Today we went on a walking tour around the city of Florence. We met our tour guide and began on our trek. We saw the impression of the David statue. Then we went around and saw The Rape of the Sabine Women and the Perseus statue. He gave a great and thorough explanation. We...
Continue readingA Volcano and a Waterfall
The day started out with breakfast in Julie’s room. She went to the market the day before to buy us cereal, milk, chocolate croissants, yogurt, and fruit. We then got on the bus for a 2-hour ride through the rain forest at the northern end of Martinique. We eventually arrived in St. Pierre which...
Continue readingReturn to Holguin + Shopping & Service
Wednesday, March 27 Today was a great day. We departed Gibara at 9AM, a nice late start for us. Once we arrived back at our home in Holguin, we changed our clothes and headed to our beloved plaza. We had some last minute shopping to do. After our adventure in the plaza, we headed...
Continue readingNew Service Site & Cave Exploration
Monday, March 25 We all woke up at 8:30 for a divine meal cooked by our friends at the church. We left soon after and arrived at a new church in Gibara where we would stay for the next two nights. We were greeted with a delicious lunch and amazing new dorms and hot...
Continue readingPainting + a Horse & Carriage Ride
Tuesday, March 26 Today we woke up around 7:30 for a magnificent breakfast. It consisted of fresh fruit, butter crackers, and a fried treat! Yum! Afterwards, we got ourselves prepared for a day of work. ten of us went to another Quaker Meeting House to prepare it for a new paint makeover! The others...
Continue readingPutting on a Shakespearean Play at Shakespeare’s Birthplace!
The group got up bright and early in Haydock to eat an early breakfast at 7:00 before taking the bus to Stratford-upon-Avon where we visited the birthplace of William Shakespeare. After going through his house, some of our group was asked to participate in an impromptu rendition of Pyramus and Thisbe. Soon after that...
Continue readingHomeward Bound
As we sit here at Orlando Airport, we are sad that the week has to end. We learned so much about many hands making light work. The experiences at Give Kids the World and at Second Harvest Food Bank have showed us how lucky we are. The work that was put in was rewarding...
Continue readingBayshore: Day 4
Today was an exciting day at the Bayshore Center. The Meerwald had been covered all winter with huge PVC hoops and tightly stretched plastic, creating a workspace on deck sheltered from rain and wind. Today we got to take it all down as, bit by bit, the gorgeous sunshine covered the deck for the...
Continue readingMagic Kingdom
Today at Magic Kingdom started off with rain, but ended with beautiful fireworks set to the wonderful music of our favorite Disney movies. By the time we exited our first ride this morning, the sun had come out, and we knew it would be a great day. We rode roller coasters, were haunted by...
Continue readingSacred Spaces Philly Day 4: Chenrezig Tibetan Buddhist Center of Philadelphia & Service at the DePaul House
We started off the day with a Buddhist faith encounter. At the Chenrezig Tibetan Buddhist Center of Philadelphia, our guide talked to us about the Buddha and how he lived his life. The Buddha taught people to live the concepts of Buddhism rather than simply study them. We also practiced a bit of meditation...
Continue readingFood: Cooking, Culture, and Customs Day 4: The first challenge!
Today was the Food Intensive Learning group’s first day not traveling off campus. We began by watching an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, which gave us a glimpse into Senegalese food culture. We then started our first cooking challenge of the week: a breakfast meal which needed to include Asian fusion. Our group...
Continue readingBlacksmithing Day 3: Cowbells and Kazoos
This is Todd’s story… Today is the first day I came to blacksmith. Actually, I had no idea about what I should do at first. Luckily, with Jack and Cole’s help, I found my tools quickly, and begin trying to burn the fire. At the beginning, we wrongly mixed coal with cardboard and wood....
Continue readingPuerto Rico: At Ángel & Maria’s House
By Micaela, Julianna, & Kendall Today we started our last day of service in the town of Vega Alta. We quickly ate breakfast, which included french toast, eggs, and fresh fruit, and in high spirits headed to the work site. Today, we would be working on Ángel and Maria’s house. Ángel has been helping...
Continue readingA Walk in the Woods
We started off the day with introductions and met a man named Mr. Volpa from Pinelands Adventures. He would be our guide for the day as we hiked for 2.5 miles through Oaks and Pines. The forest was filled with 3 different types of moss and the path was covered with pine needles. We...
Continue readingSouth Jersey Service Day 4: Visiting Lutheran Crossings
Today was a day filled with a variety of activities at Lutheran Crossings in Moorestown. Everyone got to do something different to suit their own interests. We all got to interact with many different residents during our time there. Some highlights are: “Some of us danced the Cotton Eye Joe several times today for...
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