PHOTO UPDATE

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TAPACHULA

I’ve had quite a few adventures since I last wrote and have had a chance to explore Tapachula a little more. The other day Anna ( one of the other Volunteers) and I took a walk into ‘el centro’ for cupcakes and fresh juice. The juices here are delicous and you can find any combination of flavours your heart desires. You can have guava, pinapple, strawberries, lime, coconut or a ‘liquado’ which  is a tasty smoothie filled with fruits and milk, served icy cold. Here in Tapachula you can get nearly a litre of fresh juice for about $2, then walk to any corner and find a fresh homemade quesadilla for roughly the same price.

Everyday in Tapachula I get these smiley moments where I feel blessed to be here. I find myself smilling at simple things, like us walking back from a surf at the beach and fitting four of us pilled into a little tuk tuk with a huge mahi mahi fish at our feet. Sometimes it’s just the drives through local areas seeing people go about their day to day lives, or a smile and a ‘buenos dias’ from someone on the street. The other night I went with some of the kids to their musical concert in another town. They were SO good. Some where in the choir, one played violin and the other took the show on the drums. Again I was blessed by the kindness of the Mexican people. I asked a lady where the toilets were and recognising that I was not Mexican, she insisted on taking me to the toilets and waiting for me. What a legend!

The same night while all the other kids wanted to be with their friends and not ‘the gringo'(the foreigner), one little angel made me feel welcome the whole night. He had a seat waiting for me on the bus, offered to share his small bread roll he had for dinner with me and insited that I have his valentines day lolly pop. He nearly brought me to tears with his thoughtfulness.

We drove up into the mountains the other day where the coffee grows, and hiked up to a beautiful waterfall where we swam and layed in the sun. Yesterday I had a ball playing shops and making mud pies with some of the kids. They absolutely love playing in the dirt and are SO dirty at the end of the day. Their favourite game to play with me is the tiger game. They get up on top of the playground and I pretend to be the tiger grabbing at their feet as they screech and laugh when I grab one of their toes.

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MISION MEXICO- EARLY DAYS

Where do I start? I arrived in Tapachula four days ago and have spent the the time so far getting to know the kids and all their names. There are so many names to remember and routines to become familiar with. The days are long but filled with lots of laughter, hugs, tears and grubby faces. The kids are gorgeous and I have already become quite close with a few of them. I played some guitar for them yesterday and they absolutley loved it, asking after each song ‘un outro? Which means ‘another one’ in spanish. When I play they sit there mezmerised staring at me, smilling so peacefully. It really is such a special moment as I can feel how much they love it. So now many of them want to learn and I have been teaching one girl in particular who is very persistant and has learnt so fast. As I write this post I am sitting on the roof top with a perfect view of the nearby ‘Volcan Tacana’ it is SO beautiful to look at on a clear day. The birds are singing and I can hear the outside hustle and bustle with distant sounds of dogs and roosters.

Yesterday was our weekly beach day. Every Sunday the whole house goes to the beach for a day of fun in the sand, surf and sun. I had the morning off so I was able to surf with the older kids. The surf here is big and powerful and will take some getting use to. For me, being able to surf refreshes me and I feel so grateful that I can still do it here in Tapachula.

We have two huge mango trees here at the refuge and the highlight of many of the kids days is when a mango drops from the tree. Often they will get balls and throw them up into the tree to try and get the mangos to fall. It is a fun game for them with a reward of, if they are lucky a juicy mango, but more often a green mango which they still devour, skin and all! I am really looking forward to settling in and becoming familiar with the routine. For now though it is so nice to be greeted everyday with cuddles and lots of love from the beautiful kids. I’m sure there will be many more stories to come.

Stay tuned.

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GOING GOING BACK BACK TO CALI CALI

My first day back in LA was just magic. After arriving at LAX and clearing customs I attempt to contact my friend Don through whatsapp with no success. I decide to go and see the information desk and a lovely lady calls him for me. Within minutes Don has arrived and we are on our way to Hermosa Beach. Hermosa beach lives up to its name and is absolutely ‘hermosa’ (beautiful). Don’s place is literally on the beach, I walk out the gate and there is a bike track that goes for miles right along the beach. The view is perfect and the area is SO peaceful. I spent my first day just cruising by bike along the beach taking photos and checking out the local area. For lunch Don took me to eat at the LA famous Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffle House. I had two massive waffles, drowned in mapple syrup and butter, so thick and creamy, I thought it was ice cream, with a 1/4 of a chicken on the side! Lets just say I didn’t quite get through it all- SO much food, but extremely tasty and very American. As I write this I am sitting by a huge window watching the beautiful sun go down over the perfectly still ocean- Bliss!

Don’s Place
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SOMEWHERE NEAR TAPACHULA

In exactly ten sleeps I will be arriving in Mexico and making my way to Tapachula. A hot humid city not far from the Guatemalan border and the Pacific Ocean. I will be volunteering at Mision Mexico, an orphanage for children and young people who have been abused, neglected, abandoned or orphaned. The orphanage is run by two amazing Australians, Alan and Pamela Skuse who have dedicated themselves to the care and support of over 250 children since Mision Mexico was first established in 2001. Five years ago I saw the film ‘Somewhere Near Tapachula’ (see trailer below) and knew I had to go and volunteer my time. I am now in a position where I can do this and will begin my journey on the 2nd of February. In preparation for my upcoming adventure I held a fundraiser to raise money for Mision Mexico. It was a great success thanks to all my supportive friends and family who got behind me to make a difference.

Over the next two months and possibly even longer, I will be documenting my time at the orphanage and any other adventures that may follow. I encourage you to watch the ‘Somewhere Near Tapachula’ film trailer to get a sneak peak into what the orphanage is all about. If you want to help with fundraising or even volunteering yourself, please check out Mision Mexico’s website at http://lovelifehope.com/.

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LEMON & MINT WATER

Start your day and cleanse your body from the inside with a warm lemon and mint water.
For a refreshing beverage on a hot day or when exercising, serve icy cold.

Benefits of lemon water
Rich in vitamin C
Cleanses the bowels and eliminates waste
Helps with digestion
Detoxifies the liver

Enjoy

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SALTY HAIR AND SUN KISSED SKIN

My hair has been rather salty and my skin is definitely sun kissed at the moment.
I’m loving these beautiful, long summer days, where you can stay at the beach until the sun goes down. There is nothing better than coming home after a big day surfing or lazing around on the beach to a refreshing shower and some serious body pampering.

I often spend a lot of time in the water surfing so I enjoy looking after my skin to keep it looking fresh and healthy. After a day at the beach I like to start with a big glass of mint and lemon water to re hydrate. Next it is straight to the shower where I give my whole body a scrub with an exfoliating mitt or my favourite body scrub. I then wash my hair and massage through a conditioner which I leave in while I cleanse my face with coconut oil. I use zinc on my face when I surf, so I like to give my skin a really good cleanse using a few simple massage movements to really get in and remove any left over zinc. I love giving my skin a little massage as it stimulates my skin leaving it plump and rosy. After I get out of the shower I like to finish with rosehip oil for my face and coconut oil or pure aloe vera for my body. Before bed I enjoy doing a few yoga based stretches and some meditation to help me wind down and get a good nights sleep. When I have had an active day I like to take magnesium powder to help relax my muscles. Try this little routine and I assure you, you will feel fresh and ready for bed.

How do you pamper yourself?

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BEACH LOVE

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SUMMER FUN

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PHOTO SHOOT- CARLY

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