Meet Samantha Tacy

Samantha spent most of her childhood and adolescent years growing up in a small town nestled in the mountains of north Georgia. Growing up she participated in many leadership positions and worked closely with others to plan, organize, orchestrate and carry out successful events. In working with and organizing these different events, Samantha knew pursuing a business degree was the right path for her in order to work events later in life. Upon graduating high school Samantha was accepted to Brigham Young University Idaho, along with a few other universities. But after some reflection and thought it was decided, she picked up and moved her whole life out to Rexburg, Idaho in the summer of 2008. College has been everything she expected. It has been a wonderful three years full of good experiences, many friends, exciting adventures and lots of snow! Throughout the course of her college years Samantha has been able to complete an internship with Texas Old Town, a wedding venue facility. It is here that Samantha first discovered her true love of the wedding industry. In addition Samantha has also had the experience of starting, organizing, and running a company with twenty-eight other students on campus at BYU-Idaho. Other hand on experiences Samantha has, include the opportunity of participating in two consulting projects with clients from the surrounding community. Her first project was based in conducting market research and analysis for a potential product line, and the second consultation was to help the client create a complete business plan for their new company. Most recently Samantha completed a two-year full time volunteer assignment for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Samantha loved working closely with the people and surrounding communities of San Jose, California. During this eighteen month volunteer project Samantha had the many opportunities to work alongside a wide variety of people. She provided many hours of service throughout the community, taught one on one lessons, and helped individuals find an improved quality of life and worked aggressively to raise people’s self worth and confidence. Her time as a missionary was very rewarding and provided her with many invaluable experiences. Samantha has come to Ascend Alliance for her Senior Internship Project. Samantha is working closely with our Annual Gala Fundraiser as the Production Manager. She spends her time in the office coordinating and getting in contact with those who will be performing at our event, orchestrating the program, writing the script for the night, and trying to manage the millions of smaller details of the evening. It is a fun, fast paced, highly social position, providing her with the perfect experience she will need to later work in the event planning industry. Samantha will graduate in July of 2013 with her bachelor’s degree in Business Management. She has obtained her primary emphasis, in marketing, and two complementary clusters, the first in Public Relations and the second in Family Consumer Science. Shortly after graduation Samantha plans to go back and make her living in the Wedding/Event Industry, working within the marketing, media relations, PR side of things. Since her first internship she has loved weddings and event planning and knew one day she would work with them closely. From her past internship and previous work experience she has found working within the industry is very exhilarating. She thrives off of sharing in the joy, love and happiness of so many individuals as they plan their special events.

Being an Intern at Ascend Alliance

Personal Account of Being an Ascend Intern from Tyler Olsen 
We value our interns and work diligently to provide a strong and supportive internship environment with opportunities for hands on experiences. 

When Becky Olsen, the Ascend Marketing Manager and my loving mother, suggested that I do an internship here at Ascend, I was dubious about whether or not I could balance that on top of the 15 credits I had already committed to up at the U of U and my part-time job. She asked me to visit the office and talk with Matthew Casto about being an intern anyway. That chat convinced me. I added 3 more credits to my course load, and I started. It was very easy to get registered for the internship course. the Hinckley Institute of Politics has been a dream to work with. They challenge us as interns to do our absolute best in our positions. The main course assignment is a research paper that is related to the internship and current events. Doing research about humanitarian work is very different than what I to what am used to. Working here has been such a good experience. There will always be space for another intern or volunteer, no matter what their passions are. If they want to be an accountant, an artist, or a writer, there is always something for them to do here. All levels of experience are welcome; all fields of study are welcome. It is impossible to walk through the front doors of this office and not change for the better. Volunteer work, on every level, helps a student gain a global perspective. Finding your niche in society starts in college, and doing an internship at Ascend will help you practice what you learn at school. The interns at Ascend Alliance work intimately with the executive team to reach their goals. Participants have opportunities to connect and network with top leaders and businesses and build long lasting relationships. If you are interested in more information, please contact Brenda Rindlesbach at 801.601.8810 or at brenda@ascendalliance.org.

Cusco Orphanage Playground Inauguration

Through selfless fundraising efforts and a collaboration of resources the Girl’s Orphanage San Judas Chico in Cusco, Peru inaugurated a beautiful new playground on Sunday, September 16th! The PC5 and the North Ogden service expedition groups raised $2,400 for the construction of this new playground.  Through the accomplished coordination of Ascend Alliance, Ascend Travel, and these dedicated service expedition groups that came to Peru last June, the girls at San Judas Chico now have a safe place to relax, exercise, play and be kids in a place they can finally feel at home.
Before the improvements:



There are three orphanages in Cusco that take in boys and girls ages 5 to 17.  These brave young children are either orphaned, have impoverished families that are unable to support their children, or are victims of domestic abuse, social risk, or sexual abuse.  All three Cusco orphanages are directed by Señor Luis Alberto Palma Gonzales, the President of the Sociedad de Beneficiencia Publica del Cusco (a state run organization that serves neglected youth, the mentally challenged, and a retirement community). The Hogar de Niñas San Judas Chico Girls Orphanage where the playground humanitarian project was installed is run by Señora Maruja, and hosts 36 amazing, intelligent, and inspiring young Peruvian girls.
After at the inaugeration:




As an intern with Ascend Adventure Travel, I have had the pleasure of working with these girls in their vegetable garden over the past three weeks, and I have never seen them so happy as the day we first opened their playground!  The ceremony itself was a congregation of children from all three orphanages in Cusco.  When Timothy Marti, the CEO of Ascend Travel and Regional Manager for this project, cut the tape to signify the opening of the new playground nearly 100 children went bolting for its castle, monkey bars, and teeter-totters! Tim and I where both relieved that it was finally inaugurated, yet scared for the children’s lives, hoping our Chief Operator Señor Felipe had made the castle feature strong enough to withstand 50 enthusiastic Peruvian children!  We looked at each other with a slight grin, both thinking “no better way to test it out than this!”  As I savored my delicious, authentic Peruvian lunch with all the children and their mentors, celebrating our new playground, I felt accomplished, gratified, and most importantly I felt like their friend.

A Message from our CEO

The other day at a family barbeque my father asked me how I was enjoying my new leadership role at Ascend Alliance.  It was noisy with children playing their favorite summer games and I was not really sure how to answer him without evoking a deep conversation.  Instantly, flash of images rolled through my mind, recounting a number of exciting events from the past four months.  Almost without restraint, one word flashed to mind and leapt from my lips – ENTHUSIASM.

Enthusiasm is definitely the word to describe how I feel about my short tenure as CEO of Ascend Alliance. The word enthusiasm literally means a strong excitement or feeling; taking its origin from the Greek word enthousiasmos, meaning to be inspired.  As I have embraced my leadership role of this wonderful organization I have truly been inspired; inspired to carry on a powerful legacy and motivated to craft a new and exciting vision for the future.

Since 1982 the founders of Ascend Alliance and their supporters have been changing lives by promoting self reliance across the world. The impact of this organization can hardly be quantified with numbers or described by words.  Let it suffice to say that great things have been accomplished. 

The great Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm”.  I would concur that enthusiasm is the mother of all greatness.  Enthusiasm has been, and will continue to be, a driving force here at Ascend Alliance.  Personally, I have never been so passionate about my life.  I fall asleep every night and wake up every morning thinking about the opportunities that lie ahead. 

Join with the team at Ascend Alliance and let the power of enthusiasm infuse passion in your lives and purpose in your actions!

Go.See.Serve

Go.
Where, you might be asking.

How about somewhere beautiful...
See.
See what, might be your next question.

How about seeing some of the worlds wonders and wonderful people.
Serve.
Whom, could be your next thought.

Why not serve those who are ready to have the opportunity to lift themselves and are just waiting on someone to show them how.
We want to help make all of this happen for you and them!

There are friends and memories just waiting to be made!

Meet Matt Casto

 With a 30 year legacy of service, there are bound to be changes, adjustments and innovations. If you attended the most recent gala or have popped into our headquarters, you might have had the opportunity to meet the embodiment of the latest version of those dynamics. Matt Casto and his wife Sabina had recently moved back to the states after years of raising their family abroad. They were looking for opportunities to serve and divine intervention led them to our offices!


Matt has many years of international business experience. Combine that with a dedication to honor the legacy of those who have previously served and a desire to develop innovations in humanitarian service he is providing his time and talents to take Ascend Alliance to new heights as the new CEO.
He has been a whirlwind of energy around here, has a contagious smile, an intense desire to serve and asks weighty questions of purpose. If you would like to meet him in person please stop in and visit, we always welcome visitors!

 

Leaving Past Traditions, Finding New Horizons

 

My name is Tyson Hardcastle.  I am 22 years old living in Salt Lake City.  A year ago I returned from serving an LDS mission in Samara, Russia.  In all, I spent about two years serving Russians in the cities of Orenburg, Balakova, Talyatti, Samara, Saratov and Marks.  My time spent there was and still is a meaningful and important part of my life. 

As a missionary for the LDS church, my focus was to help people improve their lives through developing faith.  However, we were also involved in humanitarian efforts and I anxiously took the opportunities given to serve the wonderful people in whatever way possible.   Through these efforts, I saw individuals who were at first strange and foreign become my very closest friends and even family.  Although I spoke very little Russian to begin with, and with only moderate improvement as time passed, the efforts of love and service between us allowed a strong bond to form which has forever changed my life and hopefully improved upon theirs as well. 

I can remember my first thoughts and feelings as I entered Russia.  A strange mixture of influences had created both a fascinating and interesting environment.  Among the plain, simple and very often dull architecture and appearance of Soviet-Union-era buildings and vehicles, there were glimpses of the culture which existed when Czars had power.   Ornate designs were visible on homes of humble artisans and hard workers that represented a time when feelings were more free and expressed openly.  In all, I found the contrast between the two very intimidating and an attempt to fully understand the history was only possible first-hand. 

In all of the cities where I served, there were always three main areas.  First, the city housed most of the commercial structures and government facilities and large apartment buildings, and was always busy with people going to and from work, the movies, stores and other interests.  The second was a section of dirt roads, some of which were or became during the snowy months usable with only rugged four-wheel drive vehicles where individual family residencies were located.  The last was even further from the center where families possibly had a dacha, a small shack-like structure used only in the summer months.  In the latter two areas, these families had often if not always, beautiful and incredible gardens.  Neat rows of vegetables were admired as my companion and I traveled through these areas.  It is often the case in America that such gardens are the result of a hobby or an attempt to avoid unhealthy pesticides in commercially grown produce.   In Russia, these gardens exist for survival. 

It was my blessing to assist a dear friend early in 2011 with his garden.  Sascha was a polite and hard-working bachelor living on his own about a half hour from the center of the city.  He had a large playful dog that would always jump on us each time we visited.  Over the course of several months, I came to know Sascha on a personal level and I can attest to his bright and friendly attitude despite the well-known prosperous circumstances I had come to him from.  This was the case in most of my relations with those who I came to know very well in the country. 

On that day early in 2011, my companion and I spent no more than an hour or so turning the soil in his garden, preparing it for the vegetables that would soon need a rich and firm place to grow.  Our efforts were minimal in the grand scheme of gardening but the experience was irreplaceable.  It felt good helping a friend who I knew would soon rely on that garden.  It felt good receiving the warm thanks and friendly smile from Sascha. 

I guess it’s too easy to get lost in the world of material goods.  Especially when we have it all.  Pursuing the latest technological release and keeping up to date with entertainment today can distract us from realizing how blessed and fortunate we are.  It’s good to enjoy life.  But to use one’s life to enhance the lives of others by sharing the resources we often take for granted is paramount to every other experience we can have.

Stilettos to Hiking Boots

When I was presented with the opportunity to join the Ascend Team in 2005, I was energized by the opportunity to fulfill my desire to help others.  After learning more about the organization my excitement grew, however, I was not enthused about the idea of trekking to a third world country on expedition.  I was content serving others from the comfort of my familiar surroundings in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Although I began to grow fond of the adorable, smiling faces in the photos that were regularly sent to the Ascend office from the South American and African staff and expedition participants, I still had a fear of scabies, lice and well…dirt.   I could not imagine a week with out my stilettos and designer hand bags.
After a few months, Carolyn Dailey, Ascend’s CEO, who has participated in countless expeditions, had me talked into going on an Executive Oversite Expedition to Peru.  For a girl that had never been out of the country or even camping for that matter, this was a monumental commitment.
I purchased a new pair of hiking boots because the only other flat shoes in my closet were my pool flip flops and my gym shoes.  Those not so pretty, very comfortable and practical hiking boots lead me on the adventure of a lifetime.
Peru is a beautiful country with beautiful people.   I had the opportunity to serve in urban and remote rural villages.  The tremendous need of the Peruvian people is undeniable.
Tears fill my eyes as I reflect on the opportunity I had to teach Peruvian children the importance of hygiene and hand washing.  I had the blessing, despite language barriers, to wash and paint the fingernails of tiny hands that had not been cleaned in weeks or longer.  My purell obsession and scabies phobia disappeared as I became acquainted with the smiling faces that surrounded me.
I was not qualified to prescribe medication or provide dental care as others on our expedition were able to do, however, my insignificant contribution may help keep some of those little people healthier this year.
Experiencing an expedition is truly a life changing experience.  It is not a vacation at a lovely spa, however, it was the best vacation money I ever spent.
My fondness for fabulous clothes and five star hotels has not diminished, however, after my brief time in Peru, I have a renewed commitment to use my talents and abilities to help others.  I look forward to another expedition in 2007.
Rachel went on an expedition to Ecuador in 2007. We are so happy to have her part of the Ascend team.

Peru Rail and Ascend Working Together

Beginning the 29th of March, train service will restart between Piscacucho and Machu Picchu.  Because of this, more than a thousand visitors will pass through Piscacucho per day.  Among these people will be locals and tourists, and so that this experience is as positive as possible, PERURAIL is working on education initiatives in this small town.

 

In fact, last Friday March 19th, PERURAIL did a training workshop for the artisans and merchants that sell food in Piscacucho.  First, there was talk about business management, sales, and expense control in order to teach the locals how to better administer a business.  This portion of the class was provided by the NGO Ascend and was delivered by instructors Rubén Auccahuaque and Tim Marti. This class had 25 food merchants in attendance who were very pleased for going.

 

PERURAIL would like to thank NGO Ascend and SERTURAM, as well as the merchants from Piscacucho who attended the talk.  We are also proud of the interest these people have shown in learning about and improving their businesses."

 

To see the original article in Peru, http://www.agenciaorbita.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4894:perurail-capacito-a-comerciantes-de-viandas-y-artesanias-en-piscacucho&catid=94:turismo&Itemid=152.

Ascend Alliance Travel

 

Who We Are

 

Ascend Adventure Travel was first organized in 2011 by CEO Timothy Marti. Drawing on years of humanitarian and travel experience, Ascend Adventure Travel was established with the goal of bringing about positive social change and poverty elimination through participation in the travel and tourism industry. Our passion comes from many successful instances of facilitating intercultural change through reciprocal learning and service experiences over our 30 year history of organizing service expeditions!

 

How We Are Organized

 

Ascend Adventure Travel is made up of two legally established organizations under Peruvian law. One half of the project is a non-profit Civil Association which manages all service expeditions and project donations. The other half of the equation is our privately owned business (Sociedad Anonima Cerrada), which manages all of our tours operated in Southern Peru and pays the normal sales tax required by Peruvian law. By selling and operating tours, we are able to pay the majority of our operating and staffing costs without relying on donations or diverting money that would otherwise go to project costs. This unique, hybrid approach allows us to receive a broad base of support from donors, volunteers, service expedition participants, tour participants, institutions, and corporations; from countries all over the world.

 

 

 

 

 

Underlying Values

Service

 

The world becomes better through voluntary service. As we become actively engaged in causes that alleviate human suffering we elevate and transform society. Meaningful, lasting service is found in assisting those who need it most become self-sufficient.

 

Stewardship

 

Each of us has stewardship over the resources entrusted to us. It is our responsibility to be wise and good stewards and to use those resources to become self-reliant and to improve the lives of others. Good stewards allocate rather than accumulate.

 

Unity

 

Every human being is of great worth. We should do all within our power to assist our fellow human beings to achieve their full potential without regard to race, religion, nationality, gender, social position or political affiliation. Ascend supporters and volunteers come from all walks of life and a variety of religious beliefs and political backgrounds. We view the world as a global community wherein we are all members of the human family

 

 

 

 

 

Approach

 

 

Ascend Adventure Travel projects and programs are accomplished in a collaborative effort with local community leaders. Ascend embraces the philosophy of providing "a hand-up, not a hand-out." Recipients are required to contribute in various ways to projects and programs and to be responsible for carrying them forward. Ascend initiatives are therefore designed to be:

 

Simple

 

Participants are able to understand, implement and replicate each initiative. Materials and instructions are available in country; so it is easy to replicate projects and also repair them if necessary.

 

Sustainable

 

Appropriate, sustainable interventions include training to ensure local participants are able to continue efforts and teach others as part of their stewardship. Initiatives are affordable, so while primary capital or resources may be beyond the reach of recipients, ongoing maintenance and repayment costs are structured to remain within their economic capacity. Ascend does not focus on aid, gift-giving, or disaster relief.

 

Sensitive

 

Ascend programs and projects are sensitive to the culture, political systems, and customs of the local people and community. We strive to preserve and respect their positive traditions. We also listen to those we serve, encouraging discussion and learning from them, so that we can suitably partner with, and empower them to achieve their goals.

 

 

 

What Sets Us Apart

 

 

Active Partnerships

 

At Ascend, we set aside territorial boundaries and egos to work together. Our active partnerships with like-minded non-profit organizations, corporations, foundations, civic organizations and government entities enable effective teamwork, efficiencies, economies of scale, leveraging of scarce resources, growth, and strength.

 

Methodology & Accountability

 

Ascend uses a literacy-based, capacity-building program for integrated community and family development, which includes documenting measurable objectives. Solution areas are: 1) Education, 2) Enterprise, 3) Health, and 4) Technology & Construction. Program progress is documented using web-based systems. Community-based councils are organized to coordinate with Ascend. These councils nominate community workers, who are trained in solution areas and survey the families they teach. In-country staff members check the data and enter it into an Internet database on a regular basis. Ascend Travel holds itself accountable to donors and provides them with specific information on the result of their contribution.

 

Graduation to True Sustainability

 

True sustainability requires what we define as "graduation." Ascend Programs work towards a phased-in, self-funding plan so that development activities and communities can operate using their own resources, and are no longer dependent on Ascend. This "graduation" enables Ascend to continue to expand its reach and impact, without taking on huge commitments for long-term maintenance of programs.

 

 

Click on our logo to go to our website.

 

Participant Perspective: Building Legacies

Last June, a group of about 50 participants (most of them Park City High School students) associated with the ParkCity 5 worked to build a school in a small village in the Peruvian Sacred Valley called Amaru. Our group became quite close to the villagers because we lived in their homes, ate their food, worked side-by-side with them, and even wore the traditional wool ponchos and hats they hand-made for us to keep out the cold at night.

We've never met such honest, humble, hard-working people. In addition to the school construction we also did English teaching, cultural groups, small business training, and a health fair.  The village children were very excited about the school supplies and soccer balls that we brought. We may have improved education in Amaru, but the people there gave us a priceless "education" as we saw their resilience, strong families, and desire to better themselves. We will never forget it!

 

Making a Difference, Wherever We Are

 My name is Abigail Marshall, and I just recently returned from serving as a missionary for the LDS Church three months ago in Brasilia, Brazil. It was an incredible experience, being able to spend a year and half among a people I’d known so little about before, and I came to truly love their culture and admire the people.

  When I first came in contact with Ascend Alliance, I was reminded a little of my experience as a missionary because of the selfless efforts made by those who live so far from the lives of those they are helping. I often wondered as a missionary how I would be able to relate to a people whose language I had only just learned, and what they would think of me as the foreigner. I learned quickly that when one is dedicated to helping others that every wall and difference seems to vanish and is replaced by a better understanding of the culture, the people, and their needs.

  Being a missionary, I passed through different places in which I could see the temporal needs of the people. The Brazilian culture is a generally hospitable one, and neighbors weren’t hesitant to lend the occasional cup of sugar, even when they had little to give, but there was often too much need for it all to be met. It reminded me that no matter how much good we do, or how much we give there will always be someone, somewhere that needs help.

  Although most of our work as missionaries consisted of improving lives by personal change and belief, that’s not to say that we didn’t have some opportunities to help temporally. There was a time when I’d been serving in the city Lago Sul that some of our friends  recruited us to help clean up one of the churches in the area. Between Karin, Bruno, my missionary companion and I, it took us about three hours to clean one room of the church, thanks to the dirt that it had accrued over months of not being thoroughly cleaned. We scrubbed tile, cleaned out closets, hosed down mats, dusted out cob webs, and killed families upon families of spiders, and even found an opossum living in one of the cupboards. Did I mention this was the nursery where all the children played? It was nauseating, but it stands out in my mind as one of the greatest experiences I had on the mission, because we were able to contribute something a little bit more this time.

  Service doesn’t have to be something big. Really, sometimes the smallest acts of service mean the most to people. That’s why service is possible anywhere, even within your own home. Homemade cookies, a phone call, cleaning leaves out of the rain gutter are all simple enough to be done without even leaving the block: the important thing is that we reach out. Our purpose in life seems to be to improve the quality of our lives, and I can attest that I’ve never felt a greater satisfaction than when I was giving of myself for somebody else’s sake.

  So many people in the world don’t have the resources we’re so lucky to have here. There’s a strong need in every part of the world for more service, Brazil included, and there’s nothing that opens the eyes so much as being in the middle of that need. Could I have imagined the difference it made in my life? Never. But it gave me a desire to help continually, no matter where I am, and that has made a big difference in my life. I guess you could say that Brazil and I did each other a favor, although I feel much more indebted to the people there for the change I saw in myself than the good I did that impacted them.

Ideas on how to 'unspoil' your children

Like many parents, we always worry that our kids are living in a bubble — that they do not fully appreciate their blessings or understand how so much of the world has so little.

One good definition of "being spoiled" is to take everything for granted, and that is where today's kids often are.

Years ago we did about the closest thing we have ever done to a "quick fix." Instead of another typical "gimme, gimme" Christmas, we took the kids to the high and desolate Altiplano of Bolivia.

It was a humanitarian "expedition" sponsored by a group called Choice Humanitarian. We worked shoulder to shoulder with Bolivian Indians to pipe water from a small well some distance away to the middle of a town. It changed their lives forever — and it changed our kids as well.

After one long week of hard work — no cellphones, no TV or computers (in fact, no electricity) — and sleeping on the floor of a hut or the village schoolhouse and living the way a billion and a half people in Third World countries live, our kids were changed in two profound ways:

Family Photo

Richard and Linda Eyre on a humanitarian trip in Mexico.

1. They had a new appreciation for the ease and abundance and opportunity of their own lives.

2. They had a newfound empathy and love for their new Bolivian friends, who had none of the above.

The trip actually didn't cost much more than a typical Christmas at home, and less than a trip to Disneyland. (Humanitarian expeditions are surprisingly cheap because group airfares are a bargain and once you arrive, there are hardly any costs at all, since you sleep on the ground and eat village food.)

We were addicted!

Over the years, we did other service expeditions to Ethiopia, to Kenya, to India, to Romania and three times to Mexico. It became our family's favorite "vacation" (and about our only vacations). Each time we returned exhausted and dirty but we loved the opportunity of poking our finger in our kids' "bubble" and seeing them sprayed with a dose of what the world is really like.

These trips had real and lasting impact on our kids, who felt they had more perspective on the real world, more gratitude for their own comparatively bounteous blessings and more genuine concern for those who have so little.

One expedition to Mexico included a day of "shadowing" a person from the village who was close to your own age for the day. We did what they did.

After sitting with a Mexican friend who was also 15 and helping make tortillas all morning, our daughter became wonderfully grateful for the privilege she had of going to school every morning.

By the end of each expedition, the kids were always amazed that their new friends with whom they had worked, played and danced were, in most cases, genuinely happy, even though they lived in abject poverty.

On some of the trips, we did "something fun and recreational" after the village project of building a school or a clinic or a cistern. We felt like once the kids had worked hard for a week, they deserved a break. We climbed Kilimanjaro after the Kenya village expedition and took a safari after the Ethiopia experience. We visited Machu Picchu after the Bolivia adventure.

But here's the amazing thing: On the way home, when we would ask the kids what they liked best, the village work project or the fun activity, they always said "the village."

What they liked was serving, helping and seeing the lives of very poor people become just a little bit better.

One time, on the plane ride home from an expedition to Mexico, I asked 8-year-old Saydi what she had learned on the trip. With a sparkle in her eye and wisdom in her tone, she said, "I learned that you don't have to have shoes to be happy."

There are some great nonprofit groups that operate locally and specialize in sending families on well-organized humanitarian expeditions. Some that we have personally had great experiences with are choicehumanitarian.org,ascendalliance.org, risingstaroutreach.org, hopearising.organd careforlife.org. (There are probably many others as well, but these are the five we know best.)

But while it is surprisingly affordable to do some of these "foreign" humanitarian trips, particularly the ones to Mexico, you don't have to leave home to have a beneficial family experience of serving and cultural exchange.

Local soup kitchens, homeless shelters, family service centers, women's shelters, elderly homes and homes for the disabled always need volunteers. To dive right in with your kids can provide many of the same perspective- and empathy-giving opportunities that the more extensive international trips offer.

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If you have children contact us to see how they can participate in our expeditions and learn about our special family pricing!

Carnaval

Carnaval, in Ecuador, is the most exciting holiday of the year.  From Saturday to Tuesday, vibrant parades and festivals unique to each city and town bring everyone out to the streets to eat, drink, and be merry.  But what kind of celebration would it be without a few hundred water balloons?  A prominent Carnaval tradition is to throw water at anyone and everyone – if you’re lucky.  Depending on where you are in the country, eggs, flour, and paint are often substituted for water balloons.  The youth of Ecuador begin to mobilize in the beginning of February, staking out on rooftops and sidewalks, and by the end of the month you can expect to be soaked anytime you set foot outside.  In the weeks leading up to Carnaval, a palpable undercurrent of anxiety can be felt amongst adults during previously mundane activities such as walking to lunch or to the market.  Our staff here in Riobamba suffered a few casualties: Alex took a bucket of water to the head from a rooftop, Adri was nailed in the back while attempting to flee in 3-inch heels, and I was chased and eventually cornered and soaked by a small army of boys.  At the pinnacle of the Riobamban youth’s reign of terror, we just barely avoided a bucket of paint and flour, which was thrown from the back of a moving truck and missed us by inches.

Aside from the unsettling feeling of being hunted in the streets and the bruises from some of the more aggressive water-balloon launchers, Carnaval is a fun-filled time of celebration to precede the forty days of deprivation that Catholics observe prior to Easter.  Alex and I took advantage of the four day weekend and went on a jungle tour through the Amazon, which was beyond incredible!  Rainforest hikes, swimming in a river with piranhas and alligators, and playing with monkeys in the heart of the jungle (our lodge was two hours away from the nearest town by canoe) were just some of the highlights.

Ciao,

Jessie, Intern, Spring 2011

Battling Homesickness

Two unbelievable months has flown by, and I have to say I am pretty darn proud of myself at how well I’ve adjusted to my new life here. You may think I should be an expert already in tackling homesickness, being an immigrant and a frequent traveler, but nothing beats home for me. I must say I was a wreck my first two weeks in Ecuador, not knowing how I will get through these coming six months living and working in a completely new country. However, I feel very settled in now, and I’d love to share some great advice I received from friends and family that helped me through it:

 

1.     Don’t be afraid to talk: Overcoming the language barrier was possibly the hardest hurdle for me to cross, but in these past two months I’ve changed from being the timid, quiet girl who never spoke a word during lunch to the one that can now tell stories, speak out during staff meetings, and even laugh and crack jokes (in Spanish!) at my coworkers from time to time. How? I took baby steps. For example, I took advantage of every opportunity to say simple phrases like “Como estás? Or “Buenos Días!” whenever I can because I knew I could say them well, and it helps a lot that the locals would smile and respond to me as if I was fluent. It was also great practice to improve my accent and build confident in myself in Spanish, no matter how simple my words or phrases were. This helped me become more and more comfortable in the language, and I began adding more vocabulary, verbs and phrases as time went on. I spoke to everyone, about everything, at every opportunity I could, and I learned to shy away from my fear of making mistakes. When I realized I was improving in my Spanish, I got excited and studied and practiced even more. Merely being in a foreign country does not automatically make you a fluent speaker of their language, contrary to many people’s belief. I’m far from being fluent and I’m still studying Spanish every day, and I never travel without my handy dandy pocket-size notebook where I’m constantly writing down words and phrases that I hear but don’t understand. This method has been a great and easy way to learn a language, and I’ve also been able to pick up a lot of local Ecuadorian phrases. I also took advantage of the resources around me. I’ve found an English tutorial center where I now teach weekly English classes and receive free one-on-one Spanish lessons afterwards. Overcoming the language barrier is definitely not easy (as I am still struggling at it at times) but it is extremely rewarding once you see improvement.

2.     Let others know: the Ascender staff here has been so amazingly awesome in making me feel at home once they realized how lonely and homesick I felt in the beginning. If anything, I learned that sharing your homesick feelings with others is one of the first steps in overcoming it.

3.     Get Involved: in anything. Interact with your neighbors. Explore the city. Find ways to meet more people. Talk to people. Ask for resources. I learned to crawl out of my shell and take advantage of every conversation I have, making connections with new friends I make, and even just being extra observant and open in general, (e.x. reading random posters on window walls advertising classes, concerts, etc). Once you make some friends and find your belonging in some place, you’ll feel so much more “at home.”

 

Aside from the language barrier, I was pleasantly surprised at how easily I’ve adapted to the cultural differences here in Ecuador. Being an Anthropology major, I’ve been fascinated at studying the culture here. Below is a small list of cultural observations and differences I’ve noticed so far:

·      Greetings: You greet every person you meet or pass by, even random strangers by saying Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening in Spanish. During meals in restaurants, it’s considered polite to say “Buen Provecho” to others when they are eating. When meeting friends (or friends of friends), it’s common to exchange a small kiss on the cheek as a polite way to say hi.

·      Slower pace: Latin America, in general, work at a slower pace compared to the US. While it may be frustrating for those who always like to run by the clock, this cultural difference cannot be overlooked. At least here in Ecuador, I’ve learned that relationship-building is key to getting tons of things done here, and relationships take time. Ecuadorians are generally quite respectful to each other, and with respect comes time- quickening the pace (or rushing things through) at times just doesn’t seem too nice.

·      Almuerzo, the grand meal of the day: Lunches here are considered the most important meal of the day. Consisted of three courses- a soup, large platter of food (always with rice), and a dessert, these Ecuadorian “almuerzos” will keep you full until late into the evening. Dinner is not too common, but breakfast is generally eaten. In many workplaces, people are permitted to go home for lunch and same goes for students as well.

·      Music: is an enormous part of the culture. Even in various workplaces sometimes, the radio or stereo is turned on. Ecuadorians love to sing and dance, and even in the office here we haven’t passed a single day without some kind of music playing.

 

What has been the hardest aspect of the culture here for me? The constant annoying cat calls from men on the streets, but I do a great job ignoring them. It’s also been interesting to live in a “machismo” (male-dominant) society; men usually has the upper hand here and I’ve been reminding myself, as a woman, to adapt to this way of life. But all in all, Ecuador has been a really enjoyable experience so far, and the office is getting quite busy. Our annual Gala is coming up in two weeks, and we have tons of construction and health classes lined up also. Busy busy! Prepping for the Gala, passing out invitations, studying a training manual to prepare to teach a class (in Spanish!) on trash next week, doing surveys on families, taking photos, documenting progress of projects, rehearsing a small speech for the Gala, etc. These coming few weeks are going to be really exciting!

 

Stay tuned!

 

Alexandra Liu

In-country Ecuador Intern

Spring ‘11

First Days in Ecuador

 

Anthropologist Margaret Mead famously reminded us: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

 

This adage might inspire you, cling to your inner-idealist for a fleeting moment, or make you roll your eyes, but it has persistently begged for my attention since I first came across it last year. I have a few thoughts that seem to reappear day after day, like that street dog I once fed that now diffidently awaits my generosity, probing me with his hopeful, albeit sickly-looking eyes, challenging me to confront my own values and decide for myself how I will act.

 

Like the street dog, I could choose to ignore my fascination with Margaret Mead’s words and continue on the Path to the American Dream. Or, I could act and feed my dream to somehow “change the world”, because I can’t stand to see how it is starving in so many ways. I chose to take this semester off and (if I may employ another hackneyed expression) take the road less travelled; specifically, the Pan American highway to Cuenca, Ecuador.

 

 

After a somewhat tumultuous few days of dealing with airline drama and bus trips, I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived last week in Cuenca, a clean, historic, intriguing city with a pleasant 70°F average temperature. Even more exciting for me (an agriculture major with a penchant for farmers’ markets) is the huge outdoor market selling every type of fruit/vegetable/animal product you could ever imagine, just minutes’ walk away!

 

I could continue listing reasons I love Ecuador already, but their significance pales in comparison with the relational aspect of my stay here so far. From my neighbor on the plane who invited me to visit her family in Ambato, to my neighbors here in Cuenca who have made sure I feel welcome and safe, people have been incredibly kind. The Ascend staffers are “muy amable” and always try to help me with my Spanish, which is often laughable at this point. At the school in one of the communities where we work, we were greeted with an enthusiastic chorus of “Buenos Días!” and left with stomachs full of bread and tea after a planning meeting with the director. With community-based projects such as Ascend’s, relationships are of utmost importance. The genuine kindness of the people here reminds me that the small group of thoughtful, committed people who will change our world is made up of neither US (the Americans) nor THEM (the Ecuadorians) – it is all of us together who are contributing ideas, resources, friendship, and hope in some of the places where it is much needed.

 

 

 

I look forward to spending the next six months here in Ecuador, working on a variety of projects and getting to know the staff, the city, and the communities!

 

Que le vaya bien -

 

Jessie Gunter, Intern, Spring 2011

 

 

 

 

Introducing my new home: Riobamba, Ecuador

 

Streets of Riobamba, Ecuador; Ascend office on the right

 

Why am I interning for Ascend?

I’ve been inspired to explore the field of international development since my last internship in China as an ESL teacher. Working with insufficient teaching materials and lacking appropriate classroom resources, I realized there must be a change in the school and community in whole in order for the students to learn more effectively. Simply throwing a foreign English teacher into a classroom will not do; I knew once I leave, my students will not be receiving the same quality of English education. Despite the circumstances, I was still inspired by the difference I was able to make, but I knew in order to make a real difference in education, the entire community must be involved with the change.

 

 

What attracted me to Ascend is its philosophy of empowerment- instead of simply giving money and aid, Ascend provides the tools and resources to a community to ascend out of poverty themselves. This approach promotes sustainability and enables communities to be self-sufficient, and I know my contribution to Ascend will be long-lasting, and I will be able to make a real difference in the long run.

 

What do I hope to gain from this internship?

Right off the bat will be fluency in Spanish. As this internship is entirely in Spanish, I have been forced to crawl out of my shell and challenge myself in ways I would’ve never imagined. Soon I will have the opportunity to condu

ct numerous surveys (in Spanish!) asking locals in the communities about their family, health, education, business,

income, etc. for data and information to jumpstart our projects. Is it going to be frightening? Yes, but will it rewarding? Absolutely. I have been told to “ALWAYS try to challenge [myself] by taking on tasks that might scare the living daylights out of you” and so far even though I’ve only taken baby steps, I can already see results, and I am excited for the challenges ahead.

 

 

I also hope to hone my teaching skills as I will have the opportunity to teach English classes again or other topics to locals in communities. I will also gain experience in event planning as interns are responsible for the Annual Gala that will take place next month. So far invitations, flyers, and posters have been designed, and our next steps will be to venture out into Riobamba to advertise the event, make a site visit of the hotel where the Gala will be held, ask locals for business sponsorships, and selling as many tickets as we can.

 

Lastly, I’m learning about the many aspects of how a non-profit organization runs, and I am also gaining vast cultural knowledge of working with Latin American people and culture. As an Anthropology major

I’m fascinated by these kinds of cultural exchanges, and this Ascend internship will allow me to see first-hand how the two worlds work together.

 

 

How am I acclimating to my new “home”? What are some similarities and differences?

Aside from the language barrier, my transition to Ecuador has been quite pleasant. The weather in Riobamba is typical to my Northern California weather back home- sunny during the day, chilly at night. The city is surrounded by beautiful mountains and I have a great view of the famous Mt. Chimborazo, the highest mountain in Ecuador. For me, adjusting to the Ecuadorian cuisine has been the best part; the food here surprisingly resembles the Chinese diet that I grew up with- lots of soup, lots of rice, lots of chicken, and lots and of fruit.

 

Typical Foods

 

..and lots and lots of fruits and fruit drinks

 

What I have been doing so far:

Last week I had the opportunity to join the Ascend staff in a meeting in the city of Puyo to discuss collaboration work with various other organizations for the community of Guamote.

 

Puyo Meeting

 

 

Currently, Anna and I are working on the following:

 Preparation of encuestas (surveys) as we prepare to go out to the communities

Preparation for the Annual Gala in March

 Preparation of ESL materials for upcoming English classes in the communities

 

 

 

 

Stay tuned for more!

 

Alexandra Liu

In-country Ecuador Intern

The Climb to Qquencco

 

We woke up early, before the dogs could renew their fight for territory in the street. Daylight hadn’t broken, and we winded up through the worn, muddy streets of upper Cusco.

Interspersed between unfinished buildings and passing buses, the view of city lights from above showed tiny distant universes among an urban life still indiscernible. Cusco remained asleep.

Tim and Rubén, due to countless trips to the Sacred Valley, slept in the back of our camioneta, while Wilson drove. I couldn’t miss my first trip to Qquencco, so I sat shotgun and resisted the rest that a 4am wake-up call can steal.

Entering into the Valley is more beautiful than I ever imagined. The snow-capped mountains in the distance are like a welcome banner, and immediately you understand why they call it Sacred. But the single-lane dirt road, with nothing between you and a long fall except gravity, reminds you what you’re risking to be there.

Our mission was recording Encuestas (surveys) of at least 20 families, not only to get to know the pueblito better, but to gain them potential sponsorship from the United States. The questionnaires go a little something like: Name, Age, How Ascend is involved in their lives, and What they would like for Ascend to do in the future... Say cheese!

After the climb we descended 2,000 feet into the base of Qquencco , and parked our truck in the soccer field so the people would know we were there. It was a cold morning, probably around 40 or 45 degrees. Someone said, “This is summer?” We laughed and threw on our Ascend vests. Braulio, the president of Qquencco, finally came down to meet us. Averting his gaze, he offered us his arm to shake, and led us to our first family for an encuesta/photo.

The first thing that I realized was everyone – everyone – was wearing old, mud-caked sandals. And then it just kind of hit me. I was standing in almost utter poverty. Qquencco is the poorest community in which we work; the curve of culture adjustment was pretty steep that day, especially since it was my second day in Cusco.

We climbed up and up and up, each family a little past the last one, until we reached the top of Qquencco. In the end, we gained 25 new encuestas, a ton of pictures, and a bunch of new acquaintances around the village.

 

On the way back, the road was pretty crowded with people walking to work, people wanting rides in our truck, cars on the one lane road, and....sheep herders? Yes. People's livestock is their main way to bring home the bacon, so to speak. Anyways, we had to edge around the sheep that clogged up the street and finally started back to Cusco.

Time has been flying by since then! I've been here for around 3 weeks now, I spent the night in the hospital last week (caused by food of course...but it's soo good!), and we've welcomed a new intern, Sarah Bartlett.

Ascender Peru is looking toward some pretty ambitious goals this year. Check back soon to read more about all of our adventures, from Wilson, Sarah and myself!

-Trey, Ascend Alliance Intern, Spring 2011

 

 

 

Home Sweet Home

 

My arrival to Cusco on Thursday morning was a little bit like playing make-believe. I was picked up at the airport by the other Cusco interns and office worker, Wilson, Trey, and Tim. When we got to the house the other workers of ASCENDER, Julia, Rubén, and Sandro immediately welcomed me to the team. Obviously, everything was different from where I had come, Utah. The roads, the culture, the people, and especially the language are all things I am hoping to become very familiar with before I leave here. My home away from home was as different from home as possible, but it wouldn’t be any fun if it weren’t that way.

 

Yesterday I finally got the chance to go down into Sacred Valley with Tim, Julia, Rubén and Sandro. We passed pueblos built from mud and stone, dirt roads, and simple architecture with the name of their alcalde/mayor covering the walls. Cusco was different, but this was really something else. I had the opportunity to meet many of the families cooperating in a project being carried out by ASCEND and other agencies. ASCEND and Peru Rail had helped three of these communities start a chicken farm, so they had a source of income while they waited for fruit to grow on the trees that were recently planted. I had traveled around the city of Cusco over the past few days, but meeting the people in Sacred Valley is what made this experience go from make-believe to real life. I had read about the projects while in the office, but seeing it had an effect that reading simply could not give.

Even though everything changed the second I got off the airplane, there are always a few things that remind me that I’m not too far from home.

Sarah Mariko Bartlett, Intern Spring 2011

Adventures in Ecuador

 

I grew up in a town of about 17,000 people in Southern Minnesota.While it was a great place to grow up, the best feature of the town – actually, probably of the entire state – is the lakes. Sure we have some hills, there’s a lot of farmland, and the woods ‘up north’ are gorgeous, but there’s not a whole lot else to brag about.

 

The reason I tell you this is because three weeks ago I moved to Riobamba, Ecuador. The entire country is about the size of Colorado, and it has some of the most diverse landscape that I’ve ever seen. I’m living in the middle of a mountain/volcano range, the jungle starts just a few hours to the east of here and some of the best beaches in South America are just a few hours to the west.

 

While friends at home are complaining about the -30°F (-34°C) weather never-ending snowstorms, I’m enjoying temperatures of 60°F (16°C) and up. The worst thing that I have to worry about is carrying my raincoat as defense against the unpredictable rainstorms (that luckily never seem to last too long).

 

We traveled to the town of Baños, just a few hours from Riobamba, as a mini-vacation this weekend and got the chance to bike the roads along the river from Baños to the neighboring town of Puyo. This was a fantastic experience for me, because although I’ve gotten the chance to travel a bit through the Ecuadorian countryside, I always seem to end up feeling somewhat motion sick and end up closing my eyes … and therefore missing out on the scenery. The two towns are about 40 miles apart, following a road that is (luckily) mostly downhill.

 

The scenery along these roads is absolutely breathtaking (once you get used to the cars, buses, and trucks that are barreling past you). It really was one of those experiences that you just have to take in and enjoy, because no matter how hard you try to photograph it, you’re not going to capture it. There are several fantastic views of waterfalls along the way, and the vegetation slowly becomes more tropical the closer you get to Puyo (the gateway to the jungle mentioned earlier). We biked about 25 miles of the 40, and then took the bus the rest of the way.

 

I’ve mentioned the jungle a few times in this post, so I’ll leave you with a quick description of my favorite part of this trip so far. In Puyo we spent an hour at a Monkey Reserve where they keep monkeys rescued from homes and zoos and slowly reintroduce them to the wild.They are sneaky little creatures, but very friendly – and it’s amazing how strong those tails are! I had never seen a monkey outside of a zoo before, so it was quite the experience to have them jump into my arms, sit on my head, and climb up my legs. If it wasn’t completely illegal, I would totally be bringing one home with me!

 

 

With love from Ecuador,

 

Ascend Alliance Spring 2011 intern