The last couple weeks have been packed! Work was mostly comprised of preparing copy for our Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Winter Season sales. We have been releasing some exciting new products, like a waterproof rain jacket and crossbodies. It’s so cool to see the artisans use their skills and techniques to make the products we make together unique. We also had a work party to celebrate the end of the year and the upcoming holidays. In Mexico, these parties are works are called posadas. And no posada is complete without a piñata.

The World Cup has brought so much excitement to Mexico! While there are many soccer fans in the US, the atmosphere has been on a whole other level. Mexico’s first game ended in an uneventful tie against Poland, followed by a heartbreaking loss to Argentina. They had a chance to advance, but even in their win against Saudi Arabia, they couldn’t get enough points to advance. Even though Mexico had a disappointing showing in the World Cup, being here helped me see how soccer has such a connecting and inspiring effect around the world. I have found myself glued to the games, feeling the highs and lows through the screen as people cheer on their countries in the knockout rounds.

What makes soccer so exciting and equally as frustrating is how difficult it is to score, even if you are the dominant team. I gained a new appreciation for the sport, and even got to accompany a friend to the Brazilian embassy to see the Brazilian national team play (which also ended in a heartbreaking loss).

My sisters finally came to visit! My family had come to visit me last year while I was on my Fulbright, but we had gone to Oaxaca which was also a new city to me. It felt awesome to feel like a true local, taking them to all my favorite spots while also doing some of the touristy things I hadn’t done yet! We went to Teotihuacán to visit some of the largest pyramids in the world. That’s right, Mexico has more archeological sites than just Chichén-Itzá! This site is the most visited archeological site in the Americas, even more than Machu Pichu!

One activity I loved doing with my sisters is visiting the chinampas in Xochimilco, an area in the southern part of Mexico City. The Chinampas are pre-Hispanic man-made islands made by the indigenous people to cultivate using the rich soil found at the bottom of the lakebed (Mexico City was once a giant lake). We booked an Airbnb experience, and a local biologist took us to a conservation area in the chinampas by canoe! We canoed through the canals until we got to their chinampa, where they showed us all the vegetables they are growing! We even got to try some of their harvest, even thing tasted delicious!

Another special experience we had was watching a ballet in Bellas Artes, an iconic theater in the center of Mexico City. The dance tells the story of Mexico from pre-Hispanic times through the Mexican Revolution. We got front row tickets, and it made me so happy to see my sisters be in awe with the breadth and diversity of Mexican culture.

Going into my last month in Mexico, there is still so much I want to do and see! Hope to share more in the next post!

Burning off the sugar in the bouncy house

Hello everyone! Hope you’re staying warm! Could you please send over some cold weather, I’m in a constant sweat. It is cool that we don’t have air conditioning because it’s all-natural, but on really hot days, it is miserable. It’s almost like we’re glamping all the time! Over the last two weeks, school has come to an end. It was the end of the year. As the heat has gotten stronger, I have tried to play with the kids in the shade because it is too hot to play in the sun all day. Also, to protect myself from the sun, I bought arm sleeves to cover my arms. I also wear a hat, pants, and sometimes glasses. The kids always wonder, “why are you wearing pants,” I say, “because the sun will burn my skin faster than yours.” They don’t look at me like I have a different skin color, they just look at me as the PT coach. The grade R-grade to grade 3 celebrated the end of the year with bouncy houses, candy, chips, cool drinks, and fried chicken. It was a blast, but exhausting. It is amazing what kids can do with sugary food and drinks. They are never-ending energizer bunnies!

Ice cream from ice cream truck

Something fun was that a local ice cream driver came through the neighborhood, so we grabbed ice cream cones right outside our house. Everyone was running around the house trying to find the cash to buy ice cream. The craziest part is when I heard that noise, my initial thought was, “it’s a fake ice cream truck trying to take kids.” When I told my host family, they couldn’t believe it. They have bought from this ice cream guy for years. It’s crazy how my experiences at home have caused me to be close-minded to the thought that an ice cream man may be trying to sell ice cream.

District 6 landscape

I also went to the district 6 museum to learn a little about the history of the Muslim community. District 6 was an area where the government told people they need the land to build on and that they will reimburse the people for their homes. The government was ruthless, they would bulldoze the house down whether it was empty or not. To this day, the land is still not built on, and the people of District 6 fight to keep it like that to remind people of how they were treated. The people moved further out of the city. The colored classes ranked as white on top, then Indian, colored, and then black. Based on this ranking they would be further and further from the city. Also, those who were colored or black had to carry a pass around. If they were stopped without their pass or after hours, they would be sent to jail.

Nelson Mandela’s prison cell

Speaking of jail, I also went to the jail where Nelson Mandela was in prison. The island is 11km from cape town, and anyone who tried to swim either drowned or was brought back to the jail and beheaded to show others to not try and escape. Our tour guide was a prisoner for 11 years. One of the most interesting facts was that they were forced to mine in a quarry. Due to the sun reflecting off the quarry, the prisoner’s eyes were damaged. Therefore, our tour guide had glasses that looked like the bottom of a bottle because his eyes had been so badly damaged.

The view from Table Mountain

On a higher note, I climbed Table Mountain. It was truly the hardest hike I have ever done! We climbed India Venster, one of the hardest ways to get to the top. It was so rewarding when we got to the top. Now every time I look at Table Mountain, I look at it as an accomplishment!

My host family are big soccer fans, so it has been a lot of fun watching the World Cup together. They are big Ronaldo fans, especially Ronaldo himself. I always pick the team against Portugal, just to be difficult. It causes for loads of shouting matches at the screen. This week at the host family things feel a little better. Now that school is out everyone is home all day so we are always on top of each other. I am working on coordinating a few days at other projects like medical and special needs before the holidays. So I’ll keep you posted! Also, I picked up my extended visa! I am allowed to stay in the country until February 2, 2023, but my flight is on January 29th, just to give myself a few days as a buffer.

What a traditional shack looks like in a township. Made of metal scraps they can find

One of the most impactful things I have done in cape town was visit one of the townships. (We did this tour through Stay Africa, and safety was a priority). We went to Philippi, a township just 30 minutes from Cape town. When driving through the townships the roads were unpaved and terribly bumpy. There were children who looked like they just started walking being led by other children who looked to be 3 years or younger. These children must grow up so fast because their parents are either at work (and can’t pay for childcare) or doing drugs. We went to a kindergarten that a gentleman started. He built a two-story shack in 2 weeks, with his house above his school. The school is funded strictly by donations. They have 60+ children and 5-10 volunteers who get paid if there is money left over in the budget. We got to play with these children for a while.

Kids from the kindergarten

They were very interested in my hand. They laughed, pointed, pulled their friends over, and even tried to separate my two fingers that are stuck together, which hurt... Because they didn’t speak English, I couldn’t communicate to them that it hurt, so I gently pulled my hand away. Other volunteers in the room said they were upset as they saw the kids laughing and pointing at my hand. I am used to this and I try to give grace to kids because they have never seen anything like my hand. I was fighting the tears the entire time. I just wanted to take all of them home with me and bathe them, feed them and love on them. The organization is called Community Kids Pot.

Also, while driving through the township, I noticed that there were a bunch of adults with leg amputations. This is because of poor living conditions and medical facilities being far away with long lines.

This experience required a lot of reflection as it was difficult mentally and emotionally. I concluded that although they don’t have what I have, it doesn’t mean I have to give up what I have. It made me appreciate not having to worry if I will be fed or freshly clothed. It made me reflect and be thankful for everything I have at home. It even sparked my interest in adoption, specifically from one of these areas, but don’t worry that’s not for a while!

As this trip is coming to an end, I have reflected on things I am going to miss. One of those is hugs from a precious 3-year-old or snuggles while we watch tv. But I’ll be able to replace those with hugs and cuddles from Gracie Jane! I will also miss Auntie V’s cooking, being able to walk to school, always being able to see Table Mountain from anywhere in Cape Town, the warmth and constant sun, and so much more. Something I didn’t know I needed was Jade’s ability to relate to my experience. She worked on a cruise ship for years before having Sophia, so she was away from home for extended periods. She helps me validate my feelings of excitement to explore, sadness when missing home, and thankfulness for this experience. I am so glad I have 49 more days here!

Sophinde sithethe (sow-pin-da see-teh-teh) we’ll talk again in Xhosa

Today, I decided to do something risky—I went on a walk outside right before a rainstorm. In my defense, I did check the weather station, which said that Arlington, my hometown, wasn’t supposed to get rain until later in the afternoon. Nonetheless, I made it about 0.7 miles to a nearby park before it started downpouring. After an hour and a half of sitting under a gazebo at the park, with the beautiful trees, pattering of rain, and chipper birds to keep me company, I decided to go ahead and make the trek back home. To say the least, it was moist. My hair, face, clothes, and shoes definitely got a nice rinse. Yet, the birds were chirping along the whole way.

As I was walking back home, my mind was flooded with memories of walking in the rain with the ladies at HEAL in Uganda. With umbrellas and even ponchos hard to come by, most of the people there I know face the rain by bundling up in whatever clothing they have, ducking their head down, and walking with a purpose. While perhaps inopportune, this provides a wonderful opportunity to soak in the rain for what it is—a part of nature’s rhythm, a gift to the earth, a blessing to all of the animals (people included) that need it, and a reminder of what we can take in but not control.

On today’s walk, I remembered the time that several friends and I played volleyball in the rain, running to and fro after the muddy ball as the wind guided it in whatever direction it pleased. I reminisced about the afternoon spent sitting in the women’s locker room and napping with several ladies because we couldn’t complete our outdoor work in the rain. I remembered the day when Mr. P, Mr. W, and I sat in the leather shed, trying to talk to one another but unable to hear over the rhythmic thrum of raindrops beating down on the tin roof. A little over 8,000 miles away from those I shared these moments with, yet my heart is still tied to theirs. I am thankful for the reminder of this place and these people that walking home in the rain brings.

Hehe if the above story doesn’t spill the beans—yes, I am still in America. Hopeful of returning to Uganda in mid-November, the date of my departure for the country got pushed back again after an Ebola case was detected in Jinja. Though I am no medical expert, and what I have to share has been found on the WHO’s website and/or heard from friends, let me tell you a little bit about Ebola:

In late September, an Ebola outbreak was declared in Uganda after a case was detected in the centrally located Mubende district. This was especially alarming because Ebola is a severe illness with a high fatality rate, and the present outbreak’s strain—Sudan ebolavirus (SUV)—had not been detected in Uganda since 2012. The virus spreads through human-to-human contact via contact with the blood or body fluids of someone with SUV or who died from SUV. Currently, there is no known treatment for it or vaccination against it. Additionally, the incubation period of the virus in the body is between 2 and 21 days, meaning that up to 3 weeks can pass before someone carrying SUV starts showing symptoms. As of earlier this week, there have been 141 confirmed cases across 9 districts, one of which is Jinja.

Using their best judgement, the HEAL executive leadership team has taken preventative and responsive measures to curb the Ebola’s spread amongst those in the organization. At the beginning of October, they asked me to return to the United States, and those who remained at the James Place took health and safety precautions. Last week, the James Place closed for an early winter holiday. I am thankful that the organization’s leadership is committed to the well-being and safety of all they lead. After talking with a few of the ladies from HEAL, it seems as though they are doing well and looking forward to the extra time off, though worried what Ebola’s spread to Jinja may mean for their family’s health, safety, and economic stability. If you can, please keep them—and the precious people across all of Uganda—in your hearts, thoughts, and prayers.

Although it seems a bit irrelevant in light of the aforementioned information, I would like to share a little bit about what I’ve been up to lately. I must dote on my family for a bit because it has been sweet to have their support throughout the transition and to spend quality time together. My aunt asked me to work as her legal assistant, something I never imagined myself doing but am enjoying learning the ins and outs of. My grandparents and I have gotten to spend ample time with one another, as I help them with housework and travel with them to doctors’ appointments. Over the past couple of weeks, my grandpa and I have shared many cups of coffee together over countless stories of the “good ole days.” Mom and Dad have been gracious in inviting me to join in on the plans they’ve made, and Mom and I have deeply enjoyed watching the new season of The Crown and getting in the Christmas spirit with the Christmas Cookie Challenge. And I’ve gotten to spend intentional moments with precious people through Room in the Inn at a local church.

To be honest, I am a bit more of a cozy sloth than a social butterfly these days, as finding a work-life balance and connecting with other young adults is challenging. I miss college life and Uganda and find myself moving through waves of reverse culture shock. I’m also grappling with this new stage of life—no longer primarily a student and child but also not having full-time employment nor a family of my own. Nonetheless, I am safe. I am healthy. I have what I need and so much more than I could ask for. I am doing okay and, as my sweet cousin-in-law has encouraged, am finding ways “to say yes to this too.”

Thank you for tuning into this latest post, with its modge podge of storytelling, information, and updates! Wishing you peace, hope, and joy as you head into all that December has in store. And hehe if you get the chance, maybe consider walking in the rain sometime soon.

With Love,

Alyssa

High: What a joy it was to spend Thanksgiving at home! Talking and eating, eating and talking were the themes of the day as my immediate and extended family members celebrated the holiday together at our house. How nice it was to spend to share an array of wonderful dishes as a family and to let the conversation wander and turn as it pleased!

Low: What a surprise it was to spend Thanksgiving at home. I felt a lot of different emotions arise around the holiday as I thought about where I am and where I thought I would be this time of year. This Thanksgiving, I felt a deeper appreciation for family get-togethers, small chats and check-ins, and access to a warm meal in a home. I also lamented that the sweet potatoes eaten weren’t grown from a garden in Jinja and that I wasn’t able to bake an apple or pecan pie for my Ugandan friends to try.

Buffalo: Earlier this week, one of my friends from Uganda sent a photo of her children to me. They are such cuties! I couldn’t help but smile at the fact that one of the children in particular looks like a mini version of my friend, while the other two kiddos look a bit different. Isn’t it funny how that happens—how siblings can look like one particular parent, the other, or both? How they can look almost identical from one another or be so different?

Words of Wisdom: These words were shared by a lady at Bible study this past Sunday, and they have been sitting in me ever since: “Sometimes people don’t love you the way you want to be loved. That doesn’t mean they aren’t doing their best to love you.” Goodness, how different things might be if we—if I—continually remembered this.

soaking in the rain and memories of Ugandan days as i walked home from the park

hehe it’s the small things–like maximizing on some ambient lighting as i worked at Aunt Carol’s office earlier this month

a sweet MEOW-ment captured of our two family cats one afternoon! they were FELINE comfy + cozy during their nap

one of the sleeping spaces looking ready to go during Room in the Inn last week!

haha i had to commemorate the first evening of Room in the Inn with this church bathroom selfie. how joyful it was to wear a Christmas sweater for the first time this season!

making sure to spend some time with those i love–kids!

Hi everyone! I hope November has been treating you well. I spent Thanksgiving eating spaghetti at the beach with friends (chaotic I know) which was so fun.  Have been spending early mornings longboarding at Cinta Costera and am enjoying how peaceful it is to cruise along the water. My Lumos project is coming to an end in January so I have started preparing my final reports and presentations. It is hard to wrap my head around the fact that I have lived here in Panama for close to a year. What a gift of growth this experience has been. I am so grateful for the way it has helped me test out and reimagine my path.

Highlights
– A friend gifted me her old surfboard!!
– Starting my days with chocolate protein shakes
– Biking along Causeway with friends
– Starting to swim laps again!

Work Projects
November has been pretty light work-wise. There are 5 national holidays spread out throughout the month so we’ve had a lot of days off. Most recently I shared a practice pitch with my team in preparation for an upcoming presentation with our board of directors. I’ll be sharing the developed business concept for Academia Calicanto and a general project update next week. It felt good to be back in my slide deck designing/pitching element. In addition to preparing for the pitch, I’ve designed a couple of extra resources for my team as they implement the impact tracking process and helped revise our end-of-year reports. I have surprised myself with my ability to communicate professionally in Spanish recently. I still have room to grow, but have been able to communicate my thoughts in Spanish in the moment with relative ease which is such a win!

We recently launched a campaign highlighting our Agentes de Cambio (Agents of Change) program. Agentes de Cambio is a community outreach program training small groups of CAPTA graduates to teach violence prevention and gender equality workshops in their communities. This year’s cohort is currently on its way to equip 750 individuals in Panama via in-person and digital workshops.
Check out some of our participant stories here if you’re interested!

Something I’ve Learned
Fundación Calicanto recently received a grant from UN Women to conduct team training on gender-based violence. Our team participated in two workshops over the last couple of weeks hosted by a variety of professionals working in the field of gender equality in Latin America. The training included an overview of the history of human rights and gender-based violence in Panama, workshops on LGBTQIA+ experiences with violence, and a deconstruction of the male experience in a patriarchal Latin America. The sessions were informative but difficult at times because the subject matter is such a heavy reality. The majority of the workshops were group activities and discussions which meant that we were talking about our lived experiences with various expressions of gender-based violence. Regardless of how much you’ve healed or grown, it’s hard to talk about and listen to personal experiences of physical, psychological, or financial violence. I left that first session feeling physically drained and emotionally triggered and needed a long boxing session that night to work through my anger.

My biggest takeaway from these trainings is that while the majority of our social structures were designed to serve men, the patriarchal system is harmful to them as well. Undoubtedly in different ways and to different degrees, but men too, experience negative effects from our social structures. The same unhealthy system that says women are weak, emotional, and incapable of leadership + logical decision-making also dictates that men shouldn’t be vulnerable or express their emotions, must be strong, and can’t ask for support. These incorrect perspectives that have shaped our societies hurt us all, denying the power of women and the humanity of men.
This has helped me be a little more compassionate and understanding as I live in Latin America where gender roles and gender discrimination are much more apparent. It doesn’t cause me to back down or tolerate disrespectful behavior, but it does help me practice seeing a person’s humanity in spite of it.

Something New
I have made the big but easy decision to continue living in Panama once my Lumos project is complete. I’ll be working part-time with Fundación Calicanto and part-time as a personal chef while I explore a couple of different work options in the food and nonprofit industry here. I have planned to live in Latin America since I was a kid so never saw my Lumos project as a one-time cultural immersion but rather a stepping stone into the next stage of my life. My family and friends have been prepared for this for years at this point haha. I’ll be in Nashville for the holidays and then will move back to Panama in mid-January. Can’t wait! We’re not done yet, but I’d like to say thank you for following along, encouraging me, and letting me lean on you these last 11 months. As I reflect, I can see the ways I have grown both stronger and softer, learned and unlearned, and really healed this last year. Thank you for cheering me along through it all.

Cuidense,
Renée

Hudson’s proposal

Hi everyone! These two weeks have been the best two weeks of my life. That is not because everything was perfect or joyful, there was a lot of sadness, stress, and anxiety. All of the emotions created the most growth since I arrived in Cape town. This week started off with picking up a rental car. I have wanted to explore beyond Cape town, but it is very expensive to Uber, so renting a car was a good option. I was better at driving on the other side of the car and another side of the road than I thought. It was a fun challenge. Then I picked Hudson up from the airport. We immediately went up the west coast. We stopped at every beach we could to enjoy the different views. The best part of the drive was the West Coast Natural Reserve; the water was like the Caribbean and the sand was like siesta key beach. Then, the next highlight was that Hudson purposed! It was such an amazing surprise!

I’m standing on an ostrich egg

As we made it back down the west coast we stopped at an ostrich farm and got to hold a baby ostrich. Did you know that the eggshell is strong enough to stand on it? and they eat the eggshell (which is like glass) for calcium.

Cape Point

The week of November 20th was finals, so while the kids were testing their knowledge, we gained more knowledge about cape town by exploring. We drove down to Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. It was a beautiful drive down the coast. Cape Point is one of the most southern tips of Africa. Then we went to the Castle of Good Hope, a castle built by the Dutch in the 17th century to protect Cape town from being taken from other countries, later to fall to the British.

Sunset in Hermanus (also where we saw whales breaching)

Then we went down the South East Coast to Hermanus. Wow! Beautiful and not what I was expecting. The drive included rolling hills with farmland, woodsy areas, and the beach. We made a stop at the Afrikaans Language Monument. It was built to represent that the Afrikaans language was a separate language from Dutch. Afrikaans includes a little bit of French, Dutch, German, Khios, and Portuguese. I actually visited the city where the first Afrikaans dictionary was published, Oudtshoorn.

The Afrikaans Language Monument

I loved introducing Hudson to my host family and school family. I was so nervous about bringing him to school, but I introduced him to the staff and students. Showed him how my school days usually run. Hudson commented how cool it is to see how I made a life in a different country all by myself. It made me feel really proud of myself.

7th grade prom

Also, as the school year is ending grade 7 had a prom (similar to the 8th grade formal). It was the first time I was a chaperone to a dance, but it was so fun watching the kids sing, dance, and laugh amongst each other. Since I have been here for so long, I get to experience big events throughout the school year.

Over the last two weeks, I have seen 33 different animals. The list includes crocodiles, baboons, alpacas, lamas, geese, camels, goats chickens, ostrich, tigers, elephants, cheetahs, peacocks, blue Crain (South Africa’s national bird), cows, horses, donkeys, sheep, dolphins and whales at outreaches or farms and mountain zebra, eland, lion, wildebeest, springbok, impala, kudu, giraffe, waterbuck, snakes, elephant, buffalo and rhino on the safari.

Petting a cheetah at a cheetah outreach

Of those animals, my favorite was feeding the alpacas, lamas, and ostrich (which I enjoyed for dinner and I also got to sit on), petting a cheetah, receiving an elephant hug, and watching the lions feast on chickens after fasting for 2 days. The safari was incredible! It was like an adult scavenger hunt! Also, on the Garden Route and Safari trip, I went kayaking and explored caves. The smallest tunnel we crawled through was 11 inches in height!

Climbing through the caves

Other adventures included Sophia’s concert, which was so cute, and watching the Elton John Rocketman movie at an outdoor venue. We also have had a lot of birthdays, Sophia turned 3, Rozano turned 14 and Ronaldo turned 17! So lots of cake and braais! I want a braai for my next birthday!

In other news, this week was also very interesting. On Nov 21-22 there was a taxi strike. This shut down the city due to safety, so it was a day at home. Yonga was directly affected by this so she had to pull a double and caught the taxi before the strike started at 2:30 am, and came home at 12:30 am. Also, students take taxis to school, so no students were able to get to school.

As time has passed, I am getting more homesick. I miss the luxuries that we have such as air conditioning, feeling completely safe with my belongings (robbery), laundry machines, having my own room, and my parent’s hugs. Also, since going away for trips coming home hasn’t been the same. I have felt emotionally disrupted. I sometimes feel on edge about how much or how little I am eating, not having alone time because knocking doesn’t exist, and being self-conscious about how much water I use to shower or to do laundry. All silly things, but it is anxiety-provoking because I want to be respectful and not ask for much.

On another note, I have also learned a lot about townships. I learned that the people who live in the township are either unemployed or making less than 2,500 rand, which is the minimum wage in South Africa, ($147 per month). I also learned that people in the township are desperate to make money so they will cut down the power lines and burn the rubber off the lines and then sell the copper, which also increases the need for load shedding. They will steal the water faucets for the copper, license plates, car decals, and train tracks, which has caused a decrease in public trains. The biggest township in Cape Town, Khayelitsha (which means “new home”) houses 1.2 million people in a 10 square-mile radius, which is the number of people that live in Dallas, Texas. The government has recently started putting porta-potties on the outskirts to help with sanitation. I also learned that during election time, politicians go into townships and tell the people how they will help them, yet when they become in office they don’t do anything, leading to an increasing number of townships. Also, there are cattle and children that are completely unsupervised. As I have learned more about these living conditions it has weighed deeply on my heart. I feel helpless and fearful.

To leave you on a happier note, I have noticed, since Hudson arrived that I have picked up a colored mentality like yelling across the house, licking my plate at the end of dinner, and incorporating lingo like, “awwww mannnn.”

I hope this reaches you well and enjoyed the life update here in Cape Town!

Khuluma ngokushesha (talk soon in zulu, an African language)

Elephant hug at an Elephant outreach (I also fed the elephants and touched their tongue, it was similar to ours – soft and slobbery)

The weeks are flying by! It’s hard to believe I am going into my final month in Mexico. September through December is such a festive time in Mexico, even more so this year with the World Cup starting in a few days! The last couple weeks have been highlighted by Día De Muertos, helping Someone Somewhere launch new products, and getting ready for my sisters to come visit me!

Día de Muertos is typically observed between October 31^st-November 2^nd. The night of November 1^st is typically considered the most observed day. Different communities and cultures in Mexico will observe this day differently. In Mexico City, there were so many events, parades, and celebrations around these dates. I went with friends to the historic center of Mexico City to watch the largest Día de Muertos Parade.

There were so many people! Even though we were packed like sardines, there was so much joy as people of all ages enjoyed watching the parade floats go by. I have mentioned this before, but one aspect of Mexican culture I respect the most is how people celebrate together and include the elderly. It brings me so much joy to see grandparents enjoying these events with their children and grandchildren. For most of my childhood, I grew up thousands of miles away from my grandparents, and I learned to cherish the moments that I did get to share with them. It is common that grandparents will live with their children and grandchildren as they get older, so grandparents play an important role in family life here.

Since coming to Mexico last year, I have wanted to go to Janitzio, a small island town in Michoacán, a state of Mexico north of Mexico City. This little town of only three thousand is one of the most iconic places to observe Día de Muertos celebrations. Since it is such a small town, it is hard to find places to stay nearby. I had just about given up on going this year when in a conversation with friends, I jokingly mentioned what if we just drove there and came back the same day? A few days later, we packed into the car and started our little day-trip!

Going to Janitzio has been one of the most special experiences I have had here in Mexico. The town is only accessible by boat, as it sits inside Lake Pátzcuaro, the third largest lake in Mexico. There was something magical about the slow boat ride to the town, the island slowly taking up more and more of the view, from a distant spec of light to seeing the iconic statue at the top of the island in full detail.

While this does not apply to all communities in Mexico, in Janitzio they believe that the souls of their loved ones return the night of November 1^st. They adorn their graves with candles, flowers, and their favorite items. The community sees this day as a chance to be present with their late loved ones, and many people genuinely feel their presence during these days. For many, November 1^st is dedicated to children who left the world of the living, and November 2^nd is for those who passed away as adults.

I have attached photos below from our trip to Janitzio. I hope to go back some day and visit the other eight islands around the lake. There was such a unique energy to Janitzio, from the people, the food, and the environment.

With the World Cup coming up, the national pride and excitement is reaching a peak. At Someone Somewhere, we launched a special collection just for the World Cup! Mexico’s national team historically has a hard time making it past the first round of knockouts, so people are hoping this is the year they break through to the quarter finals. My sisters are arriving in the middle of the first week of group matches. I am excited they will get the experience of being in a country where soccer is the dominant sport during the World Cup! Hoping Mexico can win a few matches!

I am so excited for my family to visit! There have been a few museums and landmarks that I have not been to so I can experience it with my family! We have a full itinerary of museums, experiences, and of course, delicious food coming up for us. Can’t wait to update you all on how everything goes!

Hello friends and family! Here is your life update from Cape Town, South Africa! Life here has been full of adventure lately! I have enjoyed the warmth, or should I say HEAT! It’s a battle to stay out of the sun because the UV index is getting up to 10! This week I started with a Cape Town FC soccer game at the DHL stadium! They WON, so it was a crazy environment! The locals say the Cape Town FC fans go “APE IN THE CAPE” because they are crazy!

We now have two new members at the school! Mr. Anthony brought two female geese to the school. The children love the geese and have learned a lot about coexisting with other animals. I also started working in one of the gardens because I couldn’t hold myself back any longer. I cleaned up the dead leaves and trash, as well as propagated some leaves to make more plants. I even brought three plants home to grow in my room. I am a crazy plant mom at home, and I miss all my plants! It is so fun to get my hands dirty and help Mr. Anthony out in the garden in my free time. I truly cherish the relationships I have built with the staff at school. Every morning I say hi to the staff, specifically using their names to remember who they are. I realized that I really appreciated Dawn greeting me with, “Good morning Rachel” as I walk into school. Because she uses my name, it makes me feel loved; I didn’t realize the power of remembering someone’s name. Having a relationship with the staff makes me look forward to going to school for not only the children, but also the staff.

Art galleries on the first Thursday of the month

Another fun thing I did was visited several art galleries on Nov 5th. On the first Thursday of every month, local art galleries hold a late-night event from 5-9 pm to let people come through and enjoy the artwork. Then we went to the SALT factory, which had a local pop-up thrift shop.

Halloween at school (Halloween is becoming more popular, but no trick or treating due to safety)

Friday, Nov 4th, the school celebrated Halloween. The staff and students dressed up and had snacks and sweets to purchase. So no school, just sugar rushes! The costumes were so cute! (There were a lot of Spiderman, witches, and princesses). Although I did not dress up, my hat made me look like a tourist, so I said I dressed up as a tourist!

Meeting Sarah Sponcil and Terese Cannon after they beat Brazil in the semi-finals

Lastly, this weekend was event packed! I went to the Beach Pro Volleyball Tour. I watched 3 US women’s teams compete. I even met Sarah Sponcil (who competed in the Olympics in Tokyo) and Terese Cannon, the team took silver in the tournament! I also won a signed US jersey because of my epic dance moves!

USA women’s beach volleyball signed jerseyUSA women’s beach volleyball signed jersey

Red Bull track for the box cart racing in Bo-Kaap

Then Sunday, Nov 6th, I went to Red Bull’s box cart racing in Bo-Kaap. 57 teams competed and built engine-less cars that were less than 80kg (176 lbs). It was such a fun day! I also went to the University of Cape Town on Monday. It was beautiful and reminded me of California because of the red clay roofing.

Cape Town University

I have felt emotionally sound, but I am already dreading the bittersweet feeling of going home. Auntie V has said, “your goodbye will be harder than the others because you’ve been here so much longer and are a part of our family.” This trip will always have such a huge place in my heart. I cannot believe that I will be in the states in less than 75 days! I am very emotionally attached to my host family. I even get to bathe and dress Sophia in the evenings to give Jade a break.

Mrs. Jacobs is a new member in the picture. She comes in and helps with behavioral issues at the school. I have spoken with her a handful of times and enjoyed sitting in on her lessons. One lesson was about inappropriate behavior. These children often touch and speak inappropriately to others and staff. I learned a lot of these children are abused at home. It is so hard to imagine what their home life is like. I also learned that some of the children carry forks, kitchen knives, or scissors with them at all times. Although weapons are not allowed at school, they carry these items because where they live is not safe, and need something to defend themselves. It is so hard to imagine what all these kids have gone through. It is our responsibility at school to help teach them boundaries and respect for authority and peers. I told the kids that I was setting a loving boundary and didn’t want hugs anymore because I had a bunch of bites on my back. We assume they are flea bites from the children’s clothes. I had one student who asked, “Are you still doing that loving boundary thing?” I laughed a little and said, “yes, thank you so much for remembering.”

Something I have learned is how South Africans speak to each other is much harsher than I am used to. In addition to louder voices, even shouting across the house to get someone’s attention, they speak more bluntly. Knowing my host family’s hearts makes me feel better when they say something in a blunt tone. For example, the janitor, Mr. Davids, said “you didn’t close the door to the storage room again, why did you leave it open even after I told you to close it?” WOW! I felt terrible and immediately apologized. The next morning I said, “good morning,” not sure how he would take it after yelling at me. But he was like, “hi, how’r (how are) you?” It made me realize not to take things personally.

Hudson landed in the Cape Town Airport after traveling for 38 hours

As this term wraps up and the students take finals, I welcomed a visitor! Hudson comes to town and I get to show him my new home! Also, please to check out my video that I made of the first 3 months here! https://youtu.be/gbtOcbvPMmU

Tune in next time!

• Attended a design thinking workshop hosted by HIAS for key organizations supporting the rapidly growing refugee community in Panama.
• Playing a volleyball game with three other people named Renee (honestly such a wild experience)
• 4 Panamanian restaurants made it onto The World’s 100 Best Restaurants List for Latin America!!!

I hope you’re doing well!
Cuidense,

Renée

Final Report:

Me at my goodbye park hang with all my friends :,)

I have been back in the States for about one week now, staying busy between moving into a new space, seeing friends in Nashville, preparing my Lumos presentation, and now visiting my family up in Chicago. I spent the final hour on the flight into Nashville reading letters from friends and from my host family, tears welling up and releasing. I love crying on planes. There is nowhere to go and nobody familiar, engine roars mask the sound of sniffling and, if you’re like me, your face remains still, dramatically looking out the window (cue “Here Comes Goodbye” by Rascal Flatts once more).

As I am certain any former Lumos traveler can attest to, it has been a challenge putting together an answer to, “How was your trip?!” Usually I get stuck after, “Incredible!” and fumble through describing what I love about the city of Buenos Aires after a a few seconds of blank stares. The truth is that I could never quite put into words all that I experienced or felt or learned the past 5 months. So let me start small: I speak Spanish! I may not be fluent (yet, fingers crossed) or fully bilingual but I shared a home and had complex conversations with my fully Spanish-speaking host family daily, which I have to remind myself is no small thing. This will benefit me as a nurse and my Spanish-speaking patients for the rest of my career. Since being back, I have already communicated with Spanish speakers on two separate occasions. I feel that a new level of neighborliness, of community, of local engagement has been opened to me—there is a new realm of possibility in communicating with the people around me, especially in my work at the Public Health Department in Nashville. I plan to continue taking classes in the States and have looked into programs, such as those organized by Casa Azafrán, that connect English speakers with Spanish speakers for weekly exchanges/practice/community building. One of my main goals in planning this project was to return with an improved ability to provide healthcare to our neighbors with Spanish communication needs, and I think that while I am still continuing to learn, this goal was obtainable. I also experienced the challenges of living in a country that functions in a different language than my own, gaining first-hand understanding of just some of the obstacles facing those who move away from their home countries.

Another goal of mine was to strengthen my skills as a doula and healthcare worker, as well as progress in my training, and provide empathetic care to my patients in the hospital of Moron. Throughout the course of my project, I participated in several workshops led by my host mom, Ana, a well-seasoned professional doula. The workshop topics ranged from breastfeeding basics to caring for the placenta in postpartum. I also took Ana’s doula training course, once as an observer in June, and again as a participant and graduate in September. My placement in Hospital de Moron included 3 shifts per week and our primary responsibility was to serve the emotional needs of women in labor, in postpartum, and with infants in the NICU. While the first few months we’re challenging from a language perspective, my prior experience as a volunteer doula at Vanderbilt provided me with a basic understanding of my role and a foundational skill set that did not require much need for communication (i.e. non-pharmacological pain management, distraction techniques, massage, aromatherapy). Coaching women through birth and breastfeeding, providing a listening ear to their hopes and concerns, advocating their needs to the healthcare team, and serving as a silent companion in a busy environment were some of the ways me and the other volunteers helped contribute to our patient’s wellbeing. Moron is a province outside of the city of Buenos Aires and the public hospital serves a population with few healthcare resources. In the hospital many of the birthing mothers were under 20 years old and had little education beyond primary school. Birth control options and sex education is scarce, and many of the women we worked with felt more comfortable complying with the doctor’s suggestions than advocating for their wants or needs. A practical (and frequent) way in which we saw this occur, and in which us doulas helped advocate for our patients, was in the laboring rooms when a woman was seemingly solo and their accompaniment (i.e. mother or partner or friend) were outside in the waiting room. Oftentimes the patient did not speak up that they had someone there with them and the accompaniment didn’t ask to be brought inside either. Neither did the doctors or nurses make an effort to include them in the process until the vey last minute. When we discovered that they had a loved one passively waiting outside while the patient sat alone progressing in labor, we were the ones to communicate with the healthcare team and retrieve the accompanying person as early as possible. There were many small ways in which we worked to create a more equitable, personal environment for the women in Moron, something I can continue to work to do here in my job in the States.

It doesn’t take long living in Argentina to realize that politics are a hot topic there. Since the dictatorship ended in the early 80’s, building themselves as a democracy has been filled with political polarization. Over time, I learned from a diverse variety of people with different socioeconomic backgrounds (my host sisters, my friends, the teachers at school, the doulas I worked with, the patients I took care of) the arguments and values of each side. I also explored the history of their government, including the beginnings of Peronism, through the devastating dictatorship that led to the disappearance of over 30,000 people, up to the modern-day Kirchnerism. Argentina’s economic crisis has led to a current inflation rate of 83%—one USD is equivalent to 157 Argentine pesos today. In a country where houses and cars and plane tickets abroad are sold in USD and government loans do not exist, acquiring wealth is extremely difficult. Many of my friends would say things like, “it feels like there is no hope for us young people, except to be politically involved.” However, they would also say things like, “we are trapped in chaos, but we have our culture to bind us together.” The culture in Buenos Aires is so rich. Traditions like passing mate around at the park, bustling weekend street markets, and futbol games and rivalries. Taking great pride in their asados (barbecue), wine, hospitality, free education system, empanadas, history, and diverse landscapes. The people of Argentina share in their love for their culture, despite their diverse political opinions—something I hope to remember as I return to a very divided country.

I would like to thank Thandi, Shauna, and the rest of the Lumos committee and their donors for trusting me with this project. I would never have been able to make this trip possible without the help of my partner organization, Experiential Learning International, or the Connecting Worlds team in Argentina. Thank you to my parents, my brother, and my wonderful friends for staying in contact with me even when I made it difficult between losing two phones. If you are considering applying to Lumos, my advice is to do a lot of research into your partner organization and get as realistic of a picture as possible of what your work will look like. Consider how your project will impact what you think you want to do with your career, and how your skill set could be used to impact a community or non-profit abroad. When choosing a country, think about what you know of that place and the obstacles you will face—is there a language barrier? If so, do you plan on taking language classes before leaving/during your stay? What kind of societal challenges do the people of that region face? If you’ll reside on the other side of the equator will you be in winter for 1.5 years like me? Does the length of your planned stay align with the time it will take to reach your goals? If you already received a Lumos grant and are preparing for your leave, first of all, congratulations! The Board believes in your project and you should take that as a boost of courage! I advise you to bring the things you use daily that make you feel like yourself to your destination. I had a list of things I thought I needed based on what I thought Argentina would be like, and when I got there I really just wanted my slippers and some nail polish to keep me company. Bring some “American” treats to share with your host and friends, and leave some room in your suitcase to bring back goodies for your loved ones here. Also—get your vaccines early and budget for them (they’re expensive).

Ok, I think that wraps things up. Thanks for following along, supporting me, and checking in. Te quiero 🙂

Ciao for now,

Kara

(To preface, I wrote this on October 15th and couldn’t upload due to tech/wifi difficulties)

Welcome back!

I am writing you from my kitchen, eating a bowl of yogurt with fresh strawberries, something that just came into season at the verdulerías (a taste of summer, how divine!) I am feeling very content this morning as I reflect on helping in my first ever home birth yesterday. Here is an excerpt from my journal, written from the couch during a bit of downtime:

“I want to remember this tranquility forever. This home, the natural light pouring in through floor to ceiling windows, a perfect spring breeze swaying blades of grass in one swift backyard dance. Everything is alive. The fireplace, the smell of white pine settling on our shoulders, the cat curled up in a chair facing me, the whispers of the midwives cooking lunch in the kitchen and Agostina breathing through contractions in the room over. Folk music plays in the background, the deep rich red rug holds my gaze—each part of this house playing a role in the welcome. Concrete floors hold us upright as we wait patiently. I am not even aware that this is happening in Spanish anymore, there is an unspoken language passing between each of us. We are collectively being held in anticipation, in warmth.”

I woke up at 9am yesterday to several texts from Agostina (the mother-to-be) in our birth team group message. Her due date isn’t for another week but she woke up with mild, rhythmic contractions separated by 5 minutes each (early latent labor). I quickly cancelled my Spanish lesson for the morning and a moment later Ana entered my room saying, “en diez minutos, vamos.” When you work as a private doula, there is a lot of preparation. This (among several things, I am learning) differentiates the job between a private and volunteer doula. In the hospital, we show up for our shift and whoever is there in the 8 hours we round is who we interact with. We don’t form relationships with any of the patients beforehand, often we aren’t even meeting them until they’re in postpartum and, while we divide up the week to ensure doulas are present each of the 7 days, the relationships to these mothers lasts the duration of the shift (with the exception of some families in the NICU that we get to know over several weeks). With Agostina, we have had monthly meetings, visits to her house, talked in depth about her hopes and desires for the birth, made a Plan B option to the hospital should it be necessary, and formed relationships with her husband and their 2-year-old. Ana has worked with this team of midwives for many years—everything is thorough and thoughtful. There is an emphasis on minimal intervention, on natural pain relief, on relaxation, on the role of the partner, on movement, on prioritizing the needs of the woman, on nutrition, on breastfeeding, on privacy (!!!), on ambiance. When we arrived at their home (pictures below because it is beautiful), Agos was sitting in bed with her husband, smiling and eating breakfast. The rest of the day unfolded naturally, and never once did it feel anything short of calm.

Agostina had the privilege of preparing for this day extensively, and by the time it arrived she was incredibly well-equipped to progress smoothly through her labor. She bounced between walking around the house, sitting on a birthing ball, laying in her bed, and sitting in the bath, all while breathing through progressively stronger contractions. The midwives checked the fetal heartbeat once every two hours and did one check for dilation at the end, but mostly were there in the event that something stopped going according to plan. Ana and I accompanied Agos emotionally throughout the day—bringing her water/food, sitting with her through contractions, mirroring her movements/breathing, setting up the room for the birth, cleaning their house. At lunch we all ate around the dining room table close to the fire, sharing stories and laughing, it almost started to remind me of Christmas. She labored for about 7 hours, the final 2 in the bathtub. When finally she got out to move to the bed, we stopped in the middle of the room where Agos had squatted down, and in one long scream, both her water broke and the baby was born—just like that! It was unreal, like nothing I have ever seen. We helped her move to the bed and put the baby on her chest and let the family have a moment alone in the room until the placenta was birthed.

As someone with a healthcare background, I understand both perspectives of birth. It is something women have been doing for all of time, but it has only been institutionalized in the last 100 years (like most things). In some ways, that has been a very good thing—more chance of both mother and infant survival with the option of quick emergency care, safe surgical intervention, NICU development. However, there is also a lot of agenda in the institution. The patient becomes more like a product and less involved in decision-making (speaking from the perspective of what I have seen in Argentina). They have less autonomy, and overall, the process is extremely rushed. In the hospital, there is more of an emphasis on mitigating pain. In home birth, pain is viewed as a helping agent, a natural part of birth. At home there is no rush and no induction, no numbing or poking or prodding. No interruptions by people you’ve never met, no medication, no unnecessary C-sections or episiotomies. I don’t want to say that home birth/private birth work outside of the hospital is without agenda either. A lot of the more “natural” birth advocates have an agenda regarding how birth should progress. However, if the institution is more about intervention and “doing,” private/natural birth work prioritizes the least intervention. There were many moments yesterday that I felt like I should be doing more, being more productive, intervening to feel a part of the purpose of it. But by and large, it was the most peaceful birth I’ve ever witnessed, and it occurred to me that maybe my job was to not intervene, but rather to provide support when it felt appropriate.

So I have one final week here! So much has happened since I arrived in June (including my phone being stolen for the second time immediately after uploading my last blog post :/ ). My goals for the week are enjoying my final shifts at the hospital, completing my final two Spanish classes, saying goodbye to friends and my host family, buying Christmas presents for my near & dear ones back home, going to a vegan street market in the city tomorrow, and managing to fit all of the chipa I possibly can into my suitcase 🙂

Talk to you once I am settled back in State-side! Since my phone was stolen immediately after the last post and I have been using a friend’s old 2014 android, I don’t have any new photos to upload, so instead I’ll show you some pictures from over the course of my time here that I never posted, enjoy!

Ciao,

Kara