Behind the Smiling Faces
As I open the door to Manna Project every afternoon, I hear the running footsteps of excited children racing up the stairs to get inside. We exchange our usual “buenas tardes” and “cómo estás” and I hear about the kids’…
Category Stories
Week Two | दुई हप्ता
The Placement During week two of my stay, along came picture day at Sunrise. All buttoned up and ready to smile, the little miniature people were rounded up by the teachers and set atop a chair to match the height…
Reflections and Refractions
There’s a creepy path by my apartment building. It exists under an overpass, enclosed by claustrophobic metal gates, punctuated by odd little alcoves that seem to only exist as trash receptacles for careless litterers. Ordinary objects become haunting when they…
Voluntourism – Volunteer or Tourist?
One of the responsibilities of Program Directors at the Manna Project is to coordinate and run spring break service trips. During the first week of March, I will be responsible for coordinating eleven Vanderbilt University students who will stay in…
Molo Unjani
Molo Unjani! (Hello, how are you in Xhosa) Last week was my first week of work and it was wonderful and challenging and unpredictable. Our residents have been teaching me Xhosa, and I can proudly say I know about 10…
Topic: Kathmandu Traffic | यातायात
This is what it sounds like. Feel free to listen as you read this short description of—you guessed it—Kathmandu traffic. Parked About 10% of the time, traffic in the heart of Kathmandu is parked. Taxis, buses, motorcycles, and tuk-tuks alike…
Ansanm N’ap Vanse
Ansanm n’ap vanse. Together we move forward. My high school freshman year RTI teacher had a sign by the door of her classroom saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”…
Week One || पहिलो हप्ता
Arrival. Airport. Visa. Baggage claim. Sim card booth. Someone waving a sign with my name on it. A dusty dark midnight Thursday ride through decrepit streets made of rocks and sand. Hotel. Shower. A few “new phone, it’s me—I’m here…goodnight” texts.…
Back Home!
Hello from Cape Town!!! I cannot express how good it feels to finally be back to this beautiful country. In fact, I cried when my plane landed at Cape Town International Airport. I arrived in the most beautiful beach town,…
In the Swing of Things
17 days in Ecuador down! I’ve acclimatized to the altitude, learned how to navigate the bus system, spent a week with a host family, and most importantly, started leading my programs with the Manna Project. Here is a rundown of…