Escaping the Chill in Chile

As fall semester came to a close at HKS, the Boston area was in the throes of what would turn out to be one of the coldest and longest in history. I had signed up for a class in January during what's called the J-term that I was very excited about: a fast-paced and very dense all day course in Persuasion that would count for one credit. My excitement about the course wasn't enough to override my distinct hatred for the wind and wet, snow and sleet, and when a classmate mentioned a different J-term class that would take place in Chile, I eschewed a course with known benefit for one with, well, a LOT of unknowns.

A group of about 20 HKS-ers headed to Santiago Chile to embark on a course mean to rebuild communities post natural disasters. The Bio Bio region in central Chile was hit devastatingly hard by a massive earthquake followed by a tsunami that wiped out many communities of many different sizes. After a few days in Santiago learning about the event, its effects on communities, and the efforts that had already been undertaken to assuage the population and rebuild, as well as some team building and extracurricular bonding, our group split into three teams. 

Team Perales with our Advisors

The three teams were headed to Cobquecura, a town of about 8,000, Dichato, a town of about 3,500, and Perales, a town of about 500. The Cobquecura team was running a grant competition for small business, the Dichato team was exploring was to rebuild the town economy through aquaculture, and the Perales team was embarking on a needs assessment to determine what could be done to further assist the residents there. I was on the Perales team, and was dropped off with seven other students in an extremely remote coastal village, whose residents were often said to be descendant from gypsy survivors of a shipwreck.

Perales was decimated by the 2010 tsunami

Walking to the school to start the day

Hombres community meeting

We completely embedded within the town for the next ten days. We worked out of the school learning about the community and trying to figure out how best to approach the residents to reach our end goal of distributing $15,000 USD in the best possible way for the town. We held town meetings and went door-to-door listening to and recording the needs of each of the citizens in Perales and Alto Perales. Many of these conversations were emotionally heart wrenching, but it was also difficult to get people to move on from immediate personal or household needs to look at the bigger picture of community needs.

Mujeres meeting

Our classroom work space

Working outside the girls cabana

Work sessions spanned the entire day, including into the cabanas where at least we could have tapas and wine.

Many of the needs were about better warning and easier tsunami escape paths, and protection of the coastline from high water, but these proposals were already in progress by the government, albeit slow progress. We were finally able to ascertain that the greatest need was a long term solution for potable water for the residents of Alto Perales, who often went four days without potable water and whose water supply was being reduced each month.

The end of the water at the Pacific Ocean

Talking about the water flow with Oscar

The source of potable water for all of Alto Perales (150 people)

Discussing strategy

We ended up writing multiple letters and reports to government officials to increase the pace of government initiatives, as well as explain the water problem in Alto Perales. We offered the residents a step-by-step plan to pursue government subsidized well projects, and explained it to each of the water committees of Perales and Alto Perales. Finally, we gave our $15,000 USD to the Perales and Alto Perales water committees to help pay for technical plans and surveys needed to jump start the project.

Meeting with water committees

The experience was extremely difficult, but very rewarding. I learned a lot about human nature, both positive and negative. I learned about working in teams in an unknown environment, trying to accentuate each person's strengths and shield their weaknesses. Lastly, I learned that many of ideas of "helping out" are seen as unhelpful and too far outside the community; yet many want to complain about these aspects while being completely dependent on outside help.

Perales rugged beautiful but rugged coast

Fishing at sunset

Damage and hope

After the hard work, we returned to Santiago for a debrief. It was obvious that the other teams had a quite different experience than we did, but it solidified and strengthened the experience for our team. Later, a classmate and I joined up with a former classmate and fellow Morocco traveler to explore the Santiago area.

We enjoyed delicious Chilean wine in at a great winery, known for being a plantation whose owners shield Chilean forces in their struggle for independence against Spain. We explored the Andes mountains and then spent a day in Valparaiso checking out street art and eating delicious seafood lunch and dinner. We also spent some time at the beach at Vina.

Awesome tasting area with a bougainvillea that would make LTD jealous

The vacation crew

Underground barrels

Verdict? Delicious

Mike checking the color

Street art in Valpo

Vena Beach

Santiago castle

Chile was an incredible experience and an enjoyable country. I will definitely go back to enjoy the beaches again, and especially to explore the south and Patagonia. 

Winter Writings

I've been hemming and hawing on what to write for my update, considering it has been so long.  I'm not really sure I've fully decided, so if I jump around a little, you were warned. Maybe it'll be just right.

Anyway, things at Tapiture are going well.  We are in the process of closing our latest round of investors which includes some names you would all know.  In addition to adding more money, we'll be adding more bodies.  It is a bit weird to have an office that is bursting at the seems, when at one point, we were a team of four. They all bring some expertise that we most certainly need to get to the next level and bring the rest of the world into the tapisphere, but I must say, there are definitely times I miss all being able to fit at one table.

I have finally transitioned out of having to answer every soul crushing email from customers and users and am now managing a small team of representatives who now have to deal with the crazies.  Well, not all people who write in are crazies, in fact, a lot of them are nice, but the few who are awful, are really awful.  In addition to that, I am back into the editorial world leading a team of editors whose job it is to keep the content flowing and to find the best of the best.  I also am still involved with the operations side of things as the Operations Manager.  That's my title, but I feel more like Kordell Stewart.  His nickname is "Slash", if you didn't catch the reference.  

This doesn't have anything to do with anything, but I sold my car a while ago.  I am strictly a pedestrian now, which is interesting, but becoming easier and easier. One drawback to not having a car is that it makes it exponentially harder to get to the golf course.  I miss playing desperately so I am going to really start making an effort to get back out there.  

Back to work for a moment.  The best thing about the experience to this point is the amount I am learning about the internet/entertainment space as well as business.  I have learned more in this year+ than I have in the rest of my working years, and probably schooling as well.  Hopefully I will be able to take all of this knowledge and apply it to the next big thing after Tapiture.  

I wouldn't say that is a make-it or break-it year for us, but I do believe this is the year that everyone will hear about us.  Big things happening without a doubt. 

My friend Eddie and I are working hard to bring back some of the culture that was lost when theCHIVE moved to Austin, and will be throwing a Super Bowl party.  I am hoping we can get the fun-loving-who-knows-what-will-happen-next atmosphere running rampant again in and around the office.  Some of the engineers are probably less than excited about that, but hey, we gotta have fun, right?

While everything is going great, I am disappointed about a particular piece of information, which I can't share, but it has been on my mind this last week.  I've had a number of different thoughts about it and I think I've landed on my own solution.  There are going to be times when things don't go exactly how you would want them to, and sometimes there is nothing you can do to change that.  However, the one thing you can control is giving everything you have and strive daily to get better. Maybe there won't be immediate results from your efforts, but the things that you learn both about what you're doing and about yourself will without a doubt better prepare you to be a force down the road. You can't always get what you want. But, if you try sometime, you just might find, you get what you need.  Someone said/sang that once before.  

That was sort of an emo paragraph and it may seem out of place, but it's as important as anything else that has happened to me recently.  

I'd like to reiterate that everything is really actually going great, so don't freak out or anything.  I am very much looking forward to what is to come in the next few months, and I believe it will probably inspire more frequent posts.  So really, everyone wins.

Also, I am very much looking forward to Parts 2 and 3 of LDL's posts.

Tappin out, for now. 

Not much happening here...a 3 part series. Part 1.

Oh man, where oh where to begin??  Halloween?  We were spider-man & a pumpkin.  The preschool fundraising Fun Fair?  It was a huge success.  My birthday? I turned 32 & celebrated belatedly with my womb buddy (who was traveling in Columbia the day of..tough life) with the Avett Brothers - it was awesome.  P man's 4th birthday?  Yep.

I'm going to be a little longer winded here, even though there is wonderful, awesome, incredible miracles to share.  My precious boy deserves his own birthday blog post.  Sweet P turned 4 this past November and was adamant that he have a camping / fire party.  And so we did.  I admittedly was pretty impressed with my party throwing skills...plus it was a boys camping party so it was pretty easy.  P has definite opinions of who he wants to invite (just boys and their dads...oh, and one girl who he loves and wants to do everything with.)  P and his daddy spent weeks collecting firewood, while P and I shopped for hot dogs, supplies for s'mores, headlamps as party favors, bug juice etc.  P made his own "welcome to my party" sign from cardboard and left over tissue paper.  I must say...we impressed ourselves.  So our 4 friends (because he is 4) and their dads showed up at 530pm for our campfire and entertained themselves running around with their headlamps for a solid hour and a half. The s'more roasting was mostly a hit - the dads found themselves more involved but mostly they chatted and drank the adult bug juice while the boys (and one girl) ran around like crazies hunting bugs, & hiding in the tent.  P had a great time, we all had a great time.  Pictures...

Here is P opening up a gift from his grandma...a NC State wolf pack t-shirt.  The kids are hilarious making the wolf sounds and hand motions, they have many many teams to root for!  Our birthday decorations are essentially the same every year and for everyone...makes the set up awfully easy!  Saved happy birthday banners go on the back wall, we blow up as many balloons as came in the balloon bag and throw them around the room, and occasionally tie a ballon or two to their chairs.  P got rainbow sprinkle pancakes for breakfast and then was off to school for the morning! I'm pretty sure he even wore his happy birthday hat - he was excited to finally be 4 - especially since now that meant that he could bring 4 things to school when it was his turn to have the sharing bag.

He is decorating his birthday cake.  The signature Dalton chocolate sheet cake..( I said SHEET cake.)

Peter and Daddy get the fire ready for his friends.

P wouldn't stand next to his sign that he spent a few days making...Camp Peter.  But I was pretty proud of us so I am posting this picture anyway. Only 5 weeks away from baby Addy!

The bug Juice was a big hit..along with the glowstick necklaces & bracelets.

Granddad and P make their hot dogs.

The Dads stop paying attention to the party goers & chat and roast hot dogs :/ :/

Friends play in the tent.

I think Lucy may have had a least 3 s'mores.

And finally the birthday boy blows out his candles.  I was a little surprised he actually participated in this event!

I'd say SUCCESS!  And now, on to Thanksgiving...I don't even remember that.  Christmas?? Next post....

Coffee in Colombia

Hola Amigos! I know zero Spanish, despite visiting 2 Spanish speaking countries this year. I feel like such an ugly and uneducated American. Somehow I survived in Colombia for 7 days as a reward for winning the Nespresso sustainability competition back in June. I know my parents (and a few friends) were a little worried about my safety, since Colombia doesn't have the bet reputation. However, after getting off my direct flight from Orlando to Bogota, I was greeted with the newest marketing slogan: Colombia, where the only risk is wanting to stay. 

After traveling on November 4th, I woke up the morning of my birthday with a sunkissed view of downtown Bogota. It almost looked like a painting. No time to celebrate though, as we were scheduled to meet with various stakeholders in the Nespresso supply chain, beginning with a major exporter. My team and I spent the next 10 hours in meetings, listening to experts speak in Spanish, then listening to our awesome English-speaking, Colombian born translator convert the words to English, then trying to formulate a somewhat intelligent questions, then listening to the answer in Spanish and English. It was exhausting but incredibly informative! Even though we sat in one room for virtually the entire day, we were well taken care of. Every time the Colombian Coffee Federation switched speakers/experts, we were offered cup of coffee and snacks. We were even gifted bags of Colombian coffee from the head of the FNC! By the time the day was over, we had exhausted our brains and were ready for bed. Alan (our guide) took us to an incredible dinner spot (where we began eating hours before the local crowd). Just as I really started missing LDL on our birthday, the server came out with a candle in my  blackberry pie. Awesome.

The following day was my favorite, by far. We woke up at 3:30 am to catch a flight across the mountains into the premier coffee region of Colombia, Anserma. Here, we met a proud and hilarious farmer, Don Jamie who runs a non-diversified farm. He has been a part of the Nespresso community for a few years now and took great pride in showing us his farm, his innovative ways to keep pests out, and his wet milling procedure. After 2 other farm visits, we headed down to the area cooperative to participate in coffee tasting done on sight to ensure the quality Nespresso expects. This "cupping" technique required all of us to slurp hot liquid quickly. It was difficult and hilarious. The men & women who have this job are careful to watch the temperature, since if they burn their tongues they no longer have the taste/smell expertise!

The following day I really let my nerd flag fly. We visited Cenicafe, a research lab dedicated to science, innovation, and technology for Colombian coffee. We even got to enter the lab where scientists are creating new rust-resistant coffee varieties! 

Our trip ended with a presentation to members of the Nespresso community at our beautiful hotel. I think all of the team members will admit that it was stressful at times -- not so much of a "reward" trip as it was additional work. That sentiment faded quickly though, as we looked back through our pictures and retold stories of the trip. And how often do you get to eat breakfast with an emu (I think)?

Bogota city center

As the end of the year nears, I am constantly reminded of how lucky I am to have been blessed with the health and flexibility required to have visited 3 countries in the last 15 months. Each country was a unique experience and learning opportunity. While I hope to continue the adventurous life, this travel weary soul knows that there is just no place like home. 

the Baby Grows Up!

I am determined to finish one child's birthday celebration before the other begins - so here goes with #lucylooistwo!  Our baby turned two back in September and has certainly lived up to a two year olds reputation.  She's precious, with an opinion and temper all of her own.  We like to joke that she takes on some of Aunt T's qualities :) I kid, I kid, T!

We celebrated little l's birthday with what is probably going to be our traditional two year birthday present, a strider bike all of her own.  She insists on doing it totally alone, which is wonderfully independent...but we'll see how long it takes before we actually make it out of the driveway on that thing.

Big brother was the lookout man for when the birthday girl & her daddy got to yay yay and gradndads for the big celebration.  He also was responsible for distributing the party hats.  If there is not hat, there is no party!

The big two year old was thrilled with her birthday present - and I'm excited that there will be no more fighting - at least over who gets to ride the bike.

Since L's birthday was on a Monday we took a girls brunch out to First Watch after we dropped P man off at school.  She got her very own chocolate chip pancakes & didn't have to share, and we watched her squeal with delight as she pulled out bracelet after bracelet from her gift bag from yay yay.  She has been obsessed lately with doing absolutely everything I do, including showering (that one is fun),  washing her face, putting on lotion and finally, she wants to always wear my watch and one bracelet.  So now, she has her own!

We picked up brother from school still in our birthday hats and headed home where we discovered several fun things dropped off at our door!  So after rest time, we had tea time thanks to Aunt Jan.  The kids did this for over an hour.  It was hilarious.  Everyone had to use the bathroom more than usual that afternoon!

I think it is safe to say that the birthday girl thoroughly enjoyed her day - and big brother was a great help (and also loved the presents).

Hopefully this video works out of the kids riding their bikes / running around like crazies in the street while their Daddy chugs his coffee :)

The next Saturday we headed out to Walt Disney World, the happiest place on Earth, to celebrate our happy 2 year old.  She LOVED it.  P LOVED it even more.  Aunt T was given a few tickets to Disney from someone who wanted to thank her for all of her hard and awesome work and she was gracious enough to share them with us - and lets be honest, she had more fun with the kids than she would have by herself! :)  I tried to plan plan plan as much as I could knowing that we had two young ones on our hands who would get cranky no matter where they were...and let me just say, that the internet has plenty of opinions on how to do Disney.  As in, way overwhelming.  I was determined to just have fun and ignore the crazy crowds...so lucky for us, there were none!  As soon as we arrived in the park my careful planning went awry as we headed straight for the train and Frontierland instead of sprinting to FantasyLand like I hoped.  No worries, not only was no one on the train, there was no one in line for Splash Mountain.  So while it was L's birthday we made her and yay yay entertain themselves while we took P down to the Briar Patch.  It was not his favorite.  Not in the least.  It didn't help that the ride got stuck right under the scary vultures.  I was a little afraid he would try to get out of the log but luckily he decided that was even more scary.  We all made it & I think the rest of us laughing helped soothe P.  Plus after that we went to It's a Small World which will calm anyone's nerves :)  And not to worry, L got plenty of treats while she was patiently waiting for us.

So we hit up Small World, Mickey's Philharmonic (not a hit with either kid...they don't like the 3-D), the carosel which is always a favorite & then lunch.  After lunch P pulled out the map and directed us where he wanted to go...race cars for him, Dumbo again for Lucy.  P loves being the mapholder and dictating where we should go next....deju vu for me & Uncle Bale :).

Next up - Dumbo again, the Little Mermaid - which spawned a P-man obsession with Ariel that lasted nearly a month.  He barely got over it in time to decide to be spider-man for halloween instead of Ariel.  We did Winnie-the-Pooh and wound our way around to an old family favorite...the Country Bear Jamboree!  But not before we downed some mickey mouse ice cream...

And then, we made a break for the exits.  Honestly, I thought it would be 3pm when we got to the car.  It was 5p.  We made the best of our whole day, September is for sure the time to go to Disney...hopefully the millions of people who read this blog while they are making plans will pick another month :)  I'd say everyone, grandparents, parents, aunts & kids all had a pretty great birthday!

And it's true, my baby is no longer a baby...it seemed to just happen overnight.  She's in a big girl bed, no longer uses a paci (that one was tough) and is potty-training.  On a princess potty.  That I have to carry around because she is afraid of the big toilet.  Which honestly, if I were her I would be afraid too...she's in the 6th percentile in weight for 2 year olds and that thing is loud and looks like it would swallow you.  So I'm cutting her a break for now.  But teaching a boy to find a tree was way easier.

Here are some other recent pictures just for your amusement!  P's birthday is next Friday so I'll be back at it before the new one is born!  Fingers crossed....

in case anyone is wondering, P has a "routine" which MUST be followed to a T at bedtime.  In it, he picks put his clothes for the next day.  He will not negotiate.  So I let him wear his favorite things.  He never matches.  Ever. 

And the pictures above are of the EHS homecoming parade...hopefully the video of P being humpty dumpty works.  In P's own words to his teacher..."Humpty Dumpty Falled.  He Breaked."  retold by Peter.  I'm so proud.

I'm 32 weeks pregnant this week.  And now that the school Fundraiser "Fun Fair" is over ( I was in charge of organizing that) I only have P's birthday, Thanksgiving & Christmas...but who's counting??!!!

T.  You're up.  Seriously.  Camp story is long over due.