Don't forget to look at some of our beautiful new pictures of our recent trip to Africa.
Day 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.
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.
so here's a round up of some favorite Africa pics from our last trip:
Enjoy! We certainly did.
1. In which Edwin continues to be a crazy man
2. Saitote
3. Two of our amazing volunteers--Molly and Alicia
4. Grantwriter Holly and not-so-little-anymore Jane
5. Maryanne
6. Tori-consulting savior
7. Hezekia--head of Tanzania project
8. Simon
9. The water problem when we first arrived at Shamba site, Tanzania--no more buckets these days though
10. Soccer in Tanzania
11. And of course me with Rhoda and Simba....
12. ...and Claire (and Edwin)
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.
so here's a round up of some favorite Africa pics from our last trip:
Enjoy! We certainly did.
1. In which Edwin continues to be a crazy man
2. Saitote
3. Two of our amazing volunteers--Molly and Alicia
4. Grantwriter Holly and not-so-little-anymore Jane
5. Maryanne
6. Tori-consulting savior
7. Hezekia--head of Tanzania project
8. Simon
9. The water problem when we first arrived at Shamba site, Tanzania--no more buckets these days though
10. Soccer in Tanzania
11. And of course me with Rhoda and Simba....
12. ...and Claire (and Edwin)
Day 781: The Fourth of July
Shockingly, they still don't celebrate the USA's independence down here in Argentina, where summer is winter (southern hemisphere, people) and meat is king.
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.
Happy Fourth of July to you all!
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.
Happy Fourth of July to you all!
Day 780: Good Pictures from Africa
As 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.
Let's go (we're not promising they are good):
Let's go (we're not promising they are good):
Day 764: Lara in London
Lara, in transit from Africa to the USA, was clearly not the only one affected by President Bush's decision to fly into Heathrow.
Day 763: Welcome Gladys!
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.
Day 762: We are (as ever) here
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.
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.
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.
The result?
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.
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.
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.
The result?
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.
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