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BY Nancy Mueller 8 Comments ON March 6, 2012

Making a Difference: Destination Haiti

Sarah with Group of Haitian Children

Wanderboomers love to travel for a host of reasons: to see the world, meet new people, visit far-flung places, learn about other cultures, and/or to make a difference in the lives of others.

Two years after the cataclysmic 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the work to bring medical care, food, clothing and shelter to the country’s inhabitants continues. For one Seattle woman, Sarah Pierre-Louis, and her Haitian husband Adrien, caring for the children who survived the disaster has become a personal mission with the loss of their niece who died in the quake.

Tent City in Haiti

After leaving a successful sales career in corporate America, Pierre-Louis began researching and applying for grants to support their cause. The couple founded their charity, Children, the Future of Haiti, with the purpose of helping “one orphanage at a time to make sure kids have the basics,” says Pierre-Louis. “If the children don’t get the education and healthcare they need, they’ll be slaves in their own country.” Once the children’s basic needs are met, their next goal is to build schools to keep kids off the streets and prevent kid trafficking.

View of Port-au-Prince

Although Sarah and Adrien’s mission began immediately on the heels of the earthquake, their charity received legal status as an independent non-profit organization in March 2011 thanks to the efforts of their VP, Christina Barone. Since then they have partnered with Kettelyne Polinice, the director of an orphanage located in Petionville, Haiti near their family home. The 29 children living here range from 3 to 17 years of age. In some cases, the children have no parents. Others may only have one parent or two parents, neither of whom can afford to care for the child, because even if the parents survived, their businesses did not.

So far the foundation members have delivered appliances, clothing and medical supplies to the orphanage but are in need of bed linens and towels, shoes and more clothing for the children. Additional fundraising efforts are focused on raising money for toilets, school tuition and mandatory uniforms for the children to be able to attend school.

Sarah with Haitian Children

* All photo credits courtesy of Sarah Pierre-Louis.

What about you, Wanderboomers? How are you making a difference through your travels?

Filed Under: Baby Boomers and Travel, Destinations, Haiti, Make a Difference Tagged With: 2010 earthquake in Haiti, children, Children the Future of Haiti, Clothing, corporate America, earthquake, education, food, Haiti, Haitian, kid trafficking, medical supplies, orphanage, orphans, Port-au-Prince, poverty, sales, schools, shelter, tent city, travel, tuition, uniforms

BY Nancy Mueller 23 Comments ON December 29, 2011

2011: Most Memorable Meal

Equator Monument

Think back to the special meals you’ve had in your travels. What made the meals so memorable? Was it simply the quality of the food cooked to perfection? The unexpected delight of tasting new flavors? Or perhaps it was the company who shared your table and the conversation that flowed between you.

Though I had many memorable meals in 2011, a luncheon that stands out is one I shared with my tour guide, Giovanna, for all the reasons above. I had just arrived in Ecuador the day before and we were wrapping up our excursion to the Equator Monument, about 15 miles north of Quito. Before leaving, Giovanna suggested having a bite to eat at a small, nondescript restaurant on site. We were shown to a table in the back.

Traditional Ecuadorian Meal

With my first bite of the traditional Ecuadorian food I had ordered, I smiled. Mmm . . . The combination of pork, potatoes, corn, avocado and fried bananas made for a perfect midday meal. The setting far away from home, the ambiance of the restaurant, Giovanna’s wonderful company, all made for a most unforgettable meal.

What memorable meals have you had in 2011, Wanderboomers?

Filed Under: Activities, Baby Boomers and Travel, By Land, By Ship & By Sea, Ecuador, Food & Dining Tagged With: ambiance, avocado, company, corn, Ecuadorian food, Equator Monument, food, fried bananas, meals, memorable, midday meal, pork, potatoes, Quito, restaurant, setting, tour guide, traditional

BY Nancy Mueller 12 Comments ON August 17, 2011

Tasty Snacks from Ecuador

In Quito, Ecuador I dined in the restaurant at the Hotel Mecure Alameda where I was staying and was intrigued by the snack I was served before one of my meals.

The mix of popcorn, banana chips, fried corn kernels and sweet onion was an unusual combination of flavors, both salty and sweet, and definitely crunchy.

I also loved the abundance and variety of enticing fruit displays at outdoor markets and the fresh fruit juices made from naranjilla (“little orange” – my favorite), guanabana (white, sweet and frothy), and the more familiar blackberry, mango and papaya.

In Cayambe, my guide, Giovanna, took me to her favorite place to sample the local specialty: “bizcochos,” flaky, melt-in-your-mouth buttery biscuits. Delicious!

With a glass of naranjilla and bizcochos to nibble on, I’m a happy gal!

How about you, Wanderboomers? What exotic foods have you enjoyed in your travels?


Filed Under: Baby Boomers and Travel, Destinations, Food & Dining Tagged With: banana chips, biscuits, bizcochos, blackberry, Cayambe, Ecuador, food, fruit, guanabana, juice, mango, naranjillo, outdoor markets, popcorn, snacks, sweet onion

Hello fellow wanderboomers! I’m a Seattle-based travel journalist, specializing in fun travel adventures for the young at heart. My articles have been featured in Hemispheres, AAA Highroads Magazine and Northwest Travel & Life Magazine where I'm a frequent contributor. When this Wanderboomer isn’t traveling, I help global executives polish their personal and professional brand for long-term results.
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