There are 1.3 BILLION people in China.  Personal cars are a fairly recent addition to China's roads, and thankfully so! Even with the government-limited issuance of license plates through a monthly lottery, the roads are already congested with their inability to contain such an explosion in numbers and constantly needing repair, and air pollution hangs thick.

Upon scheduling a month’s stay in Rome over a year ago, we had no way of knowing the excitement of selecting a new pope would be part of our trip. We waited anxiously along with Catholics from around the world to see when the black smoke being emitted from the Sistine Chapel would change to white. This is what signified a new pope had been selected.

Day after day in Latin America, the sun dips below the horizon before a day’s worth of work is completed.  At 6:30 PM, total darkness sets in for many families across Panama.  Without electricity to see at night, it becomes a challenge to work, cook, and study for school.  Safety is a great risk for families without power.