Living in a barn, with the pigs...

So, at 16 years old, the summer after my sophomore year in High School my eyes were opened and my world began to change. I spent this summer in Michoacán, Mexico participating in the Amigos De Las Americas Program.

http://www.amigoslink.org/

Like I said, I grew up in an affluent "snuburb" and never wanted for anything.  I had great parents and an overall "perfect" life.  But something was missing.  There was a hole.

Participating in the program was the first moment that the hole began to shrink.  I spent the summer in a very rural community with no running water nor electricity, living in this great families barn.  I was paired up with two other Americans, whom I did not know, and we were charged with motivating the community to improve their hygiene and public sanitation through latrine building and water purification.  It was incredible and life changing.

When the summer began, I knew no more Spanish than hola, gracias, por favor, and baño (which was not a useful word seeing as there weren't any!).  This family embraced us and loved us as if we were there own kids, their own flesh and blood.  They had "nothing" compared to us and shared more than I had ever seen.  It rocked my world and changed my view of myself and the world.  That summer I fell in love with the Spanish language, realizing that it was not a textbook, but rather amazing people, a lively culture, and an opportunity to see the world while changing myself and others.

Hace Quince Años...

Fifteen years ago my service learning began as did my personal transformation. I was lost, lonely, confused, and wanted to know why.  What was the point?  What was life for?  How could I possibly have so much, everything, more than everything, but still not be happy?  How was everyone else happier than me?  


I never really liked Spanish in school.  In fact, I remember begging and trying my powers of persuasion on both parents to get them to let me drop the class.  You know, if the first says no, go to the second one, that sort of thing.  Luckily, they both stood their ground.


I distinctly remember, being 16 years old, a sophomore in high school, and a cool teacher and college student coming to talk about this Amigos program.  She was so strong, confident, mature, funny, happy.  This college student appeared to be who I had wanted to be all these years.  So, like any other 16 year-old I went home and asked my mom to sign a form.  About 4 months later, I asked her to drive me to boston form my first official Amigos De Las Americas training.  She responds, "Why are we going to Boston?"
Aghast, I replied, "Don't you remember, I'm going to live in a barn in Mexico for the summer, you singed the form?!?" 


And so the journey began...

By accident, coincidence, or fate, I recently got called up at the last minute to chaperone the High School Service Learning trip to Peru.  At first I was sure it was just a happy accident, but now I'm sure there is a reason I was asked to lead the trip, when the original chaperone got sick.


The trip was fabulous.  The kids were great, the ruins still breathtaking, and culture and cuisine divine.  

The two days of service ignited a fire inside me that has remained dormant for years.  This trip and the local Peruvians lit my fire, and I'm hoping this blog will help spread that flame.