started this blog over six years ago. I believe it was in March 2005, as I was winding up my life in the UK. Less than six months later I was going to Africa. When I started typing here, I didn't know where I was going. I just knew I was going. I was 22 and very naive (I see NOW!) but I was on the ride of my life. I started this blog as a way to mentally process where I was going and as a handy way to keep in contact with people "back home" whether in Germany, the UK or the USA. Sadly, I've been back over 2 years and have been pathetic at keeping this blog up and running. I admit, I got nervous at how scary the instant connectedness of the first world can infiltrate your life. But now as I've been thinking about what the Internet does I can make comparisons with Africa in a heart beat. There's this phenomenon in Africa called the Bush Telegraph. I distinctly remember hearing from people in VILLAGES in the interior that I was doing such and such on such and such night. I realized quickly that people were watching me where ever I went. It's similar with the Internet. Think about it. How many times in your life have you heard the "Oh yeah I saw that on Facebook..." or some variant thereof. It's just a bush telegraph with optical fibers instead of coconut fibers and fofoqueira.

Now on to the title, I've been called an adrenalin junkie before in my life. I tend to take that as a compliment. Nothing excites me more than to try and figure out life in some far flung corner of the world. Doing it in Pittsburgh has not had that rush. Unless I'm trying to understand Yinzer speak or this language they speak up in the mountains of West Virginia. But, I've been trying recently to find the "wow" moments of everyday. The past couple of days have been just that.

Starting a few days ago I had a two hour session at work where 2 of my students left early, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. So I sat down with the other woman who stayed for a little bit. She turns out to sit on the board of a charity in Zimbabwe. It is run (partly) by this ethnically Swedish woman who is from Finland. So this book is written in Swedish and I found with my German background I can work out some of the roots of words for the meanings and now I'm helping her translate it. After we got talking, she said there is an RPCV from Zim who also lives in my neighborhood here in Pittsburgh. She served under the same Country Director in Zim that I served under in Moz. That just made me yelp with excitement. The best is yet to come though. She said they send some Americans over to Zimbabwe every July and August to teach and work about 100 miles outside of Harare. It would be all expense paid. I need to do an internship for grad school and my internship seems to have fallen into my lap!!

SO, I'm translating a book, have a trip back to Africa on the horizon and saw someone randomly in Pittsburgh who I went to high school with. Oh yeah Freshlyground is coming to America as well.

The Universe is Smiling.

Ian

I've spent a lifetime going through preparation for major life experiences. I think it may have come from a certain major life experience that I had no preparation for that changed my life. It happened on 10.5.1990 so I guess I didn't want to be caught unaware anymore. The list is quite staggering and someone actually pointed out at work the other day, "You know, for being 28, you've accomplished quiet a lot." There were a few more expletives than that, but you get the idea.

His comment actually made me go home a sit down to see what I have done. It started small but has been growing ever since. I prepared for various shows (which at that time I THOUGHT were life changing experiences) before I was 16. But at 13 I experiences London for the first time. Let me tell you I am STILL hooked. Went there last year and just loved it. Like always. Then came Germany (life changing) and hopefully A will gain as much of an appreciation for the country and the language as I have. Then came Friend's World (need I say more) but the "crowning" achievement would have to be Peace Corps. Africa is always going to be in my heart. It is what is pushing me for the Foreign Service Test.

Now off to salt the driveway! 6 inches of snow on the way!

More soon

Growing up I thought Pittsburgh was always the back of beyond. I remember a certain 7th grade science teacher telling me that it was never advisable to fly into Pittsburgh in the winter. 3 different weather streams pass over the city. That just seems like a perfect storm to a 12 year old. Well, I've lived here since April of 2010 and have been HIGHLY disappointed by the snow we've seen so far. Today, we were supposed to get SNOWPOCALYPSE. It didn't happen. Not after the 76 inches we got last year in Philadelphia. But I will say, Pittsburgh is so much better at cleaning the streets than Philadelphia, or New York for that matter. It's been snowing maybe 6 hours and the street I am on has been plowed twice. Pittsburghers also know how to drive better in the snow. I'll never forget the winter I was in London and it snowed three inches. The city was shut down. :) I think they are getting better about it now. Are they Liz?

Last thing I want to talk about tonight is Global Warming. It was sooooooooo slow at work today we spent most of it on our computers. We were looking at the impending doom rolling across the country. She made a side comment "Well, I guess that means no more global warming,.." The stupidity of this country is sometimes astounding....

More soon

Ok, I've been back in America for two "Holiday Seasons" now, but I've only worked in a mall for one of them. :O) Or maybe I shouldn't be quite so cheerful. I am more than grateful for my two days off right now because the last day I was at the store, PEOPLE WERE CRAZY!!!

I am thinking about this because I walk around the mall on various breaks that I have in the day. It's amusing and upsetting the different kinds of people that you see in a mall. Whenever I start my day, I am sure to see some mall walkers. I just did a little search and was SHOCKED to see that there are mall walking clubs. Why I'm surprised I don't know. Everything seems possible in this country. That's a wonderful thing... I think. The mall walkers inevitably scare the crap out of me because when you get to work at 7:30 in the morning, there are not many other people around and it seems like geriatric McGee is walking at light speed around corners. I don't understand the appeal.

Another thing I don't like very much about my home culture is the absurdity of Black Friday. Scroll down on the link and look at some of the violent acts that have taken place just this year in 2010. How is some "macabre" tradition so important in this land? It's another product of Philadelphia. Some would say that's enough of a description (Adam) but I want to know where, in the years did someone say you have to be evil to everybody else. I always laugh when people come into my shop and say "I don't have much time, tell me in 1 sentence what is so great about a .........(fill in the blank.) As many of you know, I don't exactly work in a store where you walk in a walk out. My average interaction on the sales floor is about 45 minutes and I don't mind.

But, in the true tradition of American holidays, I don't have enough time to finish this...

I've been trying to teach myself and live by the mantra of "cherish what you have" for years. First time I can really remember thinking this is when my uncle Tony got sick in 2000. 14 years of battling various diseases. Since I was only 18 in 2000, I realized that I would have been four if he didn't fight as hard as he did. I wish I cherished having him more than I showed. If my mom didn't fight as hard as she did, I probably would have been 3 when she died.

In the interim I have traveled to all inhabitable continents (in the British 5 continents terminology) to 28 countries and met a whole load of friends. What I want to know now is why I am focusing on certain people who I have lost in my life. (Friendship wise I mean) There is one in particular who I am mourning but I have to move on. This person was influential in some of my time abroad. Many times, we would just meet up at a Pub and chat. Last time I went to this person's country, I chatted on the phone and had a good time talking to her/him. Now, I wrote to them write before I left for California. This person also worked for my company at one point so I wanted to share. But, no response to the email and I went on to Facebook and saw that I have been "defriended." I also was defriended by someone who I actively divorced as a friend - or passively. I don't know.

What I'm wondering is why do I care about these people who obviously don't care about me. I need to cherish what I have.

this is something I was finishing up the last week I was in California. Didn't know why I didn't send it. Now I'll try to update more and more as the winter months shut us in here in Pittsburgh

I had a horrible experience this morning with someone who I thought was intelligent and kind of cool. Needless to say, the moral of this blog (I know you normally don't hit the moral first but hey bear with me) is that even though we have come so far with rights and acceptance, we still have so far to go. I was waiting this morning in front of the hotel and we were just talking. Somehow, we got from talking about food to him making fun of a gay man who works at the hotel. I just stood there stupidly looking at him thinking, HE KNOWS who I am, he's got the same name as my husband and I remember telling him that. Well, he was talking to me about how this one guy who works there (typical SF area flaming gay man). Almost right away, the wrist starting flapping and the lisp got turned on. We were standing in a group of three - me, him and an Italian man, so no one he had to really be macho and show off in front of. But man, he just kept going! He went on to say that he takes the cookies this gay man makes every day for us and runs. He told me that he doesn't hang around because E (the gay) is winking at him all the time. I will say this guy had a nice look about him but the attitude he has just turned him into one of the ugliest people I've seen. And yet he kept going. He mentioned to the Italian that he was just too nice. The Italian hangs around the lobby for a bit talking to everybody who is there. He later told me he doesn't understand the Americans issues with gays. TO the American, I made sure to show my complete disgust on my face and made it as awkward as possible to be around me for him. I said to him, I'm sure you are just not that man's type. He looked at me and suddenly got beet red. It came to him who he was talking to. Score one for me.

I just have been thinking about this alot this morning. I don't know why we as a society sit around and accept making fun of gay people as something that is funny. If someone did that to say Hispanics, or say Blacks not many people would be laughing. Racism would be accused and the offender would be socially shunned. Now, on my side, people just laugh and nothing is thought about it. Hopefully though, this one guy will think twice before he makes fun of that again.

Probably not though.

Those three little letters can mean so many things. Many times as I said them over the years, I would mix up the last two items. I would naturally start calling them PVC's and now that I think of it, it could be fitting that we are compared to toilet plumbing. But I digress. I'm writing this today because I've had one of the best weekends out here with three lovely ladies who I worked with in Africa. They all live in the Bay Area and are just fabulous people. It was like we saw each other yesterday when in reality I hadn't seen them in 2 years almost. I love that about people who you meet overseas and have an amazing experience with. It is something I am thinking alot about as my brother transitions back from 14 months in the UK. It's the longest he has lived overseas and I am nervous for his re-entry into the US of A. It's not that I don't trust or believe in my brothers abilities, it's that I know how hard it is and this is where culture shock comes from. When someone goes overseas, you are expecting "weirdness." When you come home to your "home" country, you are not necessarily expecting the weirdness of it all. That's when the big Shock sneaks up behind you and hits you over the head. "Oh YEAH! YOU THINK ENGLAND AND AMERICA ARE THE SAME!! :::::bam::::" Good luck.

Now to bring myself back to the title of this post, PCVs are a strange bread. You willingly sign up to go live in a hut in a third world country for 2 years - electricity and running water optional. Sanity is lost along the way too. Shouldn't that be the first sign of telling us we've lost our minds? But no, we truck on...most people finishing two years, some people finishing three years of service. Last weekend, I noticed how that will ALWAYS be a huge part of me. There were three of us out at the bar in the Castro and it was as if we never left. And naturally the conversation topics were the same.

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It's hard but I am trying so hard to do it. A said I was the eternal optimist when we got married. He's really been the person who has pointed it out to me. I didn't really notice too much before. I know see it almost on a daily basis. Two recent examples.

My bags got lost (very lost) on the way out to California. It didn't help that my original flight was outright canceled from Pittsburgh out here. I was in smelly smelly clothes by the end of the day on Monday and thought I would have to spend a record 3 days in the same set of clothes. Surprisingly, I have only lost my bags 2 times. Both had Pittsburgh International Airport involved. Is this the Universe telling me I should get the hell out of dodge while I still can? If the Republicans start repealing my very limited civil rights... God Save the Queen? :) Anyway, I had to keep reminding myself that I was in freaking California! I haven't been out here in 10 years and just kept smiling like a delusional idiot.

My other instance is when my feet starting hurting in San Francisco. This time it wasn't hard, I just had to look out over the bay. I mean I WAS IN SAN FRANCISCO!

I challenge anyone who still reads this to focus on the positive. Anyone who reads this obviously has electricity, running water and a soft bed to lie in. After that is there really anything we should complain about?

More soon

PS. I feel I REALLY have to comment on last nights Glee episode but I'm not sure my stream of consciousness writing would do it justice.

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I just turned 28.  I don't think that is anything big - most of my friends are older than me now and my age bracket does include 35 on most American forms.  However, I've noticed my age in the time I've been out here in California.  Take tonight for example.  A bunch of people are going to go out to dinner tonight at a Korean BBQ restaurant.  (That is still one thing I cannot get over, the sheer amount of choice in America)  A new episode of Glee is also on.  I'm torn about where I want to go.  I'm laughing though because when I was 20 and 21, living in the UK and Guatemala respectively, I went out EVERY NIGHT.  I think I took Sundays and Mondays off just out of sheer exhaustion.  When you are that young and can't drink at home, living in a country where you are an old fart on the drinking scene definitely helps.  Anyway, I was dead set on going out tonight, but I think I'll stay in.  It seems just as appealing to stay at home and enjoy the TV - maybe even more so.  Any thoughts on how we are getting "so old?"

PS.  It just blows my mind that I moved to Africa when I was 22 and moved back when I was 26.  3 years in Africa is 30 year over here?

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Yesterday morning I decided to go to a Unitarian Universalist church here in San Jose. I've been going to them since about February 2009. It was one of the best jumps I've ever taken. Yesterday confirmed the fact. The church is a wonderfully old building that incorporates so many aspects of UU culture and history. It is called The First Church of San Jose. I feel like I've never seen a church that has incorporated so many different religions into one building. There were definite influences from the Roman pantheon, a Greek agia, Russian churches and Shinto Shrines. The stole the minister wore had the symbols of all the religions I definitely know. Of course there were some there that didn't jump out at me right away. I'll have to have a look into religious symbols. The most beautiful part of the church though was the altar. It was backed by the perfumed flowers of the Mexican Day of the Dead. All of this was draped over a Shinto Shrine which was topped by and Islamic crescent moon and a Hindu Om. It honestly was one of the most beautiful things I'd seen in my short experience with the UU's.

The topic of the sermon was a daily examen. It was founded by St. Ignatius many year ago. It's basic premiss is that you have to look at your life at the end of every day. While you do that, you have to identify a time when you felt life just coming out of you, "Working with the Universe" as the UUs would say. The other time you have to reflect upon is when you felt life just getting drained out from you. Then you have to look forward to the next day.

So, the first time I do this I'm going to focus on riding a Cable Car in San Francisco listening to Judy Garland sing San Francisco. My bad time is when I heard from the airline companies and had to go to SJ international airport twice just to get my bag.

Any thoughts?

I've been out here in California for awhile and I think the past 24 hours have been the most exciting times I've had out here. Friday after work I drove up and met some old friends from the Peace Corps in Oakland. One thing I love about those friends is that we immediately had to cut through all of the friendship pleasantries in the Peace Corps. We were our support network. We were who we all relied upon. That made for some quick solid friendships and quick solid enemies. But that is a post for another day.

However, the reminiscing with old friends from 5 years ago and from 15 years ago was amazing. After wonderful dinners and wonderful laughs, I headed out to do my favorite thing ever - Stadtbummeln. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to it. Though sadly it is not too extensive. I've been trying to practice contentment in my life throughout the past through years. After Peace Corps, I just can't genuinely feel there is any way I could be discontented or upset about my lot in life. My rambling through the city of San Francisco only solidified that for me. I didn't have an aim. I didn't have a map yet I survived and had one of the most clichéd gay experiences of my life. This is your cue to cringe Liz. All I'll say is it involves a Cable Car and Judy... :)

I ended up walking from Market Street to Coit Tower (not very far but almost COMPLETELY uphill) stopping at various stores along the way. One of them was THE famous book store of San Francisco and it's beat generations. I had to call my friend for the name because her father told me years ago I HAD to go. Now I got to the top of Coit Tower and had some wonderful views but knew my feet couldn't take anymore of the hills. Down is pretty easy though. I got down to the bottom of the hill and saw Lombard Street. I didn't climb to the top though. I knew from just my proximity to water that I was too far to walk to the BART to get back to my car. So I did as you naturally do in SF and I hoped on a Cable Car. Just as I did, some weird cosmic force affected my iPod and Judy Garland's version of San Francisco came on shuffle. I laughed and grinned ear to ear as I was hanging on a cable car on my way home.

More soon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOMA


There has not been this much hate written into a short little law since the Jim Crow laws.  Truthfully though, not much thought was given to it until last month.  Many things are happening now that are getting me so incensed I some times just break down in desperation.  We went to Canada after our wedding and it was so wonderful to know that right over the border is such a progressive nation.  Canada treats A as my husband and not my domestic partner as his employer now says.  Even though we were told it would be recognized they have since cited DOMA as an excuse for not recognizing us as married men.  I can't believe that if my name were Amy, nothing like this would be happening.  Even though I am the enternal optimist I am getting mad.  I will at least have health care starting Jan 1st - as his domestic partner.  Does anyone else see the absurdity of this?  The CO is accepting our marriage license as proof of a domestic partnership.   I hope the people that are keeping me out of this are on their fourth or fifth wives.   All I can think though is ALL IN DUE TIME.  Overseas friends, should we start a Enemies of DOMA overseas chapter?  Let's donate as much money to that as people did to that freaky witch from Delaware

On a happier note, I have officially told EVERY  person in my life about A and I.  I was a little shocked from the most recent revelation.  I spent September to May 2002-03 in Costa Rica and Guatemala and I'm still in contact with my Costa Rican host family.  Some of that host family have come onto Facebook.  I contacted my tia loca there because of a mudslide in the family's hometown.  My host mother responded with such enthusiasm and love I got teary eyed.  Gotta get to Costa Rica soon.

Ian Hefele's birthday on October 16!

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I've been silent for awhile I know.  But I have been going through alot recently.  As many of you know, I'm getting married this week.  Friday will be the day I join up with a guy I've been dating for the past year.  It's a time of mixed emotion.  While I am OVER THE MOON there are people I wish could be there.  Mom, Mag and Noel won't be able to be there.  While with Noel and Mag, I'll be able to check in with them in person thanks to the modern miracle of Skype.  Mom will be a different story.  I'm bringing a picture of her to take photos with and my brother sent me a note saying some nice things that really are helping me process the emotions I'm going to be dealing with.  I would have to deal with her wanting to be SO involved. :)  But the past two weeks have been very emotional.  October 3rd was my little nephew's 5th Birthday.  October 5th was twenty years of my mother's death and man it hurts just as much as the day it happened.  I am certain that I will live my life to the fullest in honor of her.  It helps thinking how delighted she would be with where I am in my life now and what has happened in the past 20 years with her children.  October 15th I will be getting married in the state of Vermont and the 16th I will be turning 28.  Wow, I'm getting teary just writing about it.  Adam did something amazing for me.  He bought a star from the International Star Registry in Switzerland.  He named it Maria Hefele.  The certificate got delivered on her anniversary.  Needless to say I lost it.  I was trying to drive to work through a veil of tears.  However, now I know for "certain" that she is always looking down on me.  Missing her though shouldn't mean I can't celebrate the addition of Adam and two yes TWO sets of in-laws.  I'll get the biological set and a step set.  

Another thing that has been on my mind since yesterday is the climate in which I am getting married.  Sadly enough, outside of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Washington D.C. and Iowa our ceremony will not be valid.  However, yesterday a judge in California issued a worldwide injunction to stop using Don't Ask Don't Tell.  The government has 60 days to file an injunction.  I don't think it will happen but I am hopeful.  I am also hopeful that this will bring someone's attention that DOMA (the hurtful Defense of Marriage Act) is just as discriminatory.  I wonder if by the time I get home from Canada or at least by my first anniversary I will be able to call myself married from sea to shining sea.

I'll talk to you after I go North.

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Pittsburgh is not a city that you think would have a good public transport system. Of all the places I have been in the world, I think Europe does it the best. I might say that Berlin is the most efficient city train system in the world. But Pittsburgh does have one. It's called the T and it's run by the Port Authority. I know, think what you want. Pittsburgh is 300 plus miles from the coast and it has a PORT!!! :) Anyway, the T reminds me of my friend's kids' train set. That train set is Swedish made and probably more sturdy too. The T is actually a trolley that goes about 5 feet between stops. It was built in the 1980's and shows it. 3 of the stops are downtown, underground... therefore, we can call it a subway!!!??? But my favorite thing is that the color scheme of the T looks like a mixture of dirt, cocoa and poop. The signing for the system looks like tonka pieces and you still buy tickets.

Where is Sir Toppum Hat?

More soon.

I want to join the Foreign Service... cars will be the responsibility of the Automobile Pool and you wouldn't have to go through what I just went through in the past two days. About a week ago, my car started to rattle. I had some problems earlier with a hole in the muffler and went to company M looking for a fix. They fixed it for $100 and not much fuss. I took them back because I thought it was a problem that they may have not fixed too well. They said they didn't write up that there was any problem with the muffler and therefore there was no guarantee. Grrr. I had them look at it anyway because if I have any hope of passing emissions tests this year, I think I need a working muffler. They looked at it, had me look at it (like I had ANY idea what I was looking at.) Then they handed me a bill for $514 saying I needed an entire exhaust system. I was pretty upset because the car wasn't even making as much noise as the last time round. I called A and asked for his step-dad's number because he's a mechanic. The step-dad got on the phone and asked me what's wrong, talked with the mechanic and came back to me laughing. He basically said get out of there, they are trying to price gouge you. I did.

It was only this weekend that I got up to his house about an hour away. 2 days, a myriad of problems later, I have an inspected car and a spot in the poor-house. Hopefully not for long because my new job is starting on Monday!

More soon

So everyone, I've finally got steady employment here in Pittsburgh. I've actually got 3 jobs but they are all part time.

Job #1Is at the University of Pittsburgh. It's at the University's Center for Social and Urban Research. I do the telephone interviews for the Center to collect data. I make about 100 calls in a four hour shift. Need I say more? I don't think I should bad mouth them too much though because I told them about job #3 today and they were very understanding. This job is very grant based... soooooo when the money runs out, there are no more hours. Let me tell you though, I definitely get some interesting conversations with the nutters out there in suburban Pittsburgh. for example (Why the hell you calling me? It's too hot to talk!)

Job #2This job hasn't really panned out yet. It's down town in the golden triangle, in the same building as a friend of mine. It's at a international ESL and Translation firm. I've put my name on the list to work on a contractual basis as an ESL teacher and a Translator. I've filled out all of the paperwork, but I haven't heard anything yet. Keeping my fingers crossed that this pans out a little bit. It would be very interesting work.

Job #3Is right around the corner from my house. IT'S AT THE APPLE STORE!!!! NEED I SAY MORE? :)

PS. I also passed my FOREIGN SERVICE EXAM!!!! Now I have to write my Personal Narratives and land a job in Nauru????

More soon

3 months in hiding and I put two posts up in one day. I'm going to start getting better at this. Last time I wrote you all, I was living in Philadelphia, teaching first grade and generally just miserable all around. Now I'm writing you from leafy Mt. Lebanon in Pittsburgh. I've been looking for jobs and been quite lucky now. I'm living with A now and generally enjoying myself. I'll admit for the first month I felt very lost. My career seemed like it was stopped. I felt like I just hit a brick wall. I didn't know that many people in Pittsburgh. Felt like I was just drifting and floating. I also felt like I've been forcing myself into someone else's house. But since then lots of stuff has gone right. I'll fill in more tomorrow. Until then, LET'S GO GERMANY

PS. I'm going to the Hofbrauhaus in Pittsburgh tomorrow to watch the game. Should be fun!

I did something tonight for the first time ever. I was so fed up with my cell phone from all the phone calls I got today. I just couldn't carry on a conversation with anybody... so I turned my phone off!!!! Now let's see if I can just keep myself off of this too. But that might not work so well if I get a job that I have my sights on.... more soon.

and I'm an _________aholic. I was realizing the other night that I am not perfectly happy with just doing one thing with my technology. The latest thing I feel I need is an Amazon Kindl. Why? I don't know. I love nothing more than reading a good book with a cup of tea.

The other night as I was at Adam's house, I had my iPod running, the TV running and I was taking a final exam for my course. Is that what our lives have come to? We are just little 30 second bites that can't keep our concentration until ....

wait what was I saying?

So I was put in charge of a team for the Reading Olympics of my school. We are team Germany. I just wanted to tell you all about my favorite time I've had this Year At School.

I was leading the kids in a cheer for Team Germany. They were going Germany Germany Germany and then they asked me how to say Germany in German. Two of the girls said DEUTSCHLAND!

Suddenly, the entire auditorium was cheering Germany Germany Germany. The principal laughed saying to me "They don't really know what they are saying!" No, they didn't but an auditorium full of Latinos saying Germany Germany Germany is enough to keep me going.

Still loving it.

What happened to my site tracker outfit? I don't know what happened to it and I don't know how to get it back.

Help me (Liz)

Teaching can beat you up both physically and mentally. I have never been so tired. 2010 didn't start out too good for me. I got so sick with Strep Throat in mid January that Adam had to bring me to the Emergency Room. That was an experience. We were the only people in the ER with any sort of education and probably the only people that would really pay. Yet Adam couldn't help me in the actual ER cause he's 'not family.' We do live in the 21st Century don't we? Why do people still have the power to legislate over who someone can be with?

After 4 days absence I went to school. Two days later I was trying to break up a fight and got clocked in the jaw. It cracked 3 of my teeth. 3 days of worker's compensation. It caused some of the hardest and deepest reflection that I have had to do in my life. But I am back at that school and the next posting will tell you why!

Teaching and loving it.

I've been thinking alot about stereotypes recently. It's been mainly since I started teaching and since my boyfriend came into my life. It's been interesting because I'm falling into some stereotypes. I.e. drinking red wine and playing Wizard of Oz monopoly while away on a weekend mini-break with A. But I'm wondering about stereotypes of my students and something that happened at church today.

I'll admit, I have a minor crush on the minister of my UU church (laugh all you want Liz!) Why is that though? I'll admit, he's got a Ken Doll look about him. But there is something about the forbidden fruit of a minister. I mean, isn't there a literary stereotype of the preacher's daughter? Corrupting the bad? Striving to be saintly? I guess in the 21st Century, one can go straight for the preacher. Not that I will, just fun to have a crush.

Now, my students - they live in the ghetto, they have hard lives and now it is my job to find the good in all of them.

I feel I've used this title before for a blog post. However, I don't feel like I have the patience to go back into the over 5 years of blogs to find it. It's also a song from that rather cooky musical COMPANY. But for me, it's becoming my life mantra. Something happened yesterday when I dropped the kids off in the computer lab. There was one kid E who whipped it out of his pants and decided to urinate on the floor of the lab. I don't know why but I lost it laughing. Does that make me a bad person?

The other much more positive little thing I learned about today is all the way out of Africa. I finally saw some pics from the theatre competition that I started in 2006. It went from 6 schools in 2006 with $1000 budget to a 2 day competition with 22 schools and an almost $10,000 competition in 2009.

I'm happy!!!! No Zanex involved.

I've been around a lot of death in my life. It has always been a major feature in my life. Maybe that is why I don't really fear it. I just don't. It's part of life. However, when I got home tonight I got some bad news from across the pond. A good dear friend died about 2 weeks ago. She lived in Pinner, NW London and was one of the kindest women I have ever met. Her name is Katharine Young and she died at 101. She was the mother of a friend of my mother. I used to go and visit her in London whenever I was there. Last time I was in London, she had her 100 birthday and I wanted to visit but she was not home. The family took her to Spain for the birthday celebration! She's been in and out of my life for many years and I always enjoyed watching some of those crazy gameshows with her.

What I'm wondering now. She lived a full life. I mean not many people really make it to 100 years! She touched so many people and I'll always remember her. All these good things about this woman that lived THOUSANDS of miles away...

Why is it still sad?

PS. I HATE the term passed away or passed. Don't know why...

So I haven't blogged since I started my job as a teacher. I'm dreadfully sorry to everybody who has read this so much over the years. I'm going to start up with a vengence again because I've picked up my journal and felt so wonderful. But after 38 days of school (112 left!), two separate grade assignments, finally understanding the definition of crack baby and finding someone who likes me I'm back.

I'm writing to you today about two things. Since it is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, we have elections. That means no one really notices and nothing really happens. We call ourselves the greatest democracy on earth? I don't get it honestly. I woke up this morning really happy that I would be able to vote but wondering if it would really matter. Of course I decided that I would have to. I knew too many people in Africa that would have slapped me silly if I didn't vote. It's just something we take too much for granted. One thing for certain, I don't understand why we don't have a civil holiday. South Africa has a national holiday AT THE WEEKEND every year. When I went, I asked them how many people they have seen so far today. They said 25. 25 out of 400 eligible voters in the district! Is voting a nuisance?

The other nuisance was proved to me today. A teacher was complaining about how horrible life is right now. Then a good friend of mine sent me a story of someone he knows. This person was laid off a month ago but was able to get her old job back. Her new job requires a lot of traveling and moving around. The catch is she is blind. But she would rather worry about "that small" problem with a job than worry about all the other problems that come with not having a job.

So let's breathe!

Life's about the journey right? I've had a couple of journeys worth mentioning.

First, I'm buying my brother's clunker. It required that I trade in my Connecticut driver's license for a PA license. Easy enough thought right? Wrong. I woke up early to try and get to the Department of Motor Vehicles here in Philly - which the curiously call PENNDOT. I keep imagining some sort of Jetsons-esque house cleaning robot. Anyway, I get down there and see signs literally plastered on the outside of the building that they only take personal checks. Personal checks?!?!?! Leave it to the government to use something that no one else really takes any more unless you hand over your first born. Anyway, back up Columbus Blvd to my apartment to root out the dusty check book I only use to pay rent. :) Back down. I get the number, fill out my form, say NO I haven't been a residency of PA before and fork over $28. I'm then issued with a temporary photo ID that will serve as my driver's license until I get the real thing.

Now I wanted to be the nice neighbor to fill up the car after I used so much gas. I was in such a government induced stupor, that probably about $3 of gas poured all over my foot! But no matter, I have a PA driver's license!

More to come about the adventures of the swat team in NYC. Food poisoning, the SWAT team and the hottest week in recent history made for a fun time.

So in the 1980's, there was a wonderful (read typically cheesy) American sitcom called Who's the Boss?, starring one Tony Danza. As with most 80's sitcom stars, he's pretty washed up now. Haven't really seen him do ANYTHING in a long time. I did find though that he was in the Producers on Broadway for 6 months. When you get so unknown, what do you think of doing? REALITY SHOWS!!!

Tony Danza's newest venture, I'm not joking, is going to be a reality show in Philadelphia. He won't be at my school (thank GOD!!) but he will be teaching English at Northeast High in Philly! I just want to know what the Mayor of Philly and the School Chancellor are thinking! None of this makes sense. I mean how will the students even learn. I'm all for career changers, but folks teaching is harder than he thinks. You fake it and the students will eat you alive! It is kind of ironic how they are putting him in a rather "quiet" neighborhood school. Doesn't this reek of exploitation though? I just shudder at the thought of allowing school fights to happen so they can up the ratings.

Anyway, I was waiting for my friend in front of the school today and Tony Danza walked right up. He looks ROUGH! His hands are knarled from arthritis and my friend put it perfectly, "Damn he looks like beat up shoe leather!"

Oh yeah, this is the guy that the Tony Danza slap is named after because of his previous history. Look it up!

I made it to 265 posts! I just think random numbers should be celebrated as well. Everything of everyday should be a celebration because as I've noticed, everything is worth it in life.

Happy 265th post!

It's been quite the ten days. Last weekend, I went with my brother and sister to go see Freshly Ground in New York. It was wonderful. This past weekend, Ladysmith Black Mambazo played at the Mann Centre in Philadelphia.

I've traveled around for some time now. (after my calculations, 8 of the past 10 years) The Mann Center is one of the best venues I've ever been to. Anyone who comes to visit maybe will be able to go to a concert there. Getting there is a whole different story and man does it work out for quite a story.

Philadelphia is built in the sensible grid pattern that many American cities are built in. Philadelphia was in fact the first "new European" city to be constructed that way. Anyway, the streets that run North to South are numbered from the Delaware River to the Schuykill River. East West streets are named after trees that grow here or places "in the colonies."

Now from Front Street to 50th Street, Philly is safe and normal. After 50th street it gets a little shady. Noel was kind enough to tell me that fact after I had to go to to 52nd street. I thought I would be green and take public transport to the venue. That meant I only had to take 2 subway lines, but I went to a different world. I took the blue line EL and transfered to the Green Trolley Lines. I was the only white person on the trolley and people started giving me weird looks. I was definitely out of my league. But you all know that it doesn't really bother me to be out of my league. I got off at my stop of 52nd and Lancaster. I had to walk. I noticed lots of greenery towards the north so headed that direction. When I got to some train tracks, I knew I was going the right direction. I called my brother though because I wanted another route back. It seemed a little too risky to walk back under the train tracks after dark, by myself and with my credit card. I did!

I stuffed everything into my underwear and just set off with a mission. I felt fine, just hurried not harried... until someone came my direction. The guy was with his girlfriend, so I wasn't too scared, until I notived how BIG this guy was. He greeted me with a hearty "How ya doin' dude?" I burst out laughing. I retorted with a "How YOU doin' dude!" and went on my merry way. As soon as I got to the stop, the number 10 trolley came and I was off.

The CONcert was amazing too!

I'm back in the land of the living and excited about all the bright, flashy things that are on offer. My favorite of the moment is Netflix. For $10 a month, I get one DVD at a time and unlimited streaming. Unlimited streaming!!! I'm catching up on all my favorite old BBC shows. Now I have access to finally watch ALL of Absolutely Fabulous. Netflix was also founded by a Peace Corps Volunteer from Swaziland. After 3 years in Africa, I feel like I know why he started it. Pure need. He's also famous for quoting "After hitchhiking across Africa with $10 in your pocket, starting a business doesn't seem so scary." I agree but would substitute teaching in there.

Yes I know I'm insane, but it is a wonderful distraction when your students tell you they saw their father get shot the night before. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I teach in the concrete jungle.

Another one of shows is Keeping up Appearances. It is almost 20 years old, but I love it. Unfortunately, as with most TV shows, it gets repetitive when you watch 3 episodes in a row! The need to put my brain off has become ENORMOUS! There is something curiously foreign about that British show though. Do people like that exist in America? There is the phrase Keeping up with the Joneses, which is said to originate in New York. But Americans in general are not so stuck up about class. You'll just have to see my neighborhood when you come visit me!

I'm definitely up for visits... hint hint... nudge nudge.

I've been having more trouble than I ever thought I would coming back to America. I've recently counted and of the past 10 years, I've lived 8 as the "American Abroad" or overseas. That means since I was 16, I've not been home really. But where is home anymore. Right now it's in a neighborhood called Fishtown. 6 Months ago, it was a shack on the Indian Ocean. For the first time in my life, I know I will be in America for the next 3 years and I'll admit I'm scared. I'm excited but scared. What happened earlier today was a perfect example.

I've had a visit from a friend from Swaziland. She was a PCV over there that I met in Pretoria in 2006. We decided to go find my school where I have to report to tomorrow... at 7:45. Thanks Noel for taking the bike lock keys! :) I dutifully googled directions and we set off. We entered another world. It might as well have been Puerto Rico. I didn't see any American Flags even though it was National Hang Over day - ie the day after any major holiday. We were the only white native English Speakers around but that didn't bother us. Until I realized what was on my shirt that is. I was wearing a shirt that said "Gay? - Fine by me!" I realized it wouldn't go over particularly well in the very religious neighborhood. We didn't have any problems though, until there were two guys coming the opposite way who read the shirt. They kept going but turned back on us. We still didn't really freak.

We finally found the school (1.5 miles away according to the almighty Google) and noted a better way for me to get there. The school is in a totally different world but I realized that the inhabitants of the neighborhood right around the school live life on the front porches and listen to music en vivo. Things I've missed and I'm looking forward to having in my life again.

That is a reason I feel I like the West and America. We've got choice, we've got people and oh man do we have a mixture of cultures!

It was my first 4th of July in America for many years. The last 4th of July I spent in America was 2005. Before that I was in Australia and since then I was in Mozambique. I was excited to spend it in the true birthplace of America... Philadelphia. Apparently, Philadelphia was the second biggest city in the British Empire. It was second to only London. That means it was the second biggest city in the world. It's come a long way since then. But it still is a wonderful big city. 152 very distinct neighborhoods each with its own flavor and culture. (Great I've got 152 cultures to assimilate to!) The city tends to revolve around Independence mall.

Independence Mall is in the eastern part of Center City, so it's basically downtown. This is where the Declaration of Independence was written, signed, approved and read to the public for the first time. It is also the place where I experienced a tea party. I didn't even know I was in the middle of one. Needless to say, I felt like a fish out of water. I was beyond out of water. I was somewhere in the stratosphere. They were saying some things like "Commander in Thief" and "We're number one!" Some people were carrying signs saying "Today is Independence Day not Immigration Day." They're were signs of PALIN 2012 (Nightmarish thought!). They had a reenactment of the reading of the Declaration of Independence (complete with costumes) to exemplify how "far we've strayed" from our original course. All of a sudden, the crowd started chanting USA! USA! USA! I took that as my cue to leave.

Unfortunately, before I left, I saw a sign that said "Remember, Descent is Patriotic!" Now that the Democrats are in government, Descent is Patriotic again. Between USA! USA! and the descent thing, I'm having difficulty discerning the Republican Party from the NSDAP of the 1930's.

Happy 4th!

I apologize for the lack of writing here. I've suddenly jumped into the real world now and I kind of want to go back to the wonderful laziness (but good laziness!) of Mozambique. I've been talking about it a lot recently. I think I've only started processing what really happened to me in the three years just now. Thanks so much to Mag. However, as I've processed, I've left the hotel. Let me tell you, I RAN out of there on the last day. The only person I really worry about keeping in touch with is in my phonebook so I don't have to worry. We actually went out to a club in the interim named Woody's. It was crazy fun and I ended up on the website. I'm not there anymore though!

I stupidly have not taken any mental down time from the hotel to this job. I've started a job teaching summer school and I'm taking two courses towards my masters. Luckily the school is within walking distance. That's how I'm still awake at 9 pm at night. :) But the Philadelphia heat has started. It's not as hot as Africa by any means, but the humidity is there. I'm not able to just go off to a bar for hours "getting work done" here. The bars aren't conveniently located on the Indian Ocean, so they wouldn't really help! It's hot, it's humid and I have to wear a tie to get work done. Africans are definitely smarter than us in so far as summer attire!

Anyway, I'm going to try to write a little each day because I think it will help with my sanity as I try to process all of this real world job-ness I have to process. But for now I end saying, it's official! I'm a salaried employee of the SD of Philly.

Don't get any thoughts in your head that it means I will be here in the States for good!

Is there such a thing as too much connection? When I was living in Mozambique, I CRAVED connection. I would be desperate for the email that would elevate my mood. I would leave my phone on to field phone calls from the States even if it were at 3 AM. (Thank you Jess.) Now, since I've been back home, all I want to do is turn it off! Yet somehow I don't.

Facebook has poised itself as an interesting interloper into my consciousness. I've updated my brain to pure (almost) 140 character thoughts. Suddenly a 3 line thought seems like I'm getting too long. I recently ranted on Facebook about the stupidity of anti-equal rights campaign in America. It was misconstrued by some friends further afield. But it got me thinking. All you here on NPR and other broadcasters is how myspace and facebook are revolutionizing communication for politicians and more. I mean Obama got elected on an FB wave didn't he? Is it the right space for social expression. Or is it a space to write "Ian just came back from the bathroom..."

I think I chose a wonderful place to come back to in America - as I hear the drunken shouting from the bar across the road. :) But, seriously Philadelphia is perfect. It is the smallest big city I've ever lived in. I've still got a chance at some culture though. I'm going out tomorrow night to the Symphony Orchestra. I got a free ticket from seeing their last performance! They perform in churches so the acoustics are amazing. Saturday Night I'll walk over to the Walking Fish for some comedy. I'll report back on Sunday with how it all went.

Hi, my name is Ian and I am not a religious nut job! I'm happy, healthy (swine flu free!) and perfectly content to go to Hell if people like the good folk of the Stephen Bennett Ministries are going to be in Heaven. Today I went to the Equality Forum in Philadelphia. The highlight was obviously getting to see Gavin Newsom talk. He's the STRAIGHT gay friendly Mayor of San Francisco that started the avalanche in 2004. His speech was inspirational and he's my new hero. He supports the "everyone knows one" practice. So as I've mentioned before, every one of you reading this knows a gay person. There are more pressing issues in 2009. Our economy is in tatters, the wars are going on longer than any war in American history and yet we try to control the natural force of love?

People outside were definitely defenders of "marriage." I'm not going to take any more time talking about them (it's just a waste of space) but I have to mention that a good interview with me will be available on www.citypaper.net some time this week. READ!!!

PS. I thought today that if I were a newcomer to this country (some may say I am!) I would think that Americans are some of the most hate filled people in the world. Is that what it means to be a Christian?

A couple of days ago, I mentioned that a really impressive car came into the driveway at work. I mentioned that I thought royalty would step out of the car. Well, the car has been back. He came back 3 times and I was "lucky" enough to talk to him one day. As I'm writing the ticket out so we can mark his car in our records, I ask for the name.

Rockefeller...

America is obsessed with cars. The history of Detroit and the destruction of the railroad are proof. But I'm parking cars now to get me through until teaching starts. Let me tell you, I've seen some crazy cars. Two really stuck out in my mind today.

A mini-cooper drove up with the obligatory Union Jack sticker and I nearly fell over myself to get to drive that car. I have decided it is the perfect car for me - even though, quite frankly I would be PETRIFIED to take it out against some of the monster trucks that masquerade as private cars in this country. Even the owner of the car was cool. He looked very academic, silver hair, black glasses frames etc. He addressed me by my name and I complemented his car. Then I took the car on a four block joy ride to park it. Manual shift and all! (I said I could drive stick shift... white lies don't hurt do they?)

Around lunch time this boat pulls into the drive way. It is a white and silver Rolls Royce convertible. The doors open backwards and it just exudes snob. I half expected some Royal Family member to get out of the car. A jerk who thought he was royalty did. He left orders to "wipe down the car to get rid of the rain spots." That's what happens when it rains!!! Anyway, my boss wouldn't let any of us touch the car. Good thing, since I've lost my sea legs, I may have been ill inside it. The thing that got me was when Prince Jerk came back out of the Japanese restaurant on the corner. I went to collect the $20 fee for parking and he asked for "the other boy." What is this colonial Africa?!?!?! The other boy went and got a tip of $20 for "wiping the boat's bum." Made me think that I should have been nicer to my staff in Africa.

But you can rest assured I never called her "girl!"

(She actually couldn't pronounce my name very well and would call me boy!)

I'm a firm believer in Six Degrees of Separation. I always have and that's part of the appeal of UUism to me. This interconnected web of all existence is proving itself to me more with every year that passes. There is Ubuntu from Africa which can be seen as the basis of it all.

My first "believe it or not story" takes us back to 1996. My brother was showing my father and I how to use the internet. We went into a chat room and he showed us what IMing was. Remember, this is 1996. So he asked if anybody wanted to chat with us. This girl named Starseed9 said yes. So we did. She was Lisa, from Greenwich and we told her that we were Ian and Noel from Norwalk. She connected the dots a hell of a lot faster than we did. Lisa turned out to be our second cousin from Greenwich - who we didn't really keep well in contact with.

Second Story:

I joined a listserve for the Youth Group of my church. It was something impulsive, but I've met a lot of new people through it. One night, I came home from work and there was an email from this girl named Lucy. She was introducing herself. It turns out she was a PCV in Walvis Bay Namibia who just got home in December. We started chatting, connecting the dots and shop talking. Suddenly, I knew people she knew, we both had been to our respective villages when the other wasn't there etc. The thing that blew me away though. She apparently met me on the beach in Mozambique in 2007. I, on the otherhand, could not remember the meeting.

G'night!

As I sit here experiencing the strongest I miss Africa moment I have since coming back, I can't help thinking about the culture of America. I've been to many places where the locals will tell me that my home country doesn't have any culture.

According to the ever entertaining Wikipedia, culture as it is popularly understood is broken into three phases.

excellence of taste in the fine arts and humanitiesan integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for symbolic thought and social learningthe set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group.

I tended to agree with my friends. I mean where do wonderfully majestic buildings exist in America? No place kind of like London. Where are there wonderfully small roads with a surprise around every corner in the form of little shops or restaurants? Melbourne and the bar quarters of most European cities have this. Yet, moving back to America I just have to disagree now. (Sorry L!) The answer to the first question is most definitely Washington DC. Not allowing any other building to be bigger than the US Capitol Building has lead to a sense of majesty that I have to say is unique to DC. Philadelphia has to be the most European of American cities I've ever been to. I just hope the Italians of South Philly don't read this! There is a whole neighborhood called Society Hill here that looks like it was transplanted straight from England. I'm also extremely impressed by this city because it is the smallest big city that I've seen. It has a million and a half people yet seems so much better.

The funniest thing for me is "relearning" America. The dialects and sayings are so funny and vast. The newest one I'm trying to decipher is as follows.

I say "How are you?" to someone.

He or She responds "Sucker free or trying to stay sucker free."

Anyone have any idea what that means?

Religion and spirituality has always been important to me. I think I can trace it back to when my mom died in 1990. I had to believe that I would see her again. Having her here with me for only 7 short years just seemed like the ultimate cosmic cheat. I was pissed in general. Nothing was really making sense to me and the adults were saying things to me that just confused me even more. I got some beauties as

"God wanted her with him."

"She's in a better place."

"She's not suffering anymore."

The list goes on. None of it made me really feel any better. I turned to the Catholic Church where I had grown up in. I reasoned that I could be around more people that knew my mom, the more I would learn about her. I was desperate for any and all stories. I will admit that I had a very warped sense of Catholicism. I just always thought that eating someone's flesh and drinking someone's blood was WEIRD. (I never believed it and thought it was weird.) For years after, I would pray but never talk to God. God took my mom, he didn't deserve to listen to me. So I talked with Jesus. I thought, "hey his own father let him get crucified, he'll understand me." The Trinity went out the window. Those were my thoughts, and I kept going. I felt that I couldn't fill the hole that I experienced. I couldn't break myself from a religion that I just didn't agree with before I found something else. I remember in a youth group meeting years ago, one leader asked us for some thoughts on "what is prayer." A response was "prayer is talking to an imaginary being that humans invented to make themselves feel better. The leader resolutely shot the answer down saying that's not what we Catholics believe. I thought that was very wrong. Religion to me has always been something more personal, positive, loving and none of the fearful, sinful, penitent scariness that Catholicism can seem.

After I finally came to terms with who I am, it was even harder to buy into a dogma that told me I was inherently flawed or wrong - I mean I love being right! I know I'm not perfect, but I never bought the whole original sin or the homosexuality is evil thing. Ok I bought it for awhile but then I started thinking maybe I wasn't wrong, maybe the rules were wrong. After attending church services in Mozambique where I had Bibles literally thrown at me and stayed in the church building for 12 hours, I had to move on.

SO I found Unitarian Universalism. The moment I walked in and someone said, Hi nice to see you, I was hooked. I'll tell you about it, I'm discovering it slowly. I like it so far and hope it likes me. The pastor is openly gay and so welcoming to all.

More next week.

Ian

Polygamist

Rapist

Racketeering Phony

Corrupt Bastard

Down right idiot

No I'm not talking about dance costumes and George Bush. I'm talking about "the future president of South Africa" Jacob Zuma. He is going to follow in the footsteps of people like Nelson Mandela. April 22nd will be the fourth general election in South Africa since the fall of Apartheid in 1994. Zuma (or JZ as he is sometimes known) is in the lead. He has multiple wives, at least 18 children and who knows how many mistresses. He's the hope for such a beautiful country as South Africa? My issues are two fold. His campaign song is Umshini Wami. Bring Me My Machine GUN?!?!?! Second, as his rape charges were unfolding, I was in South Africa. He apparently slept with an HIV positive prostitute but wasn't worried... because he took a shower. What saddens me is that people in the locations will be taking showers and eating beetroot now to cure AIDS. I can hear the questions to future PCVs "Teacher, if I bath, will I still get HIV?" It's scary.

This article caught my attention. Here we have Desmond Tutu. A Noble Lauriete, a man of peace, an educated man. He is saying that he will not be voting for the ANC come April 22nd because he doesn't believe it is the right direction for the country. Suddenly the ANC is calling him sacriligious. I hope anyone out there who reads this article laughs. It has to be the only way of coping in a country that looks like it will be reverting back to a one party state like with the National Party under Apartheid.