tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19216993670045032692024-02-19T18:41:25.744-08:00Find Nika HereSee where I end up in 2008/2009!Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-2889175014634291142009-04-02T02:48:00.000-07:002009-04-02T03:07:43.812-07:00Tara's VisitIt’s hard to believe that the Gulu trip was already two weeks ago. Although time has no real significance here in Uganda, my time has been flying by.<br /><br />When I returned from Gulu, Tara, a friend from New York, came to visit for her Spring Break. I took the week to show Tara the more authentic side of Kampala. We didn’t do any of the touristy stuff—the tours, safaris, or really any sort of traveling outside the city. Instead, we spent our time visiting different communities within Kampala, going on a tour of health clinics, and working on some of my projects for Reach Out. They were the things I do on a daily basis, and things that a typical tourist wouldn’t have the resources or access to experience on a first hand basis.<br /><br />The clinics were incredible to see. Kampala City Council (KCC) ran the ones we visited, and I wasn’t sure what to except. When we arrived, on a non-HIV day, and thus a “non-busy” day, there appeared to be hundreds of people waiting to be attended to. Old, young, mothers with children, everyone was there. There was even a shelter outside to house the over-fill of patients who could not fit in the main building. I was actually quite impressed with the facilities of the clinics, they were of a higher standard than what I was expecting, but still would never be acceptable in a North American setting. The most shocking was the labour ward, which consisted of two hospital beds, probably dating back 50 years, lying side by side in a very small, very cramped room. Once the women gave birth they were transported to a recovery room, where there were about 8 beds, and stats were written in marker on a poster, regarding info about the different birth rates (children born with HIV, fatalities, etc.) for all to see.<br /><br />The work at Reach Out/Roses of Mbuya has been progressing—slowly. There have been many hiccups along the way, but we are finally moving forward. They have decided on a logo that we developed together, and have already sent plans for a sign for the shop to be made. The next step is to get tags put on all their products. The supervisor of Roses is very excited to work on all these different tasks, but she is so overstretched that she just doesn’t have the time or resources to do everything that she’d like to get done. For me, it’s a great learning experience to see how different cultures operate, and how what I think may be considered common sense, or the natural next step of a project, other people may not feel the same. But the progress we’ve made lately is so exciting and thrilling for me, I actually feel as if I’ve accomplished something here!<br /><br />The opposite of Roses in terms of progress, because they are moving forward very rapidly, would be One Mango Tree (see last post). I went with Halle, the founder of OMT, and Tim, the CEO of Greater Good, to the only organic cotton factory in Uganda, Phenix Logistics. Edun, the eco-clothing line with a mission to drive sustainable employment in developing countries, is an example of a company that works with Phenix, to provide them with organic t-shirts. The Phenix plant was very impressive. They were so open with us, showing us the entire manufacturing process, and answering any and all questions. I don’t think any plant in North America would have welcomed and opened all doors to us so easily. It sounds like some amazing things will be coming out of OMT and Greater Good in the near future, so keep your ears open for that!<br /><br />And that’s only a brief summary of what’s been going on lately. Kelsey, my friend who’s been in Malawi for the last few months, is arriving in Kampala today, so we are going to have to figure out what to do while she’s here—maybe we will get to travel to Tanzania or Kenya and see a bit more of East Africa, which I would really enjoy! I’ll keep you posted!<br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="400" height="267" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&captions=1&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2FNika.Stelman%2Falbumid%2F5320020207303687457%3Fkind%3Dphoto%26alt%3Drss%26authkey%3DGv1sRgCMO_78y18ZKa2QE" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-61721321791558601372009-03-23T00:58:00.000-07:002009-03-27T06:37:25.119-07:00Gulu & One Mango Tree'<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCHIstctVMi0mx9qkfJibSlTbHQaJRMU8x39-u9pRquN9i2bXuByl5s3y0ahCvLlaRQMEF2BR9KUQcHMsI2H77pg-7JZwsU7Lv1p7tCh1nvUlXGI8ulLioBglNfXdgkE6ULuowodSoDY/s1600-h/_MG_0750.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316293809143903522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCHIstctVMi0mx9qkfJibSlTbHQaJRMU8x39-u9pRquN9i2bXuByl5s3y0ahCvLlaRQMEF2BR9KUQcHMsI2H77pg-7JZwsU7Lv1p7tCh1nvUlXGI8ulLioBglNfXdgkE6ULuowodSoDY/s320/_MG_0750.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Last week I went up to Gulu for the weekend. Gulu is an area in northern Uganda that has been affected by war and conflict between the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) and the Government of Uganda for over 20 years. The conflict has recently rescinded, as the leader of the LRA, Joseph Kony, has fled to the DR Congo, but there is still much distress felt in the area as the people are trying to recover from the years of violence, fear, and oppression.<br /><br />I went up to Gulu with a friend, Halle, who I met here in Kampala. Two years ago, while in her mid 20s, Halle started a business called One Mango Tree (<a href="http://onemangotree.com/">http://onemangotree.com/</a>), working with women tailors to create fashionable products and accessories using traditional African fabrics. What sets OMT apart is that Halle is committed to working with women who are living in IDP Camps (Internally Displaced Persons Camps) or other conflict areas. Recently, Halle has relocated to Uganda, living here permanently to focus her attention on the business (a seriously gutsy move on her part!).<br /><br />The weekend in Gulu was amazing. I do not often hear many positive things about Gulu from people who have traveled there, or work there, because there is not that much to do and the work that people are engaged in is very intense. But by going with Halle I was able to experience a more honest and authentic side of the area. I was able to see a first hand account of how people live, and how different it is from anything I have known before. I spoke with locals and observed them working, roamed the market, found my way in to a community of tukuls (huts) and interacted with all the children who were so excited to see muzungus (white people). The children were just fascinated—wanting to touch our hands and take pictures with us. They were amazing and so beautiful, with the most contagious laughter I have ever experienced. I spent about 2 hours walking around the village and will never forget the experience.<br /><br />The rest of the weekend was spent learning as much about Halle and her business as possible. It is such an inspirational business concept that is actually working, which re-ignited my interest and confidence that businesses can be successful in creating positive change (which had been tested lately as I’ve been experiencing many of the, what seem to be endless, barriers and frustrations that small, socially conscious businesses must continually face). But, with Halle’s influence and dedication I am expecting big things from One Mango Tree in the near future!<br /><br />The weekend ended with the most… interesting… of bus rides I think I’ve ever experienced (which is saying a lot considering the chicken busses in Guatemala). Words will not suffice, let’s just say that our seats were being held up with ropes, every time we went over a bump (which there were plentiful) I thought my stomach was going to pop out of my chest, and if we had to stay on the bus any longer than the 5 hours I think we would have been sitting on the floor as our seats were continuously falling apart throughout the journey. But it all contributed to making it the most hilarious and memorial bus trip, ever!<br /><br />Check out <a href="http://onemangotree.com/">http://onemangotree.com/</a> to learn more. You can get any of the products shipped to the USA, and they are really nice (no joke)! I bought the market tote (excellent for carrying around the laptop and really comfortable—I was impressed!), 2 clutches (they are called “the original”) and 2 coin purses and LOVE them all! Beautiful products, excellent gifts, reasonable prices, and awesome, original fabrics… not to mention supporting this new, up and coming, socially conscious business that supports women by providing them with skills training, opportunities, and the ability to support themselves and their families. Nice sales pitch, eh? ☺<br /><br />Slideshow photos courtesy of the extremely talented Joe Shymanski.<br /><br /><embed pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="400" height="267" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&captions=1&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2FNika.Stelman%2Falbumid%2F5313490433268005809%3Fkind%3Dphoto%26alt%3Drss%26authkey%3DGv1sRgCPbLjKG6ys-fCw"></embed>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-10901534263310398672009-03-15T13:24:00.000-07:002009-03-25T02:51:38.389-07:00Adventures of a MatatuThe day started just like any other Friday. I woke up, ate breakfast, and headed to my usual stage to catch a matatu (taxi) to Mbuya. The matatu I ended up boarding appeared to be like any other—it was blue, had the appropriate stripes, and was calling for people to go to Luzira (the direction I take to Mbuya). The exception was that I was the only passenger, an almost unheard of phenomenon when the norm is to cram in as many people as possible. I got in to the van, sitting in the back next to the conductor; however, after a few moments the driver began asking why I was not sitting in the front (the most valuable seat) with him. He said he “wanted to sit next to me”, and at the next stop they made me swing in to the front of the van. At this point I was only slightly baffled by the situation…<br /><br />At first they were calling for other passengers, yelling “Luzira” out the side of the van. But it seemed as if they stopped just to talk to me. They told me they were going to their other job (in the army), and were taking the van to Luzira. They asked the formalities: what I was doing in Uganda, how I liked it, where I stayed and then the flirtation (or maybe pestering would be a better description) started. “Do you have a boyfriend?”, “We could stay together” (meaning we could LIVE together), “You are so beautiful!”. The compliments started flowing and became increasingly difficult to dodge. They told me that they wanted me to come with them to wherever they were going, and that they would bring me back to work later. I told them I was already late. At this point my bewilderment was starting to grow. As my stage in Bugolobi was approaching (where I get out of the matatu and continue on foot), I was not sure if they would stop and let me out. All the different possibilities were starting to go through my head, and I didn’t know what to expect. “At least I am sitting next to the door now” I thought, in case the need to jump out appeared. They wanted me to come with them; I wanted to get out. I was prepared to jump if need be, but was hoping it would not come to that. I finally told them just to let me out—and after a few moments they listened. They weren’t pushy, or trying to scare me (I don’t think), they just wanted my mobile number so that we could go out, but in the commotion of my exiting I didn’t give it to them (not that I would have anyways). I tried to pay the standard 500 shillings (=$0.25) for the ride, but they refused it. In the end, I never really felt in any danger, but upon reflection, I was in a situation that could have gone very badly very quickly. But, as happens every other day, I exited the matatu at the Bugolobi stage, walked the short distance to Reach Out, and continued on with my day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IF1QMGlNK1ljNCG2I0TCWGyHXJIg3JCZLJBlEPUNNL3tAFdXngO015oT775BnjS9-ds7YGmlVddeMBWxlBStk8d8zKecIGkKuHr-LjbtChkIa3n5JryjFrqpIFmPGpXS3Ibehyc7-bo/s1600-h/CIMG1108.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IF1QMGlNK1ljNCG2I0TCWGyHXJIg3JCZLJBlEPUNNL3tAFdXngO015oT775BnjS9-ds7YGmlVddeMBWxlBStk8d8zKecIGkKuHr-LjbtChkIa3n5JryjFrqpIFmPGpXS3Ibehyc7-bo/s320/CIMG1108.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316295666745568114" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">A Matatu—the ones on the road are in slightly better condition</span></span><br /></div>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-32683682349554253372009-02-24T21:46:00.000-08:002009-03-23T01:40:42.339-07:00Snapshots.A few snapshot from our drive around the city. <br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="400" height="267" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&captions=1&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2FNika.Stelman%2Falbumid%2F5313492795277426881%3Fkind%3Dphoto%26alt%3Drss%26authkey%3DGv1sRgCPiL1oDTtM75Fw" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-4893714268544654402009-02-16T02:49:00.000-08:002009-02-24T21:46:37.204-08:00The HeatIt feels like the temperature has been increasing over the last few days. When we arrived there were a few days that were quite chilly—we needed sweaters at night and hardly had any desire to lounge by the pool (yes, we have a pool... it is quite luxurious I know). But the last few days have been completely different, and I think this is the norm rather than the exception. The heat mixed with the hills makes trekking around the city quite challenging. But my tan is finally returning which is nice. On Valentines Day we went to a wedding of the brother of my friend Gerald. It was the biggest wedding we had ever been to, 800+ people. It was such an incredible ordeal it was hard to believe we were in Africa. It seems remarkable that in a place that has so much poverty and issues sending children to school, there could be such outrageous ceremonies with 2 wedding dresses, 6 cakes, dancers, food, drinks, and the works (fireworks). But we were told that the bride and groom had been saving for about 5 years for the event, and that the whole community helped raise the funds. It was definitely a site to see, and a great experience! And africans sure do love their speeches! <div><br /></div><div>Everything is going well. I have been splitting my days between ReachOut and AMICAALL, the two organizations I am volunteering with. I plan on going out to do more site visits in the next few weeks and collect more information to hopefully aid in my senior thesis.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am just on break for lunch, so I should head back to work. Will try posting pics soon!</div>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-4795281744577215352009-02-06T05:33:00.000-08:002009-03-15T12:50:35.185-07:00a few photos of kampalaHere are some photos of Kampala from the AMICAALL office on the 11th floor. And one of mom in Entebbe when we first arrived.<br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="288" height="192" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&noautoplay=1&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2FNika.Stelman%2Falbumid%2F5313477856881324705%3Fkind%3Dphoto%26alt%3Drss%26authkey%3DGv1sRgCODbo76xy8qr0AE" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-54980235312784352352009-02-05T10:59:00.000-08:002009-02-05T11:31:18.740-08:00Kampala.I am here! In Kampala finally. And it is pretty intense. I've been here for just about a week at this point. Time is flying. We are staying in downtown Kampala, in a suite close to the city center. Most people commute in to the city during the day for work, and go back to the "suburbs" where they live, so it's a little different to live right here, but nice and convenient. <div><br /></div><div>Kampala is... not exactly what I expected. The people here are incredibly friendly. Everyone asks about how you are, and how your family is, and they are honestly interested. The temperature is fantastic (I don't miss the freezing winter), and there is only a bit of rain every day. It isn't supposed to be the rainy season yet, but apparently global warming even effects Uganda as the seasons have become more unpredictable lately. The city is pretty massive, there are people and cars everywhere. They drive on the other side of the road, and crossing the streets is a little stressful to say the least. We'll just say there doesn't really appear to be any rules when it comes to driving... </div><div><br /></div><div>I have already started working at AMICAALL (Alliance of Mayors' Initiative for Community Action on AIDS at the Local Level). I'm working on a project involving getting information and programs about HIV/AIDS available to the vulnerable youth in urban center. It's really interesting, the people are great, and I'm learning a lot. Tomorrow I am starting volunteering at another organization called Reach Out. RO is more hands on. It's located in the slums in Mbuya, and it's a completely different experience from the city. My first official day is tomorrow, I should be working in microfinance as well as with the Roses of Mbuya project. It is similar to the work I did in Guatemala with the women's co-operative of women weavers, so that will be very interesting to compare the two.</div><div><br /></div><div>Time is definitely moving quickly, and I'm finally just getting settled. I'll try to be better at posting...</div><div><br /></div>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-73251131298038359382009-01-20T09:38:00.001-08:002009-01-20T10:00:25.407-08:00LondonWe are in London! After a long, sleepless flight we arrived here yesterday morning. It's been pretty mellow, just trying to adust to the time difference, but it's getting easier. Yesterday, mom and I went out with Catherine (a friend of mom's) who was celebrating a birthday, and today we just went to the Institute of Commonwealth Studies and the bookstore. Like I said, mellow. But nice. I am sure the next few days will be filled with activities though, I have a huge list of places to go and things to do. Should be a good few days.Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-66773000455670991752009-01-12T20:29:00.000-08:002009-01-12T20:50:52.385-08:00Pre-Departure.So, I am finally taking off for round 2 of my travels this Saturday. It's hard to believe it is only 5 days away! London (England, not Ontario) is the first stop for about 2 weeks before heading to Kampala.<br /><br />The idea of going to Kampala is becoming more exciting, even though it still does not feel very real. It's been nice talking to Kelsey, who is going to Malawi the same time I will be in Kampala. We've decided to meet in Kampala at the end of March and spend some time there, before Kelsey goes to Tanzania. After doing a little research, I think I might join her (I hear the beaches are fantastic)!<br /><br />So, I have just been getting myself ready with all the typical pre-departure travel "stuff". Have all my immunizations and prescriptions—the nurse at the travel clinic told me I could probably go anywhere now with all the vaccinations I have. That's a nice little thought! Anyways, just have to do a few more logistical things before the departure, and of course... pack.Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-33605103779903954842008-12-24T10:30:00.000-08:002009-01-12T20:52:13.881-08:00Winter in WinnipegI have been seriously lacking on the postings... about 2 months worth I think. I am already back in Winnipeg for Christmas with the family. The last month in Costa Rica was amazing. We did so many amazing things—camping on the top of a mountain in the extreme wind, mountainous treks to find a waterfall in Santa Domingo, lots of football, lots of beach. I learned how to surf, and kept working on my Spanish.<br /><br />I then went to New York for about 5 days. Everyone was in finals, so it was a little hectic, but it was really nice to see everyone again. I was even able to go see the x-mas tree, and all the christmas windows in the city....<br /><br />But now I am in Winnipeg. It is nice to see the family, but I hope to not stay here too long. It's hard to adjust to the cold, cars, big stores, and everything else that kind of goes along with a city. I should be heading to Kampala, Uganda in February, with either a stopover in London, or back to Costa Rica for a few weeks before Africa. I need the heat—Winnipeg is definitely too cold for me!Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-5519909982348924852008-12-24T10:17:00.000-08:002008-12-24T10:21:52.719-08:00beauty.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbj-CbHxbaQhkgmHV2Xf20-NmMEvcEhcu7ybeBjW13iRoUsruHpYk049jwUKVJUD-ZRQ3-9fiqaN_FBpQOjnQ1fWY9-QkJnrsT_pPdHTrc8kKh6YniOjKUmtQke3d3YiC0ve1ZbecmwU/s1600-h/DSC04445.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbj-CbHxbaQhkgmHV2Xf20-NmMEvcEhcu7ybeBjW13iRoUsruHpYk049jwUKVJUD-ZRQ3-9fiqaN_FBpQOjnQ1fWY9-QkJnrsT_pPdHTrc8kKh6YniOjKUmtQke3d3YiC0ve1ZbecmwU/s320/DSC04445.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283423508493947266" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWq95IXfjwyLVLqpXN8z_8dQqwpJjcvJ9Pbb857rSXOO42qlFVOM41IyhtFfZFzG5x8j1DZeIQCWm4pcpcNJToQ0GuuwGmo0kAmc2PTNKhr37D-_igCWAbl_6m3X4B-r1IHBV-z2wVUc/s1600-h/DSC04420.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWq95IXfjwyLVLqpXN8z_8dQqwpJjcvJ9Pbb857rSXOO42qlFVOM41IyhtFfZFzG5x8j1DZeIQCWm4pcpcNJToQ0GuuwGmo0kAmc2PTNKhr37D-_igCWAbl_6m3X4B-r1IHBV-z2wVUc/s320/DSC04420.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283423504993160290" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9f0PFw-8tBjHhQV-kaPHHt-5wXJmJuVweViY1P3mC4xi6UgVAzDgsdBio4qwY8-W7-Oo4qYYmRPbxMDEV-_RBQXgYFBIMn3Ro-Ng0Kt9Fu4BfyroxE9arpcqrTheBiXwBfvd9Gla5Z4/s1600-h/DSC04392.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9f0PFw-8tBjHhQV-kaPHHt-5wXJmJuVweViY1P3mC4xi6UgVAzDgsdBio4qwY8-W7-Oo4qYYmRPbxMDEV-_RBQXgYFBIMn3Ro-Ng0Kt9Fu4BfyroxE9arpcqrTheBiXwBfvd9Gla5Z4/s320/DSC04392.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283423506711840338" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdT-iqzWUBXmypwrSvOyU9r-_XLpoeH8JzbDcVSUXULwWNOEUmfTqWWeIxB0nw5fnmbBV1Wvj_8Lpx35XRVck25CXi23rKJJJbAUjW_7FncsrKbTMbOqGefUIFV7vlpBXdqjCxb8a3UU0/s1600-h/DSC04376.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdT-iqzWUBXmypwrSvOyU9r-_XLpoeH8JzbDcVSUXULwWNOEUmfTqWWeIxB0nw5fnmbBV1Wvj_8Lpx35XRVck25CXi23rKJJJbAUjW_7FncsrKbTMbOqGefUIFV7vlpBXdqjCxb8a3UU0/s320/DSC04376.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283423503566511746" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6GeTdG8bXTskp_CIqjo_vcpZKsNI76TltPKHIMZxiWycrOIPKGdGdm5Y50B5p8nHPvP3y0D9KnGOfuLbQkGj8LPV_r-Ykg4Xt-O29_siNlshuV_YCYhw1CGxpA2fpMdvyJz4okZm8dc/s1600-h/DSC04303.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6GeTdG8bXTskp_CIqjo_vcpZKsNI76TltPKHIMZxiWycrOIPKGdGdm5Y50B5p8nHPvP3y0D9KnGOfuLbQkGj8LPV_r-Ykg4Xt-O29_siNlshuV_YCYhw1CGxpA2fpMdvyJz4okZm8dc/s320/DSC04303.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283423502438747170" border="0" /></a>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-29311472844500156162008-12-24T10:00:00.000-08:002008-12-24T10:17:07.397-08:00Pura Vida in Costa RicaCosta Rica was amazing. I don't even know how to describe my experience about it. I went through many different phases there, but left with the strongest desire to go back, possibly even to live. The people there are fantastic, and just live in a different way. They work really hard, but focus on enjoying their lives and not stressing about everything. They take things seriously, but are very relaxed and don't use guilt as a motivation to do something. They are such warm people, and just seem to be happier. They work to live, rather then live to work, and it shows in how they enjoy their lives. It is completely different from the North American mentality.<br /><br />When I first arrived in Samara, I couldn't understand how anyone would be able to give up their "real life" in Canada, USA, or Europe for CR. It seemed absurd to me. But as I spent more time there, I became addicted to the place. The way they live each day, and how they enjoy everything is just amazing, and something I want to continue doing wherever I decide to live. I would even consider returning to Samara to live. I don't know for how long, not sure if I would want to spend the rest of my life there, but the longer you are there, the less you want to leave. It is just fantastic. And I have promised myself that if I ever forget the Pura Vida philosophy (which is to live the pure life, enjoy, take whatever comes and deal with it, no stress...) I will have to return to remind myself. It is just a better way of life. And my priorities have definitely altered from my experience there. I am not so concerned with having some high paying job, with a big house and fancy car. It is a place that I think everyone should go spend some time, and not just a week, but enough time to actually get a sense of the place, and meet the people. I think that many people would be a lot happier if they were able to adopt some of the Tico philosophies of life.Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-86674570725263408142008-10-27T13:25:00.000-07:002008-10-27T14:42:30.889-07:00Cold Showers, Hotdog Buns, and Border CrossingsI've become an expert in the art of taking cold showers. You need to approach the stream of water with determination and without any fear. There are two techniques that can be executed. One is the "splashing" strategy, where you scoop small amount of water over yourself, attempting to climatize yourself to the cold. The second strategy, and the one I prefer, is when you dive straight in and submerge yourself in the flowing water. The best way is to start with your hair, and everything else follows after that. The first 15 seconds are somewhat challenging, but after the initial shock it can actually be quite enjoyable. It's an important lesson to learn, especially considering there is no hot water anywhere in costa rica or nicaragua (at least, not where I have been). <div><br /></div><div>From my travels in Costa Rica and Nicaragua I have come to understand that bread is not something that many typical ticos or nicos appreciate. If there is any bread, it is most likely plain, white bread. OR-- what I have come to realize is possibly more common (especially in nicaragua) is the use of hotdog buns in place of regular bread. Order french toast, you get french toast made with hd buns, order french bread, you get hd buns, order a club house sandwich, you get 4 hd buns with some sort of filler in between. I don't really understand the logic behind it, whether they think it actually tastes the same, or if they don't know the difference, but it is quite entertaining once you get paste the initial disappointment. </div><div><br /></div><div>Do not ever try to cross the Nicaraguan/Costa Rica border (trying to enter CR) on a Sunday. Apparently (and we were unaware of this at the time), everyone leaves Nicaragua on Sunday to go find work in CR for the week (at least this is what we deciphered from our experience). We got on a bus from Granada to Rivas at 6:45 am, arrived in Rivas by 8:30, made a direct connection to the border and arrived at 9:30. We thought we would then be able to go straight through and make it in to Costa Rica in record time. Little did we know that the border did not open until 12 pm, and we would be waiting with what seemed like thousands of other people until we would finally be let through. We sat in the same spot in like for 6 hours without moving, in the hot sun, with people pushing and cutting, until we finally made it through the border at around 3:30 pm. We finally made it back to Samara by 8 pm, but this was only after we paid a taxi to take us from the border to Samara (a 4 hour and $80 trip). So, the moral of the story-- no border crossings (from less desirable to more desirable countries) on sundays!</div>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-39106958420117259912008-10-19T15:40:00.000-07:002008-10-19T15:56:58.924-07:00Nicaragua TravelsSo we are off to Nicaragua tomorrow. The rain has finally subsided, and 7 of us are going to travel to Nicaragua in the morning. We are planning to stop at a few different cities, with the first stop in Rivas and then continuing on to Isla Ometepe, Granada, and Leon. It is slightly entertaining that we have just come out of the storm in Costa Rica and now there is apparently lots of rain in Nicaragua. But it should be a really fun trip, and lots of good people are going! we are going to leave around 7 am and will hopefully make it all the way to Rivas, but if not we will just stop somewhere along the way for the night.<br /><br />Last night we all went out for the last night in Samara, as many of the people we are traveling with wont be returning after Nicaragua. It is sad to see them all go, but hopefully there will be some new students in classes when I return.<br /><br />Samara is a great little town, but it is very small. I have gotten to the point where you know most of the travelers, and many of the locals (ticos) as well. It is a beautiful place when it is not raining, but everyone knows each other so the soap opera dynamic has kind of been created. But besides that it is a great place, you just have to try not to get too intertwined in all the activities of the town.Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-5239617476557957782008-10-16T15:55:00.000-07:002008-10-16T16:05:06.581-07:00RAIN RAIN RAIN!!! and more rain.I have never experienced as much rain in my life as I think I have in the last 2 days. It has been raining nonestop for the last 48 hours, and harrrrd! The streets have turned in to rivers, the school is leaking, if you want to go anywhere you get completely soaked, and there is no hope of becoming dry. ever. I think it is a combination of it being October, which is known to have a lot of rain, but I also think there is a storm compounding the rain. So we have just been hanging out at school, watching movies, reading, and last night some friends had a little dinner party at their apartment, so we all went over to that. I've been told that it should start to clear up by tomorrow, which would be really great. Normally we get a few hours of rain a day, but it is balanced by quite a lot of sun. But that is definitely NOT the case today. It is pretty impressive actually!<br /><br />Other then that I am just wrapping up my 3rd week of classes, finishing off Principante 4 (the forth level of school), before moving on to Intermediate 1. My Spanish is improving, while my english is getting worse. I'm forgeting words, how to spell, and have a hard time formulating intelligent sentences. The best part is that everyone is going through the same thing, so it makes for some quite interesting and entertaining conversations! (see what I mean...)Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-80957587275531299312008-10-02T14:46:00.000-07:002008-10-02T14:54:39.626-07:00my room/walk to school<div><br /></div><div>my hot little room...</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-7UIWEu7MRQooujLljeM481IQahArdN12n3L-sJS-i-meOfpmU8CK2awCSkwF7v-4DqK9j50SSqXTyzK5NXNUSRm38R08NwTfRl5_0l16yQL43N15Emk4qlSYZxtkEVCY5fSRzGZmvI/s1600-h/DSC03903.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-7UIWEu7MRQooujLljeM481IQahArdN12n3L-sJS-i-meOfpmU8CK2awCSkwF7v-4DqK9j50SSqXTyzK5NXNUSRm38R08NwTfRl5_0l16yQL43N15Emk4qlSYZxtkEVCY5fSRzGZmvI/s320/DSC03903.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252677731717388498" /></a><div>clothes/bathroom...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZGOGtxtO7PDZxvHW7ci0whIXw9ynGWXLJ1IhzNSoDexLgBIkbhvu7TVh1DEU-_XLHXrNDjYa8sNcd4MXg4-mJLTzETRPYxeWRLTMtWrDfjUrh-a1zptTB32nNGYZ5EBv3szQMYol8DI/s1600-h/DSC03904.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZGOGtxtO7PDZxvHW7ci0whIXw9ynGWXLJ1IhzNSoDexLgBIkbhvu7TVh1DEU-_XLHXrNDjYa8sNcd4MXg4-mJLTzETRPYxeWRLTMtWrDfjUrh-a1zptTB32nNGYZ5EBv3szQMYol8DI/s320/DSC03904.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252677740002592978" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>my walk to school...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiN_0kTQYaqQNeC-7K9-j5jIPky9hxbTYKXPjwVG8WJJlMRmWw7AZum_idkmEbe15WtEOTy3cX1FxtKA8ziIo3AlI_Bjdelh28ZwsTqFbPJrnCon9w87sxnU-fjaZWw7v0vzwE2CNN-jI/s1600-h/DSC03907.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiN_0kTQYaqQNeC-7K9-j5jIPky9hxbTYKXPjwVG8WJJlMRmWw7AZum_idkmEbe15WtEOTy3cX1FxtKA8ziIo3AlI_Bjdelh28ZwsTqFbPJrnCon9w87sxnU-fjaZWw7v0vzwE2CNN-jI/s320/DSC03907.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252677751903713778" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinklXZ93l0pAVxb-kC5kjtQw2DYBWQ7UUv6_r3AyJM4o558A54ENVen3lY0JohIowQQ5YkWPbPQCzbUp3XxRkXFnqMHHEwBj97tAvagC80CIFylviXrxdt05RDAGrX_cRaisbFcSPZxBg/s1600-h/DSC03919.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinklXZ93l0pAVxb-kC5kjtQw2DYBWQ7UUv6_r3AyJM4o558A54ENVen3lY0JohIowQQ5YkWPbPQCzbUp3XxRkXFnqMHHEwBj97tAvagC80CIFylviXrxdt05RDAGrX_cRaisbFcSPZxBg/s320/DSC03919.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252677755919541346" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqeVGPMEmC6OHTKLyClp8qZ6qmbPDlu4NC5tVcbvJnsnXNrrHMoMN_doKAour2E_pBU2S5PspKmJOvlZVfuGta7i3uF5mFY7DIOavIE0vnpGrR2qPkfKJ9fmQue9bCk1k7AlKAUM3FtF4/s1600-h/DSC03927.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqeVGPMEmC6OHTKLyClp8qZ6qmbPDlu4NC5tVcbvJnsnXNrrHMoMN_doKAour2E_pBU2S5PspKmJOvlZVfuGta7i3uF5mFY7DIOavIE0vnpGrR2qPkfKJ9fmQue9bCk1k7AlKAUM3FtF4/s320/DSC03927.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252677756900451010" /></a><br /></div>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-67179589469566836412008-10-02T14:34:00.000-07:002008-10-02T14:45:41.267-07:00Arriving in Costa Rica!So after a series of unfortunate events causing me to nearly miss my flight (I had to RUN across JFK airport and only take carry on luggage as the baggage check had already closed) I arrived in Costa Rica. I was met at the airport by my host mother who took me to her house in Heredia for the night. The next day I took a 5 and a half hour bus ride to Samara, where I am going to spend the next 2 months. On the bus I met a couple from the Netherlands, Stephen and Linda. They were so incredibly sweet and it turns out they were enrolled in the language school in Samara as well, so we were able to navigate the journey together. When we arrived in Samara it was already getting dark (the sun sets at around 6 pm here), and I went to meet my Tico (Costa Rican) family. My Tico mother is Alice, tico sister is Stephanie, and Stephanie has a one month old son, Matias. The family is very nice, and as my Spanish is improving I am getting to know them better as we can actually communicate. It doesn't hurt that Stephanie speaks english as well. <div><br /></div><div>School is going well. It is RIGHT on the beach which is amazing- you walk out of the school and are ON the beach. Considering I've only been in class for 4 days my Spanish is improving a lot, and there are tones of activities to do when your not in school (yoga, soccer, dance class, cooking class, etc.). I'm also excited to learn to surf and take some trips to other parts of the country. The school offers trips you can sign up for, or you can plan your own (to national parks, coffee plantations, etc.) </div><div><br /></div><div>Each Friday there is an exam to see if you can move up to the next level of classes. I was tested my first day and was put in the principal 2 class (skipped principal 1), which was nice, but I'm missing some of the basic vocab words (like colors and numbers and things), which is making the learning process a little more interesting. But there's a test tomorrow so we'll see if I pass it! </div><div><br /></div><div>There's people here from all over the world, many from the states (california, utah, new jersey, tennessee, and florida), as well as people from the netherlands, switzerland, france, germany, and other places in europe. What makes it even better is that the staff here are all super nice as well, so that's really nice. </div><div><br /></div><div>hmm.. i guess that gets everyone caught up until now. pictures to follow...</div>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-30335594153302637352008-10-01T15:48:00.000-07:002008-10-01T16:05:08.364-07:00New York!!!!!!!<div style="text-align: left;">I was in New York for 3 days before heading down to Costa Rica. Coincidentally, I arrived the same day as our Guatemala gallery opening. It was so nice to see everyone again, and all the pictures and products from our time in San Lucas. Here are some pictures from the gallery.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU1xysbjSZWnriu8wgdg13oNho8nIQjE2RAZ5IHJAIr_QhJgfX3Xxb52p7PtMVREH7BmX1lQF7mhHDYKBb7WiGrHY5PCIKOgKDon4pQC31ZE8QxZC9d364Wef_lURKVya4JGg2iijlEA/s1600-h/DSC03879.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU1xysbjSZWnriu8wgdg13oNho8nIQjE2RAZ5IHJAIr_QhJgfX3Xxb52p7PtMVREH7BmX1lQF7mhHDYKBb7WiGrHY5PCIKOgKDon4pQC31ZE8QxZC9d364Wef_lURKVya4JGg2iijlEA/s320/DSC03879.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252323742772501538" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9sLOPTRcfkxXxRsMWQz_gWlfk6HBnBKxFwszok196q1f9JIBPbT97QYFMHnRRcpUndjzA0EUS7iaw-byxUV3nE7KyUuEFns50JHvdzZ3VZQ8CYxY1bfiklQ2-ED7_D1lkrTREmQnnnQ/s1600-h/DSC03882.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9sLOPTRcfkxXxRsMWQz_gWlfk6HBnBKxFwszok196q1f9JIBPbT97QYFMHnRRcpUndjzA0EUS7iaw-byxUV3nE7KyUuEFns50JHvdzZ3VZQ8CYxY1bfiklQ2-ED7_D1lkrTREmQnnnQ/s320/DSC03882.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252323746839208434" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDyeLzoB1Z5kvxtKSix5hr6_XxyKPrDQSRwYVZ-sFhxnkY8qeUTmuUDU9dT7nt47MfsYGd3GQ0oCPqZgV9s_RWO5zCWsKf17LREUtfIuy63yazaA5ex59PJsffxloTXhj47t_K_41KDk/s1600-h/DSC03883.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDyeLzoB1Z5kvxtKSix5hr6_XxyKPrDQSRwYVZ-sFhxnkY8qeUTmuUDU9dT7nt47MfsYGd3GQ0oCPqZgV9s_RWO5zCWsKf17LREUtfIuy63yazaA5ex59PJsffxloTXhj47t_K_41KDk/s320/DSC03883.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252323749110548338" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIGIxWyQ524tFe32UoEOTKkvH9XTRhghB1z3cm5lShEYlS1X1AvhOL20lWbtVY8ja8vedUVeiUFH-OtfLMBXZhggLOyMvqmOTor-hpz6lEMSZn-SdATd1tMbqhV1A_HObUwAzUDDaFvA/s1600-h/DSC03887.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIGIxWyQ524tFe32UoEOTKkvH9XTRhghB1z3cm5lShEYlS1X1AvhOL20lWbtVY8ja8vedUVeiUFH-OtfLMBXZhggLOyMvqmOTor-hpz6lEMSZn-SdATd1tMbqhV1A_HObUwAzUDDaFvA/s320/DSC03887.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252323758709930370" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlF8WCWoNwNSh1f2qZRpl0AxzaJdE-KctRIDnu85fYN_1VDn6C8kBLEtn1SBmRzdW8F2Oyq3qManIyiqzyqRr7LsB3SXQxBX2nMgIX5CNhyphenhyphenjoy1kzvupABIkTCq11IWd1vbs3B97EQ_qw/s1600-h/DSC03888.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlF8WCWoNwNSh1f2qZRpl0AxzaJdE-KctRIDnu85fYN_1VDn6C8kBLEtn1SBmRzdW8F2Oyq3qManIyiqzyqRr7LsB3SXQxBX2nMgIX5CNhyphenhyphenjoy1kzvupABIkTCq11IWd1vbs3B97EQ_qw/s320/DSC03888.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252323759024652818" border="0" /></a>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-16761953227356881922008-07-30T20:16:00.001-07:002008-07-30T20:21:08.953-07:00WinnipegSo I'm back home! I got here on a few days ago and have just been hanging out with friends and family. Got a job at a restaurant/cake shop for the next few months before I take off again... so just plan on working a lot for the next little bit and that's about it!Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-76692312045554005582008-07-17T10:35:00.000-07:002008-07-17T10:39:47.330-07:00Calabasas, CASo I left Derek and Anaheim and met my friend Lily. I'm now staying in Calabasas for a few days, and plan on going to Newport Beach and Laguna Beach tomorrow, before heading back to Big Sur early next week. We went for sushi last night and it is remarkable how much fresher the fish is here than Winnipeg or New York. It's not even comparable! Lily and I are planning on going to Malibu today before meeting up with friends from Winnipeg (Tristan and Shalen) for dinner. <div><br /></div><div>The weather is amazing here and I could definitely get used to it! Hopefully Winnipeg is nice (and not raining!) when I get back, which is coming up soon!</div>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-22645959261045693532008-07-16T00:00:00.001-07:002008-07-16T00:09:50.603-07:00LASo I did actually make it down to LA the other day. I left Lukie and took a bus down to LA where I met a friend, Derek, and stayed with him for 2 nights in Anaheim Hills. Tomorrow I am going to meet another friend, Lily, and stay with her for a few days before heading back to Big Sur. Also planning to meet up with other people from back home that now live in LA. My friend, Shalen, is living in Santa Montica, and his brother, Tristan, is visiting for their birthday this weekend, so I'll be able to celebrate with them! And Lily and I plan on going to Newport Beach on Friday to meet up with a friend of hers.<br /><br />I really like California actually. The weather is amazing-much nicer than Winnipeg. Hopefull when I get back to Winnipeg the weather is nice cause it will be hard to adjust otherwise.<br /><br />I've been thinking about plans for next year and I'm looking in to Spanish schools in Costa Rica.. right now I'm thinking about going to school for about 8 weeks in October and November, before heading back to Guatemala for Thanksgiving in Novemeber (American Thanksgiving), when some people from New School will be returning. Then back to Winnipeg before heading to Africa in January. Well at least that is the plan as of today, it seems to be changing daily!Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-89243164342164056032008-07-12T07:32:00.001-07:002008-07-12T07:47:18.930-07:00Some pictures<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUk4hVpyvfunIuD2Dfe-eOoOKzgX94DL9ANNAHliWp29KB9zdkXa9w8CyqrztquBV3Xc896etv5brhPa3Ms4XKnbHJYMEZBJEsguTUmysHvGrHBMGz9iJWZNaN524rnq_hMkyFawZbQMU/s1600-h/DSC02989.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222139054246550418" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUk4hVpyvfunIuD2Dfe-eOoOKzgX94DL9ANNAHliWp29KB9zdkXa9w8CyqrztquBV3Xc896etv5brhPa3Ms4XKnbHJYMEZBJEsguTUmysHvGrHBMGz9iJWZNaN524rnq_hMkyFawZbQMU/s200/DSC02989.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz35REkJHOyYeI4nryHXS6MQiX_BT6TjpGOGMA3KRTG7pSh13tkh9ZwLpKTrQBXLv3eLmCOftmMW2mB76xZG7zRB9DMWUEIcgIwnuG5sAyVZz47USDb63rkq_OFTcuKHIyBrO5f6ATdTM/s1600-h/DSC03391.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222138370375067362" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz35REkJHOyYeI4nryHXS6MQiX_BT6TjpGOGMA3KRTG7pSh13tkh9ZwLpKTrQBXLv3eLmCOftmMW2mB76xZG7zRB9DMWUEIcgIwnuG5sAyVZz47USDb63rkq_OFTcuKHIyBrO5f6ATdTM/s200/DSC03391.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxk17yVsURiyU8h6KpXMG8M2C_hyheF9h12nEXg0s8E_YMvkBhBfYsJLIDVLTTu9E_2TQUHFRANVH9qnpX71lej1oQHRHlWPSafjc8EfK-jvAR0AxGrOkwbBF9oIskUFQUFcbh7rAjhys/s1600-h/DSC03394.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222138372226954498" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxk17yVsURiyU8h6KpXMG8M2C_hyheF9h12nEXg0s8E_YMvkBhBfYsJLIDVLTTu9E_2TQUHFRANVH9qnpX71lej1oQHRHlWPSafjc8EfK-jvAR0AxGrOkwbBF9oIskUFQUFcbh7rAjhys/s200/DSC03394.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04rQR9Kn2B_zoiK0SltAn8viPA_MLXh3Ts129ecvopWp2ACGfguHI1ADamHqvTw2E-aQ-F8Y6_DmpgJMk5UfhAH1tY7FndcSZdmSo9B7WuWx_0J6QVmDyzFF_3arZZFQspqLVpIAFMNk/s1600-h/DSC03442.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222138376591608082" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04rQR9Kn2B_zoiK0SltAn8viPA_MLXh3Ts129ecvopWp2ACGfguHI1ADamHqvTw2E-aQ-F8Y6_DmpgJMk5UfhAH1tY7FndcSZdmSo9B7WuWx_0J6QVmDyzFF_3arZZFQspqLVpIAFMNk/s200/DSC03442.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWUeLMUifEQhQ-stXYaouRdIwwQZs92_44qlSRsch8LFaf0jHXt_9xoEjwEBsVE12bsv277uMb_7t9a1ODsbhvGINBaBLFivzkdmwJcVYWJXiqhIStA8-UareQyMDP7t55EnrGBgIg-lE/s1600-h/DSC03421.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222138377527014866" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWUeLMUifEQhQ-stXYaouRdIwwQZs92_44qlSRsch8LFaf0jHXt_9xoEjwEBsVE12bsv277uMb_7t9a1ODsbhvGINBaBLFivzkdmwJcVYWJXiqhIStA8-UareQyMDP7t55EnrGBgIg-lE/s200/DSC03421.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichsKCvmcCGW1mI7trEWkj-6QYJBUS29SUwQBg0MmpRGlhkvWAMi6arGlgOJdvy_puKq_jfch8JIO8YvClfHLziFpmDNyY3jlY_wUx8o4dv9YkcJM2wcmMZoMkfw7exNZLxd0mUPT2gfI/s1600-h/DSC03511.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222138380134779810" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichsKCvmcCGW1mI7trEWkj-6QYJBUS29SUwQBg0MmpRGlhkvWAMi6arGlgOJdvy_puKq_jfch8JIO8YvClfHLziFpmDNyY3jlY_wUx8o4dv9YkcJM2wcmMZoMkfw7exNZLxd0mUPT2gfI/s200/DSC03511.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0R0i92P23_WsDkctuX20-Ql92SADEKA062v8MkraHGIhgu2A9nFyfwYZ2vQNtS5GP25_eXWkpo9SQhA-ztP3mWghqdfgkk_RXE6AqntKs9IAa00X9JdEab0r8A6BmU9Lwq0wMC4mpKI/s1600-h/DSC03306.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222136621121622642" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0R0i92P23_WsDkctuX20-Ql92SADEKA062v8MkraHGIhgu2A9nFyfwYZ2vQNtS5GP25_eXWkpo9SQhA-ztP3mWghqdfgkk_RXE6AqntKs9IAa00X9JdEab0r8A6BmU9Lwq0wMC4mpKI/s200/DSC03306.jpg" border="0" /></a><a 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href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUa-5q4-6Y6VhJ0VA0htYwfuXlp4UmN2ik6xh3QKSto3Q3EcjKDqwZuW4yuUh3fz7_qnGUSNcVSPUeT-GglyN43Gp3y-_VE8biNCAFoHYr1Pz7XIdebm1kcyBwkgIVczChfuSxMwhMATA/s1600-h/DSC03315.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIDlL3rRBKMKl1L-ZiPfMQ9wfTcyetnV8IeihIBw5J-V9XiT4bxzk0Vkh7iVBKr14hDWeP4W_u8Ti1SVAO6pwYdENxVR2TKJ-qCmmHyujbvFj-njt-zJ9ALYUBpxU1OadqoxnYJT5ktQ/s1600-h/DSC03373.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222137328681100018" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIDlL3rRBKMKl1L-ZiPfMQ9wfTcyetnV8IeihIBw5J-V9XiT4bxzk0Vkh7iVBKr14hDWeP4W_u8Ti1SVAO6pwYdENxVR2TKJ-qCmmHyujbvFj-njt-zJ9ALYUBpxU1OadqoxnYJT5ktQ/s200/DSC03373.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVDU5KdsZI16kMfWqJfZslrkxGdQrbdCfbOglEZVhodCoc4SveJAkb4Je50lif6Guggw3JqZ8HgOE8VgGnw9cj8yOTZYq9RQQNlOrEsrnClBDsKqZhCqLQLjTuLHMEFqtytdUV5wL-h8/s1600-h/DSC03359.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222136627044311266" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVDU5KdsZI16kMfWqJfZslrkxGdQrbdCfbOglEZVhodCoc4SveJAkb4Je50lif6Guggw3JqZ8HgOE8VgGnw9cj8yOTZYq9RQQNlOrEsrnClBDsKqZhCqLQLjTuLHMEFqtytdUV5wL-h8/s200/DSC03359.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-dDApf-EvdNavd7QlioH00L7a6spoknZwGh_NVCn5ikMP8yyUUhun7PeqdwFOIY68mdepPE5wu4RCdcoJH2Ph1tlPfUoBixQg4ooLR56vbuHQFOLG6gHjVytq1cIRP9JQU-z9rIHT9U/s1600-h/DSC03321.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222136626458010818" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-dDApf-EvdNavd7QlioH00L7a6spoknZwGh_NVCn5ikMP8yyUUhun7PeqdwFOIY68mdepPE5wu4RCdcoJH2Ph1tlPfUoBixQg4ooLR56vbuHQFOLG6gHjVytq1cIRP9JQU-z9rIHT9U/s200/DSC03321.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-69132576726827509052008-07-10T10:38:00.000-07:002008-07-10T10:45:26.008-07:00CaliforniaSo I left Guatemala yesterday and arrived in California. I was supposed to go stay with my friend, Lukie, in Big Sur, but because of the wildfires they have all been evacuated and are staying in Pebble Beach (outside Monterey). It is a really beautiful spot, but it's kind of hectic with about 4 families living in the house.. but it is making it quite exciting and jam packed days. I think we are going to try to get to Big Sur on the weekend, or Monday, to start up the camp that I was going to work at with kids from the area. I was originally going to try to visit some friends in LA and other areas but now not sure if I'll be able to make it down... but I guess we will see what happens!<br /><br />Then I should be back in Winnipeg on July 25th, and thinking about staying there for about a month before taking off somewhere else.. thinking about costa rica!Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-39163334387932956172008-07-10T10:29:00.000-07:002008-07-10T10:38:02.370-07:00Backpacking GuatemalaSo we (my friend Jane and Trey) left San Lucas Toliman and started our own adventure around Guatemala. Trey and I started by traveling to Quezeltenango (Xela) in search for indigo.. which turned out to be quite the search indeed.. we didn't end up finding the natural die, but we did get to stay in a hotel that was a converted prison! It was such a strange hotel, but had an amazing view of the town square. After that Trey and I met up with Jane in Antigua, spent a few nights there, and then started our trek north. We went to see caves in Lanquin, the ruins in Tikal, we stayed in the creepiest hotel in Chisec which had huge statues of dinosaurs and mushrooms with fake tree waterslides, then we went to the jungle where we had to hike 4 km to get to our "hotel" and went swimming in the clearest, most beautiful lake! We then went to Coban, stayed there for a night, before going back to Antigua. We stayed in Antigua for the last 3 nights or so. Jane and I went on an adventure up a volcano and saw lava and Jane got to poke the lava with her stick.... and then we came back to Antigua and left Guatemala yesterday morning. I know that was a long long list of random names but I will try to give more details or pictures sometime soon....Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1921699367004503269.post-44025996749486720252008-06-27T09:36:00.000-07:002008-06-27T09:38:00.896-07:00Phone NumberHey!<br /><br />So if anyone wants to get in touch in the next few weeks while I´m still in Guatemala I have a phone number which is...<br /><br />country code (502) 4201-6408<br /><br />I´m leaving San Lucas today with friends to go traveling.. keep you updated!Nikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11113759304791999759noreply@blogger.com