Fun and Exciment Erupting in Ecuador!

We started out with our community service adventure in a tight-nit village near a town called Otovalo. We slept at the day care in the community (which was definitely an experience) and roughed it without showers for the three days we were there! During those days we picked up trash, planted over 300 trees to help with their deforestation problems, played soccer with the kids and so much more. We became very close with the children and people in the community and it was very hard to say goodbye! Our last night there they performed a dance for us, dressed in their traditional outfits. Jordan, Maria, Carly, Becca, Meg, Andy and Ian got to try on the clothes and dance for everyone! They wanted to see an American dance so we performed Solja Boy... it was interesting since we didn´t all know the dance but it was the thought that counts! We woke up early on Friday morning, packed and cleaned up and headed about 40 mins in our tour bus (which we now call home) to go on a 5 hour hike around a volcanic crater lake! The hike was amazing (despite some altitude sickness since we were up about 10,000 feet above sea level) and it didn´t even feel like 5 hours because we were captivated by the amazing view! After the hike we hopped on a boat and learned about the lake that sat above the volcano that has been dormant for about 1,000 years (meaning it could errupt at any time). Once we returned from the boat ride we drove for about 4 hours to a town called Mindo and arrived at our hotel in the Mindo Cloud Forest [see picture below]! We ate dinner and showered for the first time in 4 days, played some cards and hit the pillow after a long, eventful day!

Field Visits Galore!

Today RUaDN's intrepid bloggers ventured out into the field to interview, film, and photgraph Winterim students in action. Eric and Gabe checked out the Martial Arts students at Luth's Family Karate in Pepperell. Zack and Tyus interviewed students working at Head Start in Lowell, MA. Kerrin interviewed students at ARC Community Services in Fitchburg. Judd went up to Wachusett Mountain Ski Area to learn what Total Mountain Experience was up to, but they were busy testing equipment on the mountain. In the afternoon, RUaDN acted as judges for Iron Chef's egg challenge. We also checked out the Something For Nothing Players' sole on-campus performance of The Wizard of Oz. With all this action, we've had trouble finding time to write it up, so be prepared for a barrage of posts on Monday.

The Iron Chef Challenges the Art of Seafood

Thursday was a challenge of a lifetime for our Iron Chefs. Chefs raised their spatulas and faced their opponent. The judges raised their forks and knives to face the chefs. Many injures occurred including burned fingers and cut hands. The chefs prepared their meals throughout the afternoon. At the end, the cooks threw the spatulas down with a large grin on their faces. The war was over and now it's time for the celebration.

ARC Volunteers- An Inspirational, yet Difficult Experience

I took a visit to the ARC Community Services Center this morning to see our ARC Volunteers in action! The ARC Community Center was very busy; the Volunteers could be seen playing games, talking, and watching television with clients. While talking with the volunteers, I asked what event or moment at the ARC has left the greatest impact on them thus far. An ARC Volunteer, Anna, said "I met a boy who was in a football accident and he wanted to play college football- he had his heart set on it. Then he got hit and suffered a brain injury and now he can never play football again. That made me realize how lucky I am to be able to play hockey and [it pushes me] to keep working hard."

Similarly, Andrea said that "just hearing the stories of how people got here. Especially the people who had accidents [had a great impact on me]." Many of the Volunteers noted that volunteering at the ARC is a very humbling experience. The Volunteers were very open about discussing their most difficult experiences at the community center. One Volunteer remembered "The other day when they started talking about death and one of them who is in a wheelchair said 'you don't need a wheelchair when you go into heaven'" and that was really sad."

Although the experience has been difficult and humbling for the Volunteers, there was also a general feeling of hope and good-will in my discussions with the ARC Volunteers. All the Volunteers explained how they began to treasure the little moments of success within the day- when one of the adults who struggles to walk makes it all the way around the 'track' (they called the hallway that runs in a circle to the rooms at the community center 'the track' and the clients walk around it for exercise) or when they are able to have a coherent conversation with an adult who struggles to speak clearly. The challenges that the Volunteers encounter on a day-to-day basis are overwhelmingly overshadowed by the successes they witness daily.

A Totally Mountainous Experience!

Credit: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=298212&id=7033298269

Total Mountain Experience began the day by testing out demo boards and skis at Wachusett today. Judd traveled to the resort, without knowing that he group was at the top of the mountain, trying out the latest in gear from Burton, Fischer, Atomic, Dynastar, and so on and so forth, only to find the resort empty of any TME Lawrencers. However, a phone call from Josh explained that they would be ready to have us come do some photos and videos next week, so keep a lookout for new photos!

Boston or Bust

From Celtics

From Celtics

From Celtics

Both Wednesday and Thursday night of the first week of Winterim, LA students from on campus Winterims piled onto three big yellow schoolbuses and headed to Beantown. On Wednesday they traveled to TD Bank Garden to see the Celtics facing off against the Memphis Grizzlies. On Thursday nearly 115 students piled into the small Shear Madness theater for a night of laughs. The rainy night did not dampen their spirits as they helped solve the murder mystery.