome. They love being tickled and held and even just noticed. One thing I noticed was that the older siblings really do look after the younger ones, almost as though they stepped in to be the parent. It's really awesome to see how naturally they take over the parent role and how they know they always have each other to count on. 


Hopefully I will be able to blog tomorrow! :)


Love n Hugs
Bianca

To love and be loved

Hey!!

Today was a really, really fun and relaxing day. In the morning we worked on the playground and built a fence around it. Soon it will have a fully wooden fence and sand! After that we played with the kids. We played monkey in the middle, basketball, and I even managed to get a game of stella-ella-oh-la going. It still amazes me how I used to play that game growing up and they know it to! It makes it easier to connect with the kids and really shows how we are all the same and should be treated that way. It makes the language barrier a lot easier to deal with as well! Similarly, nothing beats a language barrier than a tickle fest. All you need to do is tickle one another and suddenly all the smiles and giggles come out and every body is happy. Playing with the kids and showing affection towards them is sometimes all that they need. Every body wants and has a right to be loved. These kids have been exposed to some pretty brutal things, things a child should never have to go through. When I look back on my childhood, I see myself running around playing games, or even going to school and playing with my friends. Never in my life would I have imagined myself to be a slave to trafficking. A child should be able to live their childhood without fear and without abuse, but instead with pure enjoyment, innocence, and freedom. The children at the orphanage are beautiful. They each act differently- some quiet, some loud- some aggressive, some calm- but you know they are all striving for the same thing- to be loved. 


I saw a girl this morning, and in fact I took a picture of her. When I saw you I just felt lost and alone... She was sitting alone on bamboo sticks and she knew I was taking a picture and looked at the camera. I could feel something, something I had never felt before, I felt a story behind her eyes. I don't know what the story was nor could I imagine what it was. Later that afternoon I saw the same girl, only this time she was laughing and playing around with me. We started off by chasing each other and then got into tickling one another. She was laughing and smiling and giggling! It was like I had seen a whole new side of her. She was happy, she was loved. It's amazing to see how just a little bit of attention and compassion can change a child's entire outlook on the human race. No longer should she feel scared or threatened- but instead loved and cared for.

At lunch yesterday we said prayer before we eat. Something I found very interesting was who they thanked during prayer. As you know in many part of Asia, rice is very popular. The children pray and thank the farmers for all of their hard work making the rice and promise not to drop a grain of rice on the floor. When have you ever prayed and actually thanked the farmer? I don't think we do, and if we do it is not nearly often enough. With all the work that farmers do, we often overlook the fact that they put food on our tables nearly every meal. The fact that the children will not waste food is amazing as well- and they literally lick their plates clean. Next time you pray or eat, think about who to really thank for your meal and to eat everything you grab as a sign of respect for those who helped prepare your meal

I cannot wait to go back to the orphanage tomorrow and share more and more love with each child. Tomorrow we will be working on the playground again and then hopefully taking the kids swimming in the river! Stay tunes :)


Love and Hugs
Bianca 


"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return" 
- Moulin Rouge

The Power of Art

Hey!

Today was our first work day and it was super awesome! In the morning we got organized to the pig pen and chicken coop along with the rearrangement of the playground. After this we ate lunch with the kids and had delicious ice cream sandwiches- literally ice cream between two pieces of bread!

The afternoon was amazing. One of the main inspirations behind this entire orphanage is the power of art. Art has so many meanings and truly encourages free expression. Today we met Yim, which means smile in Thai. She is so beautiful and full of life and energy. Yim is an art teacher and loves the idea of bringing creativity out in the kids. A new library is being build near the orphanage which will have plenty of books as well as a place for relaxation and mediation. On the outside of this library Yim decided to put flowers, butterflies, snails, and any other cute little creature you could imagine. So with that, today my friend Gabrielle and I sculpted a big butterfly on the outside of the library. I asked Yim if it was big enough and she just told me to make it feel real. And so we did, we made it bigger and with more life by adding cute little polka dots on the wings. Through art, you are able to express emotions and thoughts that some people would not share otherwise. You are able to be whoever you want to be without any judgment. When thinking about the children and all that they have been through and exposed to, art can be an amazing therapy.

Today was an amazing day, I learnt so much and have so much new appreciating for art and all that it has to offer. I cannot wait to go back tomorrow and continue working on the library tomorrow!

Almost time for pad thai and cashew chicken- yum yum!!

Love and miss you :)
Bianca

This is Heather (one of our leaders) sculpting a snail with one of the kids!

Some of the newer designs on the library!

A Day in a New Old Life

Hey!!

Today was the day I was waiting for. We had our awareness tour today and saw some absolutely amazing things. We started off the day by going to see the Golden Triangle. This is where Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), and Laos all meet! After that we went to an Opium museum and learnt all about its how the people used it: including the best position, the different types of pipes, how it can be used in morphine and heroine, and the consequences for using it. After the museum we went to what I considered my favourite part of the day: we went to a temple. This temple is for Buddhism and Burmaism. In here we learnt what the different poses mean and why people go to them. For example, one pose means teaching and another means control. After walking around the pagoda we asked the monk some questions. Following this he blessed each and every one of us and told us that beauty is in everything. When he blessed my hand he was encouraging all of the bad and evil problems to leave my body and then put a white bracelet on my wrist. It was so enlightening and interesting to learn about the culture in Thailand. One of the main things they focus on is embracing sacrifice. With our religion we always see sacrifice as a problem and as negative, where they actually encourage us to dig deep and figure out where that sacrifice can lead you in the future.

The Golden Triangle:

In the afternoon we met Kru Nam, the founder of the orphanage we will be working in. She told us the amazing story of how she went about finding the orphanage. At first she was focused on art and making money which drastically changed when she realized there were people in her own country eating from garbage and struggling each and every day. With this she decided to help the children of her country. She found out that the largest HIV outbreak was in Chiang Mai, not far from where we are now. Kru Nam began to show the children art and realized how happy it made them. It brought meaning and worth to their lives, which was so inspiring. She then realized that she can use her art to help other people and focused on opening up the orphanage and allow children an opportunity to get off the streets. She noticed that taking the children away was not necessarily a good thing since they were a source of income to the family so she offered help to the mothers as well. This has allowed the children to receive education, some even post-secondary which is absolutely incredible.

Kru Nam is my hero. She is exactly the person I needed to meet in order to be inspired again and realize that I can make a difference. She struggled with how overwhelming it can be to help such a huge issue but never gave up and now has over 100 children in the orphanage. Kru Nam is without a doubt a hero. She is so beautiful and genuine and so selfless in every action she does. I cannot wait to continue working alongside her for the next couple of days.

Our projects for this week are working on the chicken/pig pen, working around the playground, and if time painting in the nursery! We finally met the kids today, they are all so beautiful and full of life. It's amazing to see them so happy and actually enjoying life as a child. What struck me most about today and which will continue to strike me throughout the trip is when I was sitting in the orphanage today... I was playing with a kid and then we stopped and I sat there alone, I looked up each child and thought to myself: I don't know what any of you have been through... and all I could think of was the worst. So many of these children have been sexually exploited, and they range from 3 months old to 19. It really does show you to never judge a book by its cover and that everybody has a story. It encourages me to treat everybody with respect and dignity- because that's exactly how everybody should feel- wanted and loved, no matter what. I cannot wait to learn more and more about the children as the trip goes on, they are all so inspiring in their own unique ways!

I titled my blog "A Day in a New Old Life" because of all of the memories that came pouring back to me from my previous trips. The happiness within children, the inspiration among people like Kru Nam, it reminds me so much of why I come back on these trips and I love it- I never want it to go away. Although Thailand is different in terms of culture and our project, it still has the same hope and love as any other country I have been to. I love the life here and look forward to experiencing it over the next week

Tomorrow is our first work day! I will hopefully have a blog up tomorrow evening explaining how amazing and awesome it was :)

Any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

I love and miss you all!

xxoo

B

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle"




P.S. until I learn to rotate pictures.. I am sorry :)

Opium Flowers

Big Buddha :)

Thailand

Hey!


I am about to embark on a brand new adventure to... Thailand! This year I will be traveling to Thailand with Live Different (formerly known as Absolute Leadership Development) for two weeks. We are going up North to a small area called Chiang Saen. While up North I will be working with an organization called Buddies Along the Roadside, whose link is at the end of this blog and on the right hand side under Fun Links. 


According to Live Different, Buddies Along the Roadside's "organization and home location is full of beautiful children who have been rescued out of very exploitative situations: some have been orphaned by AIDS and malaria, some have been abandoned, and some have been rescued from slavery and sexual exploitation. Absolute has helped to build an office on site and a water system for their living facilities". This year we will be building a playground for the 80+ kids as well as helping with farming projects and painting the nursery! 


I am so excited to head to Thailand, I have never been to Asia and cannot wait to meet the kids and learn all about their culture! I will try to blog as much as possible and keep you posted on what's new :)


I want to thank everybody who has supported me and who has helped me fundraise in order to go on these trips! You all mean so much to me and I couldn't have done it without you :)


Any questions don't hesitate to ask and remember I love hearing your comments!


Love Always,
Bianca






Links to keep in mind:


http://livedifferent.com/thailand
http://www.yourbuddies.org/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Live-Different/189864944417296