¡Pura Vida in Costa Rica!

A few final thoughts and thanks from team leader Elan Paulson.

 

[Photo: Brother and sister Joey and Jeff Ho on a sight-seeing stop to take in a view of the gorgeous scenery above...and some crocodiles below!]

Nothing Cancels Mardi Gras. Nothing.

London, ON - My name is Sarah Kristolaitis. Two days ago, I hauled what seemed like an obscene amount of luggage home from Elgin Hall, set it inside, sat down, and cried. I cried because I was tired. I cried because despite my somewhat solitary nature, it felt very strange to suddenly be alone. I cried because I felt simultaneously angry, frustrated, joyful and grateful due to what I had witnessed on my Alternative Spring Break trip to New Orleans this year.

I felt angry because despite the horrible tragedy that occurred in New Orleans, they seem to have received pitifully little help. Five and a half years later, a disturbing proportion of their beautiful city still lies in ruins, with the marked houses serving as a constant reminder of what was lost. I felt frustrated because I am only one person, and can only do so much to help. I felt joyful because of the work our outstanding team accomplished, and because of the amazing spirit I saw in the New Orleans people. I felt grateful that I had a home to come back to.

This is not the first time I have traveled across an entire country to help my fellow human beings. When I cycled across Canada in 2009 for a charitable cause, I had the following quote from Mahatma Gandhi on my website:

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”

Little did I know that nearly 2 years later, I would find myself drawn to this quote again. The real strength I witnessed in Louisiana was not in the muscles of this team of people hauling around 80 lb bags of concrete, nailing together walls, or swinging sledgehammers. It was in the uncrushable spirit of the city’s inhabitants. I was blown away by the hospitality and welcome we were shown by complete strangers on this journey. To not only survive, but to celebrate life and welcome others with open arms – that’s strength. On the way home, we watched the documentary When the Levees Broke. I had to smile to myself when I noticed something on a billboard in the background which summed up the determination and joie de vivre that is so apparent in New Orleans: Nothing Cancels Mardi Gras.

NOTHING.

Changed.

London, ON - My name is Lauren Davies. I’ve been back from New Orleans for three full days now and the thoughts and emotions are pouring out of me. This experience has been an incredibly emotional journey of self-growth and development for me. There have been several events that have transpired in my life over the past few years that have drastically changed my outlook on life, my drive and motivation, and most importantly my confidence in my abilities and myself.

This past summer, heading into my fourth and final year at Western, I knew I needed a change. This is why I signed up for the Alternative Spring Break program and their New Orleans experience. I wanted to challenge myself to do something different, to do something important, and to do something good.
The first few days of this journey were difficult for me, full of frustration, discomfort and some pretty powerful reflection. I felt out of place and disheartened that I couldn’t just jump right into the action like some of my other teammates.

It wasn’t until day two on the worksite that these feelings begin to disappear. I remember it clearly: I was taking a water break after a very frustrating interaction with a nail that wouldn’t hammer in straight. I was feeling extremely discouraged, until I looked around at the site. All I could see were 38 amazing individuals all working hard with smiles on their faces.

It was in this moment that I realized the enormity of what we were doing and what we would accomplish by the end of our week in New Orleans. We built a pretty important part of a house for a beautiful woman named Joyce and her two kids. We built a home for someone, and some pretty awesome memories to go along with it. The entire team came together, worked hard, and supported one-another all the way through. It was truly incredible thing to witness and be a part of.

I’m walking away from this experience a changed person. While I may have not had the same experience as others, I had the experience that I was looking for. I’m walking away from this week with newfound inspiration, motivation, and drive to do good in this world and make a difference in any way that I know how. I’ve learned that as much as I doubt myself and my abilities, I can do anything if I set my mind to it and think of the past week always and often.

I want to thank everyone on this trip: my 38 amazing teammates, and 4 incredible and talented leaders. None of this would have been possible for me without each and every one of you guiding and motivating me through. I have been inspired by each and every one of you and will always remember my time in New Orleans.

Nicaragua Day 7 - Time to Say Goodbye...

Today's sunrise brought with it the bittersweet hints of an incredible dream coming to its inevitable close.  As we donned our purple scrubs and ate our now-familiar breakfast of rice and beans, we couldn't help but dwell on the fact that our return to reality was rapidly approaching.

During our reflection period on Thursday night we discussed how frustrating it can be  diagnose someone but lack the medication to treat them. We therefore collectively agreed to donate some money to purchase  pharmaceuticals for the clinic. Louis and Dr. Cerrato thanked us profusely when we presented our gift this morning, and assured us that it would go toward buying drugs for the community  of Campusano where we've been working.

After breakfast we divided up into teams and headed to work. At the health centre some of us were allowed to palpate a fetus' head, and Dr. Mario used an ultrasound device so we could hear its incredibly rapid heart beat. Carla, our translator, got us really excited when she jokingly suggested that we might even witness a live birth.  Over at the clinic it was business as usual. Savroop manned the pharmacy, and several of us were able to give more vitamin shots. Clinic ended early today, and we spent some time playing with the children and giving them refreshments. After cleaning up we bid farewell to our new friends, young and old.

Upon leaving the clinic we ate a quick lunch at a local restaurant, then enjoyed a few hours of relaxation, euchre, and preparation for the long journey home. Knowing that we'd be leaving early in the morning, some of us tried to catch up on our sleep. After dinner at another local restaurant we returned to the hotel, where Louis shared some heartfelt words with us. It was inspiring to hear that a man with his incredible life-experience has such confidence in us, and we are all very grateful to have had the opportunity to meet him. The night ended with some final reflection on what we'd accomplished in our short week, and a discussion about how the experience would affect our return to reality. 

We have learned a great deal this week. A few days worth of clinical experience taught all of us (even the scientifically-inclined) far more about medicine than years of school. But that is only a fraction of what we've gained from this trip. Many of us arrived in Nicaragua expecting a desolate wasteland in desperate need of help. As the week went by, however, we came to realize how much the label "Third World" is limiting and stereotypical, and the extent to which it ignores forms of wealth that can't be easily counted up or put in the bank. Despite having survived a massive earthquake and multiple civil wars, Nicaragua is a beautiful country full of proud, resilient people.  Certainly the health care situation is dire, but we found a strong sense of community in village life that does not exist in our part of the world.  Furthermore, life in Nicaragua happens at its own pace, largely free of the neverending sense of urgency that plagues many of us as we fly through our days.  

We came to Nicaragua to provide health care and education, but now that our trip has come to an end we've realized it was us who did most of the learning. We cannot thank the Nicaraguans enough for what they have taught us, so it is with heavy hearts that we turn our backs and head home.

Buenas noches Nicaragua.

- Keith

 

P.S. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we were without internet access for the last two days of our trip. This blog entry was therefore posted after our return.

How Good of an Alternative Spring Break!

London, ON - This is Katayoon (Kate) Pejman from team New Orleans.  It has been approximately 28 hours since we’ve returned to London from New Orleans, Louisiana. 

My suitcase is still lying on the floor of my room with many items scattered all around it.  I am hesitating to clean up the mess, mostly because I am afraid that once I put everything back, the amazing memories I have of my experience will too disappear from my mind. 

When my friends and family ask me what I did in New Orleans, I start by saying we built one quarter of a house.  We built the concrete foundation, the sub floor and walls of the house in just 5 days.  But most importantly I witnessed something good happen, and I hadn’t realized how rare good things had become in my life. 

As a Western student, there are a lot of times when I felt as if I am in a battle with a schedule that has planned every minute of my days with lectures, labs, meetings, assignments, papers, gym, exams and countless number of studying hours at the library.  I needed inspiration and most of all I wanted to be part of something that really mattered and this experience was just that.  But I didn’t see this good thing in the steel rebars, the concrete blocks, the floor or even the walls that we put together.  I witnessed it in people. 

I saw this good thing in the kind hearts of the people of New Orleans, for example, the restaurant owner in the French Market who bought me and several other team members free slushies as his token of appreciation for the work we were doing in New Orleans.  I saw this good thing in my team; your love, effort and passion for our work has truly inspired me and this blog post. 

Thank you for letting me in on a good thing.

Back in London

We are back home from Winnipeg and received a warm welcome – literally – at the airport. The temperature in London was significantly warmer than what we experienced during the past week.

Our final reflection gave us a lot to think about, including figuring out how to translate what we learned and experienced in Winnipeg to our everyday lives. Whether this means spreading the word about the people and stories we heard, or committing to volunteering to help the local homeless community, everyone felt strongly about bringing change home with them.

Now that the week is over, I couldn’t be happier about how things turned out. We were a group of 14 strangers living together in close proximity, traveling around in a foreign city and stepping outside our comfort zone. The results were lasting relationships and tons of laughter. I was so lucky to get the group I did. I can’t wait to hear about the experiences of other ASB teams and share our experiences at the ASB Showcase.

For now, I am heading back to bed for some much needed sleep. Go Team Winnipeg!

Thanks for following along on our adventure. Cheers, Heather

Nicaragua Day 6 - Back to Work

Attention Faithful Readers of the Nicaragua blog!

It has been another eventful day in this beautiful country. We spent our second day in the clinic and also took part in a health fair at a local school. Those who were at the fair participated in health promotion activities for the children. These included HIV/AIDS testing and awareness, pap tests, malaria tests and dental hygiene. The school children were shown how to properly wash their hands and brush their teeth.  Some of us were able to perform the pap tests ourselves, which was a highly educational experience. During the fair we also got to see Nicaraguan dances set to traditional music.   

Back at the clinic the rest of the group encountered a variety of ailments during patient consultations.  One baby girl had a severe staph infection that had initially been treated with amoxicillin before the medication ran out.  We were lucky to have appropriate antibiotics to give out, so she should be healthy again soon! We also encountered several cases of fungal and parasitic infections, and a few women who were experiencing the symptoms of menopause. Rongbo had a very unique opportunity today to give his first injections to patients. With help from Dr. Cerrato, he gave two vitamin shots (without causing any harm!).

A few families have been present at the clinic each day, providing assistance while setting up and performing other small tasks. Many of them helped show us around their community on our day of home visits. The kids end up staying at the clinic all day, passing the time by playing with us, each other, and anything else they can find. Kevin provided some entertainment with his juggling skills and by jumping through a sprinkler with some of the boys.  We have come to know these kids well over the course of the week and are looking forward to seeing them again tomorrow. It will be hard to say goodbye to them after our final day at the clinic tomorrow. And on top of all this, everyone’s Spanish has improved greatly! Go us!

A few nights ago, our amazing guide Louis promised us a dance lesson.  We made the request jokingly but Louis takes all of our suggestions to heart and brought someone in to teach us for almost two hours. We learned some sweet Salsa and Meringue moves. Some people picked up on the moves quite quickly while other people struggled, but we all had a great time laughing at ourselves. We were all sweating buckets by the end of it.

Although we are excited for another clinic day tomorrow, we are also sad that our time here is coming to a close.

 

Until next time: Adios, Amigos!

- Alex, Brittany, Kevin and Silke

 

P.S. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we were without internet access for the last two days of our trip. This blog entry was therefore posted after our return.

 

Not "Adios" but "Hasta Luego" to Costa Rica (Day 8)

Our departure day--travel by airplane and bus from Costa Rica back home to Western in London, Ontario. Dinner at Wendy's. Post by Jessie Shoenberg and Saumya Krishna.

 [Photo: Ajit at the San Jose Airport]

Last night in Winter-peg

Hello to all the people out there following the ASB Winnipeg team’s blog!  My name is Jessica, and it looks like I’ll be your third (and possibly last) guest blogger.  I’m in fourth-year Science, and ASB alum, having gone to New Orleans way back in my first year.  Our week here in Winnipeg is drawing to a close, and I for one am torn between the lure of my comfy (and warm!) bed at home and the desire to keep this amazing experience going forever.  The past 6 days have been a whirlwind of belief-challenging and value-changing experiences, with some fun thrown in to keep us grounded.

Friday was our last day volunteering at Siloam Mission.  We were all so sad to leave, having become great friends with all of the staff and some of the patrons there.  My team was working almost the whole day in the kitchen, which was the most fun I have ever had cooking.  The sheer amount of food that goes through the relatively small kitchen each day (900 meals daily!) is astonishing.  I have never chopped that many potatoes before. In order to feed so many people, Chris and the other kitchen staff have to plan meals with what food has been donated, which doesn’t always come together into easy menus.  Their entire food budget for a month is about $1,000. 

Heather and Alanna learned how to gut turkeys from the amazing Chris.  I was very impressed with their skill, and the number of turkeys they managed to get through in only a few hours.  We also got the opportunity to put together breakfast plates assembly-line style, and hand them out to the patrons.  The smell of pancakes made me so hungry, even though I had eaten breakfast just an hour earlier.  Luckily after breakfast was over we got to eat some of the pancakes as a mid-morning snack.  Sooooo good.  That is one of the things I love about Siloam Mission: their philosophy is to give the patrons the best service possible, which also gives them human dignity.

Unfortunately we also had a little mishap on Friday.  Avery, one of my teammates, accidentally cut her fingers while chopping immense quantities of onions in the course of the morning.  Luckily no stitches were required, although she and Heather did spend the better part of the afternoon in a walk-in clinic.  Just another adventure for team Winnipeg!

The work that kitchen does blew me away, and it is so appreciated by the patrons.  Our other team leader, Andreas, mentioned that he never heard more Thank You’s than when he was working in the Drop-In Clinic.  The stereotype of the homeless as being unappreciative or as taking without giving could not be more wrong.  So many of the volunteers we met had been patrons of the Mission in the past.

And just so you don’t go away thinking that this trip was all work and no play, we did make it to the Festival du Voyageur last night.  It was a great party, with lots of live bands (in heated tents, thank goodness!) and historical exhibits about the French fur traders, known as voyageurs, who first came to the Winnipeg area.  There were also a ton of huge, beautiful snow sculptures.  The only downside was that the temperature had dropped to about minus 40, so we spent a lot of time dashing between heated tents and buildings.  At least now we can say we survived a really cold Winnipeg night out!

Today was our free day, so we slept in and had pancakes and bacon for brunch.  Then we went back to the Forks for skating on the river (so much fun) and souvenir shopping.  The river is beautiful, and although skating into the wind is difficult, letting the wind push you along when going in the opposite direction is a wild ride.

One of the most important things I am taking away from this trip is the sense of community that exists in Winnipeg.  I was so impressed with the downtown; it is immaculate and full of beautiful, well-maintained old buildings.  Manitoba is the most generous province in Canada.  Even the Forks is a big tourist area, but skating on the river we saw people walking their dogs, like they do everyday, on one of the most beautiful trails imaginable.  Siloam Mission and Winnipeg Harvest are part of a huge network of Winnipeg residents that are trying to give back to their city.  It may not be a wealthy city, but it is a city that cares about its citizens.

I didn’t know a lot about Winnipeg before I came here (except the weather), but the more I find out the more impressed I am.  This city epitomizes Canada, and I think more Canadians should take the opportunity to come out here and get to know it better.  And if anyone wants to stop by at Siloam Mission or Winnipeg Harvest and lend a hand, they would be happy to have you!

One of the staff at Siloam, Lindsey, told us something on Friday that really stuck with all of us: when it comes to international poverty, we have compassion, but when it comes to domestic poverty, we have only judgment.  Something to think about: how do we take the judgment out of our treatment of Canadian poverty?  I think Siloam Mission might have some of the answers.

Flying A sign London 2011