"How Was Mexico?"

                Upon returning, everyone asked me the same question: “How was Mexico?” Even after being asked that question multiple times, I couldn’t figure out how to answer it. I was at a loss for words because the trip was so inexplicably amazing and life-changing, and to convey that in a sentence was impossible. I had done so much, had very unique food (such as shark; chaya, a Mayan drink made from spinach and lime; and marquesitas, a combination of fried pancake batter, chocolate, and Parmesan cheese), flown for the first time, and met so many wonderful people that are truly a blessing to humanity. 

            Throughout the week, the same thought kept coming to my mind: There is something so wrong with American culture. We’re missing something very important, but these people have life figured out.

When you walk down the city sidewalks or village streets in the Yucatan, people smile and say “Hola” or “Buenos tardes.” When you greet people or say good-bye, you give them a hug and a kiss on the cheek. People sincerely care about your happiness and well-being. Even when you go to stores, there is a sense that people value you for more than just your money and business. Yucatecans make such a personal connection with others immediately. How many Americans would drive to an airport at 6 a.m. to bid good-bye to a group of people they had only known for a week? Probably not very many. But Silvia, a Yucatecan who has worked at the Mission for many years, did just that.

            The Yucatecans were very welcoming toward their American guests. Everyone we came in contact with was thrilled to have us there. No matter how small their house was, or how little they had, they invited us to be a part of their community. Their Christian faith is integrated into their daily life, and they reminded me a lot of the parable in Mark 12:41—44. Though they are very poor and live simple lives, they gave what they had with all their heart, and ultimately, they are richer than most Americans.

            Father Wilberth, the priest in Sotuta (I mentioned him in our blog post “The Seven Wonders of Tuesday & Wednesday”), made a point to speak to us privately after Mass. He reiterated that the parish in Sotuta was our home. I was so touched by his gracious statement, and it also helped me see the universality of the Christian church. It doesn’t matter what country you live in, how big your church is, or anything – we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. As a united group of people worldwide, we all celebrate together, mourn together, struggle together, and triumph together.

            The girls at Nueva Vida touched my heart as soon as I saw them. These girls come from an extremely impoverished neighborhood, and they could easily lose hope, faith, and self-value. However, they are the exact opposite. Smiles and laughter are as common as the sunshine. They do their chores without being reminded, and they go to classes without complaining. Nueva Vida is such a blessing to their community, as it is truly working wonders with these girls and molding them into mature, intelligent, and loving Christian young women.

            The concept of “Yucatecan time” was such a great change from the hectic schedule that is a 17-credit college semester. When you live on Yucatecan time, it’s okay to be a few minutes (or an hour) late. You can actually sit down and enjoy a meal. You realize that life isn’t about rushing around to simply cross off tasks on a to-do list, checking e-mail, or updating Facebook; instead, it’s about making memories with people and appreciating the simple things. You recognize that not getting an A on a paper won’t end your life or your career and that worrying isn’t going to get you anywhere.

            I still don’t know exactly what it is about the Yucatan that struck me so much, but I can say that coming back to the States and getting back in the college routine was a reverse cultural shock that I did not like. (Needless to say, coming back to snow and ice-cold winds wasn’t great, either!) I am trying to use the lessons I learned in the Yucatan in daily life: worry less, make personal connections with people, be more optimistic, and live a simpler life. In realizing the idea of a universal church, I’ve become inspired to serve people even more than before. If you want to hear more about my experience or learn more about how to work with the Mission, feel free to e-mail me at kapp007@knights.gannon.edu! God Bless! ~ Katie Kapp

Thinking of Merida: Sheer Bliss in Simplicity

Dearest Readers,

Since returning from our journey to Merida, a number of words, images, and questions have been running through my mind and heart.

While I don't often do this, I thought a nice way for me to convey some of those musings with you would be a poem.

Here it goes, have a beautiful week.

Hasta tarde.

-Natalie

Mis Flores 

As I begin the journey I leave my watch at home, unintentionally,

It is time; time to stop watching time go by,

Where is that familiar pulse that I've hooked my body to? 

Learning the true meaning of what it is to smell the roses;

Perhaps it is the pulse of life that drives my restlessness? 

What is healthy doesn't always come naturally to me. 

There is a constant warmth here,

I'll miss it as soon as I leave,

The people here surprise me, 

They base their lives in love,

I came in with assumptions,

Only to realize I knew nothing at all,

I find that I am jealous, 

Why can't we do the same? 

Why is life a competition? 

Why must we have it all? 

You don't have the stuff we have

and yet you never cease to smile,

You hug and kiss me earnestly, 

I hope these moments last forever,

The further I walk on this journey, 

The more I realize how little I know,

Wherever I turn I see beauty;

a richness which cannot be bought,

At the end of the day with las flores,

I realize it'll all be okay,

There is bliss in the act of waiting,

There is bliss in the act of care,

Day by day based in love,

I know I'm already there. 

So we said our goodbyes in the airport,

We shed a tear or two,

But we smile knowing Merida happened,

and we carry her in our hearts.

You can pass again through customs,

You can take my tickets away, 

But the lessons I have learned from you, well, 

They are here to stay. 

What I Learned From This Trip

The things that I learned as a seminarian and as a person on this trip:

I learned how important Mary is to the Catholic culture there.  I was familiar with Our Lady of Guadalupe and the great devotion that the Church in Mexico has for her, but I was unfamiliar with Our Lady of the Yucatan.  There is a great devotion to her - the parish I attended for daily Mass was called Our Lady of the Yucatan and in their Cathedral they have a great statue of her right in front of the sanctuary.  They also had a statue of Our Lady of Sorrows along with Our Lady of Guadalupe.  I knew Mary was important, but not that important.

I learned that I remember more Spanish than I thought.  Having taken 5 years in high school 12 years ago, I knew some would come back but not how much.  I was able to have conversations with some people who knew no English and understand many conversations between two fluent Spanish speakers.  Knowing that I need to learn Italian for school next year, it gave me some confidence that I can do it.

I learned just how lucky we are in this country.  When I saw a checklist for people that included questions like "Does their home have a bathroom," I was shocked.  I can't imagine not having a bathroom in my house.  And yet this is a way of life for some people, and somehow they find meaning and happiness.  How often am I thankful for having a bathroom in my house?  This trip has taught me to be thankful for the little things.  Like drinking tap water and flushing toilet paper.

I learned that prayer is universal and bonding, no matter its source.  When I asked the group if they wanted to say Morning Prayer with me on Thursday and Friday, I expected one or two people to be interested.  But nearly all of the group members joined in, and not everyone was Catholic.  I want to thank my group for being so open minded and allowing me to share this part of my life with them.  It easily could have become "The Catholics in the group are over there saying their Catholic prayer" but everyone embraced it, seemed genuinely moved by it, and it really strengthened the group's solidarity.

I learned how important individual acknowledgement is.  It's one thing to greet a group of people, or thanking a group of people, but greeting them individually means so much more.  Thanks to Tricia and Ron for showing me this at the nursing home.

But most importantly, I learned just how important taking advantage of opportunities to go on service trips are.  It was remarkable.  Thanks to all who helped make it possible either by planning, funding, or coordinating.  As cliche as it sounds, it has changed my life for the better.

Dan Carr

New perspectives

I can't believe that it has already been a whole week since we were down in Mérida. I am so grateful for this experience and to be able to be with such a wonderful group was more than I could have ever hoped for. I have traveled to several Latin American countries in my past on mission trips and each holds a special place in my heart, and this trip was no different. Throughout the week I was not only able to lean more about a different culture and help those in need, but I was also able to push myself out of my comfort zone and grow,  as a leader and as a person in general. Co- leading this trip has allowed me to gain valuable skills that I can bring back and have with me for the rest of my life, but I think the thing that I am most thankful for on this trip was the new perspective. While on the trip we lived a a different pace, a slower pace. There was no rush to be at places, we got there in our own time and that allowed to really enjoy the places that we were at and experience them they way they were meant to be experienced. We also were able to live simply. We took a break from our phone and lived in the moment with the wonderful people we met such as the girls at Nueva Vida and the random people we got to interact with at the clothing bazaar. I hope to bring this new perspective back with me in my life and live it out everyday, to take the time to appreciate where I am at , and to really be present when I am with people in any situation.

A special moment that I wanted to share happened during the time this picture was taken. This is at the clothing bazaar in Sotuta. I was in charge of handing out the free rosaries and to make sure only one person took one of each item. For a while there were others with me, but I was also by myself for some time. It was at those times that meant the most to me. The little children surrounded my table because I told them that they were free so they all got excited and wanted to make sure they each got to pick a rosary. The reason I cherish this moment so much is that I really enjoyed interacting with those who came to my table. I got to use my limited Spanish and we tried to have small conversations, and for the most part we were able to understand each other. The children were adorable and very understanding in trying to talk with me. This memory will always stay with me it just meant so much that they were willing to speak and be patient with me. 

~ Jackie Pfeil

Merida: Take 2

Do you remember how you felt when you were little and it was Christmas Eve and you still believed in Santa?  Well that’s exactly how I felt when I found out I was going to return to the Yucatan.  I was so excited I couldn't sleep – literally!  I first visited the Yucatan in August of 1972, the summer after my first year at Gannon College.  A group of area college students were sent as “ambassadors” from the Erie Catholic Diocese to visit our “sister” Diocese of the Yucatan – a relationship that had formed the previous year and was known as “The Mission of Friendship.”

Fast forward to January 2000 when I interviewed for my job here at Gannon.  Somehow in that interview our discussion turned to my time at Gannon as a student, and I can remember saying that the single most memorable (and life-changing) event of my college years was that mission trip to Mexico.  So when I found out that the Center for Social Concerns was planning an ABST to Mexico in hopes of re-establishing and strengthening the Mission of Friendship, I REALLY REALLY wanted to go!

There were so many reasons why I wanted to be a part of this trip.  I wanted a chance to visit the family I sponsor through the Amigos Sponsorship Program (one of the many programs of the Mission of Friendship); I wanted to see how the country has changed in the 42 years since I had been there; I wanted to re-live the life changing experiences of my first trip; but MOST OF ALL, I wanted my ABST Mexico family to experience what I had so many years ago and I wanted to be a part of that!

What did I experience, what did I learn, how did this trip change my life?  Every attempt I’ve made to verbally answer those questions just seems to fall so short...  I’ve learned that you can be truly happy without money, social status, and “things.”  As Lexie reminded me, I’ve learned to be occupied with what is happening in the present, not preoccupied with worry about yesterday or tomorrow.  Watching the people at Mass in Merida and Sotuta and listening to them sing, I’ve learned what true devotion is.  I learned how to be a guest and allow others to “serve.”  I learned that a hug and small kiss on the cheek is a beautiful way to greet the people you meet and let them know how important they are to you.  I learned that you don’t have to be perfect.  And I learned how fortunate I am that I was able to share this awesome experience with my ABST Mexico family.  You are all forever in my heart.

Janet

Being Occupied in Merida

My name is Lexie Mastro and this is one of many reflections on my Merida, Mexico experience. In case you don't know me, I am the curly headed girl that wears glasses in the front row. You see me; the one witht he Gannon Soccer sweat pants on. But I suppose that is where this whole story started anyhow...

I came to Gannon just four years ago on a soccer scholarship. I thought that would define me: soccer. athletics. college athlete. And then I decided that I wanted to do more. I started to join different clubs on campus and take leadership positions, and before you knew it, I found myself in the doorway of the Center for Social Concerns. 

Last year as a junior physician assistant major, I went on a domestic ABST to NYC and did some Hurricane Sandy relief. This year I was fortunate enough to go on an international ABST to Merida, Mexico. Which is why you are reading this reflection; to hear about my experience. I want to tell you everything and describe the bright smiles on every single girl's face at Nueva Vida, however, my words cannot do them justice. My words cannot do this trip justice. So, I looked for some words of others to inspire myself and added in a few notes. 

If anything in this post interests you and you want to chat with me more, here is my email: mastro001@knights.gannon.edu. 

“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” 
― Martin Luther King Jr.

One thing we discussed as a group with the Mission of Friendship was the dialogue around service. Tricia, the Director of the Mission and Friendship (who is an amazing human being), facilitated a discussion one beautiful morning about what it means to serve. Are you going in to help others? Are you there to fix them? Or are you there to serve?

The answer my friends: SERVE! 

It is wonderful to fix a broken table, or to help someone who dropped a pile of papers pick them up, however, when you are going to be a guest in another community and culture, you are there to serve. This is one experience that stuck out to me during my time abroad. I will now and forever be very intentional in serving others as their equal who can learn just as much as I can give. We are all human beings in this world, so we should start acting like it.

“You are what you do, not what you say you'll do.” 
― C.G. Jung

Actions speak louder than words. This is so true in every sense. If you know me on campus, I am a do-er. I am normally at an event, running between engagements, or heading off to a class or lab. It is important to be active and speak with what you do. Personally, another thing I took away from the trip was from a spanish homily that I heard in Merida with the group. When Tricia translated the message, essentially the Priest had said to be occupied in the moment right now, not preoccupied in what was down the road in the future.

One of the most important aspects of this trip was living in the moment and just being present. We all turned our phones off for a full week, had limited or no contact to the internet (other than this blog), and just enjoyed our service and the company of not only each other, but also the community there in Merida. To list to a 76 year old woman who speaks spanish so fast you catch every tenth word, but still laugh at the joke because of the smile that spreads across her small, wrinkled cheek is beautiful. To be able to scrub a wall with bleach is a privilege. To paint an english classroom is a privilege. To interact with bright, young girls in theatre and soccer is a privilege. To be present in that moment and look back on how your heart felt that day because you lived that joy out is a blessing.

To be in the moment in your actions and enjoy being occupied in what is going on around you is something this trip has really made apparent to me. Because of my time in Merida, I now set aside daily reflective time for whatever I need that night. Although I am one of those people that used to claim I was too busy, to take 10 minutes every night for yourself and be present and take action does a world of good in the end. Be occupied. Enjoy right now.

“The Simple Path
Silence is Prayer
Prayer is Faith
Faith is Love
Love is Service
The Fruit of Service is Peace” 
― Mother Teresa

This last quote is very special for two reasons:

1. We got to meet a woman who studied under Mother Teresa at the assisted living home we visited in Merida: La Reina da Paz. We were able to play lotteria (picture bingo) with the geriatric and special needs community. As someone who used to spend a great deal of time in nursing homes here in Erie, PA, I found this experience making me think about my own relatives that have come and gone from these settings. 

The sister who studied under Mother Teresa worked at the facility and then even gave us a little tour of the chapel and told us a bit about the facility. It was a blessing to be in the same room with someone who serves others as a career.

2. It is a poem. Even though I am a P.A. major, I have an english minor and have enjoyed all my ENGL credits. What I have taken away most from being a creative writer is my personal development from poetry in particular. After a long stressful day in the lab, or after meetings, or after anything really, to sit down and be able to write a poem and feel proud to share it with others is empowering. It is my personal outlet to keep me sane in an insane world. Mother Teresa will always be an inspiring woman, and being able to look back at even the shortest of her poems gives me hope in so many different ways. I feel jazzed about poetry. I feel jazzed about being spiritual and faithful. I feel jazzed about being able to serve. 

This trip was amazing and I could go on for a while, however, I think I will end here with a poem I wrote for my poetry fiction workshop class. It is a first draft that has revisions still to be made, however, it is a good start. I think that is a good way to classify this trip. It was a good first look at Merida, however, there is still a lot that can be done there. I plan on going back someday to work with the Mission again or even doing some healthcare providing! Only time will tell what opportunities blossom out of this trip. 

Thank you for reading. Stay tuned for more about our Merida adventure.

God Bless, 

Maestra Lexie

Occupied, Not Preoccupied

Is a mindset for the current life,

Not wondering about the what if.

Being occupied in life makes you

Appreciate the present. For example:

Be occupied playing with children,

Even if they don’t speak the same

Language; soccer is the same

In all countries. Be occupied

Listening to a story about the

Mayan Calendar, just to understand

A culture a little bit better.

Be occupied swimming underground,

Even if bats are flying overhead

Because they only eat insects,

Not human flesh. Be occupied

In greeting another person, not

Flying past them in the hallway

At a hundred miles per hour. Hug

That person, give that person

A kiss on the cheek, even a stranger.

Be occupied and listen to whom

Is speaking; the to do list in your

Mind could wait until tomorrow.

Be occupied and enjoy the moments

You are in right now, not waiting for

The ones that haven’t happened.

Be occupied not preoccupied,

Is a way of life for some people,

And if you haven’t tried it yet,

You just might want to give it a shot.

Be occupied in the present, because

No one can predict the future. 

Mexico 2014, forever changed!

Hola amigos! Linden Lester here to fill you in a little bit about my personal experience in Mexico last week. 
I went to Guatemala last year on an ABST, but this was a whole new experience for me. I truly am so blessed by this experience and wouldn't trade it for the world. I can sum up my experience in Mexico in two simple ways, a quote and a picture.  

First the quote 

"What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult for each other!"

This quote was hanging on the wall in the mission house and I noticed it one of the first few days we were there.  I jotted it down in my journal and kept referring back to it throughout the week.  Coming back home I am trying to adopt that quote as my new motto for life.  For me personally I am happiest when serving others and giving myself to those in need.  Last year when I went to Guatemala I made the decision to major in education because that is a way for me to serve others everyday of my career. Teachers go out of their way to help their students and do whatever they need.  Being in Mexico has really reassured that fact for me and made me realize how happy I am to be majoring in education and have the opportunity to serve others on a daily basis in my career.  Even though it may only be a simple quote it has impacted my life in a major way.

Secondly the picture 

The little girl in front of me on the slide is one of the main reasons this trip was such a life changing experience for me.  Her name is Maria and she is eight years old.  From the minute we arrived at Nueva Vida (the after school program for girls run by the mission) her and I just connected on a very special level.  We played tag, ate together, went down the slide, and were just silly.  There may have been a language barrier between us, but that did not stop the fun from happening or from a friendship growing.  We found our ways of communicating and the language wasn't even an issue.  This little girl may only be eight, but I have learned so much from her.  The love, compassion, and generosity that Maria and all the girls at Nueva Vida have is indescribable.  All the girls and staff at Nueva Vida are a family and it is amazing how much they care for each other. These little girls have showed me that I really need to bring that compassion back to the states with me.  Yes there are lots of nice people here, but there are also some that are not quite as nice.  I think we all need to start living everyday to the fullest, have no regrets, and fill our lives with as much love, compassion, and generosity as possible and we would be much happier with our lives.  I truly am going to miss Maria and all the girls at Nueva Vida.

Being an education major I obviously love kids and love spending time with them. So being able to interact with these girls was an amazing experience for me.  It made me realize that I am truly happiest when I am either serving others or working with kids, and if I can combine them and do them together then it's even better.  This trip has made me realize that I want to be able to serve others as much as possible.  And it's also reassured the fact that after I graduate I want to be able to use my education degree to go abroad and serve and help kids as much as I possibly can.

Finally I have one tip of advice for everyone.  Go on a service trip at some point in your life.  It really will change your outlook and perspective on life.  Also just live life to the fullest and be filled with love and compassion. Peace!

Another year growing as a servant!

Hola! Yet another year and another new and incredibly powerful experience for me and the entire group. As you can gather from the other posts in the blog, we engaged in a broad variety of activities each bringing its own joy and opportunity to connection with each other and the people of Mexico. I'll start with - what a great trip! I am eager to see the now 43 year old relationship continue to grow with each new year and each new group's visit to the Mision de Armistad/Mission of Friendship in Merida, Mexico.

I cherish this week of reflection and community with the students each year. I enter the week with some exposure to the ABST activity but also having a similar anticipation and uncertainty as the students wondering how this particular year and group will make use of the week and impact the community we travel to visit.

I am so proud of our students and was unbelievably impressed with their maturity, compassion, depth of introspection and self-awareness, and desire not only to learn about the people and culture we were immersed in but to learn about themselves and from each other during the journey through the week.

Even after many years of travel and participation, I was again moved by this experience. The student leadership was taken to a new level  this year and they truly ran the show. What a blessing to be able to be a participant and observe from the side the growth in character, confidence, awareness of nuances in communication, and care for others, among so many observable personal developments, that our students gained from the trip. These notable changes in just a week were accompanied by many internal changes that the students voiced through the very personal reflections we had each evening.  The cohesiveness of the group allowed for open dialogue at a level I have not seen in environments beyond these powerful ABST trips.

Thank you to our group members, to Janet for her immeasurable contributions, and to the people of Mexico. I have been blessed to have these individuals and this experience as part of my life.  The Mission of Friendship was a terrific environment for the students to reach out from. Our daily mix of service and cultural immersion kept us busy, engaged, entertained and often times in awe and tired.

During one early reflection, Tricia Pipkin (the Mission Director) helped us make the distinction in our role as servants - sharing with each other on equal ground in mutual respect and mutual benefit, in contrast to considering or role as helper or fixer - both positioning us a individuals with greater gifts to share and there to assist the needy or broken. The Gannon team and staff of the mission quickly and consistently found that place and role as servant and I am confident did receive as much or more than we gave.

God bless the group, the children, adults and elderly we encountered, and all those who serve that community every day in our absence. May we return next year and every year to share and receive the blessings of our family in the Yucatan.

Keith Taylor, President and official group accompanier, Gannon ABST Mexico 2014

Sponsorship Program!

This Is Randy here to talk about a very important program that is run by our new friends in Mexico. The Office of Diocesan and International Missions has developed a sponsorship program for underprivileged families in the Yucatan. For as little as 20 dollars a month you can sponsor a child. This money would go to provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education and job training. Individuals can also make a one time donation that would help do the same. If anyone reading this feel compelled to help, I invite you to email me personally at clapp003@knights.gannon.edu I will send you a brochure and more information on how to get started. Thanks and God Bless!

ABST Post Trip Reflection: Four Pillars

Hola! This is Madeline Boucher, one of the student participants of ABST Mexico.  As classes start back up, we are all trying to get back into the swing of things.  Not only are we two hours behind than what we were used to a week ago (time zone change and daylight savings) but we are also trying to continue our lives after what we experienced last week.

This was one of the best trips I have ever been on.  This is my first time leaving the U.S. (with the exception of Canada) and it was eye opening for me to get a visual aspect of another culture in another country. 

Every night on the trip, we had a reflection discussing our day and how it affected us, and I discussed with the group on the last night of the trip on how the four pillars of ABSTs (service, simplicity, community and reflection) tied into this trip for me.  Here’s what I came up with:

Service

Our service for this trip did not start when we landed in Merida, it started when we found out we were going on this trip.  As soon as we found out our acceptance, we had to begin opening our minds on a new culture.  Service is not only doing work to help someone else, it’s also learning what you can, on the way they live.  Since we traveled to another country where they live differently than what we are used to and speak a different language than us, we needed to prepare being comfortable with the people that will be around us.    

The first time I distinctly remember seeing the people in Yucatán living their reality was in Sotuta at the clothing bizarre.  The second we brought the boxes onto the tables, there were already about 15 people looking at the clothes.  These people needed the clothes and while they saw an opportunity, they jumped for it.  Another member of this trip told me during the sale that if we were to have something this is in the U.S; people would most likely still sit at home and watch their TVs.  That will be one thing that was said to me that I will never forget, along with that whole two hours the sale was going on.  

Our service also included sanding, washing and painting a classroom (bright orange), activities with the girls at Nueva Vida and played “Loteria” with the residents at Reyna de Pez Nursing Home.  Looking at the differences between, schools and nursing homes gave us a bigger perspective of the culture in the Yucatán.     

Simplicity

Before the trip, I had a hunch that this is the pillar that I would struggle with the most.  I always have my phone on me, I check Facebook several times a day to know what my friends are up to, I love steak for dinner, I love surfing the internet, I love listening to music, I always love knowing the time and the list goes on and on.  I thought I would challenge myself by keeping my phone on airplane mode all week.  It turned out that it was very nice not having access to anything!  Not using my phone all week reduced so much of my stress I had from school, friends, my job and other responsibilities.  I never thought that putting my phone and other technology down for a week would be so relaxing!  Not having a fancy meal was something else that didn’t bother me.  I have tried so many new foods throughout the week that having steak never crossed my mind. 

The people in Yucatan live simply every day.  They live in small houses and make do with what they have.  We lived that way the whole week.  We lived in small houses with several other people.  We didn’t have a lot of room, but that was one way we formed community. 

Community

We had probably the most wide ranged small group that an ABST can possibly get.  We had majors from Physician Assistant to Chemistry to Education to Communication.  We had a few athletes, a seminarian, shy people, students in all fours year levels in school, etc. It turned out that all of our differences is what made our group become so close.  Every group member was willing to listen to what someone had to say throughout the week along with giving 110% into service work.  We all encouraged each other to step out of our comfort zone not only on this trip but also during the rest of our lives.  At the last reflection of the week, I told the group: “you are all amazing and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to be on this trip with all of you”.  It was extremely difficult to say goodbye to everyone at the end of the week.  It was amazing to me how 10 strangers could become so close just 7 days.       

Reflection

This is one pillar that will never end.  Our nightly group reflections may be over but our individual personal reflection will be forever.  Now that we all have experienced and seen the Yucatán culture we are all in awe.  These people are so happy with such little money, small houses and their families.  This makes us realized that the most important part of our lives are the people around us.  I myself am guilty of being stresses about money and the way my life will take me, but I never stopped to realize that I have one of the greatest things anyone could ask for, a loving family and wonderful friends (and new friends)!                 

 

Safe

We have arrived back in the States no problem and are just a short drive away from Erie. Thank you all for following along this week and if you would like to continue to read about our experiences we each will be posting at some point this coming week.

 Thank you -
Mexico ABST 14

Nueva Vida

Buenas noches, this is Randy Clapp and I am going to share with you some of the amazing experiences we have had in the last two days. We spent Thursday morning painting one of the class rooms at Nueva Vida!

In the Afternoon we finally got the chance to meet the girls of Nueva Vida.

We ate lunch with them and then split into two groups. One of the groups went to the day care center to wash walls. The other group stayed and did theater exercises with the girls!

On Friday we went to Reyna de Paz which is a nursing home. We played Loteria with the residents which is a lot like bingo!

In the afternoon we got the chance to go to the park with the girls of Nueva Vida. We played a bunch of fun games with the girls...

 and finished the day going down a huge slide!

Unfortunately this wonderful experience comes to an end tomorrow. We will be taking off at 8:06 tomorrow morning! However, we will still be blogging - individuals will be posting their reflections and more pictures throughout next week!

The Seven Wonders of Tuesday & Wednesday

Buenos noches!

The past couple days have been quite busy here in Yucatan! In fact, most of them were spent in Sotuta, a small village a couple hours away from Merida. Today, on our way back to Merida from Sotuta, we stopped at Chichen Itza, the most famous of the Mayan ruins.

From Tuesday morning to Wednesday night, here are seven wonders we witnessed and/or were a part of:

1. El Cenote Chihaun

A "cenote" is a natural, underground pool of water. We stopped at El Cenote Chihaun on our way to Sotuta. We went down a steep, winding, stone staircase 10 meters (approximately 32.8 feet) underground until we reached the opening of the cave. Due to an unusually long rainy season, the water level was much higher than usual, having a depth of approximately of 18 meters, or 50 feet. The known parts of the cenote measured around 120 meters (393.7 feet) back into the cave. The cool water was especially refreshing in the intense heat and humidity!

2. Sotuta, Yucatan

Sotuta is around two hours away from the city of Merida. Sotuta is one of those small, little towns where everybody knows everybody. We arrived mid-afternoon on Tuesday and left mid-morning on Wednesday. The people of Sotuta were very welcoming and friendly toward their American guests. In the background of this picture is the town square, the center of the village. We stayed in an old house off the square. The church can be seen in the background, which was built in the late 1700s.

3. Bazaar de Ropa ("Clothing Bazaar")

Around 4:30 p.m., we set up a garage sale, a "bazaar de ropa," on the basketball court beside the town square. The Diocese of Erie donated lots of clothes and other various items (rosaries, prayer cards, stuffed animals, shoes, etc.), which we sold to the people of Sotuta. All the money we raised will be used at the Mision de Amistad in Merida. The people of Sotuta loved getting great clothes for a great price, a free rosary with their purchase, and we raised around $375!

The red building in the background, by the way, is where we stayed.

Here is Linden (in tie dye) and Maddie with three kids and their mother at the bazaar de ropa. Janet is in the background. We all had a marvelous time interacting with the people in Sotuta and practicing our Spanish skills.

4. Carnaval in Sotuta

After the bazaar de ropa was over, the final night of Carnaval began! First, we all tried marquesitas. A marquesita is thin, fried batter rolled into the shape of a waffle cone, with chocolate and Parmesan cheese drizzled over it... quite unique!
The real fiesta began when we went to the dance floor, which was held outside of the municipal building beside the town square. We started dancing, but since we were dancing like Americans, we quickly drew some strange looks. However, the Sotutans began dancing with us, and soon our circle filled practically half the dance floor! Through dance and without language, two cultures were able to find similar characteristics and have a great time! (You might be able to find this on YouTube... multiple cameras were on us!)

5. Sleeping in Hammocks

In Sotuta and other villages, the people sleep in hammocks instead of beds. This is to make more space (hammocks can be folded up during the day) and also to avoid crawling critters. These beautiful hammocks are all made by hand. Here is a picture of one of the girls' rooms after Dan used his Boy Scout knowledge to tie our hammocks to the hooks. We all enjoyed sleeping in hammocks, but we are definitely looking forward to our solid beds that don't move tonight!

6. The Parish in Sotuta

To celebrate Ash Wednesday, we all went to Mass this morning at the local parish in Sotuta. The exterior of the church can be seen in one of the pictures above. After Mass, Father Wilbur, the priest, spoke with us. We all took a picture with him and a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary. 

Back - L-R: Dr. Taylor, Fr. Wilbur, Katie, Lexie, Janet, & Randy

Front - L-R: Tricia, Natalie, Maddie, Linden, Jackie, & Dan

In Fr. Wilbur's words, "our parish is your home." We are all brothers and sisters, from Erie to Yucatan, in Christ. Being reminded of this on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, was especially meaningful.

7. Chichen Itza

This breathtaking stone pyramid is on the license plates of the Mexican state of Yucatan, in addition to being one of the real seven wonders of the world! Chichen Itza is the most famous of all the Mayan ruins. Natalie & Katie are looking on, and our tour guide is to the right. The day was beautiful and the sun shone all the way as we toured the extensive plaza of Chichen Itza, which was once one of the most affluent Mayan cities.

As you can see, we experienced a lot in the past two days. We experienced natural and man-made wonders and practiced living in extreme simplicity like the welcoming citizens of Sotuta. We did some intense cultural mixing at Carnaval, and we were reminded that ultimately, Christ unites us all.

Those are our 7 wonders of Tuesday & Wednesday!

Finally!

Buenas noches.  This is Dan Carr, one of the ABST Mexico students.  Sorry for not being able to post anything earlier than this - we were kept out of our account because we were logging in from Mexico.  I guess all of those security options preventing hackers from accessing accounts have a downside.  Thanks to our help at Gannon for helping us to get in and allowing us to share our adventures with you.

It's Monday night here, and wow have we done a lot since arriving here.

By the way, it's been sunny and hot.  A far cry from our Northeastern United States weather.  Jealous much?

Saturday was our travel day, and it couldn't have gone smoother.  We got to the mission house, began to get settled in, and rested up for our first big day in Merida.

On Sunday, we went into downtown Merida, where we attended Mass in the Cathedral.  We then had lunch and walked around at various stands in the park vending their wares.  We spent most of the afternoon trying to speak Spanish and marveling at the culture.

Later that night, some Meridians named Silvia and Gladys, who work for the mission, came to visit us and serve us dinner.  They cooked traditional Yucatechan food, which was absolutely delicious.

Patricia and Ron are the two main people who have been showing us around, driving us places, and making sure we don't get lost.  Both are from the United States.  Patricia works in the mission and Ron is a volunteer.  They have been most excellent hosts.  Ron is featured in this picture and Patricia will definitely make it into more later on.

On Monday we got to work painting a room in Nueva Vida, a school for young girls from 1st - 6th grades.  We sanded, washed, and primed the walls.  We'll be back to finish up painting on Thursday.  Spoilers: the room will be orange and blue.

Later in the evening, we got to enjoy the festivities of Carneval.  This is a week-long celebration in Merida much like Mardi Gras (but without the beads thing).  Our first event was a fun, less well known part of Carneval's activities at the Nueva Vida Day Care, where attendees (all younger than 3 years old) participated in a king and queen crowning and in various dances.  It was absolutely adorable!  No pictures can do these children justice.  Their costumes and mannerisms were precious.

Then later we attended the daily Carneval parade.  This was a cultural parade and all sorts of cultural groups put on outfits and marched in the parade.  It was another great opportunity to experience the culture.

As a part of our trip, we reflect as a group on what we have seen and how the trip has affected us.  This is one of our reflection activities led by Jackie.

We originally hoped to blog every night, but that's turning out to be unrealistic.  We don't have much time in the schedule to dedicate to it, so you might see new pictures and information every couple of days.

But just to give you a spoiler, by Thursday morning you might be seeing pictures of Mayan ruins and hammocks!

Hasta luego!

Dan

Safely Arrived!

Hola, Gannon readers!  This is your friendly neighborhood technical support posting on behalf of our amigos in Merida.  Everyone has safely arrived at the mission and is settling in.  We'll be hearing from our travelers themselves pretty soon.  Have a great day!