Christmas for us Puerto Ricans is not just about presents. It’s about celebrating the birth of Jesus! We gather with friends and family to dance and eat delicious food! We put on some merengue, salsa y bachata. We eat some arroz con gandules, pernil, pasteles, flan, arroz con dulce, tembleque, coquito & more deliciousness! I love my Puerto Rican Christmas!
The #SoCanU Project was created by the amazing mentor, author & speaker of Community College Success Isa Adney. It’s main purpose is to inspire those like you and me, that have over come struggles and still reach their goals and are following their dreams!
Please check out the website, join the movement and share with your friends. Let’s be the inspiration of hope for the rest of the world.
This new 2014 Central Florida 24 Plus 1 Project sensation has been making an impact in the local community, anywhere from just giving flowers to strangers and making them smile, to capturing art in Orlando Florida to spreading awareness about Domestic Violence and Sex Trafficking.
The 24 Plus 1 projects creator is an amazing colombian young lady Lorena Tovar, who I have known for years through our involvement in the Seminole State Volunteers Leardership Team Program at Seminole State College in Sanford, Florida. Her ideas are inspired by her travels, heritage, passion, the community that surrounds her and plenty of research conducted. These have taken place at Lake Eola Park in Down Town Orlando, as well as at Cranes Roost Park in Uptown Altamonte Springs and at the University of Central Florida.
This community service and awareness initiative has been reaching out and involving the Central Florida community, and thanks to the means of technology is inspiring communities around the world.
Valentine’s Day Domestic Violence Awareness Project ❤
International Day of Happiness Project ❤
Making a difference in this world one step at a time ❤
Here’s a list of my college involvement which has given me plenty of opportunities & helped me develop myself to the scholar I am Today ❤
Sigma Phi Gamma, Seminole State College of Florida (SSC)
Seminole State Volunteers Leadership Team, SSC
Leadership Challenge Team, SSC
Hispanic Student Association, SSC
Phi Theta Kappa, SSC
Art & Phyllis Grindle Honors, SSC
Student Government Association, SSC
Transfer & Transition Services, University of Central Florida (UCF)
Transfer knights, UCF
Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, UCF
Latino Fellowship, UCF
I Am Second, UCF
Wide Open Church EPIC College Group, Sanford FL
Burnett Honors College, UCF
Honors Congress, UCF
Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, UCF
Organizations I’ve supported/worked/volunteered with:
Ronald McDonald House of Charities
Harvest Times International Inc.
UNICEF
24 Plus 1
From Outside In
Junior Achievement
I Am Second Movement
Flor Foundation
Give Kids The World
American Heart Association
American Lung Association
WAVE Foundation
Toys for Tots
Costa Rica Orphanages Clothing & Shoe Drive
Travel Destinations:
From San Germán, Puerto Rico
Orlando, Florida
San Agustin, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Stone Cove Mountain, Georgia
Dallas, Texas
Cochabamba, Bolivia
Tarija, Bolivia
Nassau, Bahamas
Cozumel, Mexico
Costa Maya, Mexico
Grand Cayman Islands
Roatan, Honduras
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Chicago, Illinois
Varaždin, Croatia
Split, Croatia
Debrovsnik, Croatia
Zadar, Croatia
Trogir, Croatia
Zagreb, Croatia
Berkeley, California
Palo Alto, California
San Francisco, California
Dallas, Texas
Denton, Texas
Miami, Florida
Nassau, Bahamas
….to be Continued 🙂
Enjoying the cotton candy New Smyrna Beach, Florida Sun Sets! Great bars, shops & restaurants! Beautiful view & lots of relaxing fun! I love playing tourist with friends, going places, discovering great food, and being one with nature! Love it!
Bottle caps are not recyclable. When littered, they take long journeys to end up in wildlife stomachs, thus killing them.
Terra Cycle is green company that makes products out of non-biodegradable products such as: Capri sun pouches, bottle caps, m&m bags, etc. They often pay for the bulk collection of these and or donate to charity, through a point earning system.
This could be a great way to prevent all these bottle caps from ending in the ocean and diminishing the amount of trash.
I love turtles, sea turtles are my favorite! Every time I have an opportunity to help them, you will continue to see posts from me. If you have any suggestions of what else can be done with these bottle caps, please share away! I am really into recyclable art also!
Please don’t litter ❤
The beautiful city of Mount Dora is located in Central Florida. It is know for its many festivals and Antique stores. Arepas are by far the best food item at the Art Festival this weekend. They are of South American origin and are sweet creamy corn patties with mozzarella. I am still dreaming about the next time I have the opportunity to eat one!
Photos taken 10/28/12 by Natymarie Mount Dora, Florida ❤
Sometimes all we need to do is to stop and in slow motion feel, hear, touch, smell & see how beautiful life is. Appreciate every little moment & cherish the wonderful memories of small things such as a mini flower bouquet from a caring friend, while strolling the streets of Berkeley, CA <3.
Photo taken by Natymarie August 2012 ❤
Wilmaida Ortiz-Avilez Photography
Hello I am Natymarie ❤
“I am a scholar on a journey full of adventures. I enjoy sharing meaningful resources, things, places, thoughts that make a difference in this world”
❤ San Francisco Street Art Background: Artist Unknown ❤
These are a collection of flower photos I have been able to capture during my travels. I have included some from my grandma’s garden from my hometown San Germán, Puerto Rico. The others are from beautiful gardens in Croatia and California.
One of my favorite seasons. Great weather, even in Orlando, Florida. Less humidity and cooler feel. Boots & Dresses type of weather ❤
Wilmaida Ortiz-Avilez Photography
“For Peace Alone Do I Ring”-Inscribed in the Hoover Tower’s largest bell.
A beautiful glance from Stanford’s historic Hoover Tower. This its a very inexpensive and or free tour, where you can learn a lot about the history of war, revolution and peace of America. It holds 48 bells, a gift from the Belgium-American Foundation. Provides a great view of the serene campus.
Photo taken in Palo Alto, CA. August 2012.
Murals are one of my favorite types of creative expression! In this case this one spoke to me & I found it powerful. It is made in honor of all the indigenous people who have been made prisoners of their own land. Mural Project 98′,located in San Francisco,CA. Photo taken August 2012.
UCF has one of the most beautiful university campuses in Florida. The Reflection Pond is the spot where students relax, socialize, sleep and study. Many events are held here from Charity 5K’s to Homecoming Pegasus Palooza.
Spreading awareness to help the Ronald McDonald’s House of Charities. You can help by collecting the can tops & dropping them off at your nearest Ronald McDonald’s House or Elementary school. These help pay for their electricity bill. Think about it, families have the opportunity to stay there for free while their child is at the hospital. They do need to collect plenty of these tabs in order to make enough money to pay their electricity bill. You may collect the entire cans to sell them and get more money for it, then donate the money instead. It’s all up to you 🙂 http://rmhc.org/
Early August 2012, I visited Berkley, CA. A beautiful city, full of small crafty unique of Mom & Pop stores. Anything you’d like to eat, they had it. There was one small spot in the corner of Telegraph Avenue that was full of 30 plus students lining up in the corner of the street every night. It was the famous CREAM store. I had to try it! Yummy Ice-cream sandwiches!
Ice Cream Sandwich @ Berkeley, CA
This is one of the most beautiful historic places in Varaždin, Croatia. This town reminds me of my hometown in San German, Puerto Rico. It has beautiful plazas, a cathedral, the Faculty of Organization & Informatics (FOI)University of Zagreb, great food, beautiful people and its genuine Old Town Castle.
The “Licitar” is Croatia’s symbol of love and affection. It is a beautiful hand-crafted work of art made of an edible ginger bread sweet cookie containing honey, but is used as decoration rather than for eating. It is given as a gift during holiday celebrations to loved ones and it is a favorite Christmas tree ornament.
For more information about Licitars, orders, and or recipes: http://www.licitarheart.com/
Licitar Making: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgtgK83uQWI
Visit Croatia http://youtu.be/2uxl7m2HljE
Natymarie's Blog 