What we have been up to...

The past three weeks we have spent in Granada, Nicaragua visiting different programs and schools for children.  It has truly been an eye opening experience.

Nicaragua is the second poorest country, next to Haiti, in our hemisphere.  Poverty is very evident in day to day life, whether you are in the city or in the country side.  Major issues that we have seen, which is caused by the extreme poverty, are malnutrition, drugs (mainly children ranging in age from 10 to 18 who are addicted to sniffing shoe glue), and lack of education.

We can get into all of these issues later.

After visiting a few schools and nutritional programs, we have decided the best impact we can have with limited resources is to educate.
We plan to go about this by delivering "DandY packages" to all of these programs.

What's included in the package: toothbrush, toothpaste, and hand soap.

Pretty simple!  We are planning on delivering the packages this week and will be giving short lessons to each class that we visit on proper brushing and hand washing techniques.

So stay tuned and thanks again for the donation money that is making this all happen!

Paz,
DOM

Stranded in Costa Rica - VW Dream Bus

We arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica for one reason.  Find that 1970's VW Dream Bus, buy it, and drive it back to the U S of A.  Through researching on-line for a couple of weeks, I became an expert on what to look for when buying a Bus.  We looked at about 9 different busses in just a few days.  They all LOOKED great on-line, but in reality there were just rusty old busses with nice paint jobs.  Every bus that we looked at was simply not going to make it back to the US.  

Bummer.

From San Jose we wanted to go to Monteverde to experience the best jungles and cloud forests Central America has to offer.  I thought the bus left from San Jose at 7:50am.  Nope.  We arrived at the empy bus station only to be offered 3 hour taxi rides to Monteverde for $200!!!  What!  A kind man then jumped in and recommend that we take another bus line that would drop us off at a town near Monteverde, and from there we could catch a bus to Monteverde.  Nope.  

We got dropped off on the side of the highway 6km from La Junta.  The next bus that was to pass would be a 5 hour wait, but given that its rainy season, that wasn't certain.  Not gonna happen.  Luckily, we were able to share a taxi to La Junta.  From La Junta we were told by some locals that we could hitch a ride to Monteverde, a rough 10 km road east.  Nope.  All we were offered were taxis that wanted to charge us $70.  I thought Central America was suppose to be cheap!  

Waiting on the side of the road in hopes of getting picked up by the non-existent through traveler, a SUV full of three gringos stopped to ask ME for directions!  I guess my six foot stature is starting to fit in with the five foot and some change locals.  

"Where do you want to go?", I asked

"Monteverde", Pete replied.

Hell yeah I can give you directions!  I thought to myself.

"Sure I know where it is" I replied, not really knowing.

From there Yasmin and I enjoyed our first A/C transit in months to Monteverde, which by the way was beautiful!

Huge thanks to Pete, Scott, and Steve for the ride and the beers!  Enjoy the office!  

DOM

One of "The Ones", 3rd cylinder didn't work

I dont' know what this look is called, but whatever it is, is it working?

Cloud forest hike

Dorks zip-lining 

The all day lunch break.  Parque Manual Antonio 

Lovin it!

 

Walk to the Clouds...Tajumulco. Highest point in Central America

Arriving in Xela to meet up with our friend Steve, whom we met at the Casa Guatemala orphanage and is now a trekking guide, meant one thing- climb the highest volcano (point) in Central America. Tajumulco, or in Mayan "walk to the clouds", sits in north western Guatemala at 4220 meters.  We wanted to end our time spent in "Chapinlandia" with a bang, and even though it's rainy season, we decided last minute that we were up for the adventure... rain or shine.

Steve is now volunteering for a non-profit trekking organization called Quetzaltrekkers.  All profits generated from this trekking outfit go to support a local street children's school.  Quezaltrekkers has been in operation for over fifteen years and gives children the opportunity to attend school and even go to university.  Check it out! http://www.quetzaltrekkers.com

The journey began at 5 am with a chicken bus ride in a suped-up blue bird school bus going no slower than 90 mph through high windy mountain roads. After a pit stop in the town of San Marcos and a plate full of pancakes and fresh fruit, and yet another chaotic bus ride, we made it with sleepy eyes to the road that would take us to the trail head. 

After a stellar three hour hike into the misty clouds, we made it to the base camp that sits right below the peak. All three of us took a relaxing half hour siesta under the sun, until the afternoon rains began and didn't stop until after dark. The following day, Dom and I woke up at 4:30 in the morning to catch the sunrise from the top of central america and welcome the day.  "La Pacha mama" or "mother earth" answered our prayers and the weather was impeccable. As soon as we summited, the crescent moon slowly disappeared, the sun penetrated through the wave of clouds opening the sky and exposing the earth's beauty below. We admired the view, which included Volcan Santa Maria (one of the worlds top five most active volcanoes right outside of Xela that erupts every 20 minutes), the myriad of volcanoes that surrounds Lago Atitlan, and the mountain range that extends into southern Mexico. 

We are now revived and ready to continue our travels as we hop on a plane and fly south to San Jose, Costa Rica... stay tuned for more DandY adventures!

Mucho amor, 

Yasmin & Dom

This pup befriended us at the trail head and decided to join the adventure

Last few steps to the top

Dom keepin' it real in his fluorescent chompa!

Camp site with Tajumulco in the background

Steve, Yasmin and Dom on the hike down...Calidad!

Ever wonder what happened to those old bluebird school buses?

Day at the Mercado - Quetzaltenango, Guatemala

Just a day walking and eating our way through a typical Guatemalan market.  

Lunch for 12 quetzals - $1.75 

My lunch

Yasmin's Soup

Sweet Tamales

Eggs? Only have a truck bed full. 

Ready...set...Atitlan!

San Marcos, Atitlan. Volcan San Pedro 

 Flying...

Falling...

 Kayaking across Lake Atitlan

 Mystical forest on the way up to the top of Volcan San Pedro!

 The top! Clouds obstructed the view of lake Atitlan with the surrounding volcanoes.. use your imagination and you'll see the view!

Tarzan Dom... 

Look hard....she's there.

 Calidad!

   Keep your eyes on the road, Dom. 

Motorbiking around Lago Atitlan getting chased and snapped at by dogs.  

Camina Bonito... Donations success!

After receiving generous donations from friends and family, we were able to donate walkers and shoes to a group of amazing Guatemalan children. We want to sincerely thank all of the donors for making this possible. The children, nurses, physical therapists and other volunteers are extremely grateful.

We hope you enjoy this video recap.

We are already planning our next project in Nicaragua. Stay tuned...

Dom and Yasmin

Walkin Walkers - HELP BUY A WALKER AND WHEELCHAIR!

For the past three weeks we have been volunteering at a rehab/long term care facility with over 200 patients who suffer from various severities of cerebral palsy, psychomotor delay, strokes, and developmental disabilities due to infant malnutrition. The facility, Las Obras Sociales del Hermano Pedro, functions only on donations and is run by Guatemalan staff which include nurses, doctors, physical therapists, social workers, etc.

Dominic and I have been working mainly with the children, helping them build strength and bare their own weight through exercises and walking with assistance. Out of the sixty children that live there, only a handful of them have the potential to one day walk on their own.

So, here is the problem.

1. There are only two children walkers available, one of which is broken, and the other is only suitable for smaller kids.   Therefore, we have had to borrow adult walkers to use with the children.  This creates the problem that someone (a volunteer most likely) must take the initiative to ask the nurses in the adult section if the children can borrow a walker for 30 min.  It is rare that anyone takes this initiative.

It is important that the children have access to their own appropriate walker.  The idea being, the children practice walking everyday, which is crucial to their development and quality of life.

Dominic walking with Edwin with a borrowed adult walker.   

Yasmin assisting Elmer with the one and only children's walker.

2. Saul, a 11 year old boy with cerebral palsy, is in need of a new wheelchair.  His current chair is broken.



The SOLUTION = $300

Raise money to purchase - 2 new children appropriate walkers
                                         - 1 new wheelchair



We appreciate any donation. If interested, please click on the Buy Now button at the top left and it will forward you to our Paypal account.


Thanks!

Yasmin & Dom