Come Sail a Way with us LIVE as the Westerdam meets the Sail a Way Gang

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Enjoyed seeing your visit and gifts to the school in Guatemala. Our Cruise Critic group on the Amsterdam a few years ago tried to do the same thing for a school in Nicaragua but everything got tied up in their Customs and we don't know if the school ever received what we had brought - school supplies and children's books.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Enjoyed seeing your visit and gifts to the school in Guatemala. Our Cruise Critic group on the Amsterdam a few years ago tried to do the same thing for a school in Nicaragua but everything got tied up in their Customs and we don't know if the school ever received what we had brought - school supplies and children's books.

 

 

 

That is a shame.

I hope the school got the supplies.

[kazu]

children's school continued..... (I hope)

 

https://vimeo.com/125587608

 

https://vimeo.com/125588668

 

these are videos I took at the school so you could see a bit of the dancing.

 

they uploaded at El Hualco restaurant in Tapachula where I bribed DH with a Negra Modela beer con limon (lime or as DH calls them green lemons) with miramba playing in the background.

 

I can post pics on board but not videos.

 

you might have to click the URL to see them - not sure.

 

now to upload our beloved roll call member dancing and I will post more when I am back.

 

Can only bribe DH so long as kazu has to find her flowers to take on board :)

[kazu]

and now, for Nicaragua.

 

There isn't just lunch included in the tour, there is also entertainment at lunch. Lunch was a tad long but it was nice to get a taste of the culture.

 

https://vimeo.com/125589885

 

https://vimeo.com/125590047

 

the video is short as I don't want to lose this friend on the roll call but I couldn't resist when he was asked to dance. so, here is one of our Sail a Way Gang having fun at lunch. Those who have sailed with him will recognize him instantly but I won't name him to protect the innocent. LOL

 

https://vimeo.com/125590322

 

a bit out of order from a reporting point of view, but this was the only way I could get the videos uploaded.

 

I will back track and catch up on the ship Not good to try DH's patience at internet cafes/restaurants.

 

Missing my internet buddy gigianne. She and I would go and her DH and mine could piddle around. LOL.

 

Thanks everyone for taking the time to read. We are having a great cruise and a great time so far.

 

sadly, I have realized our half way point was our highlight - Guatemala.

[OVgirl]

Jacqui,the videos are lovely to watch. No problem for me watching them right on your post. Good job and thank you.

[kazu]

Enjoyed seeing your visit and gifts to the school in Guatemala. Our Cruise Critic group on the Amsterdam a few years ago tried to do the same thing for a school in Nicaragua but everything got tied up in their Customs and we don't know if the school ever received what we had brought - school supplies and children's books.

 

 

we were very discreet. We loaded up HAL bags and had hats, water bottles, etc. on top. Each person only carried one bag and some not on tour went with us to help carry bags. We were not obvious so it was a success. I had heard about your situation so that is why we decided to be cautious and low key.

 

We have some very generous people on our roll call.

 

I hope 1of4 will post a pic of her pencil cases. I was helping hand them out so I didn't get one. I did have them on my email and they are actually on our roll call if you want to scroll. I don't think it is too far back from the end.

 

They were really, really beautiful. All unique and made with love.

[sppunk]

Jacqui what an amazing service you and the fellow SAG provided to those children.

 

Kudos to you all. How amazing, considerate and kind.

[sail7seas]

The GIG is up. Now that we have done it, I can tell you that we took a ton of supplies to the children's school Ninos con Benedicion today as part of our tour with Carlos (Guatemalan Guide). What a moving time it was. 1of4 and her DD had lovingly made them pencil cases which we filled with pencils, pens, colouring pencils, rulers, scissors, toothpaste and toothbrushes to name just a few things.

 

After they did their beautiful dancing and performances for us, it was our turn with our supplies. We kicked it off with chocolate - yes many of us had saved our pillow chocolates and the children came running. One of our innovative roll call members got her steward to give her a ton.

 

I got some ice from the concierge and between the ice and the air conditioning in the van, they didn't melt.

 

Then we started to pass out the pencil cases. It was touching when we started to pass out the pencil cases. The children were overwhelmed and some hesitant to take them in case they were going to be taken back.

 

You should have seen the looks on their faces as we emptied the bags (all 26) and they saw more stuff. Ink jets for their printers (big smile on the teacher's face), note pads of varying sizes, huge stacks of paper, over 1,000 pencils, pens, crayons, toys, silly putty, plastiscene, toothpaste, toothbrushes,

etc. The list was endless.

 

I think everyone's heart was warmed when they saw the looks on the children's faces.

 

I will post some pics but I would like to express my many thanks to those on the roll call who kindly contributed and helped those who needed it.

 

These are all Mayan children who would not get an education without this school.

 

they are a delight and so sweet and it just warmed my heart.

 

The teacher could not speak English well but my Spanish survived for the most part.

 

Even nicer, along with all of those supplies, we are doing a cabin crawl with a poker fun and the roll call agreed that 1/2 the money for the poker run could go to the school. I was delighted to go up and give them the money from "all of us" beforehand. The children were not expecting anything else.

 

It was a moving day and certainly one of my highlights.

 

 

 

 

 

I did do some videos that I would like to share as well as one of a roll call member dancing in Nicaragua but they won't download - perhaps because of the internet speed on the ship? If I can find a wifi station in Puerto Chiapas tomorrow I will try there, DH permitting.

 

I will back track a bit but this time was truly moving. I never took so many pictures in all of my life.

 

we kept this low key knowing of a problem a roll call had in Corinto in the past but I am now exuberant and happy to share with you all :)

 

 

 

This is really wonderful of all your Roll Callers.

Best post in the whole excellent thread!!!! :)

Great photos.

 

[sail7seas]

Very sad day, watching the Ryndam sail out of Tampa for the very last time under the Hal flags. It was so emotional that I forgot to get snips, but did manage to get one.

 

 

Thanks for sharing this with us, Melodie.

Sad to see Ryndam sail 'off'.

Wishing her and all who sail in her safe voyages to come.

 

[1of4]

 

We have some very generous people on our roll call.

 

I hope 1of4 will post a pic of her pencil cases. I was helping hand them out so I didn't get one. I did have them on my email and they are actually on our roll call if you want to scroll. I don't think it is too far back from the end.

 

They were really, really beautiful. All unique and made with love.

 

I do have pictures of the 43 pencil cases but they are at home. Each one was 9 x 6 inches with the zippers donated to me by my wonderful friend in Brisbane, Australia. DD and I made them together over the winter. Kazu is right. I did post them on the roll call when they were finished sometime in March.

 

I have a few pictures on this tablet but I don't know how to post them via tapatalk. This roll call is amazing and generous. We had such a wonderful experience watching these beautiful children. Such pure happiness, even some hesitation which I interpreted as some of the children were in disbelief that they could choose a pencil case and we wouldn't ask for it back. Scrapnana brought stickers and they went crazy over them. Sitting and looking at them and trading stickers amongst themselves.

 

DD gave a pencil case that was made with fabric that had brightly coloured crocodiles on it to one of the smallest boys. He was beaming at her and said "gracias". He walked away to show the other boys and then a minute later he came back and gave DD a huge hug!

 

Pure joy.

 

My children will never forget this experience. They will now bring it back to their school.

 

This experience was priceless. I believe the school was overwhelmed and we were honoured to be part of it.

[sail7seas]

I do have pictures of the 43 pencil cases but they are at home. Each one was 9 x 6 inches with the zippers donated to me by my wonderful friend in Brisbane, Australia. DD and I made them together over the winter. Kazu is right. I did post them on the roll call when they were finished sometime in March.

 

I have a few pictures on this tablet but I don't know how to post them via tapatalk. This roll call is amazing and generous. We had such a wonderful experience watching these beautiful children. Such pure happiness, even some hesitation which I interpreted as some of the children were in disbelief that they could choose a pencil case and we wouldn't ask for it back. Scrapnana brought stickers and they went crazy over them. Sitting and looking at them and trading stickers amongst themselves.

 

DD gave a pencil case that was made with fabric that had brightly coloured crocodiles on it to one of the smallest boys. He was beaming at her and said "gracias". He walked away to show the other boys and then a minute later he came back and gave DD a huge hug!

 

Pure joy.

 

My children will never forget this experience. They will now bring it back to their school.

 

This experience was priceless. I believe the school was overwhelmed and we were honoured to be part of it.

 

 

 

What a wonderful thing you did to bring such joy to less fortunate children. Teaches them there really are good, giving people in the world.

 

Well Done~!

 

[1of4]

The pictures of all the pencil cases is on page177 of the roll call. The date Iis March 2nd and it is post #3527.

 

The pictures of individual cases are on the tablet. There were only a few fabric repeated because I loved the fabric and wanted the children to have it all. :)

[Vict0riann]

I know someone took a picture of the large pile of pencil cases on the chair after we had finished stuffing them , and I have a photo on my camera of the 3 large baskets of general school supplies, over and above the filled pencil cases. Just don't know how to post it. I'll go and see if I can find Obnxshs to help!

[ger_77]

Oh my goodness, I just saw the photo of the pencil cases on page 177 of your roll call - what a lot of love you put into them! Did you make them using fat quarters, or are you a quilter with lots of fabric leftover from other projects? Brilliant, what a great idea.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Gerry

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

we were very discreet. We loaded up HAL bags and had hats, water bottles, etc. on top. Each person only carried one bag and some not on tour went with us to help carry bags. We were not obvious so it was a success. I had heard about your situation so that is why we decided to be cautious and low key.

 

We have some very generous people on our roll call.

 

I hope 1of4 will post a pic of her pencil cases. I was helping hand them out so I didn't get one. I did have them on my email and they are actually on our roll call if you want to scroll. I don't think it is too far back from the end.

 

They were really, really beautiful. All unique and made with love.

 

How clever of you. Glad it worked out so well.

[cruz chic]

The pictures of all the pencil cases is on page177 of the roll call. The date Iis March 2nd and it is post #3527.

 

The pictures of individual cases are on the tablet. There were only a few fabric repeated because I loved the fabric and wanted the children to have it all. :)

 

Very nice.

 

Here is a link to that roll call page

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1932910&page=177

[Krazy Kruizers]

we were very discreet. We loaded up HAL bags and had hats, water bottles, etc. on top. Each person only carried one bag and some not on tour went with us to help carry bags. We were not obvious so it was a success. I had heard about your situation so that is why we decided to be cautious and low key.

 

We have some very generous people on our roll call.

 

I hope 1of4 will post a pic of her pencil cases. I was helping hand them out so I didn't get one. I did have them on my email and they are actually on our roll call if you want to scroll. I don't think it is too far back from the end.

 

They were really, really beautiful. All unique and made with love.

 

 

You all were very clever.

Loved the videos.

[Krazy Kruizers]

1 of 4 -- hope you don't mind but I copied your pictures so that others can see them here:

 

 

 

 

They are beautiful!!

[PathfinderEss]

Great video's and photo's Kazu.

 

Love the photo's of the pencile holders, thanks KK for posting the picture - lots of love went into making them, 1of4 you did good.

Edited April 21, 2015 by PathfinderEss

[Mumsysailor]

I have a great video of our Crocodile Man River trip in Costa Rica which was a part of the tour Kazu didn't do although she organised it. I'll try to work out how to post it on here. We had a really good time spotting crocs and our boat driver kept getting out into the water to attract them and to feed them fish!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Love the beach]

Awseome pencil cases and good deeds! What a group!

Thanks for the beautiful photos, videos, etc. and Thanks to KK for copying the pencil case photos.

Marge

[Scrapnana]

I spent a nice restful day today and only left the ship to go onto the pier to do some shopping. I slept for ten hours last night after all the touring the last few days!:D

 

Formal night tonight.

[sail7seas]

The pencil cases are fabulous. What a wonderful job you and your DD did on them, 1of4. No wonder the children were so excited to receive them with all the pencils etc. :)

 

[SilvertoGold]

I spent a nice restful day today and only left the ship to go onto the pier to do some shopping. I slept for ten hours last night after all the touring the last few days!:D

 

Formal night tonight.

Missing your blog, but I know how you feel! We've done exactly what you did today!!

[1of4]

Oh my goodness, I just saw the photo of the pencil cases on page 177 of your roll call - what a lot of love you put into them! Did you make them using fat quarters, or are you a quilter with lots of fabric leftover from other projects? Brilliant, what a great idea.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Gerry

 

Thank you. I used both fat quarters and yardage. I am embarrassed to say that I only bought a few fat quarters of numbers and letters, all the rest of the outsides and lining I had. A friend donated the zippers and I bought stiff interfacing.

 

The remaining fabric will go to a group of ladies that sew for 3rd world charities. They use every inch.

 

Yes, I confess, I am a quilter!