tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-260656232024-03-07T04:27:14.227-05:00TrippingOnWordsClaire and Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11291068525791940208noreply@blogger.comBlogger540125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-11792022941075033372011-06-28T20:48:00.006-04:002011-06-28T21:08:36.686-04:00Nomadic Matt Feels Like My FriendI've been reading <a href="http://nomadicmatt.com/">Nomadic Matt</a> for years.<br /><br />Let me give a disclaimer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xg38stbyrRyDKS4WB6JmRtrXs4Yy2eCW2zIodpajzRPMzttKNxjFg00SRbSBEMDMwMx4pXcWjOw6ofh0OBcRS0vC0pmrkQxZ_DGECgaQoA1q102_G0lBZRZzdcRNqFr2R1L7/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-06-28+at+6.02.45+PM.png"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 277px; height: 96px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xg38stbyrRyDKS4WB6JmRtrXs4Yy2eCW2zIodpajzRPMzttKNxjFg00SRbSBEMDMwMx4pXcWjOw6ofh0OBcRS0vC0pmrkQxZ_DGECgaQoA1q102_G0lBZRZzdcRNqFr2R1L7/s320/Screen+shot+2011-06-28+at+6.02.45+PM.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623441011464038210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here's my well-worn reading pattern, crafted over time:<br /><br />Every six months, I realize that I miss reading a darn good daily travel blog. So I sign up for Nomadic Matt's daily email newsletter again, as well as a few other recommended (via my personal friend Google who surely provides me with targeted results) "travel blog newsletters". About a week later, I unsubscribe from everything but Nomadic Matt because they all minorly suck. Then, a few weeks later, I end up unsubscribing from Nomadic Matt.<br /><br />Why?<br /><br />Because I've never gotten addicted to him. Honestly, I feel like I don't really know him. His posts are often very "how-to" and my glimpses of him within the exotic international cities are few and far between. As a result, I sometimes feel that I can't gain much as a daily reader if I'm not on the exact same around the world itinerary as he is (which I'm not).<br /><br />Today, though, he convinced me.<br /><br />First with this post, <a href="http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/the-day-i-quit/">The Day I Quit</a>, which is one of the best written posts I've seen him do in a long time. And the with this post, <a href="http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/changing-plans-and-getting-personal/">Changing Plans and Getting Personal</a>.<br /><br />When you're not on someone else's journey, you want to feel you are.<br /><br />The <span style="font-weight: bold;">personal</span> is what does that for me. Thanks, Matt.<div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>ClaireDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08702654163445434157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-11306664971010211162011-06-19T13:04:00.006-04:002011-06-19T13:19:59.429-04:00Nicaraguan Summer CampNicaragua, it seems, had become summer camp for Americans with a conscience.<br /><br />- Peter Moore, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553817019/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=choycash-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=0553817019">The Full Montezuma</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f2STpClAXTc/Tf4t8YgowSI/AAAAAAAAABE/ST76eDgN5zU/s1600/Screen%2Bshot%2B2011-06-19%2Bat%2B10.07.23%2BAM.png"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 204px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f2STpClAXTc/Tf4t8YgowSI/AAAAAAAAABE/ST76eDgN5zU/s320/Screen%2Bshot%2B2011-06-19%2Bat%2B10.07.23%2BAM.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619979900399698210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrusionfx/4903722506/">image credit</a><br /><br />I laughed mightily at this quote today, and then quickly searched for "expat aid worker" on flickr to find an appropriate photo to serve as a quote companion.<br /><br />The above, in which a large group of strangely dressed gringos watch mesmerized as a pit of some clear importance is being dug, seems more than fitting. Soon, under careful supervision by the natives, they will dig their own pits, and, thus, save the world.<br /><br />(I know, because I've done it.)<br /><br />Alas.<br /><style>p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>ClaireDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08702654163445434157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-26446404868188859192011-04-19T13:02:00.000-04:002011-06-28T21:19:10.492-04:00No More DaysA new decree: No more day-numbering.<br /><br />Lots more days, though.<br /><br />Goodbye.<div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>ClaireDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08702654163445434157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-7341262873625377202011-02-28T21:11:00.001-05:002011-06-28T21:20:06.032-04:00Thing Happened. We Laughed. We Cried. It Ended. Then It Started Again.Sometimes, things end. They go up in flames; they meet a fiery end. Or not. They die out; they fizzle. Maybe you have 1,000 reasons why; maybe you have none. Whatever. The end.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5X8juh9Ve6RyJPXwDCshg2GeplDTcT7hlkkzKcGk_dVIgxT3GuBho-RARxwwgC36-WejMivQj7xuKJUNELajMHbI7NvXxQpqfCLOztFXDHIk5Zqa96OhOf8DYQFaJmvuGRNq/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-06-28+at+6.12.10+PM.png"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5X8juh9Ve6RyJPXwDCshg2GeplDTcT7hlkkzKcGk_dVIgxT3GuBho-RARxwwgC36-WejMivQj7xuKJUNELajMHbI7NvXxQpqfCLOztFXDHIk5Zqa96OhOf8DYQFaJmvuGRNq/s320/Screen+shot+2011-06-28+at+6.12.10+PM.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623443580119454642" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Sometimes, these self-same things start again. For lots of good reasons, say, or perhaps none at all. The poppy opens. The chorus screeches. The (new) beginning.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixl8D_wwP3lNtpJWG46jffHvdtALJEtWMJLWDv1aHO6bMqel8rgiRL1xGQFUeYyhusns2VDAsYThTGxelDhL3axXVNfLC8CdaXwB39t1mE9gdtcKPrCxkFFzzZ3ttdaoLmo26B/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-06-28+at+6.11.38+PM.png"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 103px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixl8D_wwP3lNtpJWG46jffHvdtALJEtWMJLWDv1aHO6bMqel8rgiRL1xGQFUeYyhusns2VDAsYThTGxelDhL3axXVNfLC8CdaXwB39t1mE9gdtcKPrCxkFFzzZ3ttdaoLmo26B/s320/Screen+shot+2011-06-28+at+6.11.38+PM.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623443705689486546" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It's one of those times.<div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>ClaireDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08702654163445434157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-66891874214623112272008-12-05T07:00:00.003-05:002008-12-05T07:07:44.097-05:00Day 1066: It's dark, oh so dark...When I came to England to start this old <a href='http://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/skoll/CLAIRE+A+WILLIAMS.htm'>MBA degree for Hope Runs</a> they forgot to tell me about the weather.<br/><br/>I mean, sure, I knew.<br/><br/>"England is cold," people said.<br/><br/>"In England I remember stepping off the curb into puddles of ice cold water in the winter," my father said.<br/><br/>"You need to dress with long underwear - like you're camping," my mother said.<br/><br/>Since both my parents studied here, they seemed to have lots of opinions. <br/><br/>Case in point: it's cold. More than that, though, I seem to be having a problem with the entire lack of sun and just general lightness flowing onto this here British earth. When I awake at 7:45, it's darkish. When I am still sitting in class at 3:45 pm, it's already getting darkish. And, as you might imagine, its also quite dark during the night. Point being - I miss light. Here's some (with a little Edwin included):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Nv6YDQ7p9-n31u1wIog1t5et2G44RmMScQuEJvHtB4mxf4v_CRnB7WX-hHn0ILOVzWKSJtSTxolQk7gKVkKoEcn9NjZZSsZ-LPliDO9vK4hUkZJnkvIFO18OtIaRDZ-kbI0ogw/s1600-h/2176662625_073a5bdf71.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Nv6YDQ7p9-n31u1wIog1t5et2G44RmMScQuEJvHtB4mxf4v_CRnB7WX-hHn0ILOVzWKSJtSTxolQk7gKVkKoEcn9NjZZSsZ-LPliDO9vK4hUkZJnkvIFO18OtIaRDZ-kbI0ogw/s320/2176662625_073a5bdf71.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276276360963980098" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-83563507523933162632008-11-23T17:07:00.000-05:002008-11-23T17:07:00.413-05:00Day 1053: Morocco, Where I Fought With LaraOn a break from business school up in the UK, I went down to Morocco last week. In my exciting few days in Marrakech, I relived many of the of the times I spent with Lara there, <a href="http://trippingonwords.blogspot.com/2006/05/day-46-bookworms-and-ragin_114916043942448076.html">back on Day 46</a>. Specifically, I happened upon a beautiful palace in which I remember having a heated argument with Lara for upwards of an hour. It was about life, and love, or something like that, and I remember being hot and deciding that we might as well sit down as we fought. <br /><br />Ah, memories. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFQ_auNGDOwzp_5hxRLmi-iV7HZ4tRYcXSPaDEbNJmePjeBTZLtWQemGLWJhYwar6eIIpxCbkvDrzXn4PgQvu9DnmYMdw8EU4-ilIq_0Q2LfS21eCpmDT3WyVgb7wr9Gofu-ucw/s1600-h/claire+fought+with+lara+here.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 242px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFQ_auNGDOwzp_5hxRLmi-iV7HZ4tRYcXSPaDEbNJmePjeBTZLtWQemGLWJhYwar6eIIpxCbkvDrzXn4PgQvu9DnmYMdw8EU4-ilIq_0Q2LfS21eCpmDT3WyVgb7wr9Gofu-ucw/s320/claire+fought+with+lara+here.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271236154836984306" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-25443090661065317762008-11-21T16:53:00.003-05:002008-11-21T17:04:12.730-05:00Day 1050: Baby Steps<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>On the ground in Kenya these days, we've got a great guy working on an exciting new business program for Hope Runs and IBECOME. He's living at Tumaini, where Hope Runs began, for 6 months, and during his first two months so far has been enjoying the many unique personalities of our favorite little (and big) monsters.<br/><br/>Yesterday, we heard that the youngest, and newest of Tumaini's residents has finally warmed up to him. Hezekia, a small and adorable 7 or 8 year old, apparently approached our fine Zach with the gentlest of smiles. After several seconds of akwardness, he then made the ambiguous, surprising ask for money. Upon learning that Zach was not going to give him money, however, he realized he didn't really have much use for the money (being a 7 year old and having his needs taken care of in the orphanage) so apparently wasn't really very disappointed. The chat then progressed in its normal awkward way, with the money issue having been taken off the table. <br/><br/>Zach laughed when telling me and Lara. "Baby steps," he said. <br/></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-1957197848277727332008-11-17T16:46:00.000-05:002008-11-21T17:04:37.945-05:00Day 1000: The Days are Jumbled<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>The days are jumbled here at TrippingOnWords. When we started this fine blog several years ago, we were aimless travel writers taking on a year overseas. That soon turned to non-profit work for cute kids in Africa, and this work (www.hoperuns.org) is what continues to this day. <br/><br/>However, we no longer live in Africa full time. This fall, we are split between the USA and the UK as we work to make Hope Runs, and the larger organization we started, IBECOME, good little change-makers.<br/><br/><br/></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-19440406705257329292008-11-04T16:58:00.000-05:002008-11-21T17:02:38.607-05:00BTW: Obama Won!<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3HGzf5aPUvxlAiWZQ17OPqUI3xryuyvSIYA8Kp08YaJxC-PnBmsZYrqJLIG7IfgJuIbGp38ImgWCw0dHIcJrSEA-Gdx63tARejIzi5Uzbg4aTHXyGtL6cpEqOPYTdsde_qEvJg/?imgmax=800' style='max-width: 800px;'/><br/></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-50643110791180067022008-09-25T20:04:00.001-04:002008-09-25T20:04:24.937-04:00Lara Lands in Kenya....<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>It was her blackberry, and the immediate 30 emails, that tipped me off. To make sure, though, I called her just as she was sitting down to a welcome dinner at the orphanage in Nyeri. Since her cell phone isn't up and working yet, I had called the ever sarcastic and amazing manager of the orphanage, Eunice.<br/><br/>When I asked if Lara was there safe and in one piece, she answered in classic Eunice style:<br/><br/>"You should probably talk to her personally to ask her if she thinks she is one piece."<br/><br/>Lara said, indeed, she was still a whole person. She also said that Edwin, 11 (I can't believe how big he is now) had immediately asked if she had brought the shoes "for to go running."<br/><br/>I heart those kids. <br/><br/></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-6157020834324823562008-07-31T21:55:00.001-04:002008-07-31T21:55:05.709-04:00Have You Seen Our New Pictures Yet?<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Don't forget to look at some of our <a href='http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoperuns/'>beautiful new pictures</a> of our recent trip to Africa. <br/></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-73764929426350322622008-07-20T22:52:00.007-04:002008-12-11T01:32:17.763-05:00Day 793: Lara Who?As everyone knows via claire who has to listen to my complaining, it's been a totally crazy spring/summer and usually not in a good way, though things are looking up this past week. A round of horrific midterms caught me up in my classes, I applied to med school, claire and I have been have a few peaks with the non-profit and other ventures, and the whole world seems to be continuing on just as it should; though I've been so overwhelmed my head has been mostly in the sand pretending it's not all going on. Claire has been a TOTAL champ and hats off to her for tolerating me as a whiny friend and also as an overwhelmed business partner. Huge thanks, clarita.<br /><br />One of the least of my duties is our photos, and now that I have a sec to catch my breath, I'm back on it.<br /><br />so here's a round up of some favorite Africa pics from our last trip:<br /><br />Enjoy! We certainly did.<br /><br />1. In which Edwin continues to be a crazy man<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GVr_ak-Vkp5ByjcEwVpto2F4O3F5aDuUPjEvRELzWeidYJd506UWE289YZg6279o6TFtY6sS429zMXmjmAj2qOpXGgSO_uV6cnAxky74p36gzKL6LRoaCLKpRJtxXLAu1f6XJA/s1600-h/IMG_0117.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GVr_ak-Vkp5ByjcEwVpto2F4O3F5aDuUPjEvRELzWeidYJd506UWE289YZg6279o6TFtY6sS429zMXmjmAj2qOpXGgSO_uV6cnAxky74p36gzKL6LRoaCLKpRJtxXLAu1f6XJA/s320/IMG_0117.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225301632793651122" border="0" /></a><br />2. Saitote<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ18hZPm5xi9m6AkxBLfQTm55H2mW9M-nHa8ifHeyBKMBGMEFwBpxF29paEmKetJwuD-VEiZZsSyLrpHsqZRJhUAJS_jbcOPZ9ZyPzfZFRsfrjf3FwNoNcwUf2cxml2F_4i9r_Rg/s1600-h/IMG_0144.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ18hZPm5xi9m6AkxBLfQTm55H2mW9M-nHa8ifHeyBKMBGMEFwBpxF29paEmKetJwuD-VEiZZsSyLrpHsqZRJhUAJS_jbcOPZ9ZyPzfZFRsfrjf3FwNoNcwUf2cxml2F_4i9r_Rg/s320/IMG_0144.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225301639426212466" border="0" /></a>3. Two of our amazing volunteers--Molly and Alicia<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknfuNQ6qCOSkSfJSOuKN-ODQFxlNAS0HncyRgqnofhkaJO0nCk-Y1-Xw0CaPeLWlZaAxMfzXDjbaHcMuJTFv17SxgAg2pNY2O-e_10NjBR5QlOi_ulJE4uTPQaBNjquvoQjZicg/s1600-h/alicia+and+molly.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknfuNQ6qCOSkSfJSOuKN-ODQFxlNAS0HncyRgqnofhkaJO0nCk-Y1-Xw0CaPeLWlZaAxMfzXDjbaHcMuJTFv17SxgAg2pNY2O-e_10NjBR5QlOi_ulJE4uTPQaBNjquvoQjZicg/s320/alicia+and+molly.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225300511604860514" border="0" /></a>4. Grantwriter Holly and not-so-little-anymore Jane<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9yKKOI_wjzMT77GseD2Uxm0pOhvVkab7BnZWWI5_Ab3vWz3EocHjmbkdtlmGNdfT_2hvcjG328BiixN1ZybPkQ-Ocgc1d2bOGEIJT4lIBB6Ip5wzmFPSrjmIH3g-U6ALZqfEZyA/s1600-h/IMG_0323.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9yKKOI_wjzMT77GseD2Uxm0pOhvVkab7BnZWWI5_Ab3vWz3EocHjmbkdtlmGNdfT_2hvcjG328BiixN1ZybPkQ-Ocgc1d2bOGEIJT4lIBB6Ip5wzmFPSrjmIH3g-U6ALZqfEZyA/s320/IMG_0323.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225300516581575714" border="0" /></a>5. Maryanne<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIXkJxlvdYamvqwSoZZYRmviyegSNzFOePCpXyStImzsWvyTLViZCNlBBgqCcK6J8IRVuxivuhI8UuxThJfmhY9KZLhXbTFMoNUGi527dUT10vV6MfpAd4Qhd8bTK_p6zdzgsvg/s1600-h/IMG_0298.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIXkJxlvdYamvqwSoZZYRmviyegSNzFOePCpXyStImzsWvyTLViZCNlBBgqCcK6J8IRVuxivuhI8UuxThJfmhY9KZLhXbTFMoNUGi527dUT10vV6MfpAd4Qhd8bTK_p6zdzgsvg/s320/IMG_0298.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225300521771149570" border="0" /></a>6. Tori-consulting savior<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMny3mAX8uWGEexuIGmeYNumH82I50Jv31IZKbVUPAkQQnxoczxENUv7Fi80r1715vPiI3VQTeUU-IFLa4BRyQi6w0ctUm5ScpmsDMNpOzQMusmMukp2QXKBYHuHXGz4xEtTJoQ/s1600-h/IMG_0311.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMny3mAX8uWGEexuIGmeYNumH82I50Jv31IZKbVUPAkQQnxoczxENUv7Fi80r1715vPiI3VQTeUU-IFLa4BRyQi6w0ctUm5ScpmsDMNpOzQMusmMukp2QXKBYHuHXGz4xEtTJoQ/s320/IMG_0311.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225300522912464802" border="0" /></a>7. Hezekia--head of Tanzania project<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnxxTW5XSHemuBynPnR1AXjqzhtkUQBifU8lpsreKZNcEFVtJBeY_EooBmMmkAxAuu9j5LY0B4TtIqVtE1AVLr58CAnFG_LqkAG2PnzRPdtnSp3i10Gac1KXRrGq7f5_tO5qsjg/s1600-h/Picture+056.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnxxTW5XSHemuBynPnR1AXjqzhtkUQBifU8lpsreKZNcEFVtJBeY_EooBmMmkAxAuu9j5LY0B4TtIqVtE1AVLr58CAnFG_LqkAG2PnzRPdtnSp3i10Gac1KXRrGq7f5_tO5qsjg/s320/Picture+056.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225298125443735362" border="0" /></a>8. Simon<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDYyjV8OHZ4tC54cXDqXXeKrjJSEbIVZ7X0cD6Z1ydozv9XsOw1yrX4di0mUF49iucVBePMQNhljLA2TkLl_HLOk5N8doRyZfe8-onCiC5Wq2V8QJxBUfJJIJ38U4iwEGjeNvqg/s1600-h/Picture+121.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDYyjV8OHZ4tC54cXDqXXeKrjJSEbIVZ7X0cD6Z1ydozv9XsOw1yrX4di0mUF49iucVBePMQNhljLA2TkLl_HLOk5N8doRyZfe8-onCiC5Wq2V8QJxBUfJJIJ38U4iwEGjeNvqg/s320/Picture+121.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225298129486527170" border="0" /></a><br />9. The water problem when we first arrived at Shamba site, Tanzania--no more buckets these days though<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSDJKDPMJc9A4LHd-pLp9BsWde7TQvvC8OGkyX8BfTtfkSMZlITOotUxBDfOdiSnQXu3A9aQL0LWxxVxuNeeFZnA3_AL1vtsETZjFDnE7OlqKASu-cMC-kTCiZrQ_TbbclKwF0A/s1600-h/Picture+012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSDJKDPMJc9A4LHd-pLp9BsWde7TQvvC8OGkyX8BfTtfkSMZlITOotUxBDfOdiSnQXu3A9aQL0LWxxVxuNeeFZnA3_AL1vtsETZjFDnE7OlqKASu-cMC-kTCiZrQ_TbbclKwF0A/s320/Picture+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225298136811858978" border="0" /></a>10. Soccer in Tanzania<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6Lq8JdV3anblCX8ZplMkQkp2ohfzy8oVw7nsTeEze-ne0MrpfcPY3dnJnVsfUdNu7KE_esorBHf05315keu57yzVJLSsRHhijJrqWMyAyEQwmCVNDLRGtzdrczOoRr2OjtPvWA/s1600-h/Picture+035.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6Lq8JdV3anblCX8ZplMkQkp2ohfzy8oVw7nsTeEze-ne0MrpfcPY3dnJnVsfUdNu7KE_esorBHf05315keu57yzVJLSsRHhijJrqWMyAyEQwmCVNDLRGtzdrczOoRr2OjtPvWA/s320/Picture+035.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225296822418362226" border="0" /></a>11. And of course me with Rhoda and Simba....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmoevLxb8msx8sX3r-jyUv6GiFscZ_VmbJA_Psf0lexP1kiNheokaGD1e9sC5fnURWWqQnO1wsOHBR00Y3lI1jtmLajUk5kdcJAbnsyCYuwK_cG3hGaar5xbDkD34Lc8-8L7Jzw/s1600-h/IMG_0103.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmoevLxb8msx8sX3r-jyUv6GiFscZ_VmbJA_Psf0lexP1kiNheokaGD1e9sC5fnURWWqQnO1wsOHBR00Y3lI1jtmLajUk5kdcJAbnsyCYuwK_cG3hGaar5xbDkD34Lc8-8L7Jzw/s320/IMG_0103.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225301628195302834" border="0" /></a><br />12. ...and Claire (and Edwin)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQciXoC8MmmQdHbeKF2Fd-HvVlttXoJSo1O4ZCmPZksiogj3NVt99CZrz7Gj62m3czfwFagy3tRFzYIyrtF1hYj5K5Al3U_o4ltQrq7Ez1DlgWULBSwhugze-u5ce9xbPb8_-14Q/s1600-h/IMG_0332.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQciXoC8MmmQdHbeKF2Fd-HvVlttXoJSo1O4ZCmPZksiogj3NVt99CZrz7Gj62m3czfwFagy3tRFzYIyrtF1hYj5K5Al3U_o4ltQrq7Ez1DlgWULBSwhugze-u5ce9xbPb8_-14Q/s320/IMG_0332.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225300528206959042" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-47447743347435065072008-07-10T18:08:00.003-04:002008-07-10T18:10:52.127-04:00The Girl Effect<object width="375" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WIvmE4_KMNw&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WIvmE4_KMNw&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-72987817618370976672008-07-06T23:50:00.002-04:002008-07-06T23:54:08.278-04:00Day 781: The Fourth of JulyShockingly, they still don't celebrate the USA's independence down here in Argentina, where summer is winter (southern hemisphere, people) and meat is king.<br /><br />However, Lara tells me (Claire) that the holiday went off as expected in the USA, and that people ate hot dogs and ketchup as needed. Lara, as our resident vegetarian, certainly didn't, but that doesn't prevent her from reporting on the rest of us carnivores. <br /><br />Happy Fourth of July to you all!<div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-6522152672181151712008-07-05T23:39:00.000-04:002008-12-11T01:32:17.963-05:00Day 780: Good Pictures from AfricaAs you may have guessed from the recent post from the Barack and Hilary rally in Unity, New Hampshire, Lara has indeed returned from Africa to settle back into life and work in the USA. As usual, the minor technology disasters are constant. Lara has infected her entire family with technology nightmares - all the computers are near to death now. Additionally, Lara's bright shiny new camera seems to have failed itself. We have salvaged some photos from it all though.<br /><br />Let's go (we're not promising they are good):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LNAWzo8t-4R9fqnV6tHS1EjmfISxO4-xS3VI3IGMvsF3S3SEcrZye6usfV-zNMdh8DpZoRcyUzRydiP75mbY10UjeGqnKBKfEeUetEVcz-4zwv1_CdNSvuWBMEn1mVcLgwLfAw/s1600-h/Kenya&Tanz+034.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LNAWzo8t-4R9fqnV6tHS1EjmfISxO4-xS3VI3IGMvsF3S3SEcrZye6usfV-zNMdh8DpZoRcyUzRydiP75mbY10UjeGqnKBKfEeUetEVcz-4zwv1_CdNSvuWBMEn1mVcLgwLfAw/s320/Kenya&Tanz+034.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220113919801236722" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-54499458355712275802008-06-27T16:59:00.000-04:002008-12-11T01:32:18.083-05:00Lara in Unity, New Hampshire<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbkGHQ7gNf3vBGWIF5cl_l-hNEPLJcrzeDFZgK2r18tXDKs3HVLOw6HVJAad1Hg2cHa39a2qZOJh8-mRGLdyhk1pK_ca_fHDOjW-ksZOTRLCSJ79VCMJDiKEQiFgyLnbr38zmQw/s1600-h/IMG00004.jpg'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbkGHQ7gNf3vBGWIF5cl_l-hNEPLJcrzeDFZgK2r18tXDKs3HVLOw6HVJAad1Hg2cHa39a2qZOJh8-mRGLdyhk1pK_ca_fHDOjW-ksZOTRLCSJ79VCMJDiKEQiFgyLnbr38zmQw/s320/IMG00004.jpg' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br />Guess Where I Am?<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-81598319563182985192008-06-24T12:32:00.002-04:002008-06-24T19:44:45.303-04:00Day 764: Lara in London<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Lara, in transit from Africa to the USA, was clearly not the only one affected by President Bush's decision to fly into Heathrow. <br/></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-52325782129379330242008-06-21T18:00:00.001-04:002008-12-11T01:32:18.409-05:00Day 763: Welcome Gladys!<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuCxlZ1T6ycpoyRWSZ-T-yoDzo20ZvqLdz3h49wmmNzq0DSoPjQcGPGbpAIQp2qM4s4kmWVlaSi0I42Es55Q9ZlCtFmapeBoze2BCscH59aiDxWa916wwUYPqEw6R87Auj7X_PQ/s1600-h/Kenya&Tanz+002.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuCxlZ1T6ycpoyRWSZ-T-yoDzo20ZvqLdz3h49wmmNzq0DSoPjQcGPGbpAIQp2qM4s4kmWVlaSi0I42Es55Q9ZlCtFmapeBoze2BCscH59aiDxWa916wwUYPqEw6R87Auj7X_PQ/s320/Kenya&Tanz+002.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><br />Tumaini has a new kid in town - Gladys has now asserted herself as the smallest and most vocipherous member of the orphanage community. We applaud you little Gladys.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-43699501052566196092008-06-21T16:26:00.002-04:002008-06-21T16:46:11.610-04:00Day 762: We are (as ever) here<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>While Lara braves out another couple weeks of field management in Kenya and Tanzania right now, I (Claire) have returned to South America to a life of virtual work for Hope Runs. Our last month on the ground in Africa has been one of the most hectic in my recent memory, but this comes as know surprise. Clearly, this is what happens when one builds a life in which being in two places at once is actually the best option. <br/><br/>This recent trip brought to mind an issue that we have been steadily - and sometimes, admittedly, sadly - aware of over the last year. Indeed, it is startling to see how much our roles have changed since we began Hope Runs. In the beginning, it was all about the children, and laughing at them (yes), and with them (yes), and just generally spending endless time doing very little of substance in their presence. <br/><br/>And although we do some of that these days - we held a successful snail marathon, we popped 200 bags of popcorn, etc. - our job these days demands that we spend much more time in Africa talking to adults, about adult-like things. <br/><br/>The result?<br/><br/>Better programming for the adorable little and big kids, but less quality time spent with little monsters. And this problem is not about to end. As we happily expand to the point where we cannot always know the names of the children we work with, a tiny sigh of sadness does escape us. <br/><br/><br/></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-74503431808754921282008-06-19T16:43:00.000-04:002008-12-11T01:32:19.376-05:00Day 760: Edwin RecapEdwin, 10, in his element as ever:<br /><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1vz6NjGy1QvvG9Nn5vwvD2m3xcVGX2v4octbm0A6SGGFcXE0Aok4mZPytynD3A3DnuLLiVZBAD7QRakC7x1bAViJ4yF_YlG2F1AyhF_RtgpbZbpm6rnwuPkHPD0ACP-mcmOV6g/s1600-h/Kenya&Tanz+001.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1vz6NjGy1QvvG9Nn5vwvD2m3xcVGX2v4octbm0A6SGGFcXE0Aok4mZPytynD3A3DnuLLiVZBAD7QRakC7x1bAViJ4yF_YlG2F1AyhF_RtgpbZbpm6rnwuPkHPD0ACP-mcmOV6g/s320/Kenya&Tanz+001.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jZ7nWQcaeLm8FtdZ4WC8zyihhBoFUDmKIhKllZh3EoAt5ZQApqokv7dHaUuwjzqGyoPPFeXK7aw0-MVowWEUhqrS-jvbs6EwG5xCtOcvRsikJodaMNhcy5T0AvFcd6IThgnx8Q/s1600-h/Kenya&Tanz+002.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jZ7nWQcaeLm8FtdZ4WC8zyihhBoFUDmKIhKllZh3EoAt5ZQApqokv7dHaUuwjzqGyoPPFeXK7aw0-MVowWEUhqrS-jvbs6EwG5xCtOcvRsikJodaMNhcy5T0AvFcd6IThgnx8Q/s320/Kenya&Tanz+002.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><br /><div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQmqufXM4tpAvtJUmb4EJzF59owUlndK5qL5LJeZbQlHA-1SOwu6tg8rzYhoNBidDt6nrpJS9oJOzUjkYuL4jXP3EHfevAHZCeNgqjKTaFtM3HQjoZFpbc-_YuNoas1LIVlZnLg/s1600-h/Kenya&Tanz+003.JPG'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQmqufXM4tpAvtJUmb4EJzF59owUlndK5qL5LJeZbQlHA-1SOwu6tg8rzYhoNBidDt6nrpJS9oJOzUjkYuL4jXP3EHfevAHZCeNgqjKTaFtM3HQjoZFpbc-_YuNoas1LIVlZnLg/s320/Kenya&Tanz+003.JPG' border='0' alt='' /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-77407541003147559572008-06-18T09:49:00.001-04:002008-06-18T09:49:22.364-04:00Back from Africa<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>While Lara still manages the fort - and quite a management effort it requires - I have returned to South America, most of my luggage intact, mosquito bites to spare. <br/></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-81563952480411551112008-05-30T15:17:00.000-04:002008-12-11T01:32:19.586-05:00Day 740: Africa Still Produces Cute ChildrenCurrently in Kenya, the old pictures are true: the kids are still adorable. A few inches taller than when Claire last saw them two months ago, but still adorably petite. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePRIqEYU1xHgp3c53_fegDjLBg5OGYGeHB6DvlgC8_MEOnkwzlpYD8ytdnU-jhqV-fKDkKqjcSjr0piPviIuw36ljk-EK1dRL09lDjewEBocBUJU4YRRNuHmfzyKG4N59Z5ZbeA/s1600-h/absurd+rhoda+mwai+etc.+group+bad.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePRIqEYU1xHgp3c53_fegDjLBg5OGYGeHB6DvlgC8_MEOnkwzlpYD8ytdnU-jhqV-fKDkKqjcSjr0piPviIuw36ljk-EK1dRL09lDjewEBocBUJU4YRRNuHmfzyKG4N59Z5ZbeA/s320/absurd+rhoda+mwai+etc.+group+bad.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204025752690586226" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-39889691000401644152008-05-30T05:39:00.003-04:002008-06-21T16:58:15.745-04:00Day 740: Back in Kenya with a vengeanceWell, the internet is out at the orphanage, so we hvae been doing all our emailing from town (with a bad keyboard, so pardon typos). This is fine, as we have claire's blackberry (lara's blackberry continues to be quite hte issue but we don't speak of this) to at least read emails and send back two line responses. This is how claire emails from computers anyway, so people haven't really noticed a change.<br /><br />it is AMAZING to be back--the kids are all jsut teh same, but bigger. Except the ones who haven't actually gotten any bigger, which is alternately because they're grown or because we should be concerned abotu them. But Tumaini putters along as usual--the elders are eldering, the runners are running, the kids are yelling--it's all as we left it, happily if anything better for the wear.<br /><br />The highlights of our return have included:<br /><br />The First Annual Inernational kono kono Marathon: (kono kono is a slug)which included 13 slugs gathered from the garden, and about 45 screaming kids, and two squealing lara and claire's. We had lots of prizes for the winning slug (named Douglas after one of the running coaches) as well as some speeches from myself. Unfortunately, the slug named Claire because it was so white kept taking off in the wrong direction, and the slug named Lara just went to sleep. Oh well. At least time the kids did not trick Claire into giving the slug salt as its prize. Sad Claire has fallen for that trick before.<br /><br /><br />2. A great arrival lunch--I really missed kenyan food and tea. The lunch also included an in-depth disucssion of obama and hillary and their recent antics--everyone here is surprisingly pro Hillary considering Obama is a Kenyan--however, then we found out that Obama is a Luo (rival tribe) so he is less liked around here than one might expect.<br /><br />3. WE hve spent 6 hours in the BArclay's Bank--Nyeri Branch. We discovered when we got here that there was some complex college tuition fee stuff happening, and we've been trying to negotiate the issue (thanks mom and dad!). All will be fine in the end, but lordy. These Kenyans are killing me. In order to take otu money this time, I required a letter of introduction from a Kenyan "of good standing." So we went to take the truck to find Cucu, the elder at Tumaini, but ended up running into an elder from the church instead. He climbed in with us (there were 13 of us in the car at this point), and he came down to both provide his signature, and a public shaming at the bank for giving us "who were helping the church" a hard time. After this "good fathering" as Eunice explained it, the bank was much more amenable to our issue.<br /><br />But things are good--we have had story hour, lots of tea, and while I have yet to partake of any githeri, I'm sure it's coming soon enough. The reunion five K run is tomorrow--everyone hope it goes well, and that no one notices that Claire and I can no longer run well.<div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-55768185641688372602008-05-26T20:09:00.001-04:002008-05-26T20:12:13.921-04:00Day 739 addendumgood thing I was up at 3 AM--email crises regarding office depot and claire's computer...<br /><br />cancelled ! Again! Sent back to warehouse!<br /><br />No worries--emily is on it! Go emily go!<br /><br />Sigh. Then sob a little bit.<div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065623.post-46420599419220089982008-05-26T19:32:00.002-04:002008-05-26T19:58:39.641-04:00Day 739: Hooray Kenya!I'm here again hurray! It was absolute hell getting out the door of the US because At&T/IBM conspired to ruin my life (Claire wasn't kidding--AT&T abjectly lied to me. it was shocking. They even acknowledged that they had lied many times, but that they couldn't fix it. ARRRGGGH.) and because i'm an idiot and had no time to do everything that needed to be done; but the flights were delightfully smooth and I even made it to them thanks to a multi-person effort to get me out the door (thanks mom and dad! And Will and Gabs and Bobo and Gracie! And Silvana! The George Clooney-obsessed flight attendant for BA! i'll forgive you for the Matthew McConaughey pictures...) One very short layover in London, lots of sleep and a bit of movie watching. Then more sleep.<br /><br />I was dreadfully hungover from a month of relative sleeplessness between finals and a round of serious MCAT cramming and taking. BUT it's all OVER!!! And though I return from Africa to a nice round up of summer school, I now have a blissful whole month of doing much more fun things like hanging with the urphins.<br /><br />So far Kenya has been uneventful. There was a small bit of bribery of customs officials when I got in, but even that was really quite painless in the end--when I invoked the fact that it was donations for kids, they didn't care, but when I explained that I was giving them to a church and anything they charged me, the reverend would be paying so REALLY they were charging the Kenyan church for US donations, the numbers went down real quick. happily--as their first numbers started at over 400 USD, which got me all red in the face and sweaty with outrage. but in the end, it was more like 15 USD. Claire says this has nothing to do with my bargaining skills and everything to do wit hthe fact that they were being ridiculous, I beg to differ.<br /><br />Other than that, it's been quiet, like I said. Highlights have included:<br /><br />1) getting yelled at by the airport officials beyond the customs people because I kept scampering across the security lines without getting checked or even showing a passport to talk to my driver (the wonderful Francis) about how best to bribe people and to get money from the bank. They eased up for some reason when I told them "asanti sana" or thank you very much in Kiswahili. At first, I thought this was because they were impressed with my (totally nonexistent) language skills. Then I realized they were probably laughing at me.<br /><br />2) realizing that despite my massive massive amounts of crap, I did manage to forget important things<br /><br />3) READING A NOVEL for the first time in a long time. I've read two in fact. And it was great.<br /><br />4) Offering Splenda to the woman that cleans my hotel room. They hadn't given me sugar for my coffee that morning, so I rummaged through all my stuff and found a couple of stray bags of splenda (no I really had not packed them). When I explained to the woman that I would need sugar in the morning, she seemed to doubt my need for sugar since I was drinking their coffee as we spoke in the supposedly sugar-free room. By way of explanation, I showed her the Splenda. She wanted some. so I handed it over, and she promptly poured it over her hand and licked it off.<br /><br /><br />She liked it.<br /><br />5) Grocery shopping, showering after my airplane ride with a pretty gecko, sleeping through the night for about 11 hours when I got here, and reuniting with our driver Francis were other highlights.<br /><br />Now it's almost 3 AM here, I'm awake again, and need to go back to sleep. But part worry about how the next few months will go, and mostly excitement to be back and seeing hte kids tomorrow are keeping me up--<br /><br />SO good to be back. And far away from Science Lecture Hall C and my MCAT books.<br /><br />Sigh.<div class="blogger-post-footer">We travel to places on maps. Since 2006, we've been telling you about it. Huzzah!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0