8,536 Pairs of TOMS Shoes - Mystery Solved

Many of you have heard of TOMS Shoes.  If you haven't, you should.
Many of you have heard the rumor that they donate a portion of the funds from your purchase, but never really knew if it was true.


So let me help you out.  Read on to learn about this amazing initiative, and yes, I can prove it's true!

TOMS is a for-profit company based in Playa Del Rey, California, that operated the now defunct non-profit subsidiary, Friends of Toms. The company was founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie, an entrepreneur from Arlington, Texas.

TOMS have made a name for themselves over the last 10 years, and are a very popular fashion choice all over the world.  They're partnered with over 70 countries to distribute

• Shoes  -  TOMS has given more than 35 million pairs of new shoes to children in need.
• Eye Care  -  TOMS Eyewear purchases provide a person in need with a full eye exam by trained medical professionals. Each patient then receives the treatment he or she needs. TOMS supports treatments for three of the most common vision issues: Glasses, Sight Saving Surgery and Medical Treatment
• Clean Drinking Water  -  Each bag of TOMS Roasting Co. Coffee provides
  140 liters of safe water, a week's supply, to a person in need.
• Safe Birthing  -  TOMS Bags purchases support our Giving Partners'
  in delivering the vital materials and training needed to
  help provide a safe birth regardless of the facility.

SO.  Now that you have a better idea of who these guys are, and their initiative, I'm going to paint a picture for you.  Except it's no painting, it's real life, right here in Roatan, Honduras!

From time to time I have the opportunity to volunteer with an AMAZING organization called Because We Care .  BWC was founded by a woman native to the island of Roatan, Nidia Webster.  Nidia's initiative is all about helping the needy. Reaching out into the most REMOTE places all over the Island of Roatan, giving a shoulder and a hand to the those forgotten by our government.  When Nidia isn't running her full time party supply store in town, or focusing on her own 4 children and their school activities, homework and social lives, she's dedicating all of her time to coordinating volunteers and fundraisers to help those in need ALL OVER the island!  Food Drives, school supplies, shoes, sponsoring handmade school desks and more!  She is an amazing woman with a keen talent for pulling together some major efforts.  Imagine running a donation program on an island where few people have transportation, including the volunteers!  It takes a village...

A little girl from the Kindergarten Class in Spanish town.  What a little heart breaker!

The last 2 months the team has visited every single school on the island of Roatan, even out to St. Helene by boat, to size and deliver 8,536 pairs of brand new TOMS shoes.  That's 17,072 feet and 170,720 little piggies!!! 

Getting sizes sorted before the fitting begins in Punta Gorda

The process can be a bit arduous, packing box after box, cramming in tight spaces with little or no facilities, language barriers, lots of sweaty little feet (17,072 to be exact) and humid, hot sun.  But in the end, putting a smile on a little child's face, and watching the instant pride they gain with a pair of brand new shoes that are all theirs, not hand me downs or shared with other siblings, makes it ALL worth it.

The kids love to help us carry boxes.

A local administration monitors the curriculum in each school, to ensure English is also being taught.

Check out my new shoes!

All dolled up!

Honduran children are so beautiful!

Waiting patiently for their turn

Boxes and Boxes Galore

We fitted around 1,000 kids this day

Trying to make it fun for the kids!

CONTACT ME if you'd like to learn more about contributing to the new school desk initiative, school supply donations, health & hygiene donations or actively volunteering during your visit to Roatan.  *Thank you to my friend Debbie-Leigh Crofutt over at Mermaid on a Raft,  and Because We Care Organization for sharing her photos!

One of the most beautiful places in the world, Lake Atitlan

It has always been a given, that if I ever got the chance to visit Guatemala, Lake Atitlan would be part of the tour.  I didn't know anything about this lake, except that over and over and over I'd heard others express their lasting love, special memories and unique spiritual connections with this natural wonder of the world .  And now I finally understand why.

I couldn't stop taking pictures of this beautiful, serene, soaring landscape of natural beauty.  The magnificent beauty surrounding myself and this lake was nothing short of life altering.

Lake Atitlán is renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.
It is the deepest lake in Central America, thrusting itself over 1,100 feet deep.
It's deep caldera is a result of volcanic activity 84,000 years ago.
3 Volcanoes share the lake's shores; Volcan Atitlan, Volcan San Pedro and Voclan Toliman.

You have no choice.  But to relax.

This mountain is called 'Indian Nose'  Can you see it?

Many small towns can be found dotted all around the lake, in which Maya culture is still very prevalent.  Traditional clothing is still worn by many of the men and women indigenous to the land  Most towns are accessible by road, but would take hours and hours.  The easiest mode of transport from one town to the next is water taxi.

Brian and I, pretty proud of ourselves for getting a water taxi at night

I had the great pleasure of spending 3 of my 4 nights with Brian and Lindsay!  They had plans to visit the lake as well, so we headed up, met up and had a blast!  We spent the days lazily exploring trails and towns, swimming, eating, drinking and dancing.  The town we spent most of our time in was San Marcos.  I gotta say, as an Oregonian I thought I knew what hippy culture was like.  Until San Marcos.

The town has become a Mecca for all things spiritual, with several meditation, yoga, and massage training centers, among many other earth loving communal style compounds, vegan cafes, precious stone vendors galore and tie dye for days.  I even met a dog named Rainbow.

Local kids love cameras.  A lot!

A quick and easy way to get around the larger, hilly towns.  Tuk Tuks!

Brian studying the laws of gravity, with an audience below.

Our favorite spot to chill in San Marcos

Lindsay's volcano selfie

I didn't want to jump off that platform, but I really wanted this picture, so I jumped.

Shortly after I returned home from this amazing 10 day adventure, I got fired from my job for going.  I still can't quite wrap my head around the logic there, but one thing is for certain;  I wouldn't take it back for anything in the world!!!  Lake Atitlan, we'll meet again...

Volcanos everywhere, welcoming and bidding farewells.

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Antigua, Guatemala - CHECK!

Kicking off the new year with a trip somewhere new felt so good!  Living here in Roatan, I tend to travel less, and when I do it's more often to visit Oregon where my family and friends live.  A little exploration was calling my name.

For about $400, I was able to fly to Guatemala City from Roatan, via El Salvador.  Once Krystal and I arrived in Guatemala City, we threw our luggage in the hotel room and sprinted towards the mall!  We spent many hours in what seemed like the biggest mall in the world.  I'm guessing it was the same size as most malls, but when you come from a place where the grocery store is bigger than the airport; things start getting a little skewed.  We caught a movie at the movie theater, complete with fountain sodas and popcorn, more treats for these island girls!  We treated ourselves to the hotel's fancy continental breakfast, a trip to the salon before meeting our driver to take us to the beautiful town of Antigua.

Our fancy hotel, Grand Tikal Futura

Treating ourselves to the salon inside the MALL!

Antigua, the capital of the Captaincy-General of Guatemala, was founded in the early 16th century. Built 1,500 m above sea-level, in an earthquake-prone region, it was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1773 but its principal monuments are still preserved as ruins. In the space of under three centuries the city, which was built on a grid pattern inspired by the Italian Renaissance, acquired a number of superb monuments.

The pattern of straight lines established by the grid of north-south and east-west streets and inspired by the Italian Renaissance, is one of the best examples in Latin American town planning and all that remains of the 16^th-century city. Most of the surviving civil, religious, and civic buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries and constitute magnificent examples of colonial architecture in the Americas. These buildings reflect a regional stylistic variation known as Barroco antigueño. Distinctive characteristics of this architectural style include the use of decorative stucco for interior and exterior ornamentation, main facades with a central window niche and often a deeply-carved tympanum, massive buildings, and low bell towers designed to withstand the region’s frequent earthquakes. Among the many significant historical buildings, the Palace of the Captains General, the Casa de la Moneda, the Cathedral, the Universidad de San Carlos, Las Capuchinas, La Merced, Santa Clara, among others, are worth noting.

Delectable dining and exceptional cocktails and wine list at Micho's Gastro Pub

Mercedes Escobar treated us to her epic Ranchero performance, with a twist!

The building exteriors are mostly concrete, but all of them have their own flair

Antigua is overflowing with creative, artistic and unique restaurants, bars, coffee shops and boutiques

I have no idea what sort of celebration these statues are for, but they're quite impressive!

Island Sisters ~ Relaxin in Antigua

Handcrafted art everywhere you turn.  So beautiful!

It's nearly impossible not to be able to see a volcano from any vantage point of this city

Volcan de Agua

It's so beautiful I don't even care what is behind it!

Morning hike to see the city from afar

Cerro de la Cruz (Hill of the Cross)

So much simple beauty in Antigua

The central park, a very common theme among Latin America.  I could spend hours here watching the day go by.

Cathedral De Santiago

Santa Catalina Arch & Volcan de Agua

I couldn't stop snapping pictures, it was just too beautiful.

One of my favorites.  Vibrant and clean, with a reflection of the clouds off the glass.

Antigua lent itself a whole heap of fun for Krystal and I, and also couple of chance meetings with some friends!

Katie over at Nature Nibbles and Luke, host of Luke Massey Images, hadn't planned to overnight in Antigua while I was there, and their trip to Lake Atitlan started many days earlier than mine, so our paths were running pretty parallel, and fortunately crossed at the last minute.  Katie and I met on Roatan where her family owns land and she worked as a Scuba Instructor, and made some pretty great memories playing drunken volleyball Friday Nights on the beach!  She left the island to manage a bush camp in Zambia, where she met her now boyfriend Luke, who is a Wildlife Photographer.  The 3 of us shared a handful of beers and decided to try out the Illegal Mezcal accompanied by Orange slices dipped in Cayenne Salt.  Yummm!  Fortunately, they are headed to the island after their trek around Guatemala, so we will be lucky enough to stir up a volleyball reunion!

Lindsay and Brian over at Sintopes are friends from Oregon, who actually drove from Washington State!  Check out the link to their story, it's a good one!  We spent a couple of evenings telling stories and catching up, tasting Margaritas & Mezcals, indulging in late night Grilled 'Cheesus' Sandwiches and sampling the occasional Pesto flavored ice cream!  Lucky for me, they had visions of exploring Lake Atitlan as well, and we ended up spending a few days exploring the lake and the towns surrounding.

Sharing beers & stories with Lindsay & Brian.  (Brian conquered SIX Chili Dogs that night)

Stay Tuned, Lake Atitlan on deck...

Something about old ruins alongside bright colorful purple flowers, the rustic freshness caught my eye.