Breathing in a New Culture

Words on Day #1 at the work site from Fiona (middle in the picture)

Things that happened today and yesterday:

We went on two planes.

We had amazing dinners and breakfasts.

We had two night closing meetings.

We went to Cove School.

We toured their school, and we were mobbed with love from all the kids.

We had some trouble with the mural.

We used a lot of rocks to help steady the mock up cause of the wind.

We had the lunch that the kids ate and it was really, really good.

We had break time with the kids.

They braided our hair and loved on us some more.

Raya, Becca, Mrs. Boneham and I painted the backdrop to our tree mural.

The rest of the troop transferred our other mural onto the wall outside the restroom building.

We tried "bag juice," and it’s way better than the freezy things we have back at home.

We made bracelets for the kids back at the resort while blasting music.

We swam in the ocean.

I did not get sunburned.

We had a crab in our cottage.

So, that was our first real day here. 

We are having the best time. We’ve already seen so much, even though we’ve only been here for 48 hours. We are welcomed and loved. Everything here is beautiful and colorful. I’m trying my best to vlog as much as I can so I can make a video to show you all the things that can’t be described in letters. 

Our days are full of laughs and good memories. It’s still hard to believe we’re actually here, and that we’re in Jamaica. It’s so nice to be able to breathe in a different culture and get our ordinary lives out of our lungs. It’s so nice to have people who think we’re cool and different. It’s so nice to be in Jamaica. 

Wheels Down In JAMAICA!

WOW! What an amazing day!  

Today this post comes to you from a twin bed in cabin on the beach in Negril, Jamaica!  A gentle rain is tapping on the tin roofs, the air is filled with the smell of night blooming jasmine (which only blooms once a year for just a few weeks), and the frogs are peeping outside our door. So many positive things happened today its hard to know where to start!

6:30a- The gang all arrived on time (relatively) and began the process of checking the 14 suitcases full of books and art supplies. Thanks to the amazing packing crew (and the math skills of my husband) none of the bags went over the 50 pound weight restriction!

7:30a- Walked- literally with shoes and belt on- through security with no problems. The 5 pounds of summer sausage I had for lunches triggered a quick look,  but the lady just chuckled and passed us on through.

8:50a- After DEICING THE PLANE! we were wheels up Indy for a quick 40 minute flight to Chicago Ohare.

10a- Wheels up Chicago for a quiet 4 hour ride into Montego Bay. We had a short roller coaster ride as we traveled over Florida when the cold air currents from the Atlantic met up with the warm currents of the Gulf. It is the first time I have ever encountered turbulence that made you feel like you truly were on a roller coaster. It lasted just long enough to be fun and just a little scary.

2:20p  Wheels down in Montego Bay!  The view through the airplane window was incredible! Cerulean blue water, tree covered MOUNTAINS??!!, white sand beaches dotted with resorts and houses. But the view from the ground was even better.  The best part of the day? SUNSHINE and 85 degrees!!

3:30p Walked thru customs without ever opening a suitcase! THANK YOU UNIVERSE!! The customs lady was actually quite funny. She looked at Jenny and said "You got how many with you?" (10) "Ten all by yourself?" (No, there are two other adults.) She asked a few questions about gifts and food then rolled her eyes and said "go on thru."

4p  "Mama Kaye" and driver Merrit met us at the door and the adventure kicked into high gear. Kaye was so excited that she actually cried when we walked out the door.  They drive on the opposite side of the road over here and their major highways are two very narrow lane roads. We have a sweet ride- an air conditioned bus that is quiet, comfortable, and full of big windows. After watching our driver navigate obstacles that ranged from people to other buses to cows on the road Ive decided he is worth every penny we will pay him this week.

The girls were hoping to see the culture and boy did we get a special treat.  About half way to the resort the traffic came to a complete stop. For the next 20 minutes we followed a funeral procession where the casket was carried by hand down the road from the church to the cemetery. It was easily a 3 mile hike and everyone in the town came out to the road to show respect or to follow the casket. Kaye said it was the first time she has ever seen that done.  Her guess was it was a highly respected person in the community for that to be done.

6p Arrived at the Whistling Bird Resort and found out we have the resort ALL TO OURSELVES! We got free upgrades on our rooms and our own personal staff for the week. Our host, James, is treating us like the princesses we would all like to be. We had a toast with our complimentary smoothies and then dinner on the beach.  We filled our bellies with chicken strips with a home made Jamaican dipping sauce, salad, and mashed potatoes.

After dinner the girls went for a swim and the setting sun brought with it the rain showers.



10:15p  We are all tucked into bed with visions of a grand week floating in our heads. The girls are so excited and are taking it all in. The bus was filled with wide eyes and comments galore of "This is so amazing!" "Someone pinch me! This cant be real." "I can't believe we are actually here!"

Tomorrow we head to the Cove School to see the mural site and lay out a game plan. The principal and students are very excited to meet us and want us to eat lunch and play with the kids during their break. We are thrilled to have this opportunity! We were told early on that this school is very strict about visitors and that we may not get to interact with the kids.

We've only been in the country for 8 hours and already so many marvelous things have happened. Tomorrow is a new day full of promise and adventures waiting to be had! We can't wait!

Sweet dreams everyone!

How to pack an elephant

Today's challenge revolved around packing. Any good traveler knows you need your passport, tooth brush and of course the sunscreen. Troop 1292's luggage however, includes over 300 pounds of books, art & education supplies!

As we made final preparations for the trip we asked our advisor in Jamaica, Kaye, if there was anything special the schools might need in the way of supplies. She asked if it might be possible for us to bring 50 copies of a coloring sheet as the kids love to color but don't have many opportunities. The girls decided that they would not bring 50 coloring sheets, instead they wanted to bring 50 coloring books! That idea morphed in to a picture book and art supply drive that thanks to the generosity of the Orchard community was a resounding success!

The next trick was figuring out how to get it all to the schools. Shipping it would be very expensive and   there is no guarantee the boxes would actually make it to their final destination. (Apparently, the Jamaican version of the USPS is not as dependable or honest as ours.) So, taking it with us on the plane became the obvious choice. Knowing we have to go through customs, the trick is not to have to pay duty on anything so I've been practicing different reasons we will have 8 different suitcases full of education and art supplies. What do you think?

1. I have to have plenty of things to keep 7 teenaged girls busy for a week. Bored girls are cranky girls ya know!

2. The resort we are staying at does not have a TV and suggested we bring something to help us pass the time in the evenings since going "clubbing" is not an option.

3. I apologize officer. I asked the girl's parents to check their luggage before they left for unnecessary items. Obviously, that did not happen!

4. Extra? Heck, this is just a little light reading for the beach! What can I say? We all like to read.

Alexa and Gillian did a great job of co-chairing the drive and a great job of packing it.  With any luck our calculations aren't too far off and all of our bags are under the 50lb weight limit. Keep your fingers crossed my bathroom scale isn't as far off as I always think it is each morning. :)

So how exactly do you pack an elephant? Why you break it into 30-45lb chunks, zip it into donated suitcases with a few pairs of donated shoes on top as a disguise, and send it through customs with seven teen aged girl scouts!

How big?

One week to go and I'm so excited! This whole trip is still all so surreal. I am still trying to grasp that we are actually going to JamaicaI I am so excited to go. And after my dad told me to be prepared to play lacrosse in one inch of snow tomorrow I can't wait until we are standing at a sunny beach in 90 degrees with the sand in our toes! 

I found a book mark tonight when I opened a book I checked out from the library today. It says "If your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough!" Isn't it funny how things like that show up at just the right time? I've thought about it and have decided I'm a little scared and a whole lot excited. That must mean this dream is just right! 

How big are your dreams?

Rebecca

Three little words

Dream.  Believe. Achieve.  Three little words. Three little words chosen by seven girls to inspire others. Three little words that capture what this trip is all about. Three little words that have become the mantra of Troop 1292. 

DREAM

John Lennon once wrote "You may say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one." And he was right! This project is the direct result of seven girls who opted to dream big! I believe the conversation at our first meeting went something like this...

Me:       So, this is it gang. Our last year together. What do you all think we should do?

Girl 1:   I think we should do something really big.

Me:      What does that mean?

Girl 2:   Oh, you know. Go somewhere or do something.

Girl 3:   Yeah, do something where we could actually make a difference.

Me:       You mean like a mission trip or big service project?

Girls heads start nodding yes

Girl 1:    But it needs to be something really cool.

Girl 2:    Yeah, someplace far away would be fun.

Me:       Well, ya know....(at this point Im seriously wondering if I should say what I'm about to say) Mrs Pratt did a mission trip to Jamaica a few years ago and when she came back she said she would love to see the troop do a trip like it one day.

Girls:     Oh that would be SO COOL!

Girl 1:    Really? We could do something like that?

Mrs P:    Ummmm...(at this point I'm saying to myself "What were you thinking?!!!")well.....(just look at those faces Vicky. This is the future of our world you are looking at. What message do you want to send them? Are you really going to shatter their dream and tell them no?) Honestly, I'm not sure if we can or not. Are you really interested in doing something like that? 

Girls:     Yes!

And just like that a dream becomes a reality!

BELIEVE

In the weeks that followed the girls' dream took shape. There were serious conversations about what a project like this would entail and through it all they believed they could do it. We talked about fundraising, projects, expectations, true feelings and concerns, and even the weather and humidity. The girls were asked repeatedly if they were willing to do what it was going to take to make this happen. Again, they believed they could do it. Admittedly there were concerns and fears, my own included, but we put them all on the table and discussed them openly and honestly. At an October meeting we had a final vote and it was decided we were all "in". They believed in the project, they believed in each other, they believed in themselves. Me? Well, that was a different story.

At the end of that October meeting I found myself overwhelmed. We had just voted to embark on a project that was WAY outside my skill set. I was particularly concerned about how we were going to fund the project. $15,000 meant selling A LOT of cookies!!!  When I voiced my concerns to friends and colleagues who have done something like this I was often told "You just gotta believe." That my friends, was NOT an easy task for this control freak/planner to do! But, it was time to do as the Girl Scout Law says and "use resources wisely". We brought in professional fundraisers and philanthropists to help with the planning and budgeting, we tapped into our friends and family, and we tapped into our own skills to create our own movie and get the word out.

The moment of truth came in January when we had to buy our plane tickets. Jenny had worked for 3 days to get an incredible ticket price but we had to buy them within 48 hours or lose the rate. We had raised enough money to get to Jamaica but that was it.  There was not yet enough money to have a place to sleep or food to eat. The Girl Scout motto is "Be Prepared". Buying tickets without money for a place to stay or eat was NOT being prepared. Luckily the Girl Scout Law also says "I will do my best to be courageous and strong." Buying those ten airline tickets was exactly that for me! Amazingly, within 48 hours of buying the tickets, more than $2000 in donations arrived in the mail which meant we were half way to our goal with more than 60 days left to reach our goal.

Jenny put it best- "sometimes you have to leap and trust that the net will appear." For the record- that was one scary first step!"

ACHIEVE
The girls' belief in their dream has helped them achieve their fundraising goal. Seven days from now, we will be in Jamaica preparing to meet the students we hope to inspire with our actions, artwork, and words while working toward achieving our ultimate goal of making a positive difference in the world.

They say actions speak louder than words. But don't underestimate the power of words. You never know how far three little words might get you. After all, ours are taking us to Jamaica!

17 days!

Alexa

March 13, 2014

Seventeen days out and I still can’t wrap my mind around the fact that we’re leaving our homes to go out and spread the love. Seventeen days. I’ve never been more excited about anything, and I know, in my heart, that this is an extraordinary opportunity. Not only am I crossing days off of my calendar in excitement, but I’m also constantly thinking about the shining faces of the kids in Jamaica. I imagine that they are just as thrilled as we are.

I saw a quote by Anne Frank: “How wonderful that no one need wait a single moment to improve the world.” Exactly. I realize we’re waiting days until we get on the plane, but since the moment we conceived this project, we’ve been working on improving the world.

        Part of why I’m so passionate about this is that not only are we going out to help people, but we are going out to experience something that is life changing. It’s pure love, and it’s not everywhere you can find it. Hopefully we can make a big difference in the community there and create a ripple effect of generosity and the desire to help other people. I always thought that you had to find inspiration in other people, but I know, now, that our own thoughts and actions can inspire us to continue doing what we love – helping! Hopefully, it also inspires others to join in and spread the love!

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “It is one of the beautiful compensations of this life that no one can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” I’ve only begun to learn this lesson as we’ve raised funds and planned the project. I eagerly await truly feeling the depth of this quote as we fly back home, our minds filled with memories.

Furthermore, it’s hard to learn about and explore different cultures without spending time with them. This adventure is an especially unique one because we have the chance to spend time with kids just like us from a different country, and we are helping their school simultaneously!

This has also been a wonderful learning experience because along the way, we’ve gained experience in fundraising, planning, and project management skills, experiences that we can carry with us throughout our lives to continue making a difference in the lives of others.

I leave you with this powerful message by St. Francis of Assisi: “Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received – only what you have given: a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice, and courage.”

Seventeen days. Just seventeen more.

THANK YOU!

Troop 1292 IS GOING TO JAMAICA!

It gives me great pleasure to announce that Troop 1292 has OFFICIALLY met the Spread the Love fundraising goal of $15,000! I must admit, when we first started this journey, funding was my biggest worry.  I had no doubt we could find a cause or that the girls could do the work. But raising 15k? Let's just say that is not where my skill set lies! :)

The old addage "ask and you shall receive"comes to mind as I write this. In actuality, it was a case of "ask, plan, stress a little bit, work really hard, bring in some HIGHLY talented people to help, plan some more, stress a little more, work harder, have fun, say a few prayers, and then you will receive!"

We are so thankful for everyone's support. With your help we raised funds through a family and friends campaign, three dine to donate opportunities, a Fabulous Friday Night babysitting night, a Friday Night at the Movies event, a Victorian Tea for younger scouts and their friends, and of course...cookies!!!

Troop 1292 sold 1548 boxes of cookies this year! The end result is close to $1000 for the Pack the Pantry project at the Ketto School.  We are so excited about all the little bellies this money is going to allow us to feed!

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this one is worth a thousand thank yous!!!

Hello World!

"Come Right Over!"
I've got something for the girls of Savannah and all of America and all of the world and we're going to start it tonight! -  Juliette Gordon Low  March 12, 1912

Welcome to Troop 1292's Spread the Love Travel Log! It seems only fitting that our first post is being made on the 102nd birthday of Girl Scouts USA.  Even though we've been working on this project for a few months now, our invitation for you to join us starts tonight!

We will be using this blog to share updates and thoughts on our "Spread the Love"project. We invite all of you who have helped make this project possible, as well as those of you who have just tuned in, to follow along with us on our journey. Final preparations have begun so stay tuned for more exciting news as Troop 1292 prepares to spread the love!