Blog 18 - Alex



              Coming off the mid trip, many of us had new goals for the second half of our time in Nanuku. Some examples include interacting more with the school children, getting to know your families better, or helping with new chores. All these goals are tied together with the theme of becoming more intertwined with the community. The people of Nanuku have done so much for our group and we all wish to be able to repay their kindness which is also reflected in our individual goals.

              A personal goal I shared with the group this morning was to wake up earlier to help cook breakfast in the morning. My “nanay” (host mom) wakes up at 6 every morning to cook the family breakfast and breakfast is never the same each day. Some days will include roti and freshly cooked curry while other days breakfast consists of home baked bread and even pancakes and eggs. I want to learn to cook a new food not only for my host family but also so I can share it with my family back home. Food is used to show love and create connections with families in Nanuku and is something that I want to take away from this experience.

              Another goal many of us had was to experience a new part of the culture that are unique to Nanuku and not part of our home life. These include spearfishing, visiting the farms, and playing in a game of rugby. Some of these goals like riding a horse or playing in a game of tackle rugby are prohibited due to safety reasons, but we have been negotiating with our leaders to be able to take some part in other activities. There is undeniable desire in our group to be deeper immersed in the culture of Nanuku and the second half of the trip is a great opportunity for us to accomplish our goals and cross off some of our bucket list items.   

              The takeaways we want from this trip will impact our remaining time at Lakeside and influence how we continue to live in Seattle. We have developed positive habits like being less wasteful, washing the dishes after meals, and living life without our cellular devices. These habits can easily be applied to our lives in Seattle and will enhance our experiences as young adults.

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