2010 China Immersion

June 19-22, 2010

一路平安 yi lu pingan is a common phrase used in China to wish someone a safe journey without accidents or mishaps. 平安 pingan means “safe and sound” but 平 ping also means “flat” and a very literally translation would be “one road flat safe”. We left Kunming on Monday, starting our 10-day road trip and little did we know that we would be hoping for just one road that was flat!

From Kunming we ventured northwest to Haobao Organic Farm 好宝箐. The highway to Haobao was being repaired, so we took a detour through the mountains that tripled the time of our journey. However, we got to take in some beautiful sites – lush green mountains, perfectly sectioned rice paddies and villages nestled in valleys. Groups of cows, goats and even chickens regularly crossed our path and we even got up close to the animal that powers agriculture in East Asia – the water buffalo. We arrived at Haobao in the evening, just in time to have a delicious dinner of organic vegetables and fresh fish and check out the produce, poultry and friendly frogs in the greenhouse.

Tuesday morning we were back on the road to Shuanglang 双廊, a small fishing community across Erhai Lake from Dali. The majority of people in Shuanglang come from the Bai ethnic group 白族 and their families have been fishing the waters of Erhai Lake for centuries. While the highway was in good condition, the road to Shuanglang had been completed washed away from construction and rain. We slushed through mud and bumped over rocks, feeling sorry ourselves but feeling even more sympathy for the local people who may not have a real road for months. Naturally, when we arrived in Shuanglang we had to try the fish. It was delicious and we had a great meal before turning in to prepare for our last day of long-distance driving.

The last leg of our drive took us from Shuanglang to Shangrila 香格里拉, a small mountain town with a large Tibetan population. The first leg Shuanglang-Lijiang was a breeze but, of course, the mountain road from Lijiang-Shangrila was . . . being repaired. The road that was left was bumpy and dusty. However, the local people were very helpful and, when the road was completely blocked, one friendly driver even led us through a farming road that took us straight to town. Now we are relaxing in Shangrila and are very happy to have a few days before we have to get back in the car!

Let’s hear what students think about the differences between the city and the countryside . . .

Life in urban areas seems very different from rural life in China. Apart from the obvious difference in population density between the two types of places, occupation also plays a large role in the variations of lifestyle. Finally, varying levels of cultural diffusion and differences in personal ambitions contribute to the different lifestyles of city dwellers and country people.
Occupations of the urban and rural people of China influence their lifestyles. For example, urban citizens tend to have office jobs or work in the service industry while rural citizens are generally farmers. Urban people have more opportunity to make more money and enjoy luxuries, while farmers tend to have a more steady, but lower source of income. Some people in the countryside do net even have electricity in their homes. Job opportunities differ from Chinese cities to the countryside, and differences in income contribute to varying levels of luxury.
Cultural diffusion and personal ambitions influence lifestyle. In the cities, people are exposed to pop stars and people from many different places, whether from within China or abroad. They are exposed to the rich and the poor. Therefore, city people tend to work to go to college, go abroad, and find high paying jobs. However, rural citizens tend to be exposed to only the people of their hometown, who are generally of similar social and economic standing. Without exposure to hopes of a dreamy and glamorous lifestyle, rural people usually expect to follow in their parent’s footsteps and take up farming to support their families. Exposure to a lifestyle much more desirable than one’s own leads to higher dreams and hopes, changing one’s lifestyle to attain such goals.
Multiple factors contribute to the difference between Chinese urban and Chinese rural life, but the two main factors are salary and job, and exposure to lifestyles different from the ones currently led by the people. – Kevin

Traveling from the inner city into the outskirts of rural land can be quite a shock. Modern Chinese cities are technologically advanced, crowded, sprawling with skyscrapers and underground subways and malls. Traffic is ruthless with drivers edging others out of the way and running traffic lights. Pedestrians fearlessly jaywalk and electric scooters snake through crowds with authority.
Yet even a few miles outside of the cities dirt, dust roads undergo constant construction, and most are so bumpy that you need to secure yourself inside the car or risk bruises and scrapes. Villagers watch the procession of trucks and buses forlornly, probably a disturbance they would rather be rid of. Goat or buffalo herders block the road in some places. The air feels dry and hot, and dust seeps in the van (though we were missing the entire back window).
Though in very different settings, the people in urban sprawl and rural villages deem to have the same style of living. They play mahjong and cards. They work in their stores or at roadside fruit stands for customers. They’re very interested in tourists, though many probably wish the intruders were gone. – concluding sentence here – Ian

So far we’ve been to lots of different places some big cities, small cities and countryside. The big cities and countryside are very different. My impressions were very different, but some things were similar.
In Beijing, the city is so big. There’s a lot for tourists to do but I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would. Besides the fact that it was 100 degrees Fahrenheit all the time, there are so many people and so much pollution. It was very dirty. In Kunming, it’s a smaller city, much cooler, not as dirty. It is just a nicer place to be in. I don’t really know how the people differ in the two cities because I don’t understand anything.
Shuanglang, a small fishing village is very different. I liked it a lot. People seem more family oriented and closer because it’s a much smaller village and they focus a lot on the fishing there, whereas the other cities don’t seem to focus on anything in particular. A lot of times I felt like the people working in stores, etc. didn’t care at all and put no effort into anything. For example, when Angela called a spa because we wanted to get pedicures, she called a place and asked how much they cost and he said, “Just come down to the store” because he wouldn’t just tell her the price. I think that the bigger cities sometimes can be more fun cause there is more to do but they get overwhelming and it’s nice to be in a smaller city or village. – Tori

Picture: Fishing Family

In the countryside the roads are horrible. For 3 days we have gone on crappy road and each day it has gotten worse. Every day we are supposed to only drive for less then 4 hours but each day has been increased to 8 to 10 hours because of the road. That is the biggest difference I see between the city and the countryside. But also the lifestyle is very different. In the city everyone lives in big apartment complexes whereas in the countryside they still live in traditional houses, which is like a walled courtyard and then a small house. In the countryside the peoples lives are on a much smaller scale. They walk or bike to the market with goods to sell or empty baskets to fill with bought goods. In the city people would take a taxi or a bus to get where they needed to be. Not everything is within walking distance. City life is also very different in that all the old architecture is being demolished and new bigger better buildings are being built. In the country, the old architecture is what people live in. If it needs repairs the people attempt to fix it themselves. If they can’t then they will just have to live with it. — Will

2010 Costa Rica Immersion A

Of bailes and goodbyes

Like chewing gum or bad Chinese food, a love of dancing is universal. Here in Pueblo Nuevo is certainly no exception. Upon our return from Arenal last week, we found the village all a hustle-and-bustle over the upcoming ‘baile’ (dance). Flyers were distributed in surrounding villages, radio announcements were made, and our group was left with no doubt that this was certainly going to be the event of the year. We decided to give the kids that Sunday off, partly because of the festivities and partly because of the World Cup final (never have two teams played so hard to score so few goals.)

After the game, the girls scurried around town, frantically borrowing hair-driers and pretty dresses for the dance. All for good reason, as the ladies of the Pueblo Nuevo Committe spared no expense in making this dance a night to remember. The gym was converted into a massive dancefloor, complete with live music, lasers and smoke. Unfortunately, our one-hour salsa/cumbia lesson at the beginning of the trip was no longer fresh in our minds, and we struggled to keep up with the great dancers that are the Ticos. Nonetheless, we gave it our best shot, weren’t afraid to mess up and laugh at ourselves, and ultimately had a great time.

The following morning brought a 7:00am hike, and one of the best days in the community to date. Two representatives from the Nectandre Institute, a local nonprofit, took us into the hills above Pueblo Nuevo to plant trees and learn about the detrimental effects of deforestation on local water supplies. The kids each carried a little tree to the work site, where we split into groups to plant them and measure the growth of last year’s saplings. Bailey did particularly well hunting down last year’s trees, and finished with a total of 14! It was a beautiful hike, and all the kids were grateful for the opportunity to contribute to something as huge as improving the water quality for future generations in Pueblo Nuevo.

Wednesday of this week brought us another party, this time a surprise birthday party for Roddy (or Rodrigo, if you will) thrown by his host family. All the kids met up at his house at 6:00, while his host father took him on a drive through town. His host mother worked hard to prepare a beautiful dinner for some 30 guests, made him a wonderful cake and, of course, set up a dance floor. We sang him happy birthday in two languages, took plenty of photos and danced the night away with the locals. Seeing students like Roddy who integrate so well into their families and are so readily accepted by the community is one of the most fulfilling parts of this experience. His family assured us that he will be missed!

This brings us to last night, our fiesta de despedida (goodbye party.) We took Alex, Michelle, Brittany, AJ, Hayley and Kaiya into town to buy groceries for our big feast with our families. The girls did an outstanding job keeping to the budget, and slaved away preparing a delicious dinner for over 60 people. While Michelle and Hayley took charge of the spaghetti, AJ went to work frying some 80 meatballs, Alec buttered six loaves of garlic bread, Roddy and Helena frosted the cakes, and Ben helped serve everyone when the time came. It was an incredible team effort on the part of all our kids, and the results showcased their hard work and talent. Michelle and Hayley undoubtedly have bright futures as chefs! After dinner, the kids said a few words thanking each of their families who, in turn, gave each of them little tokens to remember them by. There was a piñata, a limbo contest and, of course, more dancing. Parting is indeed sweet sorrow, but there’s nothing like a bit of dancing to soften the blow.

This brings us to our last day in Pueblo Nuevo. The kids are working hard to put their finishing touches on the sidewalk and cleaning up after last night’s dinner. After lunch, they will spend a final few hours with their families and then it’s off the Monteverde we go for ziplining and a forest canopy tour. Stay tuned – there’s more to come!

Your leaders,
Fernanda and David

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2010 Douglas County Peru

Hola Amigos,

I am writing this from a small café in Cusco, overlooking the Plaza de Armas. The students and teachers are hitting up the market de artesanias, coveting the final opportunity to shop for handicrafts and souvenirs. We are all exhausted and inspired by our last few days in Peru.

Wednesday was our final day of service work in Ollantaytambo. We were so proud of our hard work and progress as we raised the walls to almost three complete meters. By the end of our work, everyone had learned how to mix the perfect batch of mud and how to place adobes securely.

On Thursday morning, the group met at 4:00am in the plaza, loaded with only what we could carry on our backs for the next three days. We rode in the van for a few hours to the trailhead in Santa Maria. The trip was challenging, with many curves, a few cases of carsickness, and a flat tire, but we made it in one piece – more or less! The group headed off for what turned out to be about a ten-hour hike. The group arrived to our campsite in Santa Teresa, ate an early dinner, and crashed into the tents exhausted from the hard work and excited about the future.

On Friday, our group split up. The teachers stayed in Santa Teresa with Sam, Tealia and Breanna, disappointed to see the hot springs under construction, but rewarded with a delicious lunch of pizza! They took the train to Aguas Calientes and met the rest of us. Tory, Rachel, Hayden, and Mitch traveled with Chino, Gabriel, and myself for about 6 hours, mostly walking along train tracks, but also cable carting across the Urubamba River. We stopped along the way for lunch, snacks, a game of ninja and of course… many photos. We arrived in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Village) in the afternoon, excited about the next day’s trek up to our final destination.

Yesterday was an epic day of exploring the ruins of Machu Piccchu. There are two ways to get from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu: by buses that chug up steep switchbacks or by hiking the infamous, grueling, never-ending steps, which must make Icy-Hot a lot of money.  Clearly, we chose the latter.  At 3:30am our group assembled and the excitement was tangible.  We departed into the misty dark morning, strapped with headlamps and daypacks and began to climb.   Our lungs burned and our legs were willed only by the hope of climbing Wayna Pichhu (they only let the first 400 visitors attempt to climb this peak that towers above the ruins).

We labored up over 2,000 stone stairs (I counted again) to the entrance of Machu Picchu, together as a group, encouraging one another along the way with stories, songs, and cheers.

The group was relieved to make it up in time and receive tickets for a 10am entrance to Wayna Picchu. We entered the famous park of Machu Picchu around 6:30am. Our beloved guide Chino was unable to join us, and the weather was not ideal, but nothing can take too much away from the awe-inspiring surroundings of this world wonder.

After a few hours of touring, it was time to make our final treacherous trek up to Wayna Picchu, which translates to “small mountain.”  Again, as a (somewhat smaller) group, we stayed together and took it step-by-step.  We made good time and before long we were among the misty peaks and looking down on Machu Picchu!! It was truly an unforgettable experience. Everyone had 20 minutes alone to reflect upon the experience, and most identify this as a high point of the trip. We all reconvened at the entrance to Machu Picchu and returned together to Aguas Calientes where hot chocolate and thermal baths awaited us.  We took a late train back to our homestay village and left today.

As we left Ollantaytambo today, we experienced a myriad of emotions.  In our two weeks here, we have bonded with our new friends and families, constructed a cafeteria that local children will use for years and, most importantly, immersed ourselves in the rich Peruvian culture.  We have stepped outside our comfort zones and pushed ourselves harder than we thought possible.  We speak better Spanish now and know a few words in Quechua.  High altitude doesn’t affect us.  Our forearms and legs are stronger, our hearts bigger and our minds are more open.  These past few weeks have been the adventure we hoped for and more, and we can’t wait for you to hear about it in person.

We will spend tonight in Cusco and fly to Lima tomorrow around noon.  We plan to spend a few hours exploring the seaside neighborhoods of Mira Flores and Barranco, enjoy a final meal together then make our way back to the airport to begin our journey home.

I am very proud of this group.  Each student has added a wonderful element to our stellar group dynamic and has maintained their commitment to grow and learn. I would like to express special pride in Dr. J and the challenges she has overcome. She has not only beaten cancer, but she has powered through hours of laborious service work, climbed tall mountains while adjusting to high altitude, traveled through the Sacred Valley on bicycle, and finally, she walked up thousands of steps to gaze down upon Machu Picchu. And then she danced the night away in Aguas Calientes. She has been an inspiration to all of us, and we commend her bravery and strength.

It has been a huge challenge and success and I thank everyone for this experience.

The path is made by Walking,

Vanessa

Senegal: Wallayjum!

Hello from Senegal after two weeks of radio silence!

The group is back in Dakar after twelve days living and working in rural West Africa, an experience that has left us contemplative, exhausted and even a little melancholy now that it’s all over.  Since the moment of our arrival in the small community of Dindefelo in southeastern Senegal it was obvious that we had entered a strikingly different world.  Excited chatter in musical Pulaar and accented French engulfed us as packs of running children swirled at our feet and a band of instrument wielding musicians welcomed us with rhythmic drumming and song.  Before we could wrap our minds around all that was happening our eager host families whisked us away for celebratory meals and tours of our new homes.

Initial feelings ranged from giddy excitement to outright apprehension.  But from those early hours of nervousness grew a genuine appreciation for all that this community and its people were capable of teaching us.  We worked alongside our neighbors on a wide range of service projects and felt a genuine sense of accomplishment as our efforts took shape.  We became comfortable navigating the large family compounds, sprawling fields and dusty streets that make up this picturesque village.  In the free moments we lounged with new friends in the shade of the towering tree in the center of town, explored the surrounding waterfalls, caves and mountains, watched World Cup matches packed on the floor in front of a tiny television, and snacked on new found treats like Bescrem cookies and Africa Fun soda.

In all honesty there is too much to say and not enough hours left in this internet café.  As such, I’ll leave you with the photos and videos our media man Justin Weiler has recently complied as well as some thoughts from our seven intrepid travelers.   Thanks to all who have followed our adventure and we look forward to seeing many of you soon!

Walking Tree Senegal Staff

“I have come to love my time in Dindefelo, despite the hard work and difficult living conditions.  I love spending time with my host family and have learned so much from them; they have helped me to see how important family and a loving community are to a happy, healthy life.” Casey D

“Senegal has impacted me deeply.  An expansive world has been opened to all us.  I have yet to realize the exact implications of this trip but I know that lives have been changed, both American and Senegalese.” Luke

“My time here in Dindefelo has been great.  Things sometimes get hard and communication is often difficult but I have come to love it here.  My host family has been very good to me and I truly love them all.” Ahmani

“After about a week of awkwardness and feeling uncomfortable, things turned around when it hit me that I was in Africa.  I was upset with how negative and stuck in my head I was.  This reality check made me appreciate where I was and suddenly I was much more present.  Still though, I’m craving some pizza and ice cream.”  Liana

“My time in Dindefelo has been very eye-opening and despite the language barrier I have really grown to love and respect these people and their culture.  Nothing could have prepared me for what I have experienced and learned over the last two weeks.  For the first week all I could think about was how much I missed the luxuries I’d left behind like indoor plumbing and running water.  The people I have met here have taught me that there are so many more important things, a lesson I hope to never forget.  My family is amazing and the children especially seem to love unconditionally.  This adventure seems to have come at the perfect time in my life and I’m excited to use my newfound insight as I prepare for my next adventure as a college student!” Meagan

“Something between nerve racking and the experience of a lifetime…  that pretty much sums up my time in Dindefelo.  I’ve fallen in love with the people and the culture here and this village is finally starting to feel like home.  Every day I see smiles, laughs and a feel a true feeling of comfort.  Once I overcame the initial awarkwardness and the fear of communicating, I started to really bond with my family, making every moment here count.  I am sad to be leaving this place but I’ll keep memories that I’ll keep with me forever.”  Stephanie

“I’m perpetually sun burnt and bitten and dirty and lost but have seldom been happier.” Casey C

WT Senegal Dindefelo Hotel Project from Walking Tree Travel on Vimeo.

WT Senegal Peace Corps Field Project from Walking Tree Travel on Vimeo.

WT Senegal Neem Lotion Project from Walking Tree Travel on Vimeo.

2010 Costa Rica Explorer

Hello All-

Here is a picture of the group at our Hotel in Manuel Antonio. We have left the village and are currently enjoying ourselves on the beach and national park. Sorry for not writing more, the computers here are not working right now so I am posting this from my iPhone.

The Explorer Team