Trivia question: In 1777, which nation was the first to officially recognize the US as a sovereign state? No, not France. They’d of course discuss it, but the recognition would not become official until 1778. (Naturally followed by a declaration…
With Session 1 interns leaving and Session 2 interns arriving earlier this week, things have been pretty busy here at the Manna house. Here’s what’s been going on: On Saturday we said goodbye to the Session 1 interns. We were…
Fun fact: Since 2002, Rabat has hosted the Mawazine Music Festival: Rhythmes du Monde. (Rhythms of the World) Artists from all over the globe come to perform, as well as local Moroccan talent, with 90% of the shows being free…
The first week was really about getting my hands around Mission Lazarus, all of the initiatives and operations, how it works. This week is about getting my hands around my job, what I am here to accomplish for the organization.…
One of the communities Manna Project works closely with is Villa Guadalupe, a fairly new neighborhood in northwest Managua. Before Villa Guadalupe was the barrio it is today, it was known as La Chureca, the largest open air landfill in…
Four hour meetings can be good things, and can be bad things. Like, who wants to sit for four hours and talk about what needs to be done better. But we all know that communicating is the most important thing…
Salam alaykum, my friends! In English, this greeting translates to “peace be with you”. I use it interchangeably with a hearty bonjour on a daily basis, but I must admit that the Arabic feels more genuine both to give and…
This week has been another crazy one! This week I moved away from my PG and in with a coworker and her family. It has been great so far. They are super welcoming and it’s nice to have people around…
As I got ready to write my first entry since the trip officially began, we had the first power outage. It’s been two days filled with a lot of firsts. First ride through the mountainside of Honduras. First night of…
Working for a nonprofit in a developing country definitely isn’t glamorous. Budgets are tight, living spaces are crowded, and the work is sometimes heart-breaking, sometimes tedious. I knew when I traveled to Nicaragua that I would be working in very…