NEW WEBSITE!

OUR NEW WEBSITE IS : SweetTalesofaGypsy.com

However, this blog will still be used and clicking the "home" tab to the left will bring you directly to the website:)

Sending so much love to everyone !

xo

Samantha

Dreamcatcher Workshop in San Pedro

One of our goals from the project in San Pedro, Guatemala was to have various free workshops for local children. My favorite that we did, was a creative arts class, making dream catchers. 

The workshop was a very inspirational class because the kids got really into it, and seemed to love the idea of making something that was their own. The other travelers who came to help with the class and I, were left just as inspired.

 We were able to share a little bit with them about why dream catchers were used by the Indigenous people of certain tribes from North America, such as catching your bad dreams being caught in the web, and the good dreams going through the holes, then trickling down the feathers to the sleeper. We made the dream catchers all different shapes instead of the typical circle to show the children to use their creativity, and that not everyone is the same. 

We used fresh flowers, feathers, ribbon, paint and a few other trinkets from the yard. They were able to decorate their dream catcher however they liked to, and we ended up also making flower crowns with all of the extra flowers.

In the end, the kids got to take home their dream catchers or add them to our GIANT dream catcher that we made for the garden.

 For me, the best part about working with children is to see how creative they can be, and the ideas they come up with all by their selves.

 The children and those who were there to help with the class, including my best friend who had come to visit Guatemala made this class very special and this day will always be remembered in my heart. 

Changes are happening...

The new and wonderfully re-done Sweet Tales of a Gypsy Blog should be up and running by next week! I can't wait to share with everyone what has been going on the past few months, and to have a different concept for the blog. Sending lots of love to everyone!

xx

samantha 

Hello & Goodbye Guatemala (for now) !

 I´ve just realized I am officially the world´s worst blogger. I came here to write that I was leaving Guatemala- and realized that my last post was nearly my arrival. My days here flew by, and I never seemed to have enough hours or working internet to get much writing in. Maybe it was the balancing five
online classes from my school at home, teaching yoga or trying to start the project for local children that got in the way ;) 

 However, I am happy to say that I have thought of a plan that will allow me to keep up with my blogging and still remain focused on the work I am doing here. Instead of the blog remaining mainly about my adventures, favorite places and random things I assume are interesting; I will focus on writing about the different projects I come across while traveling! 

Just during my time at Lake Atitlan, I have met so many local and foreigners with huge hearts that are doing amazing things for the communties here. Some have no idea about using social media as an outlet for help or donations, or how to spread the word about their project. I want to use this blog to write about all of the different people I meet, what they are doing, and how you can help! 

As for an update on the project I was trying to start in Guatemala.. (This is copied from Facebook)

´´ In an  effort to make the project I was trying to start here in San Pedro more self-sustaining (as I will be leaving really soon!), we decided to combine forces with an already existing orphanage and project, Niños de Chuitinamit Luz. Wednesday I finished moving everything over, and will be helping run their website and facebook page while not in Lake Atitlan. I believe that this will be the best move for the community as a whole & thank everyone for their support . All of the supplies and materials collected from donations thus far will be put to great use as there are currently 45 kids at the orphanage. The children live between a few small houses in San Pablo, a smaller town about a 10 minute boat ride from San Pedro. As well, they are in the middle of constructing a classroom at their center building so that the children can gather together for daily or weekly classes. Once we get their website up and running I will post it on here for anyone interested in continuing following the process here in Lake Atitlan! xx ´´

So stayed tuned to the blog for information about various projects through out the world, interviews from outstanding beings of Earth, pictures and videos from local children, and places with problems that together we can find a solution for! 

so much love to everyone.

xx

Samantha 

Officially back on the wonderous road to the unknown.

     Today is day five here in Guatemala, and I feel like I am almost settled back into the swing of things. Currently sitting in a toursity resturant, where I can get WIFI, and listening to Oasis and Radiohead coming from the kitchen. My spanish is (slowly) coming back, and my mind is starting to relax back into the Guatemalan style of things. I wake up when the sunrises, and I am winding down shortly after sunset. Despite just being here a few days, I have actually been quite busy! A few trips to the school, and school supply stores aren't made easy when you are walking everwhere, but they are quite enjoyable with the view of a giant volcanoe in your backyard.

     School officially starts tommorow, however I won't start teaching English until the following week. Next week I will be passing out the backpacks and few school supplies for the students and just introducing myself and such. As of today, I will also be doing my observational hours for my college at home in an American Accredited school in Panajachel-a town just across the lake, once a week! The school is pretty amazing, as it is 80% local  students who are sponsored by people all over the world, and all of the cirriculum is in English. I am very exited to have the opportunity to work with these students, and hopefully take learning techniques and such, and bring it to our school in San Pedro. 

     

     The house that I will be staying at the next few months is quite magical. I wish I had pictures to show, however being phoneless makes it a little more difficult. I just have one that I snapped with my tablet. I still have my big DSLR camera that I will  bring to the school next week, it just is less than discrete. Anyways, the house is a little cabana located in a piece of land that is a mixture of The Secret Garden and Narnia so to say.

    Well just a quick update so that anyone,or everyone knows I'm alive and well. Typing on this mini keyboard will take alot getting used to, I try not even thinkinga about my beloved Macbook anymore. A little boy in the resturant I'm in was like "Look dad! A mini computer and a mini keyboard, it's so cute and tiny." Haha. He also said that I had very beautiful hair, and was rather confused how I got "all those things" to stay in it. :)

Ps: Finding Childrens books here has been less than easy- any suggestions, please contact below !! ( anywhere in Guatemala, really)

XX SLW

Happy Holidays! & Quick December Update.

Just wanted to take a little time out of the holiday craziness to wish everyone who is following along my journeys a beautiful time during whichever holiday you all choose to celebrate! The past couple months I have been working hard saving money for the school in Guatemala on the Go Fund Me page I had mentioned in my previous post, and so far we are at $1,600! I am extremely stoked and can’t wait to get back to Guatemala in just a week and a half to start collecting the supplies and work on the libraries. We are still keeping the fundraiser up and running throughout my time in Guatemala, so please keep sharing. So that is what I’ve been up to lately, very exited a new year is right around the corner. Well, keep warm and enjoy tomorrow snuggling with loved ones drinking mimosas! 

Happy Holidays 

xx SLW 

Amazing Souls of the Road; Animals Edition.

Thought I'd lighten the day to share some of the awesome pictures I took while I was in Nicaragua. The most abundant things besides the sugar cane and banana trees are, the ANIMALS! It's amazing to be walking down the sidewalk and cross paths with a giant Ox in downtown Granada, or share a breakfast table with a Howler Monkey in San Juan del Sur. I even had the chance to watch as 200 baby turtles hatched, and carry them to sea! Check out some of these wild things for yourself. 

xx SLW