Bound for El Salvador

In one hour I will leave the Lewis and Clark campus for the airport to take my first trip out of the country. I am going to El Salvador on one of Lewis and and Clark's Alternative Spring Break trips. Myself, along with 12 other students and one faculty member, will be volunteering for the Tamarindo Foundation, a community based center that seeks to uplift and empower the locals of El Salvador. Here is a link to the foundation's website: Tamarindo Foundation. Our contribution will consist of spending time with the children in the community, teaching various classes (self defense, origami, american football, dance, etc) and whatever else pops up on the agenda. We will also have a night where we cook for the community and perhaps participate in a dance! I will be living with a host family for the whole stay and trying not to shame my Spanish heritage with my awful Spanish speaking. I can't even imagine the things I will see during the next week. It is one thing to read and talk and learn about other places... but I'm actually going to walk among the people and rivers and roads!!! Unbelievable.

 My specialized job within the LC group is to document the experience and the story of the Tamarindo foundation via film. It is startling how opportunities fall into our laps just as they are needed. I have recently decided to put considerable effort into pursuing film (documentary and fiction) as a lifestyle and career, and then this chance presented itself. It is both daunting and exhilarating to be so quickly and fully thrown into a situation that will be such a big test and opportunity. As Luke said, if we are open to good things happening, life will make good things happen.

Now for an update on Portland life!

A few weeks ago was the annual International Fair on campus. This includes dances, food, and a fashion show, all of which are completely ran by students. I danced in the Western European dance, a waltz. I haven't been able to find any good pictures of our waltz, but apparently we did pretty well! Learning how to waltz was much more difficult than I had imagined and also much more fun.

The view from backstage at the International Fair.

Models for the fashion show waiting to go on stage. It still amazes me to have so many different types of people from all over the world in one place. The international community thoroughly enriches the campus. 

Salsa dancing at the International Fair. My peers continue to surprise me with their exceptional talents, and here is yet another example

BJ Jones and the doomed burrito:

The only evidence that exists of a surprise visit home!

On the flight home I was lucky enough to get a window seat.

Just as the sun was setting we were passing over the edge of 

the Rocky Mountains, it was perfect timing.

It just so happened that Yale's female jazz vocal group was touring the States right at the time we needed to raise funds for the El Salvador trip. We invited them to sing at Lewis and Clark and used the ticket sales to chip away at our El Salvador tickets!

Fire dancing? Yes, it's a liberal arts school!

Bluegrass at Fire on the Mountain, one of the best wing places in 

Portland. It is always nice to unexpectedly encounter a bit of home.

A brilliant sunset, a rare sight in Portland.

And now another adventure awaits!