Today is September 2th and normally around this time I would be counting down the days until school starts again. I would probably be stressing about getting my parking pass and buying all my textbooks which we all know is extremely enjoyable! But instead I am sitting in my living room in […]
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Full of Anticipation
Published by September 2nd, 2011 in School of Leadership and Other Sites. ClosedReasons Why I love Mexico
Published by May 17th, 2011 in School of Leadership, Other Sites and Featured. ClosedWith another full week under my belt, I’m getting fuller & fuller of reasons why I love Mexico. Some tidbits? Sure, I can share a few=)
The UCM Hero Holiday team = amazing. Great people, great conversations, great hugs, great love. It felt good to feel such love. I loved that every day we had to re-plan meals to match their evolving plans. One day I made berry-protein smoothies with Antonio, and tried to teach him how important it is to clean up after himself. (And the next day, I smiled to myself when I was over at his house & saw that he’d not only made another one by himself, but cleaned up like a champ!) I spent the afternoon with Julia & Nohemy on Cinqo De Mayo, and got a hair cut (it was seriously necessary!)
Planning to watch “Toy Story 3″ with the group – and then forgetting all of the equipment at the house. Going back, getting the equipment, and watching the movie en espanol at the build site with the community members. Matt & Sandra, Tyson & Amber – the group leaders and their constant encouragement. That the group was grateful for all the work we did – and told us.
Friday morning pancakes for the group, and Tuesday morning French Toast for my family! Cooking as per order; chocolate
chip or regular. Making special pancakes – Mickey Mouse for Sarah, and Smiley face for Jo. Writing LOVE in chocolate when the smiley face all melted together! The pineapple juice at Smokey’s Taco Stand ROCKING my world. Pedro asking ‘you happy?’ Working on my resume & getting places on it! An amazing Friday afternoon at El Eden pool, complete with a manicure and a veggie burger. Reading happy messages from friends & asking lots of questions.
Zumba class with Gabby and the girls. (I KID YOU NOT – EARLIER THIS WEEK I LEGIT RIPPED A PAIR OF PANTS I WAS DANCING SO HARDCORE. THIS CLASS IS NOT A JOKE.) We had a girls night at Old Mill; complete with…UFC? How were we to know a big fight would replace our live music and dancing? Watching “In Her Shoes” at Nohemy’s house and talking about boys on Sunday afternoon. Talking to my mom on Skype. Walking with my roommates in whatever direction we felt like. Stopping at Maggie & David’s house. Eating cake at Maggie & David’s for Dia de Las Madres. Learning to play Uno. Looking at prospective families for groups to
build for this summer.
I was leader of the day yesterday! It was fun but stressful. My favorite expenditure was the giant box of strawberries for $5. Last night I slept in a hammock under the stars!!!..until I woke up and had to pee. Today I pushed kids on swings & made Chai Tea Concentrate. Now, I’m going to go sit and relax & then fall asleep early so that manana (tomorrow)...I can do more things that I love.
I love Mexico, I love learning who I am, and I love not having any idea who that is. And as per Maggie’s instructions…I’m enjoying life along the way.
All peace and love and positive & a side of SUNSHINE, Leah
After a 7 week tour, the thought of going back home is an amazing feeling. But for a lot of us on tour visiting home isn’t really an option because of how far away it actually is. For us, improvising home has become a reality. For this four month adventure my “home” is our house […]
...continue reading Day 4, Generations.
Today was a roofing day. I like this day, my favourite place to be is the roof and there is yet to be a build I am part of where I have not been on the roof. I don’t know if it’s the tar that is impossible to get […]
How Many SOL’s Does it Take to Build an Ambulance Station?
Published by April 21st, 2011 in School of Leadership, Other Sites and Featured. Closed 
We aren’t Metalica, but we do have a lot of metal… literally. In the time it took me to actually come up with that joke, we would’ve had two walls built already. While driving back up to the work site this morning, I realized just how much we actually got done yesterday. Still knowing that we had much more to do, I got out of the van, put on my gloves, and picked up a drill. If you knew me, you’d know that power tools are not particularly my cup of tea, but after drilling all day yesterday with only one injury (a sliver to be exact), I was ready for round two. Should I mention that I actually enjoy it?
With the roofing under our belts come lunchtime, we headed back to the house for some food. As soon as we got back to the site, we were ready to put the roof on! A few of us left early on in the afternoon to make 99 bags of popcorn for our movie night at the wonderful school in San Quintin. Trying to avoid work you might ask? I guess I forgot to tell you that this isn’t your regular microwavable popcorn, it was all made on the stove top! After our hours of work, the popcorn was gone in just minutes.
Sitting on a tarp under the stars, watching Megamind on the side of the school, listening to the chomping of popcorn,
and having kids giggle while sitting on your lap. That’s something that is irreplaceable. Much like any building project, in this case an ambulance station, we won’t fully understand how much of an impact we have just by setting aside a week to use our hands and feet to help others out. Today, while on the work site, one of the paramedic’s that’s helping us build this week received a message on his walkie-talkie about a car accident that happened: a car rolled 100 metres. The ambulance came to take the patients to the main hospital, which was hours away, and found out that one of them had passed away in the vehicle on the way.
I will never know how much the four walls I’ve been building mean to them, but it feels good knowing that I’m helping to play my part. It’s not hard to pick up a tool and just do it, and trust me, if I can do it, anyone else can.
Mucholovefrommexico,
-sarah! : )
Day 2 and 3 on the SOL Build
Published by April 21st, 2011 in School of Leadership and Other Sites. ClosedIn the morning we (my famjam) helped the other SOLs with Day 2 of the ambulance build. Day one the SOL’s were very productive building the four walls. I was happy to be back and building. My dad was in heaven, he loves to do projects like this and Luke (my brother) […]
...continue readingGiving to the Community of Vincente Guerrero, Mexico. SOL Build Day#1.
Published by April 18th, 2011 in School of Leadership and Other Sites. Closed
To you, it was Sunday, April 16th, 2011 - jus’ a regular ol’ Sunday. But for us Absolute-rs down in Mexico…it was work day number one! And more importantly, for the volunteer paramedics from Vincente Guerrero - it was the first build day of their new centre. This week, we’re […]
Love Is The Movement
Published by April 11th, 2011 in School of Leadership, Team 2, Road Team Blogs and Other Sites. ClosedI want to introduce to you a very important member of the Absolute Road Team 2. His name is Papi and like most of us, he is a work in progress and growing each and every day. Let me explain. Every time that we set up at a school and put on our Think Day […]
...continue readingThe West: Tragedy, Glue, and Shania Twain
Published by March 29th, 2011 in School of Leadership, Team 1, Road Team Blogs and Other Sites. ClosedChange: to become different or undergo alteration. The road never turns around the same corner twice; we are constantly moving, constantly on a different path, constantly changing. There’s been some changes on our team, but when are things not always changing? It is how we adapt and how we deal […]
...continue readingIt’s 6AM and I roll off my latest air mattress in a dark basement. I couldn’t tell you what city I’m in. I wash my face and begin my day. A beautiful thing about life that I’ve noticed is that it seems no matter where you go in Canada, when provided with cereal by any […]
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