Thoughts/Reactions to Life in Kenya - Week 2

--- I Have 40 Brothers and Sisters in Kenya
A few days ago a couple of the kids began asking me the names of my family members, “What is your mother’s name?” “What is your father’s name?” “What is your mother’s father’s name?” On and on and on. Most of these kids are orphans. Some of their parents are dead. For others no one knows where their parents are. One boy was found living in the woods all alone. And yet they have such interest in family. It thrills them to look at pictures of mine and CJ/Keela’s families. I would like to think that faced with their situation at such a young age I would feel the same joy toward learning about another’s family. However, I’m not sure I wouldn’t instead be cynical of the concept of family and cynical towards those with families. I am so thankful that the leaders of Jambo Jipya created an environment where each boarder is surrounded by 40 brothers and sisters everyday and that they view me as their sister.

















--- Time, Trash, & Trying to Figure Out the Right Reaction
Though the heat is exhausting, the food is very different, and I only understand a handful of Kiswahili words, the only two things that really get to me here are the way in which people treat each other’s time and the trash. From my perspective the culture is very disrespectful toward another’s time. To quote Keela, “No one is where they are supposed to be when they say they will be there.” Being of the mindset that early is on time and on time is late I am finding it difficult to keep from getting annoyed with this aspect of their culture. What is more frustrating is that, as a guest, I do not know whether it is better/more respectful to go along with it or voice my opinion...Thoughts? Suggestions?

I have the same reaction toward what they do with trash (throw it anywhere on the ground and when a heap gets big enough, set fire to it). Although the trash issue is a little different as it pertains more to their Government and lack of public services, it is still a matter of respect for others and the earth, as well as a sanitary issue.

During our matatu ride to Mombasa last week I witnessed people, cows, and goats rummaging together through a heap of trash. I hope the people were not searching for food like the cows and goats, but I would be surprised if that was not one of the reasons. Riding in the 14 passenger matatu with 19 other people I began wondering if in America we are that much better putting trash in bags in our homes and public places only to have it totted off to a landfill. While I do believe it is a health risk to have trash scattered everywhere, we Americans are very ‘out of sight, out of mind.’ What is the effect of that?

The best answer I have come up with so far is to consume less, thus creating less trash. If we lived simple sustainable lifestyles, growing and catching much of our food and using our food waste for fertilizer, rather than buying food packaged in excess amounts of plastic, styrofoam, and cardboard, we would have much less trash. Less trash means less negative impact on our global climate, and yes less of an eye sore…Thoughts? Suggestions?

--- To Do My Own Laundry Or Not? (sure never thought I would struggle over this question haha)
Two days a week a woman ("Auntie") comes to do all the wash and clean the bathrooms and kitchen. The first time Keela, CJ, and I prepared to do our laundry Mama (Christine) told us to save it for the woman to do. However, we felt it was our responsibility to do our own wash. So we went against Mama and did it. When Auntie came later in the week, on the day CJ and I were planning to do laundry, we again met resistance from our host family who could not understand why we were going to wash our clothes, instead of giving them to the woman to do. This prompted a long conversation between CJ and I.

Standing in the yard holding our buckets of dirty clothes we discussed the pros, cons, and reasons for doing our laundry and for the woman doing our laundry. I am well aware how silly this entire situation probably sounds to you. If it does, think about being a guest at a friend or family member’s home for Thanksgiving or Christmas and how you change to respect the environment you are in, or maybe the crap you get for not? CJ and I are guests in a completely different culture trying to respect our host family, the local community, and Kenya.

If we do our own wash we convince ourselves and attempt to convince those around us that we are not lazy. We also think it is the responsible thing to do, to be willing do what our parents hounded us about growing up. However, by allowing Auntie to do our wash we are providing her with an income to feed her family and not contributing to her being aid dependant. The result of our conversation is that I am sitting on the roof writing this and CJ is sitting next to me reading. Auntie is standing behind me hanging up one of my skirts. Hopefully I’ve got it right that creating a sustainable existence is not always doing for yourself what you are capable of, but sometimes contributing to the sustainability of another human, while you take a break. No man is an island unto himself…we are all connected.














--- Church
Our first Sunday here we attended church. Out of respect for Mama, Keela, CJ, and I decided after that service that we would go with her every other week, instead of every week. It was a lot to handle. At the Miracle Center Church there are three columns of plastic patio chairs. Women sit on the right and in the back of the middle column, while the men sit on the left and in the front of the middle column. I was very thankful when Mama let CJ, Keela, and I sit in the back with the Jambo Jipya kids, instead of with her in the front row! The first half an hour was loud, energetic singing. The only instruments were people’s hands, which they clapped more enthusiastically than a Yankee fan could after watching their team defeat the Red Sox in game seven of a World Series. I recognized one song as the kids would sing the chorus in English while looking at CJ, Keela, and I… “nothing but the blood of Jesus.” The next two hours consisted of the Pastor screaming in Kiswahili into a microphone that resembled a huge strawberry ice cream cone (the heat may have gotten to me a little too much when I made this connection J). As the Pastor screamed into the “ice cream cone” he rushed back and forth across the stage. Every few words he would pause so the man following close behind him could translate into “English” for CJ, Keela, and I. In two and a half hours I only understood a handful of phrases. I know there was a lot about God’s providence and sexual immorality. The middle of the sermon felt like an infomercial as the Pastor elaborated on every spread of a 2010 calendar the Church had for sale. A few times he directly talked to CJ, Keela, and I, which was awkward as we were three of a couple hundred people. I love experiencing new things, especially when it pertains to a different culture, and I often say you have to try something new twice as the first time could have been a fluke. However, when CJ asked my reaction as we were walking out I told him I was glad I experienced it, but I never needed to again. Soon after returning home CJ, Keela, and I had church on the roof.

First Impressions of Kenya - Week 1

Goals/Expectations of the trip: To be aware, to learn, to love

My daily routine/the kids: Everyday, except Sunday, I spent half of the day at the school with the kids and the other half of each day doing yoga, washing clothes, reading, journaling, talking with Keela and CJ, and/or running errands.

From just before we arrived until January 4 the students are on Christmas holiday so while at the school I am with the 40 students who live there, known as the boarders (once school resumes there will be a couple hundred students there).

The students are very bright, very joyful, very polite, and very tough. In spending time with the kids one of my main goals is to get home exhausted. I feel if I am not tired after spending half the day with them then I did not give them enough of myself. I am happy to report that so far they have succeeded at exhausting me everyday.

We spend most of our time teaching each other. They teach me Swahili, I teach them dance. They teach me games, I teach them games. They unknowingly teach me about life, I teach them about the Bible. Many of them are bright by American standards. Honestly, this somewhat surprised me, as they do not have access to simple resources such as paper, pencils, and books, outside of the school day. What they do have is a hunger and thirst to learn like I have never seen before. Constantly, they come up to me and say, “Michel Obama, quiz me in math,” “Teacher, quiz me in science,” or simply, “Teach me something.” Yes, some of them call me “Michelle Obama” haha. They also have a habit of calling me “cha” for teacher.

Their politeness has a joyful quality to it just as their readiness to learn has. Everyday when we arrive they greet us at the door and shake our hands. When we leave we shake hands again. There are about 5 plastic chairs for the 50 people there each day and the students joyfully offer the chair they are sitting in for CJ, Keela, or I if we are standing.

The physical toughness of these kids, girls as well as boys, is incredible. I would bet they play just as rough as tackles in the NFL and do not complain or get injured nearly as often! They have slid across the concrete, gotten hit in the face with a soccerball, fallen on their head doing a handstand, run into each other, stepped on everything you can imagine with no shoes on, and not only have I yet to hear one of them cry or complain, they do not even stop for a few seconds to recover.

Lodging: I live in a beautiful 5 bedroom/3 bathroom home with Christine, the woman who runs Jambo Jipya, Destiny & Fisher, two of her children, Keela, and CJ. We have no AC, no hot water, and no washer or dryer, but we have a full kitchen, including a refrigerator, which is not common. My favorite part of the house is the roof which is where CJ, Keela, and I spend a few hours every morning doing yoga, eating breakfast, reading, talking, writing, etc. The yard is beautifully decorated with tropical trees and plants, many of which I grew up admiring in SW FL. Also in the yard is a pin currently housing chickens, roosters, and turkeys. Unfortunately, the rooster gets going long before the sun rises. Lining the perimeter of the lot is a tall wall and a gate.

Jambo Jipya: The school consists of 11 classrooms, a kitchen, a girls dorm, a boys dorm, a hang out room (which I call the sauna), Christine’s office, a play area, bathrooms, shower rooms, and a storage room. Sounds like a big operation, right? Not exactly. Though I have not yet measured it, I would estimate it to fit inside a high school gymnasium in America. Most of the ground is dirt though in some areas there is concrete. Some of the walls are a combination of mud, trees, and concrete and some are plywood on the bottom half and something resembling chicken wire on the top half. The classrooms are about 10x10 and their walls are filled with handmade educational posters written in English. The students who live there receive breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and tea between lunch and dinner.

Food: IT IS SO TASTY! The first night we had white rice, cooked cabbage with oil, tomatoes, & onions in it, and goat. The second night we ate the children’s favorite meal with them at the school of chapatis and beans. A chapatis is similar to a fajita shell, you eat it with your fingers by dunking it in the side dish, and it takes all day to make so the kids only get them on Saturdays. Since then we have had chapatis with other sides, such as the cabbage dish mentioned above, greens mixed tomatoes, onions, & oil, and even peanut butter and jelly. Most everything is oiled heavily. There is also a wonderful variety of delicious fruit, the mangos and pineapple being my favorite. We often buy fruit from vendors on our way home from school in the evenings.

Mwtapa: Like Christine’s yard, Mwtapa is full of lush tropical vegetation. Everywhere you look you see a variety of palm trees, mango trees, sugar cane, banana trees, eucalyptus, elephant ears, vines and bushes with flowers in full bloom on the walls around people’s homes, and much more.
There are people EVERYWHERE (or maybe it is just that people are outside moving around and not huddled in their office like in America)! Every street and alley in Mwtapa is lined with individuals and shops selling mostly clothing, food, or hair supplies. A fewer number sell furniture or are pharmacies. People get around by walking, riding a motorcycle, taking a taxi, or for longer distances taking a matatu (public van)…individuals do not own cars. Goats, chickens, and cows are also roaming around everywhere.

There is also trash EVERYWHERE! Trash pickup/disposal is one of the many public services they are without in Kenya. As a result, if outside they throw trash on the ground (coke bottles, wrappers, paper, anything and everything). If inside, they put trash in small plastic bags and later throw them in a heap in an open field, or on the side of the road, and then others go around setting fire to the bags of trash.

Wow…I haven’t even begun to write about my thoughts/struggles from this week! However, as I have written quite a bit already I will close for now and in the next few days organize my reactions and include them in the next post.

Thank you for the prayers! Now that we have arrived and settled in safely please pray for Jambo Jipya, for their fundraising efforts, and for their leaders to make the best decisions for the future of the school.

It’s a wonderful world…hope you are enjoying it,
Michel

How Two Unemployed College Graduates Spent Their Fall in Florida

•Collected coquinas and made coquina stew
•Prayed...A LOT
•CJ finally got me to watch Star Wars for my 1st time…and I loved it!
•Skeet shooting competitions













•Memorized scripture
•Attended a discussion seeking to raise awareness about sustainability issues – Ishmael Beah, author of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, was on the panel…a brilliant man!
•I completed about 70% of my current six month semester in a month and a half
•Carved a Cat in the Hat inspired watermelon, oh yeah and a pumpkin

•Kayaked
•Hunted: 2 Florida alligators and CJ got his first deer
•CJ recorded a cd “Line Around the Outside” – the digital files are currently available for sale on facebook and myspace!! Check it out the lyrics WILL make us a more peaceful and united people

•Read – the Bible, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Stepping Lightly, I Am a Strange Loop, Lovely Bones
•Yard work and two garage sales
•Enjoyed Friday night date night
•Swam in the Gulf of Mexico

•Dreaded each other’s hair

•CJ took the GRE and has nearly completed his Grad school applications to six schools!
•Trained for a sprint triathlon but then didn’t participate as we drove to Mississippi that weekend
•Drove to Mississippi to help my Army brother, Kyle, while he was moving from Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX to Fort Bragg in Fayetville, NC

And much, much more...

Help a Young Person in Your Life Grow Into a Caring Adult

As one with a strong desire to help children and youth grow into quality men and women I often think about how kids are raised who care. Care about their own quality of life, care about others, and care about the environment. In my hours of pondering this I have decided that one of the best ways is to encourage young people to volunteer. I have further decided that it is easy…if you lead by example.

The benefits to those who volunteer are countless and quality. Volunteering improves one’s interpersonal skills, communication skills, and job skills, as well as helps individuals learn and develop completely new skills, interests, and hobbies. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Volunteering can help you achieve just that as it improves your knowledge. When we volunteer we help solve problems, we improve the lives of others and our own, and we enjoy the intangible benefits of feeling accomplishment and satisfaction. One of my favorite reasons for volunteering is the incredible opportunity it provides for you to engage with a diverse range of people.

I have heard it said that no person is an island. Though in today’s consumer society as we more and more take for granted the communities in which we ARE a member, many people unfortunately operate within that very frame of mind. Nevertheless, it is necessary for our survival that we co-depend on each other. Volunteering allows you to connect with your communities and give back some of the benefits that your communities give you.

SO HOW CAN YOU HELP ENSURE A YOUNG PERSON IN YOUR LIFE GROWS INTO A CARING ADULT??
• Start them volunteering young
• Involve the whole family in volunteer projects
• Involve their friends in volunteer projects
• Take volunteering on the road – Do it on vacation!

There are SO many ways to get involved volunteering from collecting items for charity and visiting people at a hospital to participating in a fundraiser and mowing a neighbor’s yard. To get started contact public organizations such as a school, hospital, library, or animal shelter or go online and do a search on google.com or 1-800-volunteer.org.

And in case you were wondering…It is not only the young that benefit from volunteering. A study conducted by the John Hopkins Medical Institute found that volunteering as an older adult improves mental and physical health.

Kiss & Ride Road Trip 2009 NY to FL to TX

Greetings! We made it & we’re still friends!! From September 1 to September 21 CJ and I traveled from Lake Placid, New York down to Englewood, Florida then out to El Paso, Texas and back to Florida for the fall.

September 1, 2009 - Niagara Falls, NY
Before the sun came up I got to work packing my entire cabin into my truck. I had packed much of my stuff the evening before and when I went out that morning to finish there was a layer of ice on everything in the bed of my truck. No joke I was freezing packing my truck on September 1! Bob, the man I rented my cabin from for the last year, came out and advised me that I should have “moved during the summer”…funny. After a tearful farewell with the Appletons and a delicious pancake breakfast with Keela and Mark we were off to Niagara Falls for the night. We pitched a tent at a KOA campground a few miles from the Falls and went exploring. It was my first time seeing the Falls and I was more than a little excited. I’m sure CJ has a couple stories of how goofy I was about experiencing them! That evening we walked across the Rainbow Bridge to Canada and went to the Hard Rock Café with one of CJ’s friends from college, Guillermo. While walking back over the bridge to the U.S. side we stopped to take pictures of the Falls light up. Right before we were about to continue walking we heard a loud splash in front of us on the bridge and saw ripples in the water. We began walking again and not far in front of us was a group of cops. As we passed them one person said “this is where she jumped from,” while others were shining flash lights in the water below, and others were looking through her purse she had left sitting on the bridge. Walking from the U.S. side to the Canadian side earlier that evening we wondered if people ever bungee jump off the bridge. However, we never considered people committing suicide…then it happen right in front of us. Immediately after passing the cops CJ and I grabbed each others hand and he said a prayer out loud. We read the news a week later and learned that the woman was never found. Pretty intense first day of our twenty-one day road trip!!

September 2, 2009 - Niagara Falls, NY
We hung out at the Falls all day! I experienced one of the highs of my life when we did the “Cave of the Winds” and got to walk around on catwalks under the American Falls! Standing on the deck closest to the Falls and feeling the water pound down on me was one of the most exhilarating things I have ever experienced. Later, we had a picnic and played scrabble next to the Angel Falls before heading to CJ’s parents house in Sterling, NY for the night.

September 3, 2009 – September 7, 2009 - Owasco Lake, NY
From Sterling we went to CJ’s parent’s cabin on Owasco Lake for a long Memorial Day weekend…five days long to be exact! We spent the days reading by the lake, whittling, fishing, stomping up the creek to waterfalls, playing ladderball, swinging on a huge rope swing, kneeboarding/tubing, relaxing on the porch, hunting for old bottles, and sitting around the fire. We were joined by Keela, Mark, Stacie, and Mike and I think it is safe to say a good time was had by all. The mood was so relaxing that one day after we all played a ladderball tournament together and a board game and people began suggesting a third game I did not hesitate in letting everyone know, “I need to take a break!” To which everyone responded, “a break from what?!” It was pretty funny.

September 8, 2009 - Travel Day/Gettysburg, PA/Duke, NC
CJ and I started making our way to Florida. That day we drove through New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. Our final destination for the day was Duke University to stay with CJ’s friend from college, Hannah, who is attending seminary there. As neither of us had ever been to Gettysburg we stopped on the way and had a picnic. We spent a couple hours walking around the Gettysburg cemetery, reading monuments, and chatting about the battle and what the atmosphere might have been like when President Lincoln gave the Gettysburg address. After twelve hours on the road reading books out loud to each other, talking, napping, taking pictures of state road signs, and stopping so I could pee we arrived in Durham and had a relaxing evening of Domino’s pizza, wine, and good conversation.

September 9, 2009 - Travel Day/Atlanta, GA

The next morning we walked around the Duke botanical gardens and the Duke chapel before heading to Atlanta, GA to spend the night with CJ’s friend from high school, Michael…popular guy that CJ, I know! That evening Michael, CJ, and I ate at Ted’s Montana Grill. They had a wide assortment of bison on the menu which we all took advantage of and thoroughly enjoyed!

September 10, 2009 - Atlanta, GA/Jacksonville, FL
Michael freed up his schedule to spend time with us so the three of us visited the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. If you are ever in Atlanta or even remotely near Atlanta you MUST go there…it was one of the most educational, emotional, and inspiring places I have ever been. The site included MLK Jr.’s tomb, an exhibit of his work and accomplishments related to the Civil Rights Movement, the home he was born in and lived the first 12 years of his life, an amazing garden communicating the teachings of Ghandi and MLK Jr. through different types of roses, and monuments highlighting other human rights leaders. From there it was off to Moe’s for lunch then to the Georgia Tech football stadium to visit my friend, Ishien, before hitting the road for Jacksonville, FL. In Jacksonville we spent the night with my cousins Ashley and Ryan (and their dog Emmit). That was the first night since the one we spent at CJ’s parents house September 2 that we had electricity, running water, and a bed to sleep in all at one place!! Ashley and I always have a lot of fun together and I love staying with Ashley and Ryan so I was super excited for CJ to meet them. We enjoyed a delicious meal Ashley prepared for us then had a perfect evening watching football and laughing together.

September 11, 2009 - Jacksonville, FL/Alachua, FL

I took CJ to see Jacksonville University where I did my first year and a half of college. We drove once around the campus then walked down to the boathouse on the St. Johns River where I was a coxswain on the JU rowing team. Back on the road we drove to Alachua, FL to spend the that day and the next day with my aunt Jan and uncle Rick. I had a great time living with Jan and Rick last summer so this was another stop I was really excited for CJ and I to make together so he could meet more of the important people in my life. Jan took us to an amazingly fattening and southern lunch at The Ivy House then to an antique mall, where she has a couple booths, before relaxing at her home the rest of the day. She made some yummy enchiladas for dinner and Jan, Rick, CJ, and I spent the evening playing cards…a Gribble tradition. The high of the night had to be CJ performing card tricks for Rick and Jan…their faces were classic.

September 12, 2009 - Tampa, FL/Lakeland, FL

Jan, CJ, and I drove to Tampa, FL to watch the Nebraska Cornhuskers play on tv with a Nebraska fan club. The Huskers beat Arkansas State 38-9!! It was CJ’s first time watching my beloved Huskers…so I was really happy they won haha. The closest thing he had to a red Nebraska shirt was his red Phillies shirt…which worked but I can guarantee he will become the proud owner of a red Nebraska shirt at least by Christmas! After the game Jan, CJ, and I went to Gosh!, a sushi restaurant, for a surprise dinner party for my cousin, Julie. CJ got to meet two more cousins, Jay and Julie, and have his first real sushi experience. Me, being a sushi veteran, did most of the ordering. CJ was a great sport and ate everything I ordered…including raw quail eggs. We had a ball! From dinner we had a couple hours drive home to Englewood where we were asleep before our heads hit the pillows.

September 13, 2009 – Englewood, FL

CJ and I hung out in Englewood with my family for the day. We unloaded my Beverly Hill Billy looking truck and packed Kyle’s suburban for the second half of our road trip out to El Paso, TX. Pretty sure neither of us have ever sweat so much in our lives!

September 14, 2009 – Travel Day/Pensacola, FL

On the road again!! Our destination for this long driving day was Pensacola, FL to stay with CJ’s friend from high school, Roger, who is in the Navy there. After passing through relatively short states on the trip down it was amazing to drive for 9 hours straight and remain in the same state! (Of course as we found out a few days later that was nothing compared to the entire width of Texas). That evening Roger, one of his roommates, CJ, and I went out for pizza at the Mellow Mushroom. BEST PIZZA EVER! CJ and I shared a “Philosopher’s Pie” with steak, feta, artichoke hearts, olives, etc…oh my wow…finger lickin’ good.

September 15, 2009 – New Orleans, LA

We had a relaxing morning reading on the balcony and chatting with Roger then headed to New Orleans, LA! I got the pleasure of learning from Roger about CJ’s ingenious idea to cover their high school basketball court in pennies as a fundraiser for Coaches with Cancer and their senior class! I wasn’t surprised something like that came out of CJ…but I was still impressed haha. We arrived in New Orleans mid-afternoon, checked into The Olde Time Inn, and ventured to the French Quarter. We spent the rest of the day and evening walking around the French Quarter admiring art and architecture. After one walk down Bourdon Street we agreed that was something neither of us cared to experience again so we stuck to the side streets. For dinner we ate an authentic Louisiana meal of crawfish etouffee and alligator sausage at The Praline Connection.

September 16, 2009 – New Orleans, LA

We started the day off playing cards at an outdoor café before walking through the Farmer’s Market in the French Quarter and then exploring many art galleries. Our favorite artist was James Michalopoulos who does bright oil paintings of architecture appearing to slope, soar, and sway. Someday we might be able to afford one of his pieces…but not likely. Later we went to a couple local music shops then had an amazing lunch of friend green tomatoes with a crawfish sauce on it, stuffed blue crab, friend calamari, and seafood stuffed mushrooms. After lunch we returned to an area of art vendors around Jackson Square and CJ got a really neat piece from a man who paints colorful scenes of musicians playing in the French Quarter on pieces of slate. Shortly after that I encountered my first experience of street preaching which I found interesting, odd, and enjoyable all at the same time! That evening we hung out at a place called SBC listening to a young group of guys who consider themselves a brass, rock, funk band…which proved to be another interesting, odd, and enjoyable experience.

September 17, 2009 – Travel Day/Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge/Texas

We went a little out of the way when departing New Orleans in order to cross the Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge. At 24 miles, it is the LONGEST BRIDGE IN THE WORLD!! We drove over it listening to CJ’s New Orleans Dumpstaphunk cd and marveling at the human ingenuity it took to create the bridge. That day we drove a total of 13 hours and spent the night in Ozona, Texas. That sounds like a miserably long time to be in a vehicle but having been on the road for over two weeks by then it didn’t faze us and we really enjoyed seeing a different part of the country and talking…a lot!

September 18, 2009 – El Paso, TX/Fort Bliss, TX

We had an easy 5 hour drive to El Paso, our final destination of the road part of our trip, and met up with my brother, Kyle, who is in the Army and currently stationed at Fort Bliss. Getting to El Paso and having a few days to hang out with Kyle was very special for me. The visit began by Kyle and a couple of his buddies giving us a small tour of the base, considering it is the largest one in the United States, before going out to dinner. That night we watched a movie then met and hung out with more of his Army buddies.

September 19, 2009 – Fort Bliss, TX

CJ and I played cards in the morning then Kyle took me for a really fun motorcycle ride on Trans Mountain. It shocked me but I actually started to consider getting a bike of my own at some point! After the ride we went to a block party where there was live Latino music and a variety of vendors. Earlier in the day they held a sidewalk chalk contest. We were all really impressed by the art people had done in chalk! Later we went to dinner at the Texas Roadhouse so I could try “the best rolls ever” in Kyle’s opinion…I ended up filling up on the rolls and saving my entire dinner to eat the next day haha. Back at the base we watched a movie and hit the sack.

September 20, 2009 – Fort Bliss, TX

Like always I woke up a couple hours before everyone else and read my Bible. Once everyone was awake we went to Ihop and had a really fun brunch! After that we headed to the mall so Kyle’s buddy, Murray, could purchase an engagement ring for his girlfriend. While driving into the mall parking lot we noticed a car show and decided to walk around. I really enjoy car shows and have been to many…but none like this one. Rather than there being many classic cars, there were only two muscle cars and many tricked out low-rider trucks and modern cars decorated with props suggestive of drug paraphernalia. It was a very different cultural experience than any of us had ever had and the four of us stood out like birds in a fish tank. I think cross-cultural experiences are important for everyone to seek out and engage in so I was thankful that we walked around the car show for that…but like Bourbon Street it is not something I need to experience again. Later we watched a movie and a relaxing cookout. The guys have “movie night” every night.

September 21, 2009 – Fort Bliss, TX/Tampa,FL

While Kyle was at PT early in the morning CJ and I packed. After Kyle got through with PT, before he had to go to “work,” he took us to the airport for our flight to Tampa, FL. It was really hard when he dropped us off because I didn’t know when I would see him again and still don’t. At this point he won’t be home until Christmas at which time I’ll be in Kenya. I am hopeful that he will not be deployed to Afghanistan and I can visit him when I return from Ecuador in May…man that is a long time. Please pray for him.

Since we have been in Florida CJ and I have each applied to a couple dozen jobs without success. This has presented a problem considering a major reason for coming here was so we could work and save money for Kenya and Ecuador. As a result we have had to get creative!! I have been cleaning out my bedroom selling stuff on ebay and craigslist. I’m also trying to get what I call a “Learning Log” published. CJ is writing and publishing articles on suite101.com. The link to his profile containing all of his articles is: http://www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/cjdates. Check them out! He has also been working hard (and having fun) recording songs for a cd he wants to put out before we go to Kenya!

Besides that we have been spending time with my family, helping my parents with various projects, going to the beach, and sweating…a lot. CJ is busy applying to grad schools and I am working hard trying to get six months of school work for my teaching certification done prior to leaving for Kenya December 9, training for my first triathlon (sprint distance), and learning Spanish.

Life just keeps getting better!!

Oh If The Evening News Reported On Positive Stories Like This One

There is no doubt in my mind that what you watch, read about, and listen to shapes who you are! A few nights ago I made the mistake of watching the evening news with my mom and CJ. Every story related to either a killing or drugs. Since then I have not been able to stop thinking about how much more of a peaceful, joyful, and loving place the world would be if citizens heard about stories like this one on the evening news.

Check out news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8257153.stm

It is a true story of a Malawian teenager who educated himself in his local library then built electric windmills out of junk in order to bring electricity and running water to his village.

I urge you to seek positive stories and share them with others.

Which Foods Fight What...

Heart Disease

• Whole grains
  
• Oily Fish (salmon, sardines)
  
• Nuts
• Olive Oil
• Beans
• Grapes
  

Cancer

• Leafy greens
• Broccoli
• Tomatoes
• Berries
• Mushrooms
• Citrus
• Pumpkin

Osteoporosis

• Calcium-rich foods (low-fat yogurt, OJ, sardines, salmon)
  
• Mineral-rich veggies
• Vitamin-K rich veggies
  

Alzheimer's disease

• Fish
• Spinach
• Berries

Type 2 diabetes

• Whole grains (barley)
• Carotenoid-rich fruit & veggies (tomatoes, mangos, apricots, spinach, sweet potatoes)
• Legumes
• Magnesium-rich foods (halibut, peanut butter, spinach)

Arthritis

• Omega-3 rich foods (oily fish, walnuts, flaxseed)
• Low-fat dairy
  
• Onions
• Cherries
• Pomegranates
  

Depression

• Fish
  
• Good Carbs (whole grains, legumes, starchy veggies, bananas)
• B-rich foods (leafy greens, avocados, peas, asparagus)

Vision problems

• Leafy greens
• Fish
• Asparagus
• Eggs

Asthma & Allergies

• Omega-3 rich foods (oily fish, walnuts, flaxseed)
• Apples
  
• Vitamin-C rich foods
  

Premenstrual syndrome

• Magnesium-rich foods (halibut, cashews, almonds)
• Calcium-rich foods (low-fat dairy, OJ, sardines, salmon)
  
• Sesame oil
  

Coloring Books!

Many of you have wondered how/what I've been doing since I traded in my law books for coloring books last August. Simply put...I have never been better!

In terms of my career, I am currently pursuing my teacher's certification and Masters in Teaching K-8 at Western Governors University. WGU is an online school out of Utah which really confuses people when they realize I live in Lake Placid, NY, drive a truck with Florida tags and cheer for Nebraska :). Anyhoo, I'm also working at St. Agnes School (grades K-6) as a substitute teacher and afterschool aid. Below are pictures of me with my kids! They fill me with joy everyday. I do not know how to properly convey the blessing of following God's Will except to say I often burst into laughter for no other reason than how wonderful life is. I highly recommend it (both the following God's Will, rather than your own, and laughing out loud).

In terms of what's going on in other areas of my life...stand by for more posts.