A day of “firsts”

Most definitely not in Kansas/Toronto anymore, everything is different yet not completely foreign. The streets are bustling, markets are brimming, I tower over most and most definitely stick out like a sore thumb but the city has captured my attention.

Hong Kong is incredible, I arrived this morning (Tuesday) after 19 hours in the air over 48 hours, the longest trip I have taken yet and landing with only a hotel name- with no direction. Tried, smelly and unattractive I asked around and finally found a safe bet- taking the train to Hong Kong Island where I then grabbed a taxi (first taxi alone in a foreign country- CHECK!). The hotel is small, the room is even smaller. After a quick shower and meeting up with my facilitation partner we decided to start the adventure.

Despite my lack of sleep I was able to keep up and had an amazing day.

Being the tacky tourists we are we took the “Peak Tram” up the mountain side where we could see the view of the island coast and beyond….

I preferred this view, the picture doesn’t do it justice I was beautiful!

In my glory as our adventures continued through markets- always my favorite attraction- the sights, the sounds and the glimpse inside the daily life, outside the tourist districts.

 

Still plenty to do and see but this tired lady is packing ‘er in!

Stay tuned!

The Send Off

I am surprised I still have friends, the little time I get to spend with them.

But, with We Day season over I found myself with a wide open weekend, that was quickly filled with quality time spent with friends sharing drinks and so many laughs!

Knowing I will be missing the Christmas season while I am gone, they all humored me with a “Merrygiving”- a American thanksgiving dinner for our American friend and an early Christmas dinner for me!

I prepared the roasted chicken while everyone else brought a side or a bottle of wine, the house filled quickly and the food disappeared just as quick

but the best part of all was the opportunity we had to connect, laugh and NOT talk about work!

I am  so thankful for this beautiful group of people- I couldn't have asked for a better send off.

As I write I am preparing to board my flight to Hong Kong, in a few short days I will be delivering a key note address to hundreds of students at a Service Summit for the Hong Kong International School. This is not my first speech, but this is the first speech I have written where I had 100% creative freedom and it is both exciting and terrifying!

Stay tuned! Much love!

Something you love…

I know officially have 3 We Day’s under my belt. And after each one I cant help but ask myself “WHY”

My whole body hurts (especially my feet), I’m exhausted, drained, I miss my friends and family after days upon days of work, I feel disconnected… and the list goes on… and for what?

Well it is for….

that five minutes when I get to step into the bowl when Romeo Dallaire is on stage asking the young people if they are any better than the children fighting in wars – and listen as thousands of them

scream NO!

Working away and feeling the energy shift when Michel (an ex child solider) step on stage and delivers a silent speech using cue cards. Asking everyone to take the Vow of Silence, to stand in solidarity for those who are silenced by poverty, disease, and exploitation. You could hear a pin drop.

I am bombarded by those thousands of young people  later when they flood the concourses wearing We Day swag- inspired, empowered and excited to change the world. Passing out high fives like they are going out of style.

Yes it is a lot of work… but I get the privilege to be a part of something that is SO big, SO important- who cares if my feet hurt a little. I LOVE MY JOB.

You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you. - Maya Angelou

We have one more We Day of the year, heading off to Winnipeg for the first EVER We Day in the ‘peg! I have no doubt it will blow all of our socks off!

Then off to Hong Kong to deliver a keynote address at a Service Summit, and then jet setting to India to lead another youth volunteer trip.

Again… I love my job! Stay tuned!

Under my skin

It has been 16 months and 1 week since I last stepped foot on Haitian soil.

It has been 16 months and 1 week since I last held those precious babies that captured my heart so deeply.

It has been 16 months and 1 week since I have been home.

That is 53 weeks of growth for those babies, they are now walking, talking, playing- functioning toddlers who have no memory of our weeks spent on that balcony.

That is 371 nights where someone else kissed them goodnight and laid them in their bed.

That is also 371 days that they have been in my thoughts and my prayers.

I miss them, I miss Haiti and I am actively looking for an opportunity to go back.

Haiti has gotten under my skin, and it now makes up a huge part of who I am, where my heart is…

Beautiful British Colombia

Its 8: 29 am (PST) and I make the call “ Brittnei to Booth’s Team- the doors are now open, good luck!”

Seconds later students and their educators flood the concourse of the Rogers Arena, some decked out in school colours, others carrying signs with their school names or favourite motivational quotes. Our staff is spread out throughout the venue- my team manning booths, others sorting seating, others prepping the production.

And I checked myself- this is why I LOVE my job.

Throughout the day I caught snippets of what was happening in the bowl, I listened as Jacob from Hedley rocked out and shared his heartfelt story of his time in India with FTC, I watched as Mia Farrow had 18,000 youth stand up against injustice, I felt the emotion when a good friend did a silent speech with cue cards asking the youth to stand in silence in solidarity with children around the world who do not have a voice. 18,000 youth streamed out of the venue that afternoon inspired and motivated.

Later that day I sat in a circle with my team- everyone positive, everyone still smiling as our director freed us to go celebrate.

3 long days and our our second We Day of the fall was a success from many angles. WE DID IT!

Later that night I have another moment… I was crammed in a room of a downtown Vancouver restaurant. Shoulder to shoulder with my incredible co workers, We Day talent (Hedley, Down with Webster etc.) and so many Free the Children supporters. I am a part of this.

The next day I sat in a car with some of my best friends winding up along the mountains to Whistler for a weekend of adventures, laughs, relaxation and tacky tourist moments.

They call it “Beautiful British Colombia” for a reason. The mountains were INCREDIBLE and man did it feel good to share some laughs and be a “real person” for a couple days.

I just wanted to share a couple pictures from our adventures. ENJOY!

(look that’s ME!)

And on top of all this amazing-ness I finally got a chance to reunite with one of my favourites- AMANDA. We biked around Stanley Park on a beautiful day!

Such an amazing week in Vancouver- I think I fell in love with the West Coast.

Until next time….

A Whirlwind Fall

Returning from back to back trips, jumping into an incredible customized leadership training with an inspiring group of Toronto’s inner city leaders to long days and even longer nights preparing for the fall of We Days. To say my fall has been busy… is an understatement.

With little sleep and absolutely no work life balance (sorry family and friends!), I look back on the accomplishments of my last couple months and still feel privileged.

Less than 2 weeks ago we (a organization staff by a group of 20+ year olds) pulled of the first of 4 We Days of 2011- a day where 18,000 youth and their educators gather to be inspired. Inspired by social justice hero's, like minded performers in an arena full of equally passionate young people. The goal of the day- to kick off a year of fundraising, advocacy and community service. The students take back what they learn and they ACT. Carrying the movement of WE thinking and WE acting!

As all the staff running the event take on obscure tasks from registration, through to manual labour we are all encouraged to seek out our “We Day Moment”

I took a different role this year, leading up a team of staff who would be responsible for selling all of the socially conscious products Me to We offers. Managing a team, under the pressure and high stress of crunch time- the role had its challenges. Determined to stay true to the power of the event- I snuck in my We Day moment just as Nelly Furtado took the stage.

I am privileged to be a part of THAT.

In just a few days I am off to Vancouver, to replicate what we did in Toronto to another auditorium of 18,000 youth. Although it is a daunting task- where sore feet, minimal sleep and emotional exhaustion is a definite. I know that the power of the event is much greater than my personal struggles. Nevertheless, wish me luck.

The highest of highs and the lowest of lows: India 2011

I have been home now for exactly 2 weeks. And it has taken me those 2 weeks to even begin to understand my 3 week stay in India.

In those 3 weeks I experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I was pushed so far outside my comfort zone that my comfort zone is now a stranger to me. My heart was filled to a capacity that I didn’t now existed. And I was reminded yet again that no person is an island entire of themselves, everyone is a piece of the continent a part of the main…

Highest of Highs

1. Opening Ceremonies in the Berna Community

Our group donned their traditional head coverings, within second we were drenched in sweat as we made the trek from our  home away from home to what would become our build site. We were greeted with tentative smiles and lays of what smelt like marigold flowers. Our foreheads were imprinted with a bindi- red for prosperity. The child gathered around but didn’t play- as if they were contemplating whether to grant these “goras” their friendship.

We spent the next hour participating in a offering to the Hindu gods, asking for a blessing on the rocks that would serve as the foundation to the kitchen’s school- which our group would be building.

Such a powerful experience to watch as the students carried the stones to the trench dug for the foundation, and watching as the stones were covered in cement.

2.  Community Days

Gyanni Bi is a woman of no older than 50, she has 2 daughters and 1 son. She has a husband who works doing manual labour in a nearby community. They live in a home made by their own hands. She completes all the household chores, fetching water, feeding the livestock, making the meals as well as serving as the local school’s cook. After her morning chores she treks to the local school to  make roti for the children. It is for her and the children for whom she cooks- that we are building the kitchen for.

On a number of occasions we had the opportunity to learn from Gyanni Bi, she took us on her morning water walk, where the participants had an opportunity to pumped the water, learn about the complexities of water consumption and carry the water back to her home.

She welcomed us one morning to learn about her daily chores. We woke up extra early, skipped breakfast and met Gyanni Bi at her home eager to experience just a piece of the burden tribal woman endure on a daily basis.

They were asked to plaster the walls of her home.

Plaster = cow dung + dirt + water

They collected.

They mixed.

They plastered.

Another group was asked to milk the families goat.

Not as easy as it looks.

And then we gathered in Gyanni Bi’s home to learn how to make roti.

All before 8am.

Gyanni Bi is a hero. For her family, for her community and for our group.

3. My Group

One of my highs is experiencing all of these highs and lows with my participants. A group of 18 young people, from different parts of N.America who came together, shared so much of themselves, challenged each other and formed a family. My job was to guide them through the experience, challenge their perceptions, and keep them safe. In return they did the same for me, and I learnt so much from each and everyone of them. We formed a bond that I don’t think will ever diminish.

Missing you India E!

4.  The Indian Culture

There is something to be said about the Indian culture, I experienced so much heart, so much determination, so much growth. I wouldn’t dare say I fully understand the countries history nor its complexities, but from what I experienced and what I learnt I know I will be back as I know it couldn’t have possibility been the first and last time I stepped foot in that beautiful country.

From learning of the social disparities of the Indian caste system…

City Palace, UdaipurOur kitchen foundation, Berna

To experiencing the zest for life, despite life’s hardships….

To it’s incredible beauty…

photo credit: Mira  Z

India captured my heart, and wont let go!

The Lowest Of Lows

Although not as exciting to read or as heart warming, it would be irresponsible me not to share the lows. I may not have pictures to show or happy endings to explain, but India is complex and we were there for a reason.

1. Health

I assumed my biggest challenge would be the responsibility I had over the health and safety of 18 youth. I was wrong. Although I had my fair share of concerns for my group as they tackled heat exhaustion, stomach upset and “Delhi Belly”, most of my lows stemmed from the lack of health care and sanitation knowledge available to the community members of Berna.

Free the Children has a very new presence in the community, which means many of our projects have yet to be implemented. Which translated into a very raw experience for our group- this is inherently more powerful, but incredibly wearing.

As our time went on in the community I found myself cleaning and patching up wounds of the community members- simple wounds, that have gotten infected because of their environment.  This was manageable given my first aid training and first aid supplies.

Where it became challenging was when I saw a little 3 year old Kinu with a swollen ankle, in intense pain. He could not tell me how he did it, I could not assess what was wrong, but he looked at me with these big eyes and huge pout (where an incredibly cute smile once was) and I felt helpless.This is an awful feeling. I scrounged through my first aid kit, racking my brain to figure out some primitive way I could address this need. I came up short.

We ended up ripping up a stretchy head bandana and wrapping his ankle tightly to contain the swelling, hoping and praying it wasn’t a broken bone. Thankfully he showed up the next day- limping- but smiling. Luck was one our side…. this time.

Kinu

I wasn’t so lucky the next time. A couple days later I was supervising the participants as they worked away on the build site. I heard a child crying, looking down the hill  I saw a little boy in a heap at the bottom.  I walked down, unable to communicate in Hindi I scooped him up in my arms, he immediately snuggled in and the tears stopped. I figured he has just taken a tumble, until Ricky (our in country facilitator) pointed towards the child’s arm, he has been broken *days before, and he had hurt it again when he took a spill down the hill. This child’s arm lay limp down his side and he snuggled his head into my chest. No nearby hospital, no casting skills in my back pocket. I was left hopeless yet again.

I instantly bonded with this child, we spent the afternoon- him on my lap, me trying to make silly faces- my way of communicating without verbal language. He went home that afternoon with a smile on his face but his broken arm dangled by his side and my heart ached for the simplicity of his needs.

He didn’t come back to school in the days to follow so I never got to say goodbye. I still think about this little guy and hope that injury does not serve as a projection into his future life…. a lack of opportunities awarded to so many children in this world yet denied to so many others.

2. Social Issues

As with every one of my trips, I had a lot to learn about the complexities of the country, the vastly different social issues experience by the people. Here in India it appears endless…

* lack of opportunity for girls and woman

* child labour, 50- 90 Million children are working in India, and for every employed child there is an unemployed adult

* disparity among castes, those in the Berna community are considered “Tribal” below the lowest of the castes

* lack of health care and sanitations for those of a lower caste

* lack of clean, safe drinking water

* lack of education opportunities

* the cycle of poverty

I could spent hours writing about the lessons I learnt, and I have so much I want to share with all of you. Lets have those conversations.

3. Saying Goodbye

My last low was saying goodbye. Saying goodbye to the community of Berna, saying goodbye to the country of India. Saying goodbye to my group of rock stars.

This isn’t just a job for me, everything I am doing and experiencing is real and I am so thankful for the opportunities that are being provided to me.

I LOVE my job and I LOVE India.