Today we went to the Perkins Center for the Arts to help out in the garden. First, we split up into four groups and set to work weeding the raised flower beds. Under the grey overcast sky, we tilled the soil and planted all types of vegetables and herbs. Then we cleaned up the grounds,...
Continue readingA Visit to the Pine Island Cranberry Co!
On the final day of our journeys through the Pine Barrens, our group visited the Pine Island Cranberry Company in Washington, NJ. Once there, we learned about the history of cranberry farming in New Jersey. We were welcomed by employees of the company, including Stefanie and Mike Haines, and learned about the beginning of...
Continue readingOur last day with pups!
Today we traveled to Wildwood to attend a dog show. We saw lots of different types of dogs! The takeaway for our week of studying canine social intelligence is summed up in the following question, to which we asked students to respond: Canines are unique among non-human animals in establishing strong social ties with...
Continue readingMaking Tamales
On Friday we made tamales in the MacColl room. We had to gather ingredients and prepare the food. The filling of masa flour and green chile went in a cornhusk. Another type of tamale was chicken. This kind used chicken and a red chili sauce as the filling. Once prepared, the food was served....
Continue readingChristmas in the Village
Today we got up bright and early to eat breakfast at the hotel! We hopped in the minivan and were on our way by 7. Most of our crew started out their morning at Nancy’s kitchen working a variety of jobs from server to busser. Kristin and Georgia were photo assistants for the Disney...
Continue readingPuppies on Patrol
Today we visited the Penn Vet Working Dog Center. It is a research center that trains scent working dogs, including cancer detection dogs, diabetes detection dogs, search and rescue dogs, bomb detection dogs, and more. We got a tour of the facilities. We even got to help socialize the 8 week old German...
Continue readingSJ Service Day Four — Young at Heart at Collingswood Manor
Today we headed to Collingswood Manor, a retirement home in Collingswood, NJ. We started off the day by circling the building and parking lot looking for trash to pick up. At 10 we split up into groups. Some went to give a few of the residents manicures, while others played and called bingo. A...
Continue readingSevilla, Seen From on High
Today we started later than usual, which is unusual for this trip. Usually we woke up around 6/7 to get ready for breakfast at 8, but today we had the luxury of sleeping in until about 8:30/9. From the hostel we embarked on a walking tour of Sevilla, led by a local named José...
Continue readingGYLI: Knowing Yourself
Today we did some relaxing activities. First, we opened with a game of “Zip, Zap, Zop!” Then, we wrote in journals about the importance of knowing yourself as an individual and its correlation to being a leader. We followed that up with another personality test to determine our individual four letter codes. Then, we decorated t-shirts...
Continue readingLearning salsa and bachata at Estilo Dance Studio
A Magical Day in a Magical Place
After a quick breakfast at 6:30, we headed over to the Give Kids the World Village to work in the arcade and help serve breakfast. It was Lina’s birthday (a 12 year old wish kid), so we sang to her, gave her cake, and painted her nails. Before we knew it, breakfast was over, so...
Continue readingGYLI: Center for Environmental Transformation
Today was an exciting day. We started out by playing spoons again! While we were playing Blythe spilled hot chocolate all over herself, so we had to work as a team to find her some clothes and to clean up the mess. After Blythe was settled, we went on the bus to Center for...
Continue readingSJ Service Day Three: Mulch, Kids, and Community
Today we went to the Neighborhood Center in Camden, we started the day off with a goal of transporting a large pile of mulch across the yard to a playground. It was hard work, but it was totally worth it when we saw the hordes of children rush to the playground. When lunch time...
Continue readingLa Mezquita de Córdoba
Today we said goodbye to the community of FES. It was very sad and sweet at the same time, and all of us feel that we would not want to trade the experience for the world. Then we headed on the bus towards Córdoba, which took two hours. Once we arrived, we went to...
Continue readingNicaragua: Finishing Our Project in Solidarity
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