Inspire Book

Inspire Book

INSPIRE A volunteer adventure inspiration book

WELCOME JAMBO HOLA NAMASTE

ABOUT FREE THE CHILDREN & ME TO WE: Me to We Volunteer Adventures directly connect participants to traditional cultures and communities through our partnership with Free The Children, our charity partner and best friend in changing the world. Thanks to Free The Children’s long- standing ties with communities where Me to We operates, we offer travelers the opportunity to interact and engage with these unique and very welcoming cultures, people and communities.

BUILD THE MOMENTUM CONNECT WITH US

1.877.638.6931 x 540 [email protected]

This book showcases photographs and heartfelt moments cap- tured on our family and corporate Volunteer

Adventures to India, Kenya and Ecuador. I hope it inspires you to find joy and pur- pose in every day, and I invite you to join us—by sharing this book, traveling with us, and making an impact on the world!

Roxanne Joyal, CEO, Me to We

INDIA Araveli Cottages and Tented Camp provides a gateway to India’s vibrant people and culture, with ancient forts nearby to explore and colorful Rajasthani-style accommodation. KENYA Bogani Cottages and Tented Camp offers unique opportunities to connect with the local Maasai community, world-class safari and Indian Ocean adventures, and authentic accommodations.

ECUADOR

Minga Lodge is nestled deep in the Amazon basin, connecting visitors with Amazonian culture and remarkable eco-adventures—all from a tropical hideaway overlooking the Napo River.

Enjoying indoor-outdoor life at Bogani Cottages and Tented Camp

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INSPIRE. 8

GRATITUDE. 40

EXPLORE. 12

WISH. 44

BELIEVE . 16

SAVOR. 48

JOURNEY . 20

LAUGH. 52

CHALLENGE. 24

LOVE. 56

LEARN. 28

SHARE. 60

DISCOVER. 32

VOLUNTEER . 64

GIVE. 36

TRAVEL. 69

Learning to balance a pot before taking part in a water walk

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INSPIRE LIVE AN INSPIRED LIFE. Inspiration is everywhere. It surrounds us. It gives our lives direction and purpose. And yet it can take an extraordinary adventure or moment to open our eyes to its potential. Once we have found our passion and the seed of inspiration has been planted, it’s up to each of us to nurture it with small daily actions that reinforce our values and beliefs. That’s how we live an inspired life that fulfills and sustains us.

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Sharing a moment with a new student at a local Indian school

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How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.

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ANNE FRANK

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1. Embracing life in Kenya | 2. A friendly face in Ecuador | 3. Arriving in India

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Confront fears. Seek adventure. Follow your heart. Leave the map at home. EXPLORE

Expand your horizons. Awaken your senses. Push the envelope. Dive deeper.

1. Balancing act in the streets of Udaipur | 2. Boat ride through the Amazon | 3. A resident peacock at Araveli Cottages and Tented Camp

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A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.

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CHARLES DARWIN

1. Playing a game with a child in Kenya | 2. Experiencing a water walk in India | 3. Absorbing spectacular views of the Indian hills

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BELIEVE There’s magic in believing . Dictionaries say belief is a psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true. We know it’s more than just that. The power of belief—when acted upon by many—can change the world we live in.

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An afternoon on the coast of Kenya

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A friendship circle while playing games at a Free The Children school in Kenya

“ ” The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

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JOURNEY The smell of fresh spices in the warm breeze, the deep roar of lions calling to the stars, the challenge of a foreign language, the glow of new friendship, the thrill of your first arrow reaching its target—there is so much to take in, you have no place to be but in the moment. The journey is the destination.

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Al fresco dining at Minga Lodge, Ecuador

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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.

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ROBERT FROST

1. A friendly smile from Ecuador | 2. Making new friends at Enelerai, Kenya | 3. Celebrating the birth of a baby llama

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CHALLENGE Challenge adversity. Challenge your limits. Challenge your world view. Challenge preconceived notions. Challenge yourself to reach new heights.

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Exploring the wonders of the Amazon rainforest

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The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.

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MOLIÈRE

1. Challenging a furry sibling with a playful tug | 2. Flexing some muscle and working hard on a build site project | 3. Hauling water jugs with a mama in Kenya

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Learning counting techniques with students in India

LEARN The world is the best classroom. Travel means constant learning—about our expansive, beautiful planet and about ourselves, as individuals living in it. As citizens of the world, we want to make it better for everyone, and the best place to start is learning about the world around you. ​ By exploring new places, connecting with new people, tasting new foods and stepping outside of the familiar, we gain new perspective. We see the world with fresh eyes and we see ourselves in a different light.

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” Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. VICTOR BORGE

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Receiving archery instruction from a Maasai warrior in Kenya

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DISCOVER The process of discovering new—be it new people, new food, new cultures or new perspectives—creates a passion for learning. It provides us with a new understanding and appreciation for everything around us. It creates suspense, excitement and that heart-thumping feeling of embarking on raw, authentic adventure. Seek new territory while discovering the magic within!

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Beading a traditional wedding necklace with a mama in Kenya

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What you do makes a difference , and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.

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JANE GOODALL

1. Mamas beading in the Maasai Mara, Kenya | 2. The iconic Acacia tree in the savannah | 3. Giggling with a new friend in the Amazon

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GIVE Mother Teresa was a tiny women with a huge heart. She offered that heart and her hands to give each and every day in the streets of Calcutta. Her legacy of love and selflessness has inspired millions of people worldwide, and it’s easy to understand why. Craig Kielburger asked Mother Teresa: “How do you do it? How do you work every single day with people around you who are suffering and who are dying when you know you can’t possibly help every person?” She smiled at the question and she looked at him. Then she said, “You have to realize, in our lives we can do no great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

Sharing radiant smiles in India

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It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.

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MOTHER TERESA

1. Motivational Speaker Spencer West at a build site project | 2. Keeping cool with new shades in the Kenyan sun | 3. A monkey extends a helping hand to another

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GRATITUDE Gratitude acknowledges the beauty of the human spirit. From a courageous act to a stranger’s warm smile, it teaches us to value the significant and smallest of details. Multiple studies have proven that showing appreciation is strongly associated with greater happiness. Travel deepens our sense of gratitude with memories of incredible experiences and beautiful faces, feeding us with positive emotions. We build better relationships and return home, grateful for everything we have in our daily lives.

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Namaste— the light in me sees the light in you —a traditional Indian greeting

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The last sighting on a sunset safari in Kenya

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There are only two ways to live your life . One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

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ALBERT EINSTEIN

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WISH Wishing is the process of envisioning both your future and the world’s by creating a picture in your mind. It’s the best kind of dreaming because you can do it even when you’re awake. Combined with action, it can turn into an unstoppable force.

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Wish for the stars through a sunlit window pane in India

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A wish with wings can change the world. My wish has always been to empower the women around me, and inspire others to do the same.

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ROXANNE JOYAL, Founder, Me to We Artisans and CEO, Me to We

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A beautiful smile from India

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SAVOR Hear the laughter of children playing in the lanes. See the sun set over the vast Maasai Mara. Smell the wafting aromas of cumin and coriander. Taste the sweetness of honey-dipped desserts. Touch the cool water that brings life to the world.

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Enjoying a laugh while playing with a child in India

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The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it.

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RUDYARD KIPLING

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Savoring the spicy fragrance of an Indian thali

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Mama Leah, expert beader and Maasai community mobilizer

LAUGH Laughter is innate. Babies know how to laugh long before learning to speak. Laughter is therapeutic. It is an easy, safe and free way to relieve stress, boost your mood and strengthen social bonds.

Laughter is universal. No matter where you are, the joyful expression contained in a laugh is understood by all.

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Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.

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VICTOR BORGE

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Connecting with local students in India

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LOVE Love wildly. Love joyously. Love fearlessly. Love compassionately. Embody love in all you do.

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A loving moment between a mother elephant and her baby

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Certain things in life simply have to be experienced—and never explained. Love is such a thing.

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PAULO COELHO

1. Roxanne Joyal, CEO of Me to We, shares a laugh with Mama Nataana | 2. Beautiful Indian women wrapped in saris | 3. Bonding as a family in India

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SHARE Connecting with one another is our most natural instinct. When we reach out to others to share what moves us, what inspires us and what gives us hope, we spread a message that says we are all together. No utterance, no matter how small, goes unheard.

1. Spending time with students in India | 2. Exploring the Amazon rainforest | 3. A Maasai greeting ceremony in Kenya

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Whatever we possess becomes of double value when we have the opportunity of sharing it with others.

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JEAN-NICOLAS BOUILLY

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Looking at photos with new friends in the Maasai Mara, Kenya

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Sawing lumber to build a school in a Free The Children community in Ecuador

VOLUNTEER Meaningful travel includes volunteering. It’s about being part of something larger than yourself. It’s about being immersed in a new culture, fostering genuine connections and seeing the world through a new lens. By volunteering on a project based on community need, you leave more than a footprint behind—you leave a positive impact. Travel with Me to We and be part of real, sustainable change. Volunteer alongside community members on a development project with our charity partner, Free The Children and witness firsthand how communities are coming together to help break the cycle of poverty.

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From mixing concrete, to hearing stories, to meeting community members, to the simple pleasure of having dinner as a large family, the trip was a genuine experience. We had a chance to see firsthand what it looked like when people of all paths of life come together to do great things to help make this world a better place. ” 1. Finishing a school wall in Kenya 2. Celebrating a completed foundation in India 3. Planting in the Amazon NATALIE PEREZ, ME TO WE TRAVELLER

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TRAVEL WHAT IS A VOLUNTEER ADVENTURE? Good for the Traveler and the Community

We’re proud to offer unique and enriching trips that are driven first and foremost by the needs of the local community. Not only do our trips allow youth, families and adults to explore new cultures, discover the beauty of the land, and give back through meaningful volunteer opportunities, they also benefit the communities that our trips visit.

BUILD THE MOMENTUM, CONNECT WITH US!

1.416.964.8942 x 540 reser [email protected]

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Sharing a beautiful moment with a local woman in India

INDIA

KENYA

ECUADOR

Photographs courtesy of Scott Ramsay and V. Tony Hauser