Hello all!
I am headed to San Diego tomorrow, I will be staying in San Diego for a day or two then taking a train to the border at San Ysidro and walking across the border to meet a friend in Tijuana. I will post while I am in San Diego, and continue posting through my trip in Tijuana.
For the last 9 years I have been traveling to Tijuana, Mexico for a week
each winter to work alongside local families to build homes with a
wonderful organization, Esperanza International. Last year I was lucky
enough to spend three months in Tijuana as a long term volunteer. I have
never had a more life changing or inspiring experience. I am so excited to be heading back down! I will be staying until March 16th. On March 9th a joint group between the church I grew up in and The College of Wooster will be joining me. Group members will be posting daily I will link to their blog, it is nice to see different people's perspectives!
In college I started the joint trip between Trinity and The College of Wooster, if you are interested in starting your own trip please e-mail me at Rena.Starr@Esperanzaint.org and I will help you get started! If you are reading this as a member of UUAA please e-mail me if you are interested in coming on the trip next year, I will be starting the planning process very soon!
It is important to give back to your community and I do volunteer
locally. This trip is always a nice step away from home, a good chance
to take myself out of my comfort zone, out of my own "troubles" and get a
perspective on the rest of the world and different ways of living, and
hit reboot. I get as much out of this trip as I give, sometimes I feel a
little selfish. It is always a reminder of the important things in
life; friends, family, and community. I also see it as a reminder that
in a cruel world there are still good things. The people I meet have
very little materially but have so much warmth, love, and kindness. They
are rich in the things that many people with so much more materially
are completely bankrupt in.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Countdown to Tijuana...
Hello again and thank you for your continued reading!
On March 2nd I will be headed back down to Tijuana to spend two weeks volunteering. I hope to post daily about what we are doing, the area, and the organization.
I will be spending a few days in San Diego during my two weeks, I will post from there as well. I love visiting San Diego almost as much as I love Tijuana, I hope I have time to do/visit everything I miss about Tijuana and San Diego!
Last year I spent three months living and working alongside the people in Tijuana. While I was there and right when I arrived home I don't think I fully understood what my time there or the what the people of Tijuana meant to me. I have grown so much over the past year. Being in Mexico helped me get out of my comfort zone and helped to open my eyes to what is going on in the rest of the world. It helped me to understand what I want out of life and how I who I want to be as I "grow up." So many people live full, generous, happy lives with very little in the way of material things.
Never have I met more inviting caring people than while I was in Mexico. They opened their homes and hearts to the volunteers and bent over backwards to make us feel welcome and loved, which often meant they or their children had to go without. By working together we worked to accomplish something great, a home for a family that had been saving for years for this dream come true.
It is an amazing feeling to know you helped someone accomplish their lifelong goals. I am hoping that I can share this wonderful experience with more people.
If you do not ever come on this trip I hope that you can find something locally that is as fulfilling as this experience.
On March 2nd I will be headed back down to Tijuana to spend two weeks volunteering. I hope to post daily about what we are doing, the area, and the organization.
I will be spending a few days in San Diego during my two weeks, I will post from there as well. I love visiting San Diego almost as much as I love Tijuana, I hope I have time to do/visit everything I miss about Tijuana and San Diego!
Last year I spent three months living and working alongside the people in Tijuana. While I was there and right when I arrived home I don't think I fully understood what my time there or the what the people of Tijuana meant to me. I have grown so much over the past year. Being in Mexico helped me get out of my comfort zone and helped to open my eyes to what is going on in the rest of the world. It helped me to understand what I want out of life and how I who I want to be as I "grow up." So many people live full, generous, happy lives with very little in the way of material things.
Never have I met more inviting caring people than while I was in Mexico. They opened their homes and hearts to the volunteers and bent over backwards to make us feel welcome and loved, which often meant they or their children had to go without. By working together we worked to accomplish something great, a home for a family that had been saving for years for this dream come true.
It is an amazing feeling to know you helped someone accomplish their lifelong goals. I am hoping that I can share this wonderful experience with more people.
If you do not ever come on this trip I hope that you can find something locally that is as fulfilling as this experience.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Please Note...
Any political ads that show up on my page are NOT necessarily political opinions I hold!! Google has placed them there!!
Do your research, real research, not just listening to an add, before you vote!!
Do your research, real research, not just listening to an add, before you vote!!
To my continuing readers...
Thank you for your continued support of my blog and Esperanza, I am glad to see that there are still readers out there. I am planning a trip back to visit and will hopefully have more to report soon!
If you would like to see what I am up to please see my other blog: Starry Eyed Wander ... for recipes, natural remedies, restaurant reviews, travel updates, etc.
Please check up on what is going on with Esperanza at www.Esperanzaint.org
Thank you again! Keep reading!
- Rena
If you would like to see what I am up to please see my other blog: Starry Eyed Wander ... for recipes, natural remedies, restaurant reviews, travel updates, etc.
Please check up on what is going on with Esperanza at www.Esperanzaint.org
Thank you again! Keep reading!
- Rena
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Hugging Jesus
Miss driving by this beautiful (large) statue of Jesus lovingly called "hugging Jesus!" This photo is from a few years ago! Still have never visited the church on the hill! Have any of you?
Monday, July 16, 2012
Musica
One thing I love and miss about Mexico is their love of music and dancing! Hoping to go through in the next few days and start adding more pictures from my last stay in Mexico. I am starting to get excited about heading back in August! Let you know exactly when I'm going back when I know! So back to the music, here are some songs to put you in a Mexican mood!
Danza Kuduro - Don Omar
Tu Carita - 3Ball MTY
LaCumbia Tribalera - El Pelon de Mikrophone
Redemption Song - Bob Marley
Besos al Aire - 3Ball MTY
Intentalo - 3Ball MTY
Monday, May 7, 2012
Last Day in TJ...
Hello!
SO I know I haven't been writing often lately, I've been busy and preparing to head home! This will be my last day in Tijuana for at least awhile, I will continue to post when I get home I have a TON of pictures and experiences to share so keep checking back! Thanks again everyone for reading!
SO I know I haven't been writing often lately, I've been busy and preparing to head home! This will be my last day in Tijuana for at least awhile, I will continue to post when I get home I have a TON of pictures and experiences to share so keep checking back! Thanks again everyone for reading!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)