"Geneva Wilgus Follows a Higher Calling"

June 26, 2012

Golok Sengcham Drukmo Home for Girls, China
Geneva Wilgus

 thursday, february 26, 2009 "Geneva Wilgus Follows a Higher Calling" This is the recent article in Mid Coast Maine's The Times Record, about my project. Thank you to the TR staff!02/20/2009 Brunswick High grad heads to Tibet to teach 'rescued' girlsBy Beth Brogan, Times Record StaffPHIPPSBURG — Twenty-year-old Geneva Wilgus leaves March 9 for Tibet. On her first trip out of the United States, she'll travel from Phippsburg to Boston, then fly through New York and Beijing, landing in Xining, China. After acclimating to the 13,000-foot altitude, Wilgus will then travel by car 13 hours, "and go a little higher."The journey will take the 2006 Brunswick High School graduate to the Golok Sengcham Drukmo Home for Girls in Qinghai Province, Tibet, where for three months she'll teach approximately 50 adolescent girls...

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new faces, familiar places

June 26, 2012

Golok Sengcham Drukmo Home for Girls, China
Geneva Wilgus

 monday, february 16, 2009 new faces, familiar places You're Invited to Geneva's First FundraiserFebruary 22, 2009: 6-10pm Contra Dance & Silent Auction Wescustogo Hall, North YarmouthCome out to enjoy live music, unique auction items, and energetic dancing that's right for all ages and skill levels! It will be a night to remember.If you have read the Times Record Article, please note that the fundraiser takes place at Wescustogo Hall, Walnut Hill Rd, North Yarmouth(not "Westcustogo Inn, Princes Pt Rd")---Susie Knowles' Longfellow classroom played host to Dockpo Tra last week, the founder and director of the Golok Sengcham Drukmo Home for Girls in Tibet. Dockpo visited class Wednesday, February 11, accompanied by myself and Steve Le, visiting from the Pacific Ridge School, and also as representative of the Omprakash Foundation, from Carlsbad,...

Longfellow Elementary School Fifth Grade Class with Dockpo and Geneva

Geneva, Dockpo, and Mrs. Susie Knowles in Brunswick, Maine

Dockpo speaks at Brunswick High School

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last month in town

June 26, 2012

 tuesday, february 10, 2009 last month in town It's February, and in exactly 28 days, I leave for Tibet. I am feeling the stress of pulling together fundraisers as well as the various travel arrangements that are part of the trip, but, as one of my favorite poets says, "I am learning it daily, learning it through pains to which I am greatful: patience is all!" -RM Rilke, "Letters To A Young Poet."If you are new to the blog, welcome! Read more about the background of this project through the links to older posts on the right side of the page.Upcoming Fundraiser:Sunday, February 22, 6pm-10pmSilent Auction and Contra DanceWescustogo Hall, North Yarmouth$8/Adult, children under 15/freeLive music, dancing for the whole family, and auction items you can't resist, all for a great...

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Dhay phe-paa thu-je chhe!

June 26, 2012

Golok Sengcham Drukmo Home for Girls, China
Geneva Wilgus

 wednesday, january 28, 2009 Dhay phe-paa thu-je chhe! The title of this blog post is Tibetan: "Thanks for coming here!" and is among one of the many phrases that I am learning in preparation for March. Many thanks to Willy Oppenheim for providing "Say It In Tibetan," by Norbu Chophel.If you are new to the blog, thank you for reading, and be sure to read further via the links to older posts on the right-hand side of the page.The first fundraiser for Golok Sengcham Drukmo (GSD) is set for February 22, 2009 from 6pm-10pm at the Wescustogo Hall in North Yarmouth, Maine. It is a Contra Dance and Silent Auction to fund my remaining travel costs, generate a donation to the home, and fund the recently created scholarship for the girls...

Pacific Ridge School: Geneva, a PRS student, and Vance talk about volunteering.

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An Introduction and Welcome

June 26, 2012

Golok Sengcham Drukmo Home for Girls, China
Geneva Wilgus

 monday, january 5, 2009 An Introduction and Welcome Dear Friend,My name is Geneva Wilgus, and I live with my family in Mid Coast Maine. I am taking this year "on," between my sophomore and junior years, in order to pursue some different interests. I attended Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio after recruitment to their nationally ranked debate team. After two years, I withdrew and came home to Maine, and began coaching debate at my alma mater Brunswick High School as well as substitute teaching for the Brunswick district. I also volunteer with Rick Wilson at Brunswick High School for the Service Learning classes and work with a few other independent projects.This year has provided me with clarity and vision, and I am realizing more about myself than I ever did on...

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Who You Are and How You Help

June 26, 2012

Golok Sengcham Drukmo Home for Girls, China
Geneva Wilgus

 monday, january 5, 2009 Who You Are and How You Help There will be a numerous amount of people following this blog, and I'd like to highlight each group in order to address their purpose and involvement. This will change as the preparation moves forward, and this certainly is not an exhaustive list.---Regardless of which category you fall in to, any support you can provide will be immeasurable. Whether you send money, books, academic supplies or simply remain in touch through the blog or email, your support means that you care about this international initiative and the furthering of education everywhere.If you would like to send money, make your check out to the Omprakash Foundation so that your donation will be tax deductible. The priority for the allocation of funds is...

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Project Narrative

June 26, 2012 | 1 comment

Golok Sengcham Drukmo Home for Girls, China
Geneva Wilgus

Project Narrative Omprakash Foundation: Project Narrative -Location: Golok Sengcham Drukmo Home for Girls, Qinghai Province, Tibet, China-Timing and Duration: March 1, 2009 – June 1, 2009 (Three months total) -Focus of service: Teaching English, Geography, Personal Hygiene, general care of thirty girlsDescription of the mission of the organization I will be working with:The “biggest dream” of the GSD Home is “to enable every Tibetan girl to get an education. Then they will be able to stand up and choose whatever they want to do in their life. Until that day, we won’t stop working.” GSD provides thirty impoverished and disenfranchised girls with:An education, emphasis on literacyA loving home, quality health care and career optionsThe tools to become an empowered woman, rather than a subservient household figureType of service I will be doing...

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Ignorance was Bliss

June 26, 2012

Living outside of America for the last two months has really cleared up some of the ignorance I had about the world. There are two I want to mention because they came as a surprise to me. I recently met a German man who was educated in the states because of the opportunity a basketball scholarship afforded him. This may not sound like much but this man was black. I never knew or even thought that black Germans existed. Unfortunately I was unable to ask him questions about his background. When I sat down and thought more about the encounter my level of surprise went away. I just began to think about slavery and how the range of blacks must stretch far and wide throughout our world.Because of the magnet...

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Alternative Community Development

June 25, 2012 | 1 comment

Haiti Communitere, Haiti
Sahadia Auguste

Haiti carry’s a certain stigma, one that produces a similar image in the minds of masses whenever mentioned. The image is not a pretty one, with unpaved roads littered with debris and a desperate population, searching for shelter and comfort (disclaimer: this does NOT truly represent Haiti, I am only referring to general assumptions). Now, to imagine a place in even more despair than previously described would be to imagine Cite Soleil. Cite Soleil is a densely populated impoverished community within the Port Au Prince metropolitan zone. The area is regarded as the biggest slum in the Northern Hemisphere and one of the most dangerous in the West. Its has the reputation for good reason, Cite Soleil's history is not one of progression and pleasantries. In fact, the city had...

Cite Soleil Community Building

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A Typical Day at Los Pibes

June 25, 2012

Voluntario Global, Argentina
Taryn Cutrona

 A typical day in Los Pibes, the community center in La Boca, Buenos Aires, where I've worked the past 4 weeks begins at 4:30 PM.  I walk into the community center, am greeted by the wonderful workers at the desk where I sign in.  Then I walk upstairs into the classroom for "Apoyo Escolar" (After school Support).  Usually the kids don't arrive until 5, so I  spend some time hanging out with Berta, the very upbeat and welcoming program coordinator.Most of the time, the kids arrive together in a huge, sometimes overwhelming, wave of laughter and chatter.  They take turns greeting Berta and I, as well as any other volunteers that are there that day.  Some of the older students will tell me they have English homework due the following...

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