Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible. The trip opened my eyes to the whole entire world, unlike those commercials we see about whats wrong with the world and those little kids you see on T.V, this trip really brought you there, and put you right in front of everything. El Salvador isn't a bad country - - it just has its problems like every other country. The team, the leaders, the family, were phenomenal! The best part of the whole trip was the ending ceremony for me, because you could see all the work pay off. One of my favorite parts of the trip was just driving around, whether it was on the way to the work site, or on the way to the mountains, we got to see a lot of the country and how they do things, and believe me, it's alot different from here. I absolutely love how the team came together, from sitting in a room first day, to hanging outside of DSBNi and having all these great friendships. It was just a few days ago that I needed a ride home from work, and I was a bit stranded that night for a ride, and it was nice to know that there was a friend there to call to help me. That is just an example how close our team has come together. I want to do millions more of these trips. I don't think any future event like this will be as good as this one. Let's hope we can all do one of these trips together again, if not most of us. I will never forget any of you and the leaders.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
19 People, 12 Days, 1 Country.. The experience of a lifetime.
Exactly one week ago, I was waking up for the first time in 12 days in my own bed at home. Normally after a vacation, people cannot wait to be home to sleep in their own bed. However, I felt the complete opposite. I missed my single bed in small room of Centro de Formacion. I missed my two roomates, and I missed waking up to a warm breakfast in 30 degree weather with my DSBNi team.
Everyday, I think about El Salvador. I think about Jose, Oka, Noel, Freddie, Rosa and everyone else that became a new friend. Everytime I go to get a drink of water, I remember the women carrying waterjugs on their head, travelling back and forth from the dirty riverside. Each time I have a hot shower, I think about waking up to the cold showers we had while we were down there.. and I turn the temperature down a little bit. Every conversation or simple hello I have with one of the DSBNi members, I recall what they taught me, and how they helped me.
I know it's been mentioned before -- the selfish feeling we all get because of what we have taken out of this experience. But that's because it's completely true. Setting out to "change the world, one act of kindness at a time" was our goal. We were going to build a house in a poor country, and help the poor people... No. That's not what we did. We learned about these people we labelled "poor" and "unfortunate", and are now able to give them names. They are not poor, they are hardworking, and proud of what they have. Unfortunate? Not at all. There were constantly smiles plastered on the faces of every Salvadorian we walked past. I respect each and everyone of them with all that I have, and I miss them so much.
Jose, Oka, Carlos, Frankie, Elias, Noel and Marciella: They taught me to just let loose, have fun.. play a game of "Mika", the popular game of tag, with your best friends. They showed me that despite the language barrier, we could be connected. After 6 Days of simply playing games with these kids, we were the best of friends. As we were leaving the buildsite for the last time, we shared our tears with them. I didn't think they'd care we were leaving.. or understand we weren't coming back. Seeing these kids cry made me feel as though I was a part of their life, and in turn they became a part of mine -- and will never be leaving my heart.
Carlos and Alberto, our masonry help on the worksite: These men taught me about hardwork, which I was not prepared for. Non-stop, these men would build, teach, laugh and interact with us. We all had a common goal: To build a house. They just helped us reach our goal by showing us a work ethic that is not commonly seen here in North America.
Rosa, Erica, Patty and all Habitat and GV members: Seeing how happy, and how passionate these people were about there job helped me realize something about my future. Whatever you do in life, you must be happy doing it. Money doesn't matter.. and it can't buy happiness. Each of these workers were giving there lives to help other people, and inspiring others to do so at the same time.
Cruz-Ortiz Family: Showed me family value. Mrs. Cruz-Ortiz was always looking out for her family, and making sure they were looking out for each other. She took care of 10 kids, and it was evident she loved each of them with all of her heart. I loved seeing how close the brothers and sisters were with each other, and also how the family opened their home for neighbourly visits. All of this together made it impossible to not see the love and closeness of Salvadorian life, and how important it is to keep you happy.
DSBNi students: You have all changed my life. Each and everyone of you have taught me something about myself. The bonds we have created-- although they may not have been extremely evident at first-- are so very strong. I loved meeting all these new people, learning about you was so interesting. But the way we were all able to care so greatly for each other was amazing. We went into this as strangers and came out as family. Thank you so much for being there, doing such a wonderful thing, and giving me 10 others to love and trust for the rest of my life.
DSBNi leaders: You made this happen, and I can't thank you enough for that. Each and every leader on this trip became one of my friends, that I respect and am inspired by. I'd also like to say that I greatly appreciate the trust you had for us, and the respect you gave us. You changed 11 teenagers lives.
The blog could go on forever. But scrolling up, I realized I've already written quite a lot of scattered thoughts. Everything is still so confusing to me, and it's hard to write it all down. One thing I do know however, is that this trip changed my life.
Adios from my last blog post..
Kayla Kuyvenhoven
Grimsby Secondary School
Everyday, I think about El Salvador. I think about Jose, Oka, Noel, Freddie, Rosa and everyone else that became a new friend. Everytime I go to get a drink of water, I remember the women carrying waterjugs on their head, travelling back and forth from the dirty riverside. Each time I have a hot shower, I think about waking up to the cold showers we had while we were down there.. and I turn the temperature down a little bit. Every conversation or simple hello I have with one of the DSBNi members, I recall what they taught me, and how they helped me.
I know it's been mentioned before -- the selfish feeling we all get because of what we have taken out of this experience. But that's because it's completely true. Setting out to "change the world, one act of kindness at a time" was our goal. We were going to build a house in a poor country, and help the poor people... No. That's not what we did. We learned about these people we labelled "poor" and "unfortunate", and are now able to give them names. They are not poor, they are hardworking, and proud of what they have. Unfortunate? Not at all. There were constantly smiles plastered on the faces of every Salvadorian we walked past. I respect each and everyone of them with all that I have, and I miss them so much.
Jose, Oka, Carlos, Frankie, Elias, Noel and Marciella: They taught me to just let loose, have fun.. play a game of "Mika", the popular game of tag, with your best friends. They showed me that despite the language barrier, we could be connected. After 6 Days of simply playing games with these kids, we were the best of friends. As we were leaving the buildsite for the last time, we shared our tears with them. I didn't think they'd care we were leaving.. or understand we weren't coming back. Seeing these kids cry made me feel as though I was a part of their life, and in turn they became a part of mine -- and will never be leaving my heart.
Carlos and Alberto, our masonry help on the worksite: These men taught me about hardwork, which I was not prepared for. Non-stop, these men would build, teach, laugh and interact with us. We all had a common goal: To build a house. They just helped us reach our goal by showing us a work ethic that is not commonly seen here in North America.
Rosa, Erica, Patty and all Habitat and GV members: Seeing how happy, and how passionate these people were about there job helped me realize something about my future. Whatever you do in life, you must be happy doing it. Money doesn't matter.. and it can't buy happiness. Each of these workers were giving there lives to help other people, and inspiring others to do so at the same time.
Cruz-Ortiz Family: Showed me family value. Mrs. Cruz-Ortiz was always looking out for her family, and making sure they were looking out for each other. She took care of 10 kids, and it was evident she loved each of them with all of her heart. I loved seeing how close the brothers and sisters were with each other, and also how the family opened their home for neighbourly visits. All of this together made it impossible to not see the love and closeness of Salvadorian life, and how important it is to keep you happy.
DSBNi students: You have all changed my life. Each and everyone of you have taught me something about myself. The bonds we have created-- although they may not have been extremely evident at first-- are so very strong. I loved meeting all these new people, learning about you was so interesting. But the way we were all able to care so greatly for each other was amazing. We went into this as strangers and came out as family. Thank you so much for being there, doing such a wonderful thing, and giving me 10 others to love and trust for the rest of my life.
DSBNi leaders: You made this happen, and I can't thank you enough for that. Each and every leader on this trip became one of my friends, that I respect and am inspired by. I'd also like to say that I greatly appreciate the trust you had for us, and the respect you gave us. You changed 11 teenagers lives.
The blog could go on forever. But scrolling up, I realized I've already written quite a lot of scattered thoughts. Everything is still so confusing to me, and it's hard to write it all down. One thing I do know however, is that this trip changed my life.
Adios from my last blog post..
Kayla Kuyvenhoven
Grimsby Secondary School
Saturday, July 11, 2009
thank you all so much
I just want to say thank you to everyone that made this trip happen, from the people who sponsored us to the ones that supported us all. This trip has really opened me up to a whole new meaning of life and made me see that you can make a difference - you just have to try. We might have not changed the world, but I know for sure that we did change the world for a family and we did change ourselves with the help of each other . We were all in it as a team and we came out not just as a team, not just as friends, but as a Family. And I just want to thank you all so much and tell you that you are all special to me and that no matter where I go or what I do, this was a trip of a life time and nothing will ever change it. I know I won't forget it as long as I live. It has been just so amazing and for everyone that made this whole trip happen. You did a great job and you will always know you helped make a difference.
Thank you all so much. I miss you all so much already and I know that I have not seen everyone for the last time just because of the bond we all had. I know I'm not the only one that has felt it. I love you all and hope to see you all very soon.
Love always,
Amanda xxxxxx
Thank you all so much. I miss you all so much already and I know that I have not seen everyone for the last time just because of the bond we all had. I know I'm not the only one that has felt it. I love you all and hope to see you all very soon.
Love always,
Amanda xxxxxx
Thursday, July 9, 2009
My Last Blog, Ryan
So here it goes, my last official blog post of the first official DSBNi trip. The last 12 days have been...incredible. Like anything in life, it wasn't perfect, because if the world was perfect a trip like this one wouldn't be needed. We had had some fantastic highs, and some self-realising lows as well. Personally I believe that this trip has re-energized me. Things that used to take me down, like getting a bad grade, or a girl not liking me, you know, the things that teenagers view as "the world", suddenly seem incredibly unimportant. My world has increased to the size where things like that are a tiny speck compared to real issues. I am still a typical teenaged boy, but I also like to think of myself as a not so typical human being. What I am is not what makes me different. The people who surround me, the experiences I have had and what I have seen make me different. Before this trip, we were all 19 different people. We are still 19 different people, but we now all have an experience that makes us the same. For some of us, it was the people that changed us. For others it was the extreme poverty. I could go on forever, because every one of us has been changed by something different. We will all carry on our own lives as the different people that we are, but hopefully we will all continue to have this one experience in common as we live our lives. I am writing this post at 1 a.m. so I'm sure no one will read this until tomorrow, but I would like to thank every one of the 18 amazing people I shared the last 12 days with. Some of you inspired me, others supported me, and you all are now a part of me. I would like to thank you for everything you did for me, big or small. I feel like you have become my second family and I do not want to lose that now that we are home. If, for some reason, we do, I would like to say to each one of you, that each of you have changed me as much as the experience did. I could go on a million more trips, but not one would be the same as this one. Thank you for being a part of my life, and now a part of me.
Love, Ryan
Love, Ryan
Monday, July 6, 2009
Blogging, Andrew, Janet, Kayla and Ryan
From: Andrew Petheram, A.N. Myer
Hola everybody,
Our 6th day on the build site was very eventful, we managed to add another 4 layers of block making the wall about seven feet tall. As everybody else will probably fill you in on our day I would like to focus on the resourceful Salvadorian nature. Often in Canada once something has been used or we don’t need it anymore we put it to the curb and we never worry about it again, or when we need something we just go to the store… but not in El Salvador!!! For instance today when we were at the build site we saw a car drive down the dirt road with a piece of bamboo as the tailpipe.. . you would never see that in Canada. On Monday we were mixing concrete and one of the shovel handles broke, so the mason sent one of the children out into the bush with a machete to make a new one… in Canada we would just run to the local Canadian Tire or Home Depot to get a new one or in Canada we have nice tools to do the mortar jointing between bricks where in El Salvador they just us an old piece of bent up re-bar. These are just a few of the countless examples of resourceful Salvadoran nature that I have seen over the past week!!!
Chow, Andres (Andrew)
P.S. The weekend resort was so nice… it was beautiful to just lay in the pool even though it felt weird because were on a mission to help people.
From: Janet Krzeczkowski, Sir Winston Churchill
For the weekend, we went to a resort. It was an awesome place! I had a really good time. Going to that resort made me realise some things that I wouldn´t have thought of if we didn´t go. What I learned from the weekend will help me better appreciate what I have. I know that this trip is helping me grow to become a better person. I´m going to take home lots of knowledge and understanding
Family and Friends: Tomorrow is the closing ceremony already. I am so excited to share my experience with all of you! See you soon!
Love you xx
Janet
From: Kayla Kuyvenhoven, Grimsby
We had a relaxing weekend at Rancho Estero y Mar, but the relaxation also gave me time to think, and my emotions were very stirred. Literally, neighbours next to our beautiful resort were in grass huts and shacks. All around us, the need and poverty was in such great existence, yet we were overlooking it while being served lunch on a patio above the beach. I didn't understand. Should I feel guilty? Angry? Sad? Grateful? My feeling continually changed between each emotion until I was just as confused as when I started. The contrast between our gated paradise and the real Salvadorean living was insane. Realising this has made me more appreciative of what I am doing, but also more aware of what is going on around me.
Sadly, on another note, the weekend has come to an end, and it's really starting to hit me that this trip is nearing its close. So far, I've taken away so much from this trip. It kind of makes me feel selfish...we came down here to help those in need, yet they have helped me and given to me more then I could ever give them.
Over the next 2 days, I know our new friends are going to teach me even more. I'm not even close to being ready to come home. I miss everyone so much, but I wish I could stay longer.
See you soon!
Love you!
Kayla
From: Ryan Elliott, E.L. Crossley
So...how do I say what I am feeling right now. I do not think it is possible to fully put it into words, but I will give it a shot. This weekend opened my eyes. I've been to a resort before, and on the beach, but this time it proved to me how much I really have changed. Normally the trip to the resort is full of sleeping and anxious waiting for the beach. This time I could not possibly take my eyes off of my surroundings. I felt an enormous amount of guilt, to the point that I had a knot in my stomach. I realise now how much I have taken for granted and how I will never again be the same person. Last night we all had our usual nightly gathering, and we talked about our impressions of what we have seen, and how it has affected us. I was one of the first to go, but as we went around the circle, new thoughts were constantly pouring into my head. Someone talked about boys that they saw selling jewelry outside the resort, who must have been between 8 and 10. They felt bad for buying it because it meant that they accepted the fact that the kids lived that way, and we were tourists taking advantage of their situation. On the other hand, if we didn't buy it, they would likely not eat that night. The analogy that popped into my head immediately, was someone trying to fix leak in a dam. They take what that have right with them, a piece of gum, and hold it over the leak while they search for concrete to fix it permanently. Buying the jewelry is like using the gum. It gets the job done for a little while, but in the end we need to find a permanant solution to the problem. We also talked about happiness, and how we may judge success by possessions, but in terms of happiness, the people we have seen far exceed us. I, again, was brought to something I have seen before. My little brother has a t-shirt that says "I would like a chance to prove that money doesn´t buy happiness". Well little bro, I have found the proof that you need. I have one last thing I have to say, Í'm sorry to everyone about how long this is, but it's my attempt to share what I am feeling. We talked about how if we left here without taking back anything that changes us, we will have lost a lot. One of the most important things I have gotten from here, are 18 relationships that I never would have had before. If we leave here, and forget about each other and go back to our 19 different lives, we will have lost people that have been so very important to each of us. I would like to think that at least the 11 students will remain in contact and stay friends, but only time will tell.
Until tomorrow, Mom, Dad, Evan, and everyone else I love, I miss you all so much, and I will see you in 3 days!
Love, Ryan
Hola everybody,
Our 6th day on the build site was very eventful, we managed to add another 4 layers of block making the wall about seven feet tall. As everybody else will probably fill you in on our day I would like to focus on the resourceful Salvadorian nature. Often in Canada once something has been used or we don’t need it anymore we put it to the curb and we never worry about it again, or when we need something we just go to the store… but not in El Salvador!!! For instance today when we were at the build site we saw a car drive down the dirt road with a piece of bamboo as the tailpipe.. . you would never see that in Canada. On Monday we were mixing concrete and one of the shovel handles broke, so the mason sent one of the children out into the bush with a machete to make a new one… in Canada we would just run to the local Canadian Tire or Home Depot to get a new one or in Canada we have nice tools to do the mortar jointing between bricks where in El Salvador they just us an old piece of bent up re-bar. These are just a few of the countless examples of resourceful Salvadoran nature that I have seen over the past week!!!
Chow, Andres (Andrew)
P.S. The weekend resort was so nice… it was beautiful to just lay in the pool even though it felt weird because were on a mission to help people.
From: Janet Krzeczkowski, Sir Winston Churchill
For the weekend, we went to a resort. It was an awesome place! I had a really good time. Going to that resort made me realise some things that I wouldn´t have thought of if we didn´t go. What I learned from the weekend will help me better appreciate what I have. I know that this trip is helping me grow to become a better person. I´m going to take home lots of knowledge and understanding
Family and Friends: Tomorrow is the closing ceremony already. I am so excited to share my experience with all of you! See you soon!
Love you xx
Janet
From: Kayla Kuyvenhoven, Grimsby
We had a relaxing weekend at Rancho Estero y Mar, but the relaxation also gave me time to think, and my emotions were very stirred. Literally, neighbours next to our beautiful resort were in grass huts and shacks. All around us, the need and poverty was in such great existence, yet we were overlooking it while being served lunch on a patio above the beach. I didn't understand. Should I feel guilty? Angry? Sad? Grateful? My feeling continually changed between each emotion until I was just as confused as when I started. The contrast between our gated paradise and the real Salvadorean living was insane. Realising this has made me more appreciative of what I am doing, but also more aware of what is going on around me.
Sadly, on another note, the weekend has come to an end, and it's really starting to hit me that this trip is nearing its close. So far, I've taken away so much from this trip. It kind of makes me feel selfish...we came down here to help those in need, yet they have helped me and given to me more then I could ever give them.
Over the next 2 days, I know our new friends are going to teach me even more. I'm not even close to being ready to come home. I miss everyone so much, but I wish I could stay longer.
See you soon!
Love you!
Kayla
From: Ryan Elliott, E.L. Crossley
So...how do I say what I am feeling right now. I do not think it is possible to fully put it into words, but I will give it a shot. This weekend opened my eyes. I've been to a resort before, and on the beach, but this time it proved to me how much I really have changed. Normally the trip to the resort is full of sleeping and anxious waiting for the beach. This time I could not possibly take my eyes off of my surroundings. I felt an enormous amount of guilt, to the point that I had a knot in my stomach. I realise now how much I have taken for granted and how I will never again be the same person. Last night we all had our usual nightly gathering, and we talked about our impressions of what we have seen, and how it has affected us. I was one of the first to go, but as we went around the circle, new thoughts were constantly pouring into my head. Someone talked about boys that they saw selling jewelry outside the resort, who must have been between 8 and 10. They felt bad for buying it because it meant that they accepted the fact that the kids lived that way, and we were tourists taking advantage of their situation. On the other hand, if we didn't buy it, they would likely not eat that night. The analogy that popped into my head immediately, was someone trying to fix leak in a dam. They take what that have right with them, a piece of gum, and hold it over the leak while they search for concrete to fix it permanently. Buying the jewelry is like using the gum. It gets the job done for a little while, but in the end we need to find a permanant solution to the problem. We also talked about happiness, and how we may judge success by possessions, but in terms of happiness, the people we have seen far exceed us. I, again, was brought to something I have seen before. My little brother has a t-shirt that says "I would like a chance to prove that money doesn´t buy happiness". Well little bro, I have found the proof that you need. I have one last thing I have to say, Í'm sorry to everyone about how long this is, but it's my attempt to share what I am feeling. We talked about how if we left here without taking back anything that changes us, we will have lost a lot. One of the most important things I have gotten from here, are 18 relationships that I never would have had before. If we leave here, and forget about each other and go back to our 19 different lives, we will have lost people that have been so very important to each of us. I would like to think that at least the 11 students will remain in contact and stay friends, but only time will tell.
Until tomorrow, Mom, Dad, Evan, and everyone else I love, I miss you all so much, and I will see you in 3 days!
Love, Ryan
Blogging: Amanda, Corie, Tricia
Amanda Vargo:
Friday I was sick, but managed to get better. Saturday when we pulled into the resort it was amazing, just a breath-taking view. Trish and I still managed to have ants in the room, I guess it was because of the beautiful waterfall view we had outside our window. I went to the beach and collected a lot of seashells. But what amazed me the most is how outside of the walls of what we called paradise were shacks, little boys trying to make money, and people risking their lives just for another day of food.Corie Hordijk:
But on this trip I learned that we can´t change the world. It is like I heard last night... How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. It takes time and this trip was not only about building a home, friendship, trust, and teamwork.
Hola everyone! Long time, no talk :) It was an awesome weekend of relaxation and sun. Although it also have me a great sense of appreciation. Our Ranch was beautiful, a tropical paradise. We enjoyed swimming, tanning and exploring. We got to go over to the ocean. I have never been to the Pacific Ocean before, so that was really cool. The waves were way too ginormous so I did not get a chance to do any body surfing :( We got a lot of swimming in the pool though. Saturday night we did karaoke and it was so much fun! Tricia and I did "Walking on Sunshine." The whole weekend was a great getaway! When leaving, we saw a bunch of beach shacks. It really showed us how much of a gated paradise we were in. A lot of El Salvadorans do not live in fair living conditions and we are SO lucky for everything we have. We cannot solve it all at once but one person at a time, we can spread the word and take action! If everyone does something beneficial in their community, we can spread the changeTricia Angle:
Hola! I cannot believe the amount of work we have done on the house. The R&R was definitely a nice break! It was a little bittersweet to stay in a place where right outside your door there are monkeys and pools, while right outside of the gate there are shacks and people trying to hard to make a dollar. I will not ever complain about working a non-life threatning job with a minimum wage ever again. Everything at home has a much greater place in my heart at this point, and every little worry seems so insignificant. Just having a day to relax in the hammocks and read made me realize how much I actually do need to take some time to myself to unwind and watching the waves crashing in the ocean and being so content made me realize how I need to start to appreciate the nature around me, because it is so beautiful.
I miss you all and I will see you on Wednesday!
Trish
Daily News
From Jordan Milne-
This weekend was awsome, we all had an amazing time.
Chow
From Matt Sinan-
This weekend was really good, I think everyone needed it off, because we were all really tired and could use some relaxation. We saw some pretty interesting parts of El Salvador. By the beach I think was the worst place, you would think since it's a beach there would be nice houses there, but it was probabaly the worst area I had seen. People in El Salvador do so much more work than we do in North America. They have a lot of physical work they need to do, just to gain that little ammount for them to live off. Here if you want money you really need to work. Even little kids are going around town selling stuff to make a little bit of money for the family. I know just me or the group alone can not change the world, but the numbers can expand, and the ripple affect will get bigger.
From Alex Emmerson-
This weekend was a well needed trip for the group, by the end of the week everyone had already began to feel fatigue and needed that little break. When we arrived at the resort, it was like our own little paradise, and to me arriving at a paradise felt wrong. The idea that were in a impoverished country, building a house, and then going to a resort, that made me feel guilty at first. It was soon after that I realized that us visiting this resort was only because we needed the break. After that realization, I decided to suck it up and have fun. We spent time swiming, lounging, and singing karaoke. Sunday afternoon we headed back to the retreat center where we will be staying for the remainder of the trip.
This weekend was awsome, we all had an amazing time.
Chow
From Matt Sinan-
This weekend was really good, I think everyone needed it off, because we were all really tired and could use some relaxation. We saw some pretty interesting parts of El Salvador. By the beach I think was the worst place, you would think since it's a beach there would be nice houses there, but it was probabaly the worst area I had seen. People in El Salvador do so much more work than we do in North America. They have a lot of physical work they need to do, just to gain that little ammount for them to live off. Here if you want money you really need to work. Even little kids are going around town selling stuff to make a little bit of money for the family. I know just me or the group alone can not change the world, but the numbers can expand, and the ripple affect will get bigger.
From Alex Emmerson-
This weekend was a well needed trip for the group, by the end of the week everyone had already began to feel fatigue and needed that little break. When we arrived at the resort, it was like our own little paradise, and to me arriving at a paradise felt wrong. The idea that were in a impoverished country, building a house, and then going to a resort, that made me feel guilty at first. It was soon after that I realized that us visiting this resort was only because we needed the break. After that realization, I decided to suck it up and have fun. We spent time swiming, lounging, and singing karaoke. Sunday afternoon we headed back to the retreat center where we will be staying for the remainder of the trip.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Just a glimpse . .
Hello,
A lucky break has given me a chance to show you a few photos. I know that you will like them. Pictures speak a thousand words, but I am sure the kids will give you even more background than even what the pictures show.
Enjoy.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Blogging: Amanda, Corie, Tricia
Amanda Vargo:
Hola! It was a great day! Started off sick and slowly got better as the day went on. I am glad I got to have this experience and to be able to share it with such great people. it is really good to hear from the people back home, I miss you all so very much.Corie Hordijk:
Love you mom and dad!
Oh, and Happy Bithday Abbie!! Auntie loves you!
Amanda
Hola! Well, it finally hit me. Just when I thought I got lucky, I was not feeling too great. I was told to stay back today. I was bummed because I wanted to continue to experience as much as possible, but on the other hand, it is good because I can catch up on rest. The doctor came to check up on us today, and that was interesting. He did not speak English, luckily we have Rosa, our translator! :) They say I can go back to the site tomorrow, but only doing little things. i have not become homesick yet, I am very lucky because I have a bunch of great people around me!Tricia Angle:
Miss you all,
Corie! xoxo
Hey once again! Today we went to the work site a little short handed, and the sun was not very forgiving! We did get a lot done though and the family as well as some neighbours were very quick to lend a hand! Hopefully everyone can be back out again tomorrow and then we are off for a nice, relaxing weekend =) I will make you all jealous with tales of the beach when we get back!
Ciao! Trish
Day 5 Andrew Janet Kayla and Ryan
From Andrew Petheram, A.N. Myer
Hola everybody,
My fifth day in El Salvador was not a very productive day as far as the build site goes...Since I was sick yesterday the doctor advised me to stay back at the retreat center today and rest. So I basically layed around and watched movies on Ryan´s iPod while the others slaved away all day on the house. I am told that I will be very surprised with the progress when I return tomarrow!!! Following dinner we did a couple of team activities then I played euchre with a couple of the leaders. My day of relaxing payed off though I feel totally normal now... Cant wait to get back to building tomarrow!!!!!!!!!! Thats all for now, I miss you all!!!
Love,
Andres (Andrew)
From: Janet Krzeczkowski, Sir Winston Churchill
Hola,
Today we were back at the work site. The house is looking great! It was a super hot day, I learned that I have to drink more water! I talked with the family kids today. They were laughing at me when I didn't understand, it was really funny. We all wrote our names in the dirt and I showed them my long last name. They couldn't believe how complicated it was! I love how they try to teach me Spanish and try to tell me things when I have no idea most of the time :).
Family and friends: I got some CD's from the market! Mom, all of my clothes, gloves, boots, etc... are perfect and lasting! I am still have the best time but I miss you guys!
Love you! xx
Janet
From: Kayla Kuyvenhoven, Grimsby
Today was kind of a stressful day. I think the excitement caught up with me and my guard was let down. The day at the worksite was the most tiring yet, but the DSBNi team had eachothers backs the entire time. The thing that hit me hardest today however, not a physical injury or sickness, but a letter that arrived at our worksite from an elderly lady down the street. She apologized if her letter was inappropriate, but wanted to talk to someone because her house was poor, old, and falling apart. If it was not already clerar to all of us why we were here...this helped me understand why. It's storming out right now; Salvadorean storms are crazy, I love it, so I'm going to watch and enjoy how beautiful a storm can be.
Goodnight, Love you,
Still missing you!
Kayla
From: Ryan Elliott, E.L. Crossley
Hey everyone,
I cannot believe that it is already the 6th day we have been here. I try not to think about the fact that this means the trip is half over. I am still enjoying every second, and when Kevin and Mike told all of you that we would be changed people by the end of the trip, they weren't kidding. I am still Ryan Elliott, but the Ryan Elliott that left a little under a week ago, has seen more in that time span, then most people do in a lifetime. I really wish that everytime I wanted something, and I didn't get it, that I could take it back. The guilt that comes over me, while watching the children play with the bricks, or dig in the middle of the dirt road is austounding to me. I'm sure a lot of people think that this feeling won't last, but the things I have seen, the people I have met, and the friendships I have made will stay with me forever. Don't worry, I am not going to come home and sell all my stuff and live with nothing. I am just going to be far more appreciative of the things I do have. The thing that has become the most evident to me, is how much I take my friends and family for granted. I miss every single one of you, like you wouldn't believe. I am also going to miss everyone I am sharing this experience with, because when you see somethings that we have seen together, you become friends really quickly. We are going away for the weekend, and I do not think there is Internet where we are going, so the next blog post will be Monday night. Be prepared for an action packed blog, but until then, goodnight.
I love and miss you all!
Ryan
Hola everybody,
My fifth day in El Salvador was not a very productive day as far as the build site goes...Since I was sick yesterday the doctor advised me to stay back at the retreat center today and rest. So I basically layed around and watched movies on Ryan´s iPod while the others slaved away all day on the house. I am told that I will be very surprised with the progress when I return tomarrow!!! Following dinner we did a couple of team activities then I played euchre with a couple of the leaders. My day of relaxing payed off though I feel totally normal now... Cant wait to get back to building tomarrow!!!!!!!!!! Thats all for now, I miss you all!!!
Love,
Andres (Andrew)
From: Janet Krzeczkowski, Sir Winston Churchill
Hola,
Today we were back at the work site. The house is looking great! It was a super hot day, I learned that I have to drink more water! I talked with the family kids today. They were laughing at me when I didn't understand, it was really funny. We all wrote our names in the dirt and I showed them my long last name. They couldn't believe how complicated it was! I love how they try to teach me Spanish and try to tell me things when I have no idea most of the time :).
Family and friends: I got some CD's from the market! Mom, all of my clothes, gloves, boots, etc... are perfect and lasting! I am still have the best time but I miss you guys!
Love you! xx
Janet
From: Kayla Kuyvenhoven, Grimsby
Today was kind of a stressful day. I think the excitement caught up with me and my guard was let down. The day at the worksite was the most tiring yet, but the DSBNi team had eachothers backs the entire time. The thing that hit me hardest today however, not a physical injury or sickness, but a letter that arrived at our worksite from an elderly lady down the street. She apologized if her letter was inappropriate, but wanted to talk to someone because her house was poor, old, and falling apart. If it was not already clerar to all of us why we were here...this helped me understand why. It's storming out right now; Salvadorean storms are crazy, I love it, so I'm going to watch and enjoy how beautiful a storm can be.
Goodnight, Love you,
Still missing you!
Kayla
From: Ryan Elliott, E.L. Crossley
Hey everyone,
I cannot believe that it is already the 6th day we have been here. I try not to think about the fact that this means the trip is half over. I am still enjoying every second, and when Kevin and Mike told all of you that we would be changed people by the end of the trip, they weren't kidding. I am still Ryan Elliott, but the Ryan Elliott that left a little under a week ago, has seen more in that time span, then most people do in a lifetime. I really wish that everytime I wanted something, and I didn't get it, that I could take it back. The guilt that comes over me, while watching the children play with the bricks, or dig in the middle of the dirt road is austounding to me. I'm sure a lot of people think that this feeling won't last, but the things I have seen, the people I have met, and the friendships I have made will stay with me forever. Don't worry, I am not going to come home and sell all my stuff and live with nothing. I am just going to be far more appreciative of the things I do have. The thing that has become the most evident to me, is how much I take my friends and family for granted. I miss every single one of you, like you wouldn't believe. I am also going to miss everyone I am sharing this experience with, because when you see somethings that we have seen together, you become friends really quickly. We are going away for the weekend, and I do not think there is Internet where we are going, so the next blog post will be Monday night. Be prepared for an action packed blog, but until then, goodnight.
I love and miss you all!
Ryan
Daily News
From Eric Bouw-
Hola Mom and Dad
Half the team was still feeling under the weather. So only the other half was able to go to the jobsite. Although there was a lot of hard work for a few people, I enjoyed being busy the whole time.
Adios Eric
From Matt Sinan-
Today I was still feeling a bit under the weather. So I stayed back, cleaned a little, played some games, and rested while others went to the worksite. The house is turning out to look fantastic. Chow
From Alex Emmerson-
Today we were half a team strong. although we were half a team, we managed to accomplish alot at the jobsite. We managed to dig a huge trench, lay a ton of block and still have time to joke around a bit. After work, we went back to the hotel, enjoyed a nice cold shower and a nice hot meal. Hopefully tomorrow we will be a full team!
Hola Mom and Dad
Half the team was still feeling under the weather. So only the other half was able to go to the jobsite. Although there was a lot of hard work for a few people, I enjoyed being busy the whole time.
Adios Eric
From Matt Sinan-
Today I was still feeling a bit under the weather. So I stayed back, cleaned a little, played some games, and rested while others went to the worksite. The house is turning out to look fantastic. Chow
From Alex Emmerson-
Today we were half a team strong. although we were half a team, we managed to accomplish alot at the jobsite. We managed to dig a huge trench, lay a ton of block and still have time to joke around a bit. After work, we went back to the hotel, enjoyed a nice cold shower and a nice hot meal. Hopefully tomorrow we will be a full team!
Hola Eric from Calgary
Hi Eric and everyone else in El Salvador.
Eric it is so nice to read all of your messages. We are really proud of you and everyone helping to make a difference in these families lives. Dad and I are in Calgary. We have been anxious to connect to the internet and read how you and the team are doing. Unfortunately it seems your service works better than what we have been able to connect to until today. Dad has been wearing the dsbni T-shirt for 3 days. We have been telling everyone what you and your team have been doing. How are you feeling? Did you also get sick? Is everyone ok now? Danielle has been asking about you in all of her texting to mom. Luv ya lots xoxo Mom, Dad and Danielle
Eric it is so nice to read all of your messages. We are really proud of you and everyone helping to make a difference in these families lives. Dad and I are in Calgary. We have been anxious to connect to the internet and read how you and the team are doing. Unfortunately it seems your service works better than what we have been able to connect to until today. Dad has been wearing the dsbni T-shirt for 3 days. We have been telling everyone what you and your team have been doing. How are you feeling? Did you also get sick? Is everyone ok now? Danielle has been asking about you in all of her texting to mom. Luv ya lots xoxo Mom, Dad and Danielle
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Day 4, Janet, Kayla, Andrew and Ryan
From: Andrew Petheram, A.N. Myer
Hola everybody,
Happy Canada Day!! Our 4th day was a rather different day, considering myself and about half the team were under the weather. Since the team was not at its full potential, and the bathroom situation at the worksite is not great, we decided to take the day off. Some of the team went out to the local market yesterday morning and out for lunch, but I decided to stay back and relax at the retreat centre since I was not feeling the greatest. Following my morning and afternoon of sleep, I began to feel pretty much back to normal. I decided to go to the internet cafe with the blog team but while in there, I began to feel sick again. Rosa took me back to the retreat centre. Since they are taking such good care of us here, they immediatly called a doctor for me. About half an hour later the doctor arrived and checked me out. He told me to take a gravol, a tylenol and the prescription medication from home. He also said that I had to take today off. Following his advice I took the pills and went to bed.
Chow, Andrew
From: Janet Krzeczkowski, Sir Winston Churchill
Hola!
Many of our team got sick last night, so we all took the day off from building. I feel so bad for the sick team members and I really hope they feel better soon. Since todays activities were cancelled, we had to improvise. We played baseball in the courtyard with chairs as bases and a tape/paper ball that Carlos made. It was really fun spending most of the day with Carlos because we are starting to communicate better and he makes us all laugh. We also went to the market down the street. WOAH! It was crazy! It was crowded, dark, loud, smelly and awesome. For lunch we had their fast food. It was...interesting. Basically the same, but different. Later we played a game that Carlos taught us and I loved it. I can't wait to build again tomorrow!
Family and Friends:
Mom, Dad, John, Andrew and Alana, If you think the flea market in Florida is busy, just wait til you see the one here. I think it is making me want to become a vegetarian. Tell Lianna that I wear the necklace everyday under my work shirt or in my pack thing. I still want to go to the cottage right after this. I'm not ready to go home. Also, the blog group prints off the replies that you write, so we can read them. If you want to say something I will read it, or tell my friends too cause I won't be on the internet again. I missed everyone today especially knowing you are all together fo Canada Day. Don 't worry, I'm glad I am here, I'm still safe and having the time of my life!
Love you xx
Janet
From: Kayla Kuyvenhoven, Grimsby
Today was an interesting learning experience... It just plain sucked to wake up to hear that some people were not feeling too good. However, the way it was handled was reassuring. Everyone had to meet to check up with the doctor, and all of our team members looked out for eachother. Some of us went to the market and the cathedral. Which was a shocking yet interesting adventure. It was so busy; there were dogs, children, food being made, clothes being sold and fresh food products in buckets and on hooks. All this was happening on either side of me as I walked through a two and a half foot walkway. I loved taking in everything that was going on around me.
Also, today was more of a relaxing day and I realised that the most fun I have is with the best of friends and the simplest of objects. We made a home-made baseball with paper and tape and played a game withj chairs for bases. Later on we played a frisbee game with pieces of re-bar and plastic cups. It is just amazing that the simplest things in life can make you the most happy, and I am glad that realisation has hit me so hard. I am mmissing home, but still loving it here soooo much, and I am feeling great... It is hard to believe we are just under halfway done our trip... Ugh, I would really rather not think about that.
Hope everything is great at home.
Love ya,
Kayla
From: Ryan Elliott, E.L. Crossley
Good Afternoon to our regular readers,
Happy well, belated, Canada Day. I would type out about the day, but it seems Andrew Janet and Kayla have that covered. The day was different, but it amazes me how our team is able to adapt to new circumstances. I must say that I missed the traditional Harold Black Park Canada experience, but I really enjoyed my day yesterday. I will keep my post short today, because I don't want to just restate everyone elses words. I can say that friendships are definatly formed, and growing. We all care for eachother, remind eachother to drink water when we are working hard, and just support eachother. Speaking of water, I never realised how important it is. Tomorrow we are being asked to drink about 8 litres. It seems like a lot, but how we work, it is necessary.
Too my friends and family, I miss every single one of you, and I absolutely love reading all your posts. I am feeling very good, and I am still enjoying every moment here. As much as I want to see you all, I wish this trip would go on forever, and I could just keep building houses. I will see you all in just over a week, and until then, I miss you, and I love you all!
Love, Ryan
P.S. Emily, Jade, make sure the girls on the soccer team aren't slacking! I don't think I will be able to post the picture, but I took it, and I will send it too you when I get home!
Hola everybody,
Happy Canada Day!! Our 4th day was a rather different day, considering myself and about half the team were under the weather. Since the team was not at its full potential, and the bathroom situation at the worksite is not great, we decided to take the day off. Some of the team went out to the local market yesterday morning and out for lunch, but I decided to stay back and relax at the retreat centre since I was not feeling the greatest. Following my morning and afternoon of sleep, I began to feel pretty much back to normal. I decided to go to the internet cafe with the blog team but while in there, I began to feel sick again. Rosa took me back to the retreat centre. Since they are taking such good care of us here, they immediatly called a doctor for me. About half an hour later the doctor arrived and checked me out. He told me to take a gravol, a tylenol and the prescription medication from home. He also said that I had to take today off. Following his advice I took the pills and went to bed.
Chow, Andrew
From: Janet Krzeczkowski, Sir Winston Churchill
Hola!
Many of our team got sick last night, so we all took the day off from building. I feel so bad for the sick team members and I really hope they feel better soon. Since todays activities were cancelled, we had to improvise. We played baseball in the courtyard with chairs as bases and a tape/paper ball that Carlos made. It was really fun spending most of the day with Carlos because we are starting to communicate better and he makes us all laugh. We also went to the market down the street. WOAH! It was crazy! It was crowded, dark, loud, smelly and awesome. For lunch we had their fast food. It was...interesting. Basically the same, but different. Later we played a game that Carlos taught us and I loved it. I can't wait to build again tomorrow!
Family and Friends:
Mom, Dad, John, Andrew and Alana, If you think the flea market in Florida is busy, just wait til you see the one here. I think it is making me want to become a vegetarian. Tell Lianna that I wear the necklace everyday under my work shirt or in my pack thing. I still want to go to the cottage right after this. I'm not ready to go home. Also, the blog group prints off the replies that you write, so we can read them. If you want to say something I will read it, or tell my friends too cause I won't be on the internet again. I missed everyone today especially knowing you are all together fo Canada Day. Don 't worry, I'm glad I am here, I'm still safe and having the time of my life!
Love you xx
Janet
From: Kayla Kuyvenhoven, Grimsby
Today was an interesting learning experience... It just plain sucked to wake up to hear that some people were not feeling too good. However, the way it was handled was reassuring. Everyone had to meet to check up with the doctor, and all of our team members looked out for eachother. Some of us went to the market and the cathedral. Which was a shocking yet interesting adventure. It was so busy; there were dogs, children, food being made, clothes being sold and fresh food products in buckets and on hooks. All this was happening on either side of me as I walked through a two and a half foot walkway. I loved taking in everything that was going on around me.
Also, today was more of a relaxing day and I realised that the most fun I have is with the best of friends and the simplest of objects. We made a home-made baseball with paper and tape and played a game withj chairs for bases. Later on we played a frisbee game with pieces of re-bar and plastic cups. It is just amazing that the simplest things in life can make you the most happy, and I am glad that realisation has hit me so hard. I am mmissing home, but still loving it here soooo much, and I am feeling great... It is hard to believe we are just under halfway done our trip... Ugh, I would really rather not think about that.
Hope everything is great at home.
Love ya,
Kayla
From: Ryan Elliott, E.L. Crossley
Good Afternoon to our regular readers,
Happy well, belated, Canada Day. I would type out about the day, but it seems Andrew Janet and Kayla have that covered. The day was different, but it amazes me how our team is able to adapt to new circumstances. I must say that I missed the traditional Harold Black Park Canada experience, but I really enjoyed my day yesterday. I will keep my post short today, because I don't want to just restate everyone elses words. I can say that friendships are definatly formed, and growing. We all care for eachother, remind eachother to drink water when we are working hard, and just support eachother. Speaking of water, I never realised how important it is. Tomorrow we are being asked to drink about 8 litres. It seems like a lot, but how we work, it is necessary.
Too my friends and family, I miss every single one of you, and I absolutely love reading all your posts. I am feeling very good, and I am still enjoying every moment here. As much as I want to see you all, I wish this trip would go on forever, and I could just keep building houses. I will see you all in just over a week, and until then, I miss you, and I love you all!
Love, Ryan
P.S. Emily, Jade, make sure the girls on the soccer team aren't slacking! I don't think I will be able to post the picture, but I took it, and I will send it too you when I get home!
Blogging: Amanda, Corie, Tricia
Amanda Vargo:
Today I felt like everything I did for everyone was not good enough with the day off from the build. It was needed but I wished I did work, it beats not being appreciated. It feels like everyone expects me to be a lot tougher than everyone and sometimes I just can´t. But for the ones that seem to be understanding it I am glad they are, or I would go completely crazy. I am glad Kim has different music than the stuff that I have had to listen to for the last five days, it´s great to listen to my normal stuff. Thanks Kim.Corie Hordijk:
Buenos noches, everyone!Tricia Angle:
Today was a bit of a halt in the middle of the trip. Some people got sick so we had a rest day. It was good to get some more sleep after the most scary storm I have ever encountered in my life, which happened last night. The thunder was roaring, rain was pouring and the wind was so strong and loud that I thought our building would fall down! I was a little freaked out. An El Salvadorian storm is not to be reckoned with!
After sleeping the healthy ones got to go to the local market. It was a trip full of emotions. It was dark little pathways, inside tin walls, bussling with people, dead chickens, meat hanging, and seafood alive and crawling. A smelly and awesome experience! Everyone was staring with wide eyes at us and could not believe what they saw. People were in shock with my hair, one lady grabbed me and wanted me to buy a fake Lacoste shirt so badly. We then went to the biggest church I have ever been in. It had the weirdest feeling and mannequins were everywhere. But it was beautiful! On the way back to our place we stopped to buy some awesome Spanish CDs! I had the best time doing a little dancing with one of the locals! The streets here are just so busy with people! The rest of the afternoon we just hung out, went to lunch at a fast food place, which was a little odd, and we played some baseball with Juan-Carlos, the keeper of our home. I had a great day in all and loved getting some rest!
It´s Canada Day today and all I know is that we are all very fortunate to live how we live in a beautiful country!
Hasta Luego!
Love, Corie :) xoxo
The day of rest was really nice. We had a lot of time to bond and a little more time to soak up the culture. We got to visit the marketplace, which was a little less of a shock for me than for the others, because I have had the priveledge to see a similar marketplace in Morocco. The fast food place we went to for lunch was more shocking to me. The North American invasion was a little disturbing, almost as if we are trying to push our culture on to other people because we think it is better. They did have good curly fries though =). We also learned a really cool game from Juan-Carlos! I will definitely be keeping it in mind for Balsam Lake, family!!
Love you all! Trish
Daily News
From Matt Sinan-
Happy Canada day everyone, hope you had fun.
From Jordan Milne-
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz... Sleep is good after these hard days of work.
From Eric Bouw-
Hola Mom and Dad
Happy Canada Day! We celebrated Canada day here too. Although some of us were a bit under the weather. So we didn't end up working , although the masons still worked without us. We had the opportunity to go to an El Salvadorian market place, it was really interesting although suprisingly dark. It also smelt real bad, but I had expected that. Well I hope you had a good Canada Day.
Adios Eric
From Alex Emmerson-
Well day 4 began with a change, when we were woken up, we were suddenly told we weren't going to work. Then it was explained that there were some people feeling a little ill. Since plans had changed we decided to take a walk as a group to the market, and then to a local fast food chain. After lunch we went back to the retreat center where we spent time playing cards and trying to rest. Hoping for tomorrow to play out a little better for the dehydrated ones.
Happy Canada day everyone, hope you had fun.
From Jordan Milne-
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz... Sleep is good after these hard days of work.
From Eric Bouw-
Hola Mom and Dad
Happy Canada Day! We celebrated Canada day here too. Although some of us were a bit under the weather. So we didn't end up working , although the masons still worked without us. We had the opportunity to go to an El Salvadorian market place, it was really interesting although suprisingly dark. It also smelt real bad, but I had expected that. Well I hope you had a good Canada Day.
Adios Eric
From Alex Emmerson-
Well day 4 began with a change, when we were woken up, we were suddenly told we weren't going to work. Then it was explained that there were some people feeling a little ill. Since plans had changed we decided to take a walk as a group to the market, and then to a local fast food chain. After lunch we went back to the retreat center where we spent time playing cards and trying to rest. Hoping for tomorrow to play out a little better for the dehydrated ones.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Day 3 Andrew Kayla Janet and Ryan
From: Andrew Petheram, A.N. Myer
Hola everybody,
Our third day was another eventful day, the house is actually starting to look like a house! Upon arrival to the work site, I was greatly surprised, the head mason took me aside and started to teach me how to lay brick. Rosa, our Habitat advisor said that she has never seen the masons let anybody lay brick, let alone teach them. This made me feel great and gave me the drive and determination to work hard, be productive and do my best. With the needed drive and determination as well as helpful hints and compliments from the masons, I managed to lay about a third of the block layed yesterday. By the way, we have laid 3 rows of brick so far in our 20x29 foot house. Following the work, I relaxed,took a shower and then we were off to the store. When we returned we had our dinner,watched a movie and went to bed. That is all for now, I miss you all, but I love this place.
Chow, Andrew
P.S. When it rains here, it RAINS!! The thunder and lightning is something I have never seen before.
From: Kayla Kuyvenhoven, Grimsby
Buenos Tardes Amigos,
Our second day on the buildsite: a little bit sore, yet still completely motivated to work my hardest. The motivation comes not only from the community and the family, but from the DSBNi team working side by side. The more I get to know these people, the more I realise they are going to be in my life for a very long time. We are all workin so well together, and it is only going to get better. Each minute we are able to experience something different, and I cannot wait to tell you about it when I get home; but for the next 8 days my home is here...I cannot wait to continue living each day to its fullest in El Salvador!
xoxo,
Kayla
From: Janet Krzeczkowski, Sir Winston Churchill
Hola :)
Another day has come and gone in El Salvador. The house is really coming along well! My favourite task today was filling the blocks with "cheese pa". We played with the kids from the neighbourhood again! We taught them ring around the rosie and simon says:). We also learned all of their names I hope we play again tomorrow!
Family and Friends: I can't stop smiling and laughing, especially when I am with the children. I'm comfortable with everyone here and we have become a lot closer. I miss warm showers. I love this trip!
Love you, miss you
xx
Janet
From: Ryan Elliott, E.L. Crossley
Buenos Dias
It has been 3 days here, and 4 consecutive spent as a team. I many ways this place is not, and never would be the place we know as our home, but people make the home, not the place. The people here make this place feel like home. Whether it is a friendly "Buenos dias" from our amazing maintenance man Carlos, or an "Austa mañana" (see you tomorrow) from the children in the village, this place has a feeling of caring and comfort. At the orphanage, children came from all over, and lived in a house with 9 other children, some being siblings, some not. They has a "tia" which means aunt, who took care of them. In a lot of ways, our team resembles one of the families we saw. There are 2 major differences. We have 8 "tias" and we have only known one another a short time. In some ways, this is evident, but in almost every way, it is not. People we meet have thought that we were all good friends back home, and even a few have asked the students if we are siblings. We all have a lot of fun with eachther, and so much we can learn from one another. Sure there are jokes, but if any of us were truely ever in trouble, I can say that I would trust this team with my life. I hope everyone feels the same way, but I think they do. Building the house is a testament to this fact. If there is ever anyone who needs help, another person is right there, eager to help with a shovel, mortar or a brick. For those who are worried about us, don't be. This team is a product that is greater then the sum of all its parts.
To my friends and family: I love it here, and the only reason I would ever want to leave is that I miss you all. I am enjoying everything about this trip, and I cannot wait to show pictures and tell stories.
Love, Ryan
Hola everybody,
Our third day was another eventful day, the house is actually starting to look like a house! Upon arrival to the work site, I was greatly surprised, the head mason took me aside and started to teach me how to lay brick. Rosa, our Habitat advisor said that she has never seen the masons let anybody lay brick, let alone teach them. This made me feel great and gave me the drive and determination to work hard, be productive and do my best. With the needed drive and determination as well as helpful hints and compliments from the masons, I managed to lay about a third of the block layed yesterday. By the way, we have laid 3 rows of brick so far in our 20x29 foot house. Following the work, I relaxed,took a shower and then we were off to the store. When we returned we had our dinner,watched a movie and went to bed. That is all for now, I miss you all, but I love this place.
Chow, Andrew
P.S. When it rains here, it RAINS!! The thunder and lightning is something I have never seen before.
From: Kayla Kuyvenhoven, Grimsby
Buenos Tardes Amigos,
Our second day on the buildsite: a little bit sore, yet still completely motivated to work my hardest. The motivation comes not only from the community and the family, but from the DSBNi team working side by side. The more I get to know these people, the more I realise they are going to be in my life for a very long time. We are all workin so well together, and it is only going to get better. Each minute we are able to experience something different, and I cannot wait to tell you about it when I get home; but for the next 8 days my home is here...I cannot wait to continue living each day to its fullest in El Salvador!
xoxo,
Kayla
From: Janet Krzeczkowski, Sir Winston Churchill
Hola :)
Another day has come and gone in El Salvador. The house is really coming along well! My favourite task today was filling the blocks with "cheese pa". We played with the kids from the neighbourhood again! We taught them ring around the rosie and simon says:). We also learned all of their names I hope we play again tomorrow!
Family and Friends: I can't stop smiling and laughing, especially when I am with the children. I'm comfortable with everyone here and we have become a lot closer. I miss warm showers. I love this trip!
Love you, miss you
xx
Janet
From: Ryan Elliott, E.L. Crossley
Buenos Dias
It has been 3 days here, and 4 consecutive spent as a team. I many ways this place is not, and never would be the place we know as our home, but people make the home, not the place. The people here make this place feel like home. Whether it is a friendly "Buenos dias" from our amazing maintenance man Carlos, or an "Austa mañana" (see you tomorrow) from the children in the village, this place has a feeling of caring and comfort. At the orphanage, children came from all over, and lived in a house with 9 other children, some being siblings, some not. They has a "tia" which means aunt, who took care of them. In a lot of ways, our team resembles one of the families we saw. There are 2 major differences. We have 8 "tias" and we have only known one another a short time. In some ways, this is evident, but in almost every way, it is not. People we meet have thought that we were all good friends back home, and even a few have asked the students if we are siblings. We all have a lot of fun with eachther, and so much we can learn from one another. Sure there are jokes, but if any of us were truely ever in trouble, I can say that I would trust this team with my life. I hope everyone feels the same way, but I think they do. Building the house is a testament to this fact. If there is ever anyone who needs help, another person is right there, eager to help with a shovel, mortar or a brick. For those who are worried about us, don't be. This team is a product that is greater then the sum of all its parts.
To my friends and family: I love it here, and the only reason I would ever want to leave is that I miss you all. I am enjoying everything about this trip, and I cannot wait to show pictures and tell stories.
Love, Ryan
Blogging: Amanda, Corie, Tricia
Amanda Vargo:
Corie Hordijk:
Tricia Angle:
My room is full of ants and it is making me mad. But build day two was great and the house is becoming a house! Yeah, so there it is! Bye!
Amanda
PS. Mom, the sun changed my hair colour!
Corie Hordijk:
Hola chicas y chicos! I am now starting to get the hang of El Salvadorian life; work hard, be happy, enjoy the moment, and relax! It was out second day on the build and boy, were we stiff! The work today was mixing chispa and mortar and then laying bricks and sticking them together. And of course, we had time to play with out little El Salvadorian friends! They bring such joy to me! Today was definitely a rough one, but I am roaring to go for tomorrow! =) This world here is starting to become very normal for me, it is weird how the way we look at things can change so quickly.
Well, happy Canada Day everyone! Do something fun to celebrate!
Love ya! Corie <3
Tricia Angle:
Well, I did not get much sleep for build day two and I was not much help but I tried the best that I could. If I learned anything from today, it would be that our team is very strong, and even when people cannot work at their best, someone will always be there to help out. The house is coming together great, and once we get into a good rhythm, we will be done in no time! I miss you all, have a great Canada Day!
Love, Trish.
Daily News
From Eric Bouw-
Hola Mom and Dad,
It is our second day of working on the house. We were laying bricks and compacting dirt. The masons gave us a lot of responsibility, and I was really surprised. We got a lot of work done, and I'm excited to see what we get done tomorrow.
Adios Amigos!
From Jordan Milne-
Today I injured my arm (old shoulder injury) working and learned not to push an injury.
From Matt Sinan-
Day 2 of the build, we have all had our delicious breakfast, and made our way to the worksite. The great thing about the day was, even though all of us were tired sweaty and some of us sore, we all kept going. One of the things that stood out to me was how a few of us took time to play soccer with the family, and just a few feet away was us building a house for them, there can't be any love greater than that. Even though the sound of sweating and working all day doesn't sound like a thing some people would like to do, I love it! The feeling of helping a family, especially here, definitely feels like an accomplishment.
Chow for now!
From Alex Emmerson-
Well , day 2 of the build turned out to be a great one, we had the pleasure in the morning of mixing mortar, laying bricks and adding finish touches to the mortar. In the afternoon the jobsite started to get a little crowed with all the help from the family and neighbours so we took turns playing games with the kids and interacting with the family. After leaving the buildsite, we went back, ate a good dinner and watched a movie. Cant wait for day 3.
Hola Mom and Dad,
It is our second day of working on the house. We were laying bricks and compacting dirt. The masons gave us a lot of responsibility, and I was really surprised. We got a lot of work done, and I'm excited to see what we get done tomorrow.
Adios Amigos!
From Jordan Milne-
Today I injured my arm (old shoulder injury) working and learned not to push an injury.
From Matt Sinan-
Day 2 of the build, we have all had our delicious breakfast, and made our way to the worksite. The great thing about the day was, even though all of us were tired sweaty and some of us sore, we all kept going. One of the things that stood out to me was how a few of us took time to play soccer with the family, and just a few feet away was us building a house for them, there can't be any love greater than that. Even though the sound of sweating and working all day doesn't sound like a thing some people would like to do, I love it! The feeling of helping a family, especially here, definitely feels like an accomplishment.
Chow for now!
From Alex Emmerson-
Well , day 2 of the build turned out to be a great one, we had the pleasure in the morning of mixing mortar, laying bricks and adding finish touches to the mortar. In the afternoon the jobsite started to get a little crowed with all the help from the family and neighbours so we took turns playing games with the kids and interacting with the family. After leaving the buildsite, we went back, ate a good dinner and watched a movie. Cant wait for day 3.
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