Category Archives: Travel

Asia, China, Habitat for Humanity, Travel, Volunteering

Yunnan Province, China (February 2017)

What a fantastic experience! I’ve been to China several times, but never this far out in the rural area. Working for one week with a fabulous team, a wonderful staff, and a family who was so kind and generous brings with it a whole new perspective on this great country. Please check out some recaps of our trip in this blog post: A Home for the Long Family

For more information about Habitat for Humanity’s work in China through the Global Village program and beyond, please visit the Habitat for Humanity China homepage. Additional information about the housing need in China is also included below. Thanks for your support!

Housing Need

Over the past three decades, living standards have dramatically improved for many of China’s more than 1.4 billion residents, but inequality has also sharply increased. About 150 million Chinese still live on less than $1 a day. Many of the poor lack access to affordable housing, shut out by soaring land and house prices.

Established in 2000, Habitat for Humanity China was galvanized by the devastating May 2008 earthquake in Sichuan. To date, Habitat China has built homes and assisted nearly 1,000 families in half a dozen Sichuan communities, including many built during the 2009 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Habitat China has also worked in partnership with Leprosy Mission International to improve homes for people afflicted with leprosy.

China has hosted Global Village trips from 12 countries. Your donation to a Global Village trip supports Habitat’s mission of building simple, decent, affordable housing in China.

Global Village is Habitat for Humanity’s international volunteer program. Teams travel to over 40 countries to work alongside communities, build housing solutions, and experience local culture. Our goal is to change the lives of the people we serve, as well as the lives of the volunteers.

To join a team or learn more, visit www.habitat.org/gv.

About Habitat for Humanity International

Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity has grown from a grassroots effort that began on a community farm in southern Georgia in 1976 to a global nonprofit housing organization in nearly 1,400 communities across the U.S. and in over 70 countries. People partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.

This post contains information provided by Habitat for Humanity International and Habitat for Humanity China. Their help and support is much appreciated.

Habitat for Humanity, Nicaragua, The Americas, Volunteering

Update: Gloria’s family is home!

May 24, 2016 Tricia's Travels 1 Comment

Hola! In January, I participated in a volunteer team with Habitat for Humanity‘s Global Village program in Nicaragua. You may have read about that trip in my previous post. 🙂 Well, if you’ve been wondering…this family has recently moved into their new home. How fantastic!

When we arrived in San Ceyatano, Nicaragua, our team found Gloria (27 ) living with her husband Fredy (28) and their daughter Ashly (age 6) in a one-room metal structure with a dirt floor, which turns to mud when it rains due to holes in the roof and walls. Fredy works as a mason earning about US$110 monthly to support their family. Neither Gloria nor Fredy were able to continue their schooling after high school. Gloria is suffering from an extreme kidney infection, while Fredy has chikungunya, a mosquito-borne illness. Their daughter, Ashly, is in her first year of primary school but often misses class because of illnesses due to the poor conditions of the home.

Over the course of one week, our team of volunteers built a safe and durable home for this family. When we left Nicaragua, local masons were hired to complete the floor and roof. Now we’ve received word that their home is complete! Below are some photos – the smiles say everything.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this project in any way – team members, supporters who made donations or sent positive thoughts, and Habitat for Humanity who enabled this work. Stay tuned for the next chapter and contact me if you’d like to be a part of a future team!

Nicaragua, The Americas, Travel

Telica – One of Nicaragua’s Most Active Volcanoes

February 15, 2016 Tricia's Travels 1 Comment

A few weeks ago I traveled to Nicaragua to combine some tourism with a Habitat for Humanity volunteer build. I’ve been working on a few stories from that trip when suddenly today my inbox was bursting with “breaking news” – the Telica Volcano has erupted! Wow, really? I was just there – right on the edge – 2 weeks ago…. Here’s what it was like before the latest eruption. 🙂

Telica is located near León and is a pretty accessible volcano for hikers. It’s “only” 1061 meters high and if you make the rocky trek, you are rewarded with upfront views of the magnificent 700m wide double crater. Even though it was not the most physically demanding hike, it truly has some of the most incredible views I’ve seen in a while! Perhaps my favorite day in Nicaragua.

Getting to Telica is possible on your own, but for $35USD it’s pretty easy to let someone else worry about the rough road and take you right to the base of the volcano. Is that lazy? I think it’s smart. 🙂

We went on a sunset tour with Julio Tours and couldn’t have been happier. When we arrived, just 2 other small groups were at the base and we quickly set off to get a bit of a head start. Here’s the view as you get ready for the climb (it doesn’t look like much…):

On the way up, there are some views of the valley but nothing that I would describe as spectacular. Plus, we were mostly looking at our feet to make sure we had secure footing. And keeping our mouths closed to avoid getting big gulp-fulls of the sulfurous air!

But OHHHHHHHH when you get near the top!

Now that’s what I call awesome.

You can get right up to the edge of the crater and check out what’s going on 120m below – no railings, no safety waivers…

Who could resist taking some selfies here?! 🙂

We hung out up top for maybe 10-15 minutes but the sulfur was pretty strong so we headed down around the back of the crater to catch some views of the entire range before the sunset.

We stopped for a break…luckily a local entrepreneur schlepped up the volcano (in flip flops, of course) with a cooler of soda and beer to complement the salty snacks we had in our packs. When it was time for the sunset, it was quick but beautiful:

And then….darkness fell fast. We trekked back up through the sulfur clouds to catch a quick peek at the magma (see it there, those little dots? 🙂 ):

And then we hiked down…in the dark… Bring a headlamp or hire a guide that provides flashlights, you’ll need them. You can also camp below the rim if that’s your thing. But whatever you do, just go. You don’t want to miss this!

Habitat for Humanity, Nicaragua, The Americas, Travel, Volunteering

Bienvenido a Casa!

February 12, 2016 Tricia's Travels

What a whirlwind! It’s been two weeks already since I returned from a fabulous volunteer trip with Habitat for Humanity‘s Global Village program in Nicaragua. In the course of just 5 days, 14 volunteers joined together to build a home for Gloria and Freddie – and had a little fun along the way. 🙂

After meeting in Managua, we traveled about 1.5 hours southwest of the capital to the municipality of San Rafael del Sur, where we would spend the next week working on our project. After settling in at a fabulous hotel on the Pacific coast, we geared up for our first day of work.

Upon arrival, we met our the homeowner Gloria and had a chance to learn more about her current living conditions. She is currently unable to work due to a medical condition and her husband, Freddie, works as a night security guard at the chicken processing plant for a national fast food chain. Their daughter lives with them in the community of San Ceyatano but was visiting her grandmother during the week we were working.

Their current home consists of a small metal shack. Within one room (separated by curtains), all three family members sleep, eat and relax. The roof has many leaks and the walls are not secure.

As we started out, there were all of the usual Habitat tasks…

Moving blocks:

Sifting sand and moving rock:

Mixing mortar and concrete (again and again and again):

Cutting and tying rebar to reinforce the house:

Pouring the foundation:

And laying block after block after block:

We were constantly running out of water so it was delivery after delivery to unload:

And don’t forget about the preparation of the floor…

But despite all of the hard work, there was always time to jump rope or color with the kids:

To take lots and lots of photos or to find a quiet moment:

Or to mess around in the wheelbarrow (I’m coming for YOU! 🙂

How does all of this come together to build a house? Check out my lo-tech timelapse for a condensed view of our five days of hard work. 🙂

At the end of the week, the most important goal was met: a new home for Gloria, Freddie and their daughter. The doors, windows and roof would be installed by the masons within a few days of our departure and the family should move in within 3 weeks! We had a ceremony to bless the house:

Then Gloria cut the ribbon!

Such smiles, that’s the best part about the whole week. 🙂

Good job team!

Travel, Volunteering

Join a future Volunteer trip!

I strive to lead at least 2 volunteer trips per year…sometimes more. 🙂 In general, trips are announced and begin recruiting anywhere from 4-12 months in advance. I’ll highlight opportunities here – please follow the links for more information and contact me if you are interested in joining a team or making a contribution of funds or supplies!

Antsirabe, Madagascar (September 30 – October 14, 2023) – FULL!

Upper Mustang Free Health Camp, Nepal (December 16-28, 2023) – NOW RECRUITING!

Trishuli, Nepal (December 30, 2023 – January 7, 2024) – FULL!