Piso Saludable: Foundations for Success

October 1, 2012 by Meghan Johnson

“What does it mean to you to have a floor?” I stared blankly.  Floor?  Well, you can’t have a house without a floor.  Linoleum?  Hard wood?  Tile?  What the heck does she mean, what does it mean? Isabela continued in Spanish.  “I asked the women, what does it mean to you to now have a floor in your home?  Tell me in one word.  And they told me:  Seguridad.  Stabilidad.  Felicidad.” Security.  Stability.  Happiness. The last descriptor came from a nine […]

Categories: Actuar Por Bolivar, Cartagena, Colombia, Community Development, Microfinance, Volunteerism

Things I’ve learned by volunteering

August 13, 2012 by Meghan Johnson

This week marks my one-year anniversary of leaving the corporate world.  Since then, I’ve traveled a lot, learned a new language, and spent a good deal of time volunteering.  Here are a few of the things I’ve learned as a volunteer. 1.  What’s easy for you may be difficult or impossible for others.  And vice versa.  One of my placements in Yaroslavl, Russia was at a school for mentally disabled children.  Some of them could not complete the craft projects […]

Categories: Actuar Por Bolivar, Children, Colombia, Community Development, Cross Cultural Solutions, Peru, Russia, Touchy Feelies, Volunteerism, Yaroslavl

Las Olimpiadas have begun!

August 4, 2012 by Meghan Johnson

Yes, the 2012 Olympics in London have begun, with much fanfare and a Mr. Bean appearance.  But more importantly (because I don’t have a TV), so have Las Olimpiadas de Cartagenito! The athletes, having trained long and hard, were eager to begin the competitions. They listened attentively to their coaches and stretched their muscles in anticipation of the great feats of athleticism they were about to undertake. Behind the scenes, official Olympic artists worked feverishly to complete the Olympics-themed flags […]

Categories: Actuar Por Bolivar, Cartagena, Children, Colombia, Community Development, Microfinance, Playtime, Volunteerism

Beauty in Yaroslavl, of the expected and unexpected sort

May 17, 2012 by Meghan Johnson

The expected. My current home of Yaroslavl is part of Russia’s Golden Ring, a cluster of beautiful and ancient towns that remain a point of pride for Russians.  Just two years ago, Yaroslavl celebrated its 1,000th birthday.  She looks pretty darn good for her age (though I think she’s had some work done). As expected, the city is full of oh-so-Russian orthodox churches with colorful onion domes peeking out over the skyline everywhere you look. The center of the old […]

Categories: Children, Community Development, Russia, Touchy Feelies, Volunteerism

Villa El Salvador: A Self-Managed Experiment in Peaceful Development

October 13, 2011 by Meghan Johnson

Today I joined in on home-visits of five elderly residents of Villa El Salvador with Sister Jackie, an American-born nun who has been living and serving in Villa for the past thirty years.  Benedicta, Juana, Domingo, Irene, Urbelina.  All are regulars at Martincitos, a community center for the elderly that provides meals, activity, and an extended family of sorts.  It’s a place that is heavy with love– the “love thy neighbor” kind of love– done very well. We drove through […]

Categories: Community Development, Peru, Volunteerism