For the entirety of this trip, I have been experiencing jaw dropping moments, whether it be about the beautiful landscapes, the unspeakable poverty and everything in between. Tonight was no different. Since our arrival to Oaxaca, we had been planning to take a trip to a lagoon called Manial Tepec, for a boat ride to see bioluminescent plankton. All of us were anticipating a lovely evening, but none of us were sure what to exactly expect.

The adventure began as we boarded a 10 seater boat and enjoyed a ride along the shoreline, birdwatching and relishing the beautiful, marshy scenery. I was amazed to see many white, grey and multi colored egrets, which are birds common in the United States— a nice reminder of home.

Eventually, we came up on a beach and enjoyed the sand & waves as we watched the sun settle and set across the horizon. We spent time taking photos, laughing and being silly.

After the sun had set, we reboarded the boat, and set off to find the bioluminescence. I found myself unable to draw my attention away from the stars, as it seemed every moment I spent looking into their depths, more and more stars & universes were revealed. My trance was broken as the friends around me began pointing and speaking with awe. It was then that I saw how the water had changed— it was glowing.

Never before have I experienced something so mysterious and mesmerizing. The driver stopped the boat, we strapped on our life vests (safety first am I right) and as we jumped, the water lit up all around us. It appeared like someone spilled glow sticks into the lagoon, creating a soft and gentle hue.

With every movement of the water, it was as though it awakened the organisms within, beckoning them to make their presence known. Whenever I lifted my hands from the water, I could do nothing but stare in pure amazement. As the water ran down my bare skin, it was as though my hands were a mirror, reflecting the stars and the universes I was staring at earlier. There on my fingers, was my own tiny galaxy.

It was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.

This experience and this place was nothing short of magical. As we swam in the water, the glisten of the bioluminescence was also present in the eyes and faces of my friends. We laughed, smiled and played in the enchanting water. All of our burdens, all of our worries and all of our struggles became weightless as we swam and floated in the gentle lagoon. Eventually, the time came to leave, and I know every single one of us wished our time never had to end.

Afterwards, while I reflected with friends, we discussed how stirring the experience was, as every movement and every single thing we did had an effect, turning once dark water into beautiful light.

I found myself taking this experience and expanding it further. It made me think about how in everything we do, whether it is in a secret lagoon, in our classrooms, at work, or wherever life takes us, our movements and what we do, has the ability to create beauty as well. However, so often, it is easy to get caught moving, and living in ways that are stagnant, like the untouched water. Although it is calm, it has the potential to be SO much more beautiful. Personally, I know I will be thinking about how I can use my movements more deliberately and more intentionally to bring illumination to my own life and the lives of others.

P.S.

This experience definitely ranks in the top 3 of my whole life. The amazing part is that the entire outing only cost 150 pesos each, which is about $5.50. Yet, it was one of the best things I have ever done.

It will be something I remember for the rest of my days and it will be a memory that the nine of us will always share together in our minds, and in our hearts.

Double P.S.

“When you fart, the water glows.” -Anonymous

This morning began slowly, as we were all somewhat groggy after staying up to celebrate the new year. However, after some coffee and good food, we were awake and ready for the day.

After breakfast, we had free time and took a short car ride to a neighboring beach, Roca Mar. We enjoyed some coconuts and chips & guacamole. While we were there, we met up with a local who is a teacher at the mission base! He had a few surf boards and taught us the basics of surfing, such as padding and balancing on the board (This was my first time ever experiencing anything related to surfing).

I have to say, there is something about sitting on a surf board, get floated up and down, balancing as the waves swirl around that brought me such peace and an overwhelming sense of calmness. I believe these emotions stem from the unity to the earth and the feeling of being deeply connected to power of the ocean. I find that moments like these are incredibly grounding and help quiet my heart & mind so that I may listen more intently to the things that truly matter.

In the afternoon, we enjoyed another meal and loaded into a van going to Rio Grande, a city about 20 minutes from where we are staying. The purpose of this trip was to preform home visits for two people in this city that the clinic provides assistance too. We split into two groups, and I went with Fay, Randy, Anya, Brooke and Eddie. We visited a man named Ernesto and in the hour that we spoke (mostly translated through Eddie) we learned a portion about his story. Ernesto is a double amputee. He lives in poverty inconceivable to many of us back in the states. His bed is made of sticks. He has no fridge. He has no ability to make money. He gets 50 pesos every 2 months from the government. That is less than $25. Every morning, gets himself out of bed with an intricate networking of string and wheels himself in his old, barely functioning wheel chair to the super market. There he asks for money for food, or food itself. Normally, he only gets about 15 pesos, but sometimes, the kind woman down the street will give him tamales. He has a friend who comes every other day to help him, but he revealed his friend has a drinking problem. He told us that he has three daughters, but he has not spoken to them in over 13 years. I could go on, but hopefully you are getting the picture. Every story he told about his life was full of pain, heartache and tragedy. As I looked around at my peers during this conversation I saw his pain reflected in their eyes and we were all filled with deep sadness and desperation. It was hard to know what to say to him, as comments like “things will get better,” or “change will come soon,” were fruitless and most likely untrue, so mostly we just listened. However, despite how little Ernesto had, he offered us the only food he had in his house, bananas. At first we didn’t understand what he was offering, but when we did, I think it is safe to say all of us were somewhat awestruck. Here before us, was a man with nothing, not even the ability to walk, and he is offering to us everything he has. To say that moment was humbling, does not properly do it justice.

Ernesto’s story is one I still have to process and ponder as it continues to leave a deep mark on my heart, so potentially more to come.

Leaving this encounter, Eddie, Brooke and I discussed our unrest about what we had seen. Each of us experiencing different emotions and having different thoughts, but all of us feeling deeply moved by what we had seen.

The truth is, I find myself haunted by the question of “what can we do, what can I do,” and I have no idea how to answer that. I hope one day, I can get closer to a solution.

The evening concluded with a wonderful dinner and fellowship. I have mentioned it before, but these moments together, talking about what we have seen, discussing our personal stories and histories and wrestling with these deep questions— it is such treasured and irreplaceable time.

Well, it is safe to say these last few days have been quite unique. Our travel started around 9pm on the 29th, and after a myriad of delays, poor weather conditions and missed connections, we finally made it to the mission base around 7:30pm on the 30th. Although this experience was not ideal, good company and Spanish speaking friends (especially in the Mexico City airport) made all the difference.

Once we made it to the mission base, we were greeted with amazing hospitality, delicious food and refreshments and beautiful accommodations. After dinner we played a few games of “go fish” and then all turned into our rooms for a restful night of sleep. The following day, we spent time in the clinic, did home visits and enjoyed a meal and a game of soccer with the children in orphanage.

We welcomed in the new year with swimming in the ocean and a bone fire while watching the sunset on the beach. I have to say, out of all the places I have traveled and oceans I have swam in, this place is one of the most incredible. The ocean was perfectly cool and provided welcomed relief from the heat and humidity. The waves offered many laughs and smiles as we body surfed, floated and a few times were pummeled by their heights.

I find myself feeling so grateful to be surrounded by a group of open, and thoughtful fellow students. Between card games like “golf” and candid conversations, I feel as though memories we are making on this trip will stay with us in the many years to come.