Forgetting Everything Else

My biggest concern as I ate breakfast this morning was updating my apps on my iPad and making sure I had enough ketchup on my eggs. Tomorrow morning my worries will be slightly, if not completely different. If I get up at 4:30 I’ll have enough time to make breakfast, "take my kids to school", put my belongings in my new home, and walk to the gas station to catch the bus to go to the beach for rock picking all before 6. These are the tasks locals do every morning, and are the tasks I will be doing for the next week. 

Having spent this past weekend building my home for the week I had so many different thoughts. Our shack is tall enough to stand on your knees and completely made out of material we found on the side of the road or in the garbage dump, along with a handful of nails, a hammer, and a saw. We spent 6 1/2 hours one day working on our shack... it felt much longer than that. My body felt as if I had worked a lot longer than that. Which made me start to think about this upcoming week... we'll be working earlier and longer than I ever had. Most mornings will consist of getting up between 4-5. Some moments I dread the thought of waking up and being functional at the time I would normally consider still night time. But then I remember the families I just helped build homes for. This is reality for them. There's no  "Oh I only have to do this for one week, I can survive anything for one week." Thinking this fills me with some guilt and appreciation for my roots. I do get to come back to my big comfy house at the end of the week. There is no getting to move somewhere better for them. It makes me hate where I’m from sometimes, that I’m so fortunate. I get to be in a different country having this experience of how others live. They can't even dream of doing this, getting to go to a different country for a gap year/ leadership experience. Having all these emotions and feelings makes me remember that I must deal with them in a positive, effective way. I must use my guilt and change it into power to do something positive with that energy. 

The best advice I've received in reference to this upcoming week is from my friend Ursula who did "week in the life experience" last semester... she said, "Just forget everything you've been told about it and keep an open mind" 

Keep an open mind and open heart. Filling the other girls with encouragement, thinking things through, making a stronger connection with the other girls and to just go into every new job with an open, willing mind. I have no idea what to expect or how I’m going to be "forever changed" as everyone keeps saying. I know Mexico has already stolen a huge part of my heart and I have a feeling this experience is going to have me even more attached to the love I have for this place. At the end of this week I'm hoping to have more of an understanding of where these families and people come from, getting to experience a different array of jobs which include, Rock Picking, Field Work, Clamming, and General Labour. It may only be a week experience and may not be completely realistic as we're really only trying each job for one or two days. But I’m hoping this will help teach me some more empathy. This week is about just being open minded, and having this once in a lifetime unique experience. So i'm going to forget everything else, all my worries and concerns, and just go with it. But for now, I shall keep the rest of my thoughts for my blog to follow shack week. I'll see you all on the other side of the shack! Have a lovely week everyone! xo

To Build A Home

With a hectic but rewarding month of Hero Holidays over, I’ve been doing some reflecting of the things that have happened over the last month. I personally had the opportunity to build for three families. Each and every one is special in a different way. The last family was very precious in a number of ways. The parents are so in love. If she was helping paint you could catch him watching her and just smiling. Then there are their two beautiful little daughters. Luz and Yamilet, they are two bundles of joy. Two loud bundles of joy! We had two teams here building so Luz and Yamilet’s parents, Rosa and Luiz were receiving a home but as well on the other side of the property Rosa’s parents and younger siblings were also receiving a home. Luz and Yamilet’s house was dedicated first, meaning all the team members stood in a circle with the family in front of their new home and we each had the opportunity to say something to the family and for them to say something to us if they wished as well. It’s like putting a new blessing on the home. The little girls were so excited when they went into the house. Each not only had their own bed, but bedrooms, equipped with Barbies, Candy, new clothes and a bicycle for each. They couldn't contain their excitement as their grandparents were receiving their new home. So the little girls grabbed Beth and I, took us to their old house so they could grab something and then they yelled, “Let’s go to our new house!!!”

Dedication day is something very meaningful and leaves and everlasting feeling on everyone. We were trying to make the girls be quiet so everyone could say what they wanted to in peace, but they were just too excited. We shushed them long enough to get them into the new home; they both then ran into their own bedrooms and just screamed with happiness! There was no doubt in my mind that the girls were going to love their house. Earlier in the week as the house was still being built, Luz, the oldest ran into her room that had nothing in it. Laid on the floor, smiled, and said ahhh my bedroom!!! This is a huge deal for her. She’s been sharing a bed with her parents and sisters for most if not all of her life. As Beth and I were with the girls in their home, Luz went into her room, took her shoes off, got into her bed and said “I won’t be cold anymore” something we take for granted daily. We always have enough blankets and comfort. This is the first time she’ll have blankets all to herself. It is common also for families to continue to share one bed for a while. Getting used to their beds and new home is a life changing event. It’s an overwhelming event for sure. So the comfort of each other makes it a lot easier.

 I’m very excited and fortunate to be in Mexico for almost two more months and am hoping to go back and visit this family and see how they've made the house into a home. Being apart of this experience has made me really appreciate the little things in each day. At the beginning of the month I saw the bag of doorknobs from the hardware store. Some may just simply see a bag of doorknobs, but I see the safety and opportunities that comes with having a home, having the chance to get to lock their door for the first time, making this house into the home this family has deserved for a long time. 

Another thought: The house we live in here in Mexico has bunk beds and some clever person over the years has written quotes on the boards on the top bunks. I am currently sitting on the extra bed in my room, I look up and the board says, "turn over" ... funny how the universe sometimes knows exactly how one is feeling. xo 

Reality Check

This month has been a whirlwind. Eight houses have been built so far for very deserving families in Las Avez and Padre Kino. It’s been an emotional month, but almost all the tears have been happy tears. I don’t think there’s anything that could replace the feeling in my heart when a family has been told their land payments have been paid up to date and now they don’t have to worry for a few months. That they can focus on starting their new life and being able to support their families. Live Different really prides themselves on the fact that this is a hand up not a hand out. We have no intentions of abandoning these families and saying: “fend for yourselves”. It’s about helping and teaching a community to be healthy and look after each other.  

I've had the honour of getting to build for two families this month. They both had this way of showing me love like I had never seen before. They love each other so much and with such passion. It’s beautiful to watch how they've been through the absolute worse situations but stuck together because love saves the day. They lean on each other for everything. You can see in their eyes how much they love each other and how much they appreciate us being around for a week as well. They think we’re the heroes; the one making a “difference” but honestly, the people who deserve the recognition is these families. Their living conditions are unimaginable to most in Canada. What they live with everyday is what we like to do for fun and go camping. Yet, these families are forced to live this way everyday for years and years. They’re admirable. They make me want to become a better person. They have the simplest of things yet are the most happy. That’s always struck a nerve for me about my culture and Mexican culture. They’re just generally happier with less. Yet, Canadians are constantly complaining about not having the newest iPhone, biggest house, best paying job, etc.  

Being here gives me a reality check everyday. Things like using less water, to finishing everything on my plate. Or enjoying the company of others and appreciating my family more. I've been sick for about a week, and I feel guilty about it. I can buy antibiotics and go see a doctor, whereas people die all the time from little things that could easily been cured with clean water or something as simple as check up with a doctor to see what’s wrong. Being here is definitely making me open my eyes and see the world in a different light. Like I said before, just being here makes me want to be a better person. Not for the recognition of being so, or to feel good about myself, but simply because the strongest people I know live here. They’re living and surviving better than I will ever be able to. They make me want to be a better person so I can continue to bring awareness about poverty and to help make poverty an old statistic, instead of my friends that live down the road. People may say I’m only one person, how in the world would I be able to make a change? Or that Hero Holidays’ don’t really make a difference as they’re only helping one family. I know it’s hard not being able to help on a larger scale, but it always must start somewhere. Any thing can help. You just have to start somewhere. Margaret Mead said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has” 

It's saves the day. It always does.

My last week of being a teenager was an eventful one. I lost/or my phone got stolen, I was in a video that got over 1,000,000 hits in three days, and had many many moments of remembering that I am exactly where I'm suppose to be. 

Yes my phone may be gone, but hey, at least I can afford one and have loved ones to talk too. This isn't always a reality for some. I've been spending my Monday mornings volunteering at an old folks home where many of the men and women who live there have no contact with their family, for many different reasons. Monday mornings may be some peoples least favourite day but they've turned into something I look forward to. I cannot get over how happy they are to see our faces. They brighten my mood just being in their presence. Especially if I'm having a day where I'm lacking confidence they are very fast to tell me how beautiful and blessed I am. It sounds so much nicer hearing it in spanish too. Which is something i've been working on. Learning more spanish so I can communicate with these people who I care a lot about. 

Yes I was in the silly whale video. But the only reason this was even a possibility is because of the organization I'm so honoured to be apart of. At the risk of sounding like a cliche, Live Different has really changed my life. I've found self confidence, compassion, and love and drive for something so much bigger than all of us. I wish more people were more interested as to why I'm here not how did it feel when a whale hit me. This organization deserves so much recognition. It changes peoples lives on a daily basis. All over our country and the world. Life is about people not stuff and I've been reminded of this a lot lately. I'm determined to be focused on why I'm here and how my life and others will be changed over the next couple months.  

When people can come together for a cause that's bigger than ourselves, to be selfless and to have a passion for compassion, this is when our world is and will be on the right path. I'm exactly where I'm suppose to be. I don't just mean wrapped up in a Mexican blanket drinking tea, watching the stars as people wish me a happy birthday. I'm exactly where I'm suppose to be because I want to be a part of something bigger than I am. This is not about me, it's about how next week I and many others start a month of building houses, bringing more love to some of the most loving people I've ever met, and just being together as humans. Enjoying each other's company and love and remembering, Love is what saves the day. Always. 

This is Nalleli. The star of my last blog. 

Nalleli: my bundle of love

 Nalleli is a name usually used in Latin America but still rarely used for girls, which means I Love You and jovial. Love and joy are the emotions I felt when I met Nalleli last week. She was a semi shy little girl with the biggest smile and giggle in the world. She was younger than the other kids she was hanging out with but still held her own. She kept looking at me during class when we were teaching English and I knew that the following week I would for sure seek her out and play with her more. 

Sure enough, this morning when we arrived the first person I recognized was Nalleli. I knew I loved her when she came bounding over to me in all purple and bright neon green tights on. We were bound to be friends. She may be seven but she's easily the size of a 4 year old. Thus, when she jumped into my arms I just wanted to hold on and love her with all I had. After some piggy back rides around the schoolyard we found a table with dirt on it and we both wrote our names down. She made me write mine down so she could practice writing my name down. "Chelsi" as I am known here. 

After awhile her and I were playing tag and she was hiding in the classroom and unbeknownst to me the other girls were helping her hide, I finally found her when I heard her crying. I think she hit her head on the desk she was hiding under. I instantly felt so bad. It was an innocent accident and I knew she'd be fine in a matter of minutes, but for some reason I felt extremely bad. I just went up to her and she sat in my lap and she just cried and let me love her. She really is one of the most precious people I have met. 

In total I've probably spent about only two hours at her school but when I think of her I'm so happy. She opened up to me despite the difficult language barrier and we managed to communicate on what spanish I do know, she showed me where her house was over the hill from the school and was just generally interested in being with me instead of the other kids. I wasn't teaching in her classroom today and she was very reluctant to let me go teach. After classes were over and we were heading back to the van we caught each others eyes, and we had a movie moment. I got down on my knees, put my arms out and she ran as fast as her seven year old legs could run into my arms. 

Even if she doesn't remember my name next week, that's okay. I know she'll know my face. Love doesn't need names and titles. Just the content feeling in my stomach knowing I love something and it loves me back. This little girl showed me love and joy in the simplist of ways. I cannot wait for each Wednesday to spend some time with my little bundle of love. 

Xo, Chelsi 

New Friends, new homes.

This week has been so crazy! In a completely good way. We've done everything from starting Spanish lessons, and seeing a cool shipwreck and off roading in the van to postponing class and going to explore the mountains on a super sunny and warm day! But the one thing that really hit my heart this week was this girl named Bianna. On Sundays in Las Avez (the village directly behind where I live) is the day where people have to go to the Land Office to pay their monthly dues on their land. It was a very busy day, Santi and Andrew were talking to Gina, the women who runs it about families in the community that are in the interview process for getting new homes. As it was super busy it was taking quite a while so we had time to play with the kids in the yard. Beth and I befriended Bianna. She just turned nine and had the cutest giggle ever. All the other academy girls were playing with kids and Beth and I were sitting on some rocks when this girl peeked her head around the corner of a post and kept smiling. As we speak very minimal Spanish our conversation wasn't in-depth but that was not needed. She just liked spending time with us, as we did with her. We played some games and she helped us chase little kids around. When it was time to say goodbye I did not want to leave her, but I knew she must live in the area, and I'm here for four months I'm bound to see her again, so we said hasta luego, and went about our day. In the afternoon we were going to approve two families in Las Avez for new homes and as we arrived at the first house, my heart has never felt that happy in a long time... standing in the doorway to her little house, was Bianna and her parents. Beth and I just looked at each other and were instantly filled with happiness. Our little girl was getting a new home. Of all the girls we could've played with that day, it was this little girl. We had no idea where she lived or that she was even in consideration for a new home. It was so exciting, most families in Mexico when they get approved do not show much emotion, it's the culture and circumstances, but this family was SO happy. Bianna's parents let her pick the colours for the new house as it was her dream and wish to have a home. I am so excited to see this family be blessed with a new house in March that they will make their own. We may help build houses, but they show us what it's like to have a home.

Until next time, lots of love to Canada! Chelsea

Baja Beginnings

First full day in the Baja and it was simply perfect. After delivering some presents to previous families Live Different has built for I had a highlight I’ve been waiting to have for a year and a half. I got to visit a family I built for in the summer of 2012. I was nervous to visit as I was worried they would not remember me, but then everyone reminded me it’s not everyday a short, pasty ginger helps build a house for someone. They were right. As everyone was shaking hands and saying their hellos I was last to see the mom and her eyes completely lit up and I was so happy. She hugged me and was very excited to see me. The son is now just over 3. He was a year and a half when I helped build his house. He was quite sick with respiratory issues when we built their house because of all the dirt. It was such a relieve to see him happy and healthy. The moms dad was there as well and was very proud of his family and to meet me. It was the best feeling ever to be able to tell them I will be in the community for four months and I can come visit whenever I can. It’s a very unique feeling being a part of something so much bigger than anything I’ve ever done. I simply love this community, the people and the feeling I have being here. I woke up this morning before everyone because I was so excited to just be here, in Mexico, the place I call my second home. Who needs sleep when you’re in a place so full of love? Until next time, cheers.