http://www.donationto.com/mariposas
This is a page I made, in hopes of getting some money flow into the organization which is a grassroots education non profit for very poor children. Everyday I will be teaching kids how to read and wrote and help with sports days. Long story short, the funding of this program is lacking but the attendance by the kids is incredible and they need you. I set this up so I can start buying supplies, balls, paper, fans, anything we can do to assist in this program in helping these kids soar. Thanks for even reading. The foundations website is this:
http://fmacolombia.weebly.com/
I will be blogging heavily dealing with my experience here and it is a way (if you donate or not) to see the direct result of these donations. I will start with simple things such a pencils, pens, markers, paper, workbooks in reading writing mathematics etcetera. I have already fallen in love with these kids because of the strive and desire to learn. They were literally begging me for more math sheets, coloring papers etc, their brains are dying to be used and this is where you can help. Thanks
8.08.2012
The Amazons with mom and mark! What's happening now?...
Sooooooooo! Just got back from the amazons last night and have to say it was another crazy awesome experience. My mom and mark arrived in Quito last week and before heading to the amazon we had a lovely day in Quito. I outed them around hitting some highlights of the city including the basilica in old town and a couple other beautiful churches, and then we headed towards Mariscal a younger more social barrio and there we did some shopping in the market and got some food.
The next day we had a 40 minute plane right to a city called coca. From there we took a two an half hour boat ride up the Napo river which is the largest river that feeds into the amazon. From there we had a half hour high inland through the jungle. We came to a Small creek and took another 20 minute canoe ride up the creek into a lake where Sacha lodge is set upon.
It was absolutely gorgeous I mean I can't even explain it and have never been to such a place. It seemed as if if it were an old missionary in the middle of the jungle, set on a beautiful lake and surrounded by trails and creeks to canoe on.
The food was amazing. The schedule was very organized, averaging two activities during the day which included canoe tours up creeks, hikes, the giant tree house bird observatory and another sky bridge for bird and monkey watching. We learned about all the plants and their purposes for the quichoa people. We saw amazing wildlife including four species of monkeys, crocodiles, piranhas, the most amazing birds I've ever seen, and some crazy spiders and insects.
Another highlight was this lake full of caimans, snakes, and piranhas and we'd swim in it during the day, even when we saw a caiman under the boathouse. They're just not aggressive and don't want to eat you haha. They had an 8 foot diving board Ao that was one and I made some young friends from Israel and spent hours swimming and doing crazy jumps off the board.
It was just nice being away. I can't say it was relaxing because we were pretty much doing something t all times of the day, from 530am to about 9pm. But it was tranquillo and definitely amazing to spend time with my mom after not seeing her for 8 months. Was also great to spend time with mark, my mom's boyfriend who I've met quite a bit but haven't had such a close quarters situation, but it was awesome he's cool and great to my mom and is a really interesting guy! So hey! All good
Today I fly to Cartagena, Colombia, where I'll be four two weeks hangin out with Luli and exploring the surrounding areas hunting for the most secluded beaches we can find and sleeping in hammocks! From there I start a job at a fun hostel in Santa Marta and start teaching kids which I am incredibly excited about! What's crazy is that I'm not teaching them English, I'm teaching them how to read and write in Spanish speaking Spanish to kids the entire time and the staff at the school are mostly native Spanish speakers so it will be interesting to see how my Spanish has progressed and how much more it will progress!
I am also going to be really trying to get better at surfing, and also going to work on my dive master certification so I can possibly be a scuba instructor at some point if I don't want to go home. About an hour away is an amazing national park where I'll get my hiking fix and it's on the Caribbean coast so I have a feeling this place will be Hard to leave but we shall see.
Gotta pack for the airport!
I'll keep everybody posted
The next day we had a 40 minute plane right to a city called coca. From there we took a two an half hour boat ride up the Napo river which is the largest river that feeds into the amazon. From there we had a half hour high inland through the jungle. We came to a Small creek and took another 20 minute canoe ride up the creek into a lake where Sacha lodge is set upon.
It was absolutely gorgeous I mean I can't even explain it and have never been to such a place. It seemed as if if it were an old missionary in the middle of the jungle, set on a beautiful lake and surrounded by trails and creeks to canoe on.
The food was amazing. The schedule was very organized, averaging two activities during the day which included canoe tours up creeks, hikes, the giant tree house bird observatory and another sky bridge for bird and monkey watching. We learned about all the plants and their purposes for the quichoa people. We saw amazing wildlife including four species of monkeys, crocodiles, piranhas, the most amazing birds I've ever seen, and some crazy spiders and insects.
I think the best part was just being away from everything, and with my mother who I hadn't seen in 8 months. No Internet, just nature and the sounds incredible sounds of the animals we were surrounded by and living with. It was like a natural symphony beginning at around 6pm and went all night. Another highlight was looking for the caiman crocs at night. One night we went on a night canoe ride and found a 3 meter caiman croc. Incredible.
Another highlight was this lake full of caimans, snakes, and piranhas and we'd swim in it during the day, even when we saw a caiman under the boathouse. They're just not aggressive and don't want to eat you haha. They had an 8 foot diving board Ao that was one and I made some young friends from Israel and spent hours swimming and doing crazy jumps off the board.
It was just nice being away. I can't say it was relaxing because we were pretty much doing something t all times of the day, from 530am to about 9pm. But it was tranquillo and definitely amazing to spend time with my mom after not seeing her for 8 months. Was also great to spend time with mark, my mom's boyfriend who I've met quite a bit but haven't had such a close quarters situation, but it was awesome he's cool and great to my mom and is a really interesting guy! So hey! All good
Today I fly to Cartagena, Colombia, where I'll be four two weeks hangin out with Luli and exploring the surrounding areas hunting for the most secluded beaches we can find and sleeping in hammocks! From there I start a job at a fun hostel in Santa Marta and start teaching kids which I am incredibly excited about! What's crazy is that I'm not teaching them English, I'm teaching them how to read and write in Spanish speaking Spanish to kids the entire time and the staff at the school are mostly native Spanish speakers so it will be interesting to see how my Spanish has progressed and how much more it will progress!
I am also going to be really trying to get better at surfing, and also going to work on my dive master certification so I can possibly be a scuba instructor at some point if I don't want to go home. About an hour away is an amazing national park where I'll get my hiking fix and it's on the Caribbean coast so I have a feeling this place will be Hard to leave but we shall see.
Gotta pack for the airport!
I'll keep everybody posted
And thanks mom and mark for a fabulous trip! And thanks for bein brave and comin down to visit! Mom you will be missed and excited you want to come back! Love you dearrrrrrly... Thought I'd finish with this classic
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