#Bloggers4Haiti Here We Come

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Sunday as I was going through my comments and notifications on my blog I saw a little note from WordPress congratulating me. It was my fourth year anniversary since I began my blog thirdeyemom. I looked at the little symbol and reflected for a moment. Wow. Four years! Part of me was surprised that four years have passed so incredibly rapidly, just like a blink of an eye. The other part of me was almost shocked that I haven’t been blogging longer. Regardless, I realized at that moment what a profound impact my blog has had on my life.

Beautiful handicraft items made by Heart of Haiti Photo credit: Heart of Haiti

Not only have I received immense enjoyment and satisfaction from sharing my journey online, I’ve met countless fellow bloggers and have made some extremely good friendships  with like-minded people from blogging. What started out as a simple place for me to share my travels and views of the world, has brought me into an entirely new path of global advocacy. I have learned about issues impacting some of the world’s most neglected, left behind people and have used my voice to try to create change. I have traveled to New York, Washington DC, India and Ethiopia all thanks to my blog. And, tomorrow I am leaving for Haiti.

Looking back, little did I know that taking a leap of faith would bring me to where I am today. All those self-doubts have been cast aside. At 43, I finally feel like I know my place and journey in life. It took a lot of wrong turns, mistakes and bad choices but somehow serendipitously I ended up here. I am confident that if I keep plugging away, that only more doors will open and I will continue to follow the path of my dreams.

So what does my family think? Thankfully they wholeheartedly support me. I am often asked how I do it or sometimes even get the comments such as “Wow, your husband must really love you a lot to let you travel.” I just shrug my shoulders and let them believe what they want. I know I’m fortunate to have a wonderful life partner who supports me and helps  me (not lets me!) follow my dreams.

As I prepare for the 3 am wake-up call tomorrow and get my bags packed, I look forward to the next five days in Haiti. I have done my homework and know what to expect. It may be the western hemisphere’s poorest country that is still in deep recovery after the horrific earthquake five years ago. But it is rebuilding and there is hope.

Photo credit: Heart of Haiti

As part of the Macy’s Heart of Haiti program, we will be visiting the amazing women artisans who are working hard to build themselves and their families a better life. Women who five years ago were merely survivors who lost so much. I look forward to sharing more of their inspiring stories with you of hope, determination and a will to never give up. I will tell you about how Heart of Haiti was founded and why. How it has lifted these women up from hopelessness and poverty and has enabled them to create a sustainable living through art. I look forward to sharing their stories and offering a voice of hope.

Further reading:

Today, on Global Moms Challenge, my friend Leticia Barr wrote a guest post about our upcoming trip. She has traveled to Haiti before with Heart of Haiti and her post gives a bit more background about the program and what we aim to do.

 

 

 

 

26 thoughts on “#Bloggers4Haiti Here We Come”

  2. Lola Jane – Monterey Peninsula, California – Advocate for planet Earth, grandmother, Philippine born, US Air Force Veteran. I blog about topics related to conservation and the environment, living in the California Central Coast, and Philippine-related development topics, to understand challenges faced by developing nations like my home country. I believe we are all connected -- no matter what part of the world we live in -- and positive that we have the capacity to solve our problems…if we know what they are.
    Lola Jane on said:

    Congratulations on this anniversary, nicole…Wow! I look forward to seeing your posts for this journey (and learning more about Haiti).

    Sending hugs, love & support, and best wishes for continued growth for the meaningful, important work you do…

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Lola Jane! 🙂 I appreciate your kind words and enjoy your meaningful posts!

      Reply ↓
  3. Sue Slaght – Calgary, Alberta Canada – www.traveltalesoflife.com Many years from now, when I am an old lady sitting in the nursing home, I hope to be the twinkly eyed resident still entertaining anyone who I can corner to listen, about all of the wild adventures attempted in a lifetime. Well into the second half of the game of life there is no time like the present to get out there, live big and laugh a lot. Living in Calgary, Alberta, married to my best friend Dave for over thirty years and Mom to adult children; my decades as a nurse have shown that in a moment life can change completely. Passionate about social justice, volunteerism and not letting the phrase “What would people think?” or my own fear get in the way of trying something new; the possibilities are endless. Enjoy the tales and I hope you will be inspired to try something you have been thinking about doing.
    Sue Slaght on said:

    Congrats on everything you have achieved Nicole. You are making the world a better place. Safe travels.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thank you so much Sue! 🙂

      Reply ↓
  4. Alison and Don – Occupation: being/living/experiencing/travelling. In our sixties, with apparently no other authentic option, my husband Don and I sold our apartment and car, sold or gave away all our stuff and set off to discover the world. And ourselves. We started in Italy in 2011 and from there have travelled to Spain, India, Bali, Australia, New Zealand, SE Asia, South America, Egypt, Japan, etc. - you can see the blog archive. We travelled full-time for nearly six years, and then re-established a home in Vancouver. We now travel 2-3 months per year. We are interested in how the world works, how life works, how the creation of experience works, how the mind works. As we travel and both "choose" our course, and at the same time just let it unfold, we discover the "mechanics" of life, the astounding creativity of life, and a continual need to return to trust and presence. Opening the heart, and acceptance of what is, as it is, are keystones for us both. Interests: In no particular order: travel, photography, figure skating (as a fan), acceptance, authenticity, walking/hiking, joy, creativity, being human, adventure, presence, NOW. Same for Don except replace figure skating with Formula One motor racing.
    Alison and Don on said:

    I have so much admiration for you. You spread grace around like candy. Have fun in Haiti!
    Alison

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Wow thank you Alison for the extremely kind words! I truly appreciate it! 🙂 Nicole

      Reply ↓
  5. rodi (Rob and Diane) – Walnut Creek, CA USA – I was recently downsized from my financial services position which didn't really bother me since both my wife and I hate our jobs even though they are secure (hers anyway) and pay relatively well. We've been planning on retiring early for some time now, mostly through diligent saving and taking annual vacations to possible retirement destinations. Rather than attempt another job search we decided to sell the house and stuff and give early retirement a go at ages 50/43. Since we're self directed investors and I'm from the industry, we think we'll be fine as long as we begin in a country with a lower cost of living. We've chosen Penang, Malaysia although we've not yet been there, making this an experimental leap of faith. I must be age 50 and show current income in order to qualify for the residency visa of choice therefore one of us (not me) must keep working until April, 2015. I decided to start the blog ahead of the move since I figured we'd be overwhelmed and I'm a total newbie to blogging. So please excuse the long transitional category which is all I can post since we're not actually expats yet. Well, technically my wife is since she's a Canadian citizen living in the USA, although she was naturalized in 2014. Cheers !!
    rodi (Rob and Diane) on said:

    Congrats !
    I continue to bleed envy and some jealousy of your incredible life and always look to you whenever I feel like my blog is a waste of time !! You rock

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thank you so much Rob and Diane for the kind words. I truly appreciate it! 🙂

      Reply ↓
  6. Shani W – Melbourne, Australia – I am a mother of two owner of Kookki Designs and a dreamer of life filled with love, laughter and travel adventure
    Shani W on said:

    I envy your work!!! Your blog is an inspiration for people like me…. keep up the good work 🙂

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thank you so much! 🙂

      Reply ↓
  7. Leslee Jaeger – Minnesota – Ob/gyn physician, mom to both bio and adopted kids, passionate about women's health care both domestic and international. Love to travel, explore new foods and cultures.
    Leslee Jaeger on said:

    I have been traveling to Haiti for 8 years and always enjoy the return visits. The culture and people are hard to describe. It will be interesting to see your insight

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks so much for your comment. What have you been doing during your visits to Haiti? I truly feel in love with the place. Yes, it is hard to describe. I know I’ll be back. Would love to read any of your insight. 🙂 Nicole

      Reply ↓
      • Leslee Jaeger – Minnesota – Ob/gyn physician, mom to both bio and adopted kids, passionate about women's health care both domestic and international. Love to travel, explore new foods and cultures.
        Leslee Jaeger on said:

        I am an ob/gyn physician in the Twin Cities area and have been traveling to Haiti for medical mission work since 2006. I have also started a microfinance non-profit to benefit the local women of northern Haiti (Helpinghaitiwork.org). Our upcoming trip in April will be to teach midwives cervical cancer screening.

      • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
        thirdeyemom on said:

        Wow, that is wonderful. If you are ever interested in getting connected with a group of women bloggers on maternal health, please let me know. I work with a large group who share work like yours. I can only imagine how daunting your work must be in Haiti given the poor infrastructure and health care system. My friend is going there sometime soon with a NGO to document the work of midwives. If you are interested in having your April trip covered, please let me know as you could send me a post and some photos from your trip, and I’d be happy to share it on my blog or with my network.

      • Leslee Jaeger – Minnesota – Ob/gyn physician, mom to both bio and adopted kids, passionate about women's health care both domestic and international. Love to travel, explore new foods and cultures.
        Leslee Jaeger on said:

        I would love to share stories beyond my small blog following. How would i get more connected with this group? Do u know where your friend will be going with the NGO? You can reach me directly at jaegerleslee@gmail.com

      • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
        thirdeyemom on said:

        Thanks Leslee! Let me know if you get anything going with Jennifer. Otherwise I’d be happy to share your stories on my blog.

      • Leslee Jaeger – Minnesota – Ob/gyn physician, mom to both bio and adopted kids, passionate about women's health care both domestic and international. Love to travel, explore new foods and cultures.
        Leslee Jaeger on said:

        I am interested in getting more connected beyond my small group of followers on my blog. Do you know what group your friend is working with – both NGO and midwives? You can email me privately at jaegerleslee@gmail.com.

  8. anotherday2paradise – Durban South Africa and Florida USA – I enjoy writing about absolutely anything, and started blogging with WordPress in 2012. This was my 'Hammock Lady' blog, and I really enjoyed sharing my travels here: http://adinparadise.wordpress.com/ In November 2013, I decided it was time for a change of scenery, so I started my blog afresh, and here it is. I love to travel, and have been fortunate enough to do two round-the-world trips and visit more than forty countries so far. This year we visited our 7th continent, Antarctica. I enjoy photographing wildlife, especially in my backyard in Florida. I was born and brought up in England. My husband and I emigrated to South Africa in 1970. We now live in Florida, USA. I have a son and a daughter and five gorgeous grandchildren currently aged between 6 and 21 years. I'm so happy that you've taken the time to visit my blog, and would love for you to join me on my travels. Sylvia.
    anotherday2paradise on said:

    Safe travels, Nicole. Looking forward to reading about your trip. 🙂

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Sylvia! It was an amazing trip! Just trying now to play catch up but I am looking forward to sharing what I learned.

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Andrew! Looks like you have been very busy painting!

      Reply ↓
  10. Sreejith Nair – Kannur, Kerala – I am from the south indian state of kerala, and now living in Bangalore. My passion is travelling and photography.
    Sreejith Nair on said:

    Congrats for completing four years of blogging 🙂

    It’s really nice to see that, you have always shared relevant and thought provoking articles from across the globe.

    Great to see how people of Haiti is rebuilding their life after the devastating earthquake, hats off to the effort of globalmomschallenge.

    Really great to see how much support you are getting from your family 🙂

    Hope you have a great time and waiting to hear many interesting and positive stories once you are back 🙂

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks so much! I have a lot more to share! 🙂

      Reply ↓

  11. Hello and thank you so much for this beautiful post , 🙂 Your story is so inspiring and its great that you have shared so much on your journey………I have been reading your posts ( am new to wordpress ) and for us readers its like traveling the world with…Please keep up the awesome job and wish you all the best for your journey 🙂 🙂 Namoskar!!!

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thank you so much!

      Reply ↓

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