Machu Picchu. Many would call it the penultimate Peruvian destination. Miraculously built by the Incans thousands of years ago on the steep ridge of a mountain. A mountain with two earthquake fault lines and prone to landslides. An ancient structure with engineering and architectural planning well beyond its years. And, to be honest, one of … Continue reading
I don’t often do gluten-free posts on here. I usually end up reflecting more on experiences than on dietary restrictions, but it is and will always be a huge part of my travel. Because blog posts were so helpful to me on this past trip in determining what I could and couldn’t eat, here’s a quick … Continue reading
Thirty-six hours of travel later: a taxi, a bus, a second taxi, three planes, a car, a bus, and a van and we’re home in Haiti. Simultaneously exhausted and refreshed, I find myself looking back on the highlights of the past eight days we spent in Peru. Over the next week or so, I’ll post … Continue reading
We really didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into when we boarded that one-way flight from Miami to Haiti almost three months ago. There was no way we could have known and we had minimal preparation and forewarning. We have spent the past three months really getting a feel for things and beginning to understand exactly … Continue reading
A trip to the dentist. The following adjectives immediately come to mind for most people: painful, uncomfortable, anxiety-inducing, and the-last-thing-I-want-to-do-8AM-Monday-morning. This weekend those associations have drastically changed for me in what I think will be a lasting way. At this moment I know a trip to the dentist can be empathetic, familial, and even profound. … Continue reading
Three days a week this summer, the kids filed diligently into the secondary schools for English classes. A line of students from the girl’s village and a line from the boy’s village met at the school with fading blue paint. In each classroom one of the older boys taught the students–pointing to the board and having … Continue reading
I spent four months in India last fall. That’s over 100 days and over 300 meals. I ate at dozens of restaurants in a few different regions of the country and found a place at the table in several family homes. Of all of the warm, spicy, flavorful dishes I ate, a few nestled their … Continue reading
Today is August 11th. It’s officially been 2 months since Kelsey and I boarded our two-hour flight to Haiti. I arrived first, June 11th, and made myself a little spot to sit on the carpeted floor by our gate. All the other seats were filled: occupied by Haitians returning from business, families traveling home from a visit to the states, and a … Continue reading
In the past week, the city of Les Cayes has had power exactly twice. Once for about two hours during the final game of the World Cup and again last night, for 7 hours straight (an attempt from the company to assuage a population in the dark). That’s about 10 total hours of power for … Continue reading
Here at Espwa, the kids have been watching the World Cup games everyday. They huddle around a tiny tan television on a stool by the dozens to catch glimpses of the matches. All throughout the day you can hear cheers across the property–especially when Brazil scores. It’s an exciting time of year and unifying for the hundreds … Continue reading
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