Rappin' it up-a rap by Hannah and Whitney

So here's the story from point A to B
You gonna get the DL from H-Dub and Winnie
It all began the 15th of September
A day so far back its hard to remember
We've come a long way since that fateful day
And created our stories along the way
Ain't no secret that at first we were shy
But shortly after those feelings passed us by
Now we is a family tight as can be
We've learned to love each other unconditionally
So here is how this song is gonna go
Shout outs to all ya'll mixed into our flow
The first goes out to our girl B
Smilie little red head, cute as can be
At first girl you were scared as hell
But with a little TLC you came out of your shell
We're from Oregon girl where the grass is greener
West coast chicks are just that much sweeter
J-A-Z-Z you're spontaneous and a little crazy
We appreciated your giggles throughout the trip
Your constant support never let no one slip
Katrina this one goes out to you girl
So fasten your seatbelt and try not to hurl
We've got a few questions coming your way
Can you tell me the weather on any given day?
Next is for a hella sick chick from the bay
Lillie Allen you always go with the flow
Youz a new friend that we're happy to know
You represent the SCO
You let everyone know...Ohhh...Bay areaaaa
South Carolina born and raised
But now St. Croix is where you be passin' your days
Mary you got talent you continue to shine
You keep amazing us all of the time
We hope you go home and find your way
And pick up that guitar each and every day
Rebecca you hid it from us for a while
But your quirky humor makes us all smile
If you ever saw Greg naked we will never know
But the fact that you tried makes you brave fasho'
**Ey ladies, send me the good vibrations**
Dis one goes out to da girl with da dred locks
Ya' jokes and ya humor, dey just don't eva stop
You came from da Lonestar state but you ain't no loner
You gonna go back now lookin' like a stona
**Bring it back now**
This next one is going to make you all drop dead
Shayna when you walk down the street you turn heads
You've got spunk but you got class too
Its just impossible to summarize you
Can you help me bargain down this vegan ham?
How'd you get that Shayna discount girl, goddamn!
Boy youz a ginger but we know you've got a soul
When we spend time with you not a moment is dull
Will we give you a hard time, and thats a fact
But we love you homeslice and we got your back
Now lets give it up for this talented fella
Spittin' a sick beat for us, a capella
You started strong but now youz a gimp
And you strut your stuff with a goofy lookin' limp
The truth is Greg youz and honest friend
And we've got mad respect for you-'til the end
Now this is the part where the rap breaks down
Gets real intense no one makes a sound
Everything looks like its 8-Mile now
But really its just Hannah and Whit breakin' it down
Last but not least you know who you are
After all you got us this far
A-D-A-M
A-double L-I-S-O-N
We'd like to take this time to express our gratitude
Even though sometimes we gave you attitude
From your stories we learned so much
Each one of our hearts you truly did touch
Thanks for your encouragement, support and knowledge
And all your great advice about going to college
September to December man the time does fly
But that don't mean its a final goodbye
On a personal note we'd like to say
Grupo Maya changed our life in a unic way
In the words of Adam Haigler, Carpe the freakin' Diem
Always be mindful from the AM to the PM
Thanks ya'll for listenin' to our song
Remember its not goodbye, just so long.

Written by Hannah Wilson and Whitney Perry
Preformed by Hannah Wilson, Whitney Perry, and Greg Doyle
WE LOVE YOU CARPE

Final Goodbye Part 2

So, after further consideration, we thought it might be appropriate to tell you a little more about our experience in Central America. As we sat and looked out at the ocean over dinner last night reminiscing about the time we spent together hysterically laughing, pushing buses through flooded rivers, living with various Central American families, and braving horrifying outhouses we realized how much we have grown and learned from each other these past 3 months. We will all go home with a reminder of what each person in the group learned from us through cards composed by Whit and Hannah and with the memory of a hilarious, creative rap summarizing our group courtesy of Greg, Whit, and Hannah. Although we are all sad to leave, we know that this is not goodbye.

Sarah and I want to thank the group for teaching us more about ourselves then we ever thought possible. We both feel so lucky to have spent the past 3 months with all of you and wouldn't trade this time for anything in the world. We also want to thank our families who gave us the opportunity to go on the life changing trip and who supported us along the way. Finally, Adam and Allison. We couldn't have asked for better leaders. You two were organized, nurturing, inspiring, thoughtful, and simply fun to be around each and every day.

In the words of Adam, let us all continue to Carpe the freakin' Diem.

Love,
Sarah and Katrina

Final Goodbye

Fortunately for all of you we, Sarah and Katrina, are the group's final bloggers. Since we have spent the entire trip fantasizing about all the food that would be available to us when we get home and have been food vacuum cleaners for those of us who are lighter eaters , we thought it would be appropriate to spend the last blog sharing our fantasies with all of you. So we now present to you SARAH AND KATRINA'S FABULOUS LIST OF FOOD!!!

1. Philly Cheese Steak- This is no ordinary cheese steak. This is the sandwich that has been making mouths water for three months at the mere thought of its delicious cheesey goodness. The beef arranged so beautifully within the toasted hoagie bun is cooked to perfection alongside sweet grilled onions. The melted mozzarella lining the bread melds beautifully with all the flavors. To truly experience the glory of this culinary masterpiece, however, one must drench it with the slightly spicy but oh so delicious melted queso that comes with the chips that you enjoy while you hungrily await your sandwich. Together, these flavors combine to create the thing my dreams are made of.

2. Magic Pancakes- They are created at Katrina's house every Sunday morning. They are the combination of all things good in this world into one delicious breakfast. They begin with simple banana pancakes. However, once you remove the golden brown pancakes, full of sweet bananas from the skillet, the magic begins. Melted chocolate chips are drizzled generously over the fluffy pancakes, followed by a large helping of creamy melted peanut butter, a staple for any pancake dish. The meal is not complete without a large glass of cold milk. All part of a balanced breakfast.

3. BBQ Sandwich from TEXAS- Its been a long trip for a Texan without BBQ. Which is why no list would be complete without a nice, big, juicy chopped beef sandwich. The first decision you have to make is what type of bread you want filled with the delicous goodness that is to come. If you are experienced in these things, you will most certainly select the thick cheesy jalepeno bread with just enough kick to keep it interesting. Then you load it up with tender chopped beef. Do you want BBQ sauce? of course you do. That's a silly question. Drench it. Next you order a side of creamy potatoe salad. When you get to your table, you will probably want to dive right in to your sandwich, but patience is a virtue. First, take some of your potatoe salad and add it to your sandwich. Now, it is ready. You may look ridiculous, since you won't be able to fit the fat, flavorful sandwich into your mouth, but don't worry what other people think. The looks you are getting are strictly from jealousy.

4. Elbow Room Mac n' Cheese- It is meant to serve five. Katrina claims to be able to down it alone. I believe her. The deep bowl of pasta nearly overflows with fat pasta tubes literally drenched with cheese. It is the kind of mac n' cheese where after every bite you are left with cheese dripping down your smiling face. The best part of this gooey delicacy is the salty layer of crunchy bread crumbs baked not only on top of the heaping bowl of pasta, but also layered within. Every new layer of bread crumbs you reach is a crunchy surprise adding texture and excitement to an already explosive dish.

5. Shrimp Po Boy- It begins with a fresh and flaky french baquette, cut down the middle. Inside, it is filled with fresh, crisp lettuce and fat, succulent fried shrimp. The shrimp is golden brown and fresh out of the gulf. To make this sandwich really pop you need ample amounts of tartar and cocktail sauce. Before you devour this dish, lightly drizzle a fresh cut lemon or lime over the shrimp. Thick cut onions, deep fried and delicious, sit on the side. The batter surrounding each sweet onion is salty and greasy in the best of ways. When dipped in ketchup, these onion rings truly come to life. The combination of deep fried shrimp with the deep fried onion rings creates a meal that leaves you ready for a nap, no matter what time of day.

6. Cheeseburger- It is a simple food, classic if you will. Best enjoyed after a light appetizer of one dozen juicy BBQ chicken wings, the cheeseburger is arguably the greatest American creation. We prefer a traditional burger. A thick juicy patty resting on top of the lightly toasted bun is the star of this dish. However, it would be nothing without a generous helping of cheddar cheese, slightly melted, crisp onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. The key to a good burger is to have the perfect balance of hot meat and cheese and cool, refreshing veggies. It is crucial to lather the bun with both ketchup and mustard for the perfect flavor combination, preferably dipping each individual bite in an extra helping of ketchup. No burger is complete without a soda and fries. The root beer is served in a short, fat mug that still has the frost from the freezer clinging to its exterior. The carbonation dances up to your nose with each sip of the icey drink. On the side, thick cut fries so hot they are nearly steaming await you. The interior of each fry is soft but the exterior is slightly crisp and salty.

You're Welcome.
Katrina and Sarah

Roatan Baby!... But We Ain't Rowin' yet!

You know that warm fuzzy feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when your dive instructor tells you it's time to take off your mask, especially when you know there's a four foot barracuda circling the group... Scuba Diving is intense, some would say (and by that I mean Shayna sitting next to me) horrifying, but ultimately it is the feeling of experiencing a whole new underwater world. 

We arrived here on the island of Roatan, Honduras on Wednesday.  The private jet was a new experience for some of the group members, and by private jet we mean a twenty-seater plane with no terminal. Being from New York, I (Shayna) was effervescent with joy as I got to walk up the stairs for the first time to a plane; whereas Jasmine felt like she was at a much warmer version of the airport in the small city of Kenai, Alaska.  From the first five minutes on island, we were already missing the Spanish, although we are finding a new language barrier with the native language 'Island' spoken here.

Our accomodations are incredible and one with nature as we can walk just a few feet out of our rooms into the bay ( that is "infested" with crocs... just kidding!). Scuba is challenging and filled most of our days with dives, inspirational videos ("Go places, Meet people, Do things" I quote you not), and confined exercises.  So far the group, as a whole, has seen turtles, eels, "rainbow" fish, fish, more fish, string rays, and oh yeah, the curious barracuda who needed a nibble of Adam's pretty pinky shiny snorkel, they weren't kidding when the guides (Tony and Rino) said not to swim with shiny objects. No worries...  we were actually very fortunate to see such a rare fish up close (and personal!)

We had lots of group bonding time with late night games of Ninja, in addition to the game played underwater of course... because true ninjas can be in harmony with their bouyancy! We have lots of studying to do for the big scuba exam eeeep! (but the only one choosing to read the entire book twice for the exam, which you can take as many times as needed and only requires a 75 % score to pass, would be none other than Shayna :)). We are living each day, hour, and second to the fullest as we are in the here and now every waking moment enjoying our last few days in Central America with each other.

Rewind....picture that obnoxious VCR sound from back in the day...San Jose, Costa Rica: Nostalgia for Jasmine and Shayna, who were both there, miracuously, two years ago at the same time.  I (Shayna) was able to visit the orphanage that I had worked at, as well as cruise along memory lane in La Sabana Norte.. after taking public transportation interacting with the locals. I also found a huge mango and veggie burgers and almost cried in bliss as the supermarket employee helped me to checkout.  We stayed at Costa Rica Backpackers and had the pleasure of meeting Katrina's twim, i.e. her older sister Allie who was so warm and amicable to our entire group... she was practically family!! ( well, for Shayna at least...)

I (Jasmine) enjoyed the hostel lifestyle meeting new travelers, especially in the kitchen (from Spain, Italy, and Germany all in the one helping) I had no problem with conbining my pasta sauce with the daily spaghetti consumer from Italy! The last night in San Jose, Sarah, Rebecca, and me (Jasmine) pulled on Sarah's hair for hours, the profanity coming out of her mouth was really what kept us going all night, and we have a head count of 41 gorgeous, ratty dreads ...they look AWESOME!!


Before we sign off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY!!!!!! I ( Shayna) didn't forget you, I just haven't had a chance to call, but love you so much and hope you had an incredible day!

Also.... HAPPY CHANUKAH to all and have a soon to be MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

See ya' later man as you would say island style (Mary has been the only one that completely understand the "English" spoken here)

P.S. Shayna is still chanting about Jasalicious in the deep blue sea who swims so fast and swims so free and Jasmine is still rolling her eyes but not annoyed because she has the pleasant thought of tree crayons bubbling about within her noggin!!!

PEACE!

Save the Baby Turtles

This is Lillie and Rebecca signing in after a week in Playa Hermosa with the adorable tortugitas. When we arrived at Punta Judas, finding enough beds for everyone was our first challenge, but after the initial confusion we all found a place to rest our heads and enjoyed a delicious meal.  The first day of work found the group in an all too familiar situation of moving dirt as we cleared the invasive grasses that surrounded the turtle hatchery. Afterwards, we spent our afternoon blissfully relaxing in the waves or in the hammocks overlooking the beach. That night we went on our very first turtle patrol. We were excited to discover three mama Olive Riddley turtles and 5 nests. Each nest held nearly 100 golf ball sized eggs all stacked on top of each other.  In this way we spent our days working on digging a new hatchery and our nights releasing baby turtles into the ocean.

Adam and Allison introduced a new aspect of our stay with a game of Assasins. Each player received a mark and a method of killing. For example, Lillie made the first kill of the night when she asked Winnie to borrow her shoes hardly 10 minutes after the game was announced. Katrina was the clear MVP, tricking Jasmine into singing a song, Mary into performing her dancing skills, Shayna into making loud animal noises, and Rebecca into playing leapfrog.  As of now, it seems as if the game has ended in a stalemate between Katrina and Bridget.

Some of our readers may have been wondering how a Carpe Diem group celebrates the holidays. Well, Adam and Allison surprised us all with a lovely Thanksgiving dinner in town at a Carribean/Local restaurant. We enjoyed fish, coconut rice and beans, salad, and two delicious desserts of a brownie sundae and a banana split. During our meal we expressed three things that we were thankful for, and both laughter and tears were shared. After such an amazing meal we were further surprised by our token American friend who was kind enough to share her meal of stuffing, potatoes, and cranberry sauce. The rest of the night was spent relaxing before our first night of releasing baby turtles. It was truly a night to be thankful for.

For the next three days we are back in San Jose relaxing, catching up on journaling, and bonding. Afterwards, we leave for Roatan, Honduras the last stop on our epic journey. We hope that these last 10 days do not fly by too fast, but we are as always looking forward to seeing you all at home.

Signing out. Peace, Love and Happiness.
Lillie and Rebecca

Carpe Diem Presents Whitney and Will's Wonderful Words of Wisdom

Hi, Whitney and Will here. We're Wonderfully happy, and We made it to Costa Rica! But lets reWind the clock back to Granada.
Granada Was an aWesome, but very touristy, city. We Went ziplining Which Was Wicked fun. Whoever Wanted could go upside down, and superman style Which Was Wonderful! We also recieved free coffee Which We doWned because it Was Wonderfully delicious.

We also Went to Masaya, an artisans market Where We bought the rest of our gifts. We Were dropped off at the Wrong market-Where We could buy meat, shoes, or various vegetables. After trying to relocate everyone, We made the group decision to go to the authentic market doWn the road.
The next day We took a day trip to Lago de Apoyo-it Was Wonderful. We spent the day sWimming and kayaking in the Warm, clear Water of the crater lake. It Was a Wonderful day in the sun, highly enjoyed by all.
We also celebrated our tWo month anniversary (!!!!!!! WoW) Which was a simply Wonderful dinner at a Canadian-Mexican restaurant in the heart of Granada. Allison and Adam prepared us Wonderfully heart Warming appreciation cards that We then presented to each other. Each card had three adjectives Written on them, and We added one more of our oWn. It Was Wonderful. Everyone Was Wailing by the end. Wahhh.
While Granada was truly Wonderful, Ometepe Was Wonderous. It is an island formed by tWo volcanoes in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, With a boisterous ecosystem and a Wonderful climate. We Were able to choose our oWn activities, some choosing to lounge around and relax, and others (the self proclaimed Dream Team) climbed Volcan Maderas in the pouring rain. What a Wacky adventure! We also rented bikes and enjoyed exploring the island from our home base in the city of Moyogalpa. Some of the group members also enjoyed a Wonderful sunset boat ride on the lake, very romantic. Our other excursion Was to "Ojo de Agua," (Eye of the Water) a crystal clear pool of cold, fresh Water. It Was aWesome!
This morning We left bright and early on the Lancha (small ferry) back to the main land. We drove to the border of Costa Rica in the most Wonderful bus yet, and then hopped on a public bus to San Jose. But this was no ordinary public bus-IT WAS WONDERFUL. AC, reclining seats, curtains, a bathroom, and mucho mas. We loved it-didn't Want to get off.
We've arrived now at Hostel Galileo Which is a Wicked place to kick it. TomorroW We're off to Playa Hermosa to save some sea turtle babies- no big deal. It ain't no thang.

A few extra pictures from Nicaragua:

The clock is ticking and grupo maya is not wasting anytime. This radical group of motivated young adults have just made yet another transition. It is no secret that many of us left our hearts in san juan del sur either in the waves, the welcoming community, or parque maderas (a center for art, ecology, sustainability and natural medicine) itself. Its mary and hannah reporting here from our shnazy hostel oasis in granada. To say the least, our bus ride here was not exactly pleasant. Some would say we cheated death as we cruised down the highway dodging motorists and keeping our eyes peeled for the occasional loose backpack. Or, maybe we like to exaggerate a little. But sure enough, we´ve made it to this lovely city safe and sound. But let´s not get too ahead of ourselves, let´s talk Parque Maderas.
Not only did we experience our most organized, productive, and rewarding volunteer project, but we departed knowing more about ourselves and feeling inspired for the future. Tyler, the founder of Parque Maderas opened our eyes in more ways than one. He showed us that, in fact, dreams can become realities and that living a life practicing sustainability is possible. We were provided with three meals a day, each meal was a healthy balance of fresh locally grown food. A unanimous decision was made by the group that this was the most amazing food we´ve ever had.
Between catching waves and enjoying free time around the property, we worked with an organization called Comunidad Connect to construct composting toilets out of earth materials. The leader of the volunteer project, taught the group about natural building and carpentry.
 Now we´re free traveling and carpe-ing the diem more than ever, friends. There are plans to zipline as well as trips to markets, volcanoes, and lakes. We are all slightly apprehensive considering these last weeks on our journey, but are without a doubt soaking in the moment and loving every minute of it!

now a quick poem by hannah.

It has been years since I have seen the stars so bright.
Months since I have woken with the morning sunlight.
Too long since I have seen colors reflect off the Pacific Ocean.
Or even had the time to appreciate it´s constant calm motion.
It has been a long time since playing in the mud has sounded fun.
Or since i have spent a day splashing in the waves and soaking up the sun.
Never have i let the voice of nature speak louder then that of all else.
More then ever aware of more then just myself.
It has been a lifetime since I have realized how I want to live and be.
Finally the future now holds something for me, unwritten and free.

Dedicated to the staff and atmosphere at Parque Maderas.

Until next time...hannah and mary.