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SCORE

Saturday, March 12th, 2011

On March 1, 2011, I was invited to serve on a panel for SCORE’s “Women in Business” luncheon in St. Paul, Minnesota.  SCORE provides free online and face-to-face business counseling, mentoring, training, business, and advice for small businesses just starting out or hoping to grow.  My SCORE mentor, Mark Ratner, had nominated me for this event after helping me revise my business plan back in fall of 2009 and also attended the event.  Not only did he serve as my SCORE mentor, he’s also become a big supporter of PLAY it Forward Adventures’ success.

It was an honor to serve on the panel.  Thank you for the invitation.

For anyone out there looking to start, or grow, a business, I can’t say enough about SCORE and their services.  It’s organizations like this that make entrepreneurial success possible.

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Nepal Fundraiser is a HUGE SUCCESS!

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

“A Taste of Nepal” was a huge success this evening.  The Curry Diva fed 102 people raising just over $2500 for the PLAY it Forward sewing room project.  Highland Grill did a great job posting information about Peace Rehabilitation Center and human trafficking on each table. 


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A Taste of Nepal

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

Tonight’s the night, where volunteer vacationing meets international cuisine.  PLAY it Forward Adventures has joined forces with St. Paul’s Highland Grill and chef Heather Jansz, the “Curry Diva”, to create “A Taste of Nepal” fundraiser to benefit women rescued from the sex trade in Nepal.  One hundred percent of proceeds from the Curry Diva meals will go toward the PLAY it Forward sewing room at Peace Rehabilitation Center next week.  Our goal is to feed the souls of at least 120 people for a total of $3000 tonight.  This should put us at our $10,000 goal so we can not only construct the sewing room, but also outfit it with sewing machines, tables and chairs, fabric and sewing kits so the women can be up and running by the end of our active adventure!

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Peru – Machu Picchu!

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

PLAY it Forward’s largest group just returned from Peru on an amazing 10-day adventure.  This was our first trip to the Sacred Valley region of Peru and it couldn’t have gone better!  We started off in the village of Taray to work at an elementary school.  Taray had been badly hit by the mudslides in January.  Many people lost their homes and had to relocate to tents in the neighboring town of Pisaq.  Our wonderful group of sixteen sojourners worked hard to build school furniture for the children and clear brush to plant new trees for a fresh beginning.  We played harder though, swinging kids around, getting chased, and shared laughs even though we didn’t share a language.

Saying goodbye was hard to do, but after many thanks and hugs of gratitude we parted from our new friends and headed to the town of Lares to continue our adventure.  We spent three days and two nights trekking in the Andes Mountains.  Though we were exhausted and sore, everyone made it to the top at 15,000 feet!  Huffing and puffing seemed to immediately cease as you took your first glance at the other side; looking down on a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains made the struggle all worthwhile.  Nothing makes a group bond faster than sharing this major accomplishment together, and not to mention the enjoyable nights huddled together in the dining tent.

Our adventure did not end there!  We all checked off our bucket lists as we spent the final day together at Machu Picchu.  This world wonder left us all in awe as we stood on the grounds of a hidden Incan community surrounded by lush jungles and vast mountain ranges on all sides.  We explored the mysterious complex and a few of us even ventured to the top of Machu Picchu Mountain to overlook the grandeur from almost 2,000 feet higher than the Incan city.

A very spiritual place, it was a great ending to an extremely meaningful and all-encompassing trip.  Despite the size of our group, we all came together as strangers and made 15 new friends who shared a unique experience together.  The group is already in the stages of planning a reunion.

group jump

Thanks everyone for an amazing trip!

Nikki Williams

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Random Acts of Kindness

Friday, March 19th, 2010

Holding the door open, smiling at a stranger, and lending a hand seem like pretty simple things, maybe even common sense.  However it doesn’t happen as often as it should.

“If we all do one random act of kindness daily we just might set the world in the right direction.”
                                                                                                                           – Martin Kranfeld

In our busy and chaotic lives, we forget to slow down and appreciate the little things. We don’t realize it until we are overwhelmed with joy at the simple, kind act of a stranger.  Don’t wait for that moment – start the trend yourself! 

My most recent experience:  As usual, I had bitten off a little more than I could chew when carrying some bags at work.  Trying to be time-effective, I had overloaded myself with several bags possibly equaling my own weight.  As I struggled through the hallways with my load (feeling a little like a pack mule) two strangers stopped on their way back from lunch and offered to help me.  I kindly refused because I was going completely out of their way.  They insisted however, and I was incredibly grateful. I hated to burden them, but in all honestly it probably only took a few minutes out of their routine and helped me tremendously.  A BIG thank you to them and to all those who have done something similar.

It inspired me…what’s your story?

There are so many things that we can do in everyday life that take little to no extra effort, but may mean the world to someone.  If we can do it in our daily lives, why not continue the pattern when traveling?

Traveling acts of kindness:

  • Buy from local businesses and vendors
  • Smile! Appreciate the culture and environment around you
  • Take in your surroundings by walking through town instead of taking a taxi or bus
  • Help nervous fliers by talking to them to distract them from the takeoff and landing
  • Leave the place nicer than when you found it
  • Try to understand the local language, don’t be afraid or embarrassed to attempt speaking it, they appreciate the effort
  • Pick up after yourself and maybe someone else who forgot
  • Carry a small bag of dry dog food and give some to the strays (this may seem silly, but for us dog lovers seeing the malnourished strays is heartbreaking, so I really love this one.)

There are hundreds more…use your imagination!

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Mudslides in Peru

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

I am sure that many of you have heard of the mudslides in the Cusco region of Peru, more familiarly known as the Machu Picchu area.  The news reported the large amount of tourists that were stranded.  It was on the news for maybe a couple days, but lives are affected forever. This is a very important issue, as there were thousands of tourists trapped with minimal food and water.  However, what was harder to find, was information regarding the thousands of Peruvians that had lost their homes.  Here are some of the facts of the mudslide:

Machu Picchu is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in Latin America, attracting more than 400,000 visitors a year. The 15th-century Inca fortress is located on a high mountain ridge 40 miles from Cusco. A railway that transports tourists to the site was covered by a mudslide. Normally the wet season in this region ranges from December to February. However, this year they started in early November and in the first few weeks of January they were the heaviest they’ve been in 15 years. The rivers in the Cusco region have swollen and burst their banks flooding adjacent low-lying villages and causing damage to bridges and the railway line between Aguas Calientes (the town closet to Machu Picchu) and Ollantaytambo (in the Sacred Valley). Many areas of the railway, which is the only mode of transportation between the two cities, have been severely damaged and some wiped out all together. Homes, bridges, fields, and roads have been very hard hit, affecting people’s livelihoods dramatically.  The homes of over 2,000 people in poor rural areas — many of them riverside dwellings made of clay and straw — had been destroyed or damaged. Another 12,000 people were affected to a lesser degree, losing possessions or suffering property damage. Most of the damage has happened in the southern valley of the Cusco region. Especially right now with Machu Picchu being closed and tourism near zero, many people are suffering from lack of work as well.

PLAY it Forward was very alarmed to hear of this news, not only because we have a scheduled trip this May, but also because we are concerned for the well-being of people around the world.  Donations are always nice. However, because we prefer hands-on, tangible ways to help, we will be helping in the disaster relief. Continuing to give back in the places we play.

Nikki Williams

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Cultural Sensitivity When Traveling

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

REALITY-CHECK TIME:

Have you ever been frustrated because you couldn’t understand what someone was saying because of their accent?
Have you ever had the thought, “Why don’t they just learn English?”  
Have you ever wondered why someone from another culture believed a certain thing, or acted a certain way, or wore certain clothes?
Does it make you nervous when there are groups of people speaking a different language around you?
What comes to your mind if someone says they are Somalian? Mexican? Nigerian?  Where do those thoughts come from?
 
If you are like me, the answers to these questions might make you a bit uneasy.  This uneasiness is something to be mindful of when you travel abroad. In my opinion, I think that cultural tensions are ok.  The response to these various cultural experiences is what we need to be mindful of.

The fact that all over the world, there is a rainbow of cultures is a remarkable human phenomenon.  We are gifted with panoply of music, cuisine, clothing and language.  Just walk through your local museum and
admire the tapestries and artifacts and the beauty of human imagination.

Culture is a component of identity.  It is a fundamental human need to seek belonging to a group.  So if the group you belong to invented fireworks, or created one of the most ancient and accurate calendars, or formed the basis of western government, there is a certain pride factor at stake.  Part of cultural experience is owning the actions of your group.  Unfortunately, this also means an inability to escape some of the darker sides.  That’s the price of being able to identify with a culture.

With this background, here’s my advice on how to make the most of your cultural experience when you travel abroad with PLAY it Forward Adventures:

1. Communicate:
Does it frustrate you if someone can’t speak your language? Then try to take some lessons before you go.  Try to speak the language.  Don’t be afraid of sounding foolish or saying something wrong.  The humility it takes and willingness to try to communicate will be greatly appreciated by the people who live in the place you are visiting.  At the same time, if the circumstances require it, have a reliable guide who is fluent in the language to assist in a tricky situation.  PLAY it Forward trips all have guides who will be able to facilitate as translators.  At the end of the day, a simple smile can say a lot.

2. Have an open mind and just go for it!
Taste the food, wear the clothes, and listen to their music.  Don’t do everything your way, try it their way. Sure, you might not like all of it, but participating in a culture is the best way to connect. I’ll never forget sitting on a dirt floor, listening to the songs and stories of the village women, scented smoke filling the air.  Then I ground coffee on a stone tablet, the way it had been done for centuries, and in that moment, I had shared in their cultural experience in a way that was deeply personal and profound.

3. Be mindful:
Does a large group of foreigners intimidate you?  Well, that’s true for anyone.  Realize that most people are hesitant with a large group of strangers. Be friendly, and as long as it’s safe, interact on more intimate levels.  Humility and gratitude are universal languages that communicate very well.

 4. Focus on the individual
Stereotypes-Forget yours, but remember theirs.  A universal truth is in the inherent value of an individual and every person is unique and different. If you focus on the individual, and try to get the people you interact with to get to know you a little better, then you can be successful in transcending cultural stereotypes. It is a wonderful surprise when you realize that they’re just like you in spite of everything.

It may seem like a lot of work, but it’s worth it.  It is because there is such strong cultural identity that the feeling of unity you will find will be so powerful.  To break through such thick walls is a very moving moment in a PLAY it Forward Adventure.

Nathan Worrell
PIF Sojourner, Guatemala

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Importance of Teamwork

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

HOW DO YOU FLATTEN A MOUNTAIN?

The Task: Haul hundreds of pounds of building materials thousands of feet up a narrow mountain path, and get it done before lunch.  Loads become drastically lighter when you have someone to share it with.  A little piece of a task is easier to conquer than the whole thing.  Soon, that insurmountable endeavor becomes achievable.

Not only will the task be accomplished, it will be done quicker, and there will be a shared feeling of accomplishment.  When a chore is approached by a team, each person has their own little contribution to make.  When we were hauling supplies, we had several pairs of volunteers creating a chain.  Some people took hard and steep segments of the trail, others took something a little flatter.  Each pair was needed to get the supplies up the mountain.  Each role was crucial, because if there was a missing link, then the whole process would fail.  But it didn’t fail.  We got to see firsthand the power of people working together.  We grew closer by working side by side and by sharing our achievement.

As a sojourner on a PLAY it Forward Adventure, not only will you get a chance for individual accomplishment – you will have the opportunity to live the power of teamwork.

Nathan Worrell
PIF Sojourner Guatemala

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Importance of Listening to Your Body and Knowing Your Own Limits

Monday, February 1st, 2010

KNOWING YOUR LIMITS
  
Right now, swimming across the Mississippi is probably not the smartest thing I could do. First, the only time I spend swimming is maybe a once a month dip at the community pool.  I would not be able to make the distance. Second, even though I feel like I have a high cold tolerability threshold, it’s December and the wind-chill is 15 below.  That’s going to make it difficult.

As much fun as a multisport, active adventure experience like PLAY it Forward Adventures is; it won’t be any fun if you have to sit on the side due to a preventable injury.  One way to avoid this is by listening to your body and knowing your limits.

Now, this doesn’t mean sacrificing fun or that there won’t be any excitement.  These are adventure trips after all. Let me share two examples from the PLAY it Forward Adventures trip I went on.

One of the activities we did was a long and wet downhill assault in the hilly terrain of rainy Guatemala. Some of us raced down the slopes, hugging the turn, jumping over puddles, or tearing through them.  Others were not comfortable with the slickness, and were unfamiliar with mountain bikes.  By going at their own pace, they were able to enjoy the ride, and have just as much fun as the rest of the group.  In fact, by starting slow, one member got more and more comfortable on the bike, and by the end of the ride, was leading the pack!  Had she started out in front, there probably would have been an accident, but by knowing her limits and listening to her body, she was able to have a life changing experience, going to the edge, and returning safely.

Another instance was one night when the group wanted to go out for live music and dancing.  As much fun as that sounded, we had one member of our group combating the ramifications of foreign food.  As much as she wanted to participate in the festivities, she knew that a lot more lay ahead and that the best thing to do was rest.  A couple others stayed back, who even after only a couple of days were feeling fatigued.  Sure, they didn’t get to have fun that particular night, but by resting when they needed too, the rest of the trip went great. They had energy for the volunteer activities and were able to go out later that week.  Had they not listened to their bodies, they would have risked serious injury and missed out on a lot more than one night of dancing.

Play it Forward Adventures is active travel.  There will be temptations to do as much as you can and to ignore what your body is telling you. When that happens, think about trying to swim the Mississippi in winter.

Nathan Worrell
PIF Sojourner, October 2008

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Leaving No Trace While Traveling

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

“ALWAYS LEAVE IT BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT”
  
That was my dad’s adage whenever we went anywhere.  It’s a simple call of duty and applies to travel, work, and other things. It’s especially relevant in a volunteer vacation like PLAY it Forward Adventures.

There are two components to this mantra that are worth detailing.  

The first is recognizing that you make an impact when you go somewhere.  Just your presence alters the environment.  We consume things.  We eat, we drink, and we clean ourselves.  All of these things take resources, energy, and heat.  And as a natural consequence of consumption, there is waste.  By utilizing minimal resources, and avoiding over-consumption, the negative impact you make will be minimized.  By cleaning something up, or being respectful and courteous with the people you meet, you will maximize your positive impact.

The second is recognition that if you have a positive experience somewhere, you want others to have the same experience.  This relates directly to the PLAY it Forward concept.  If we start the trend of making sure that the experiences we have will be able to be enjoyed by those who come after us, when we get to our next destination, there is a good chance that we won’t even know that someone was there before us.

As you go on your volunteer vacations, try to remember to leave no trace. Take only pictures and memories leave only footprints.

Nathan Worrell
PIF Sojourner
Guatemala October 2008

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