This slideshow documents my first tricycle ride in Manila. M. and I rode in the sidecar, while B. rode on the back of the motorcycle. There are some interesting U-turns in this city.
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Trying out something new. If nothing else, I should at least be able to share a monthly handful links that struck a chord with me. The racism, stereotypes, and wrong conclusions in some attempts to bring attention to poverty. The transformative potential of Village Savings and Loan Associations profiled in Small Wonder, from the Economist. [...]
After a lengthy and eventful hiatus, I am back on the blog with hopes to pay it regular, thoughtful attention. For now, I will skip explanations and simply announce that I am now a MA candidate in a new program in New York. I’m plenty busy (and happy) taking courses in international development and doing [...]
I heard this report on NPR this afternoon: In South Africa’s Orphanages, Is Doing Good Really Bad? This report describes a lot of things I’ve personally witnessed, and I think it brings up some really interesting, important questions. Particularly in the case of short-term volunteer stints, can good intentions cause more harm than good? I [...]
Anyone who was lived in Baltimore or visited some of its off-the-beaten-path spots knows its ubiquitous blue lights: the blinking surveillance cameras posted on corners in the most crime-ridden neighborhoods. Civic Works, the organization that oversees Real Food Farm where I worked this summer, also has a community lots team that transforms vacant lots into [...]
Somehow, I found the perfect job. I got a summer Americorps VISTA position working as the Business and Outreach Coordinator for Real Food Farm, an urban agriculture project in Northeast Baltimore. Still in its first year of operation, the farm is working to solve food access and insecurity by growing food in an environmentally, socially, [...]
I am three months old in Baltimore. An infant. Yet spent the summer months busying myself with summer pre-requisite classes for my graduate program and a very cool summer job (see next post). I found a very cute little place to live in a neighborhood that even wins approval from my mom. My place has [...]
My sister sent me this article (linked below). The same sister who, when visiting me in Uganda told me, “You’re not as nice as you used to be.” She insisted she didn’t mean it in a bad way. She meant that my service had made me tough. I had changed. I stood up for myself [...]
My heart goes out to all my Ugandan and other friends in my adopted country, where bombings killed at least 74 people who were watching the World Cup final in Kampala. More at: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/07/12/uganda.bombings/index.html As the mainstream Western news coverage decreases in coming days, Ugandan and regional coverage can be followed at: http://www.newvision.co.ug/ http://www.monitor.co.ug/ http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/
For anyone interested in what America is doing about AIDS in Africa, this is very important (very true) reading: In Uganda, AIDS War Is Falling Apart Unfortunately, a lot of the progress we’ve made in the last decade is beginning to unravel because planners did not map out sufficient ways to ensure that programs are [...]
So it has been a while. In part, I haven’t been updating, because I’ve been trying to decide how (or even if) the blog is relevant for me to have anymore now that my Peace Corps service is over. After a long delay and inner debate, I’m back up and running. Since getting home, I’ve [...]
After several weeks of waiting around for various things to fall into place during my month of east coast winter, I got an idea in my head that would not leave. I wanted to get on a bike and ride next to the Pacific. And so I did. I acquired a little white steed in [...]
The blizzards of February prompted me to buy a one-way ticket to the West Coast. Though before heading for the warmer climate further south, I had an invitation to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. It was a great time to reconnect with my college roommates and enjoy some of the spectacle that comes along with [...]
I am not quite sure what led me to the decision to end my travels in Burkina Faso. I knew very little about the place, only that the name of the capital city, Ouagadougou, had fascinated me since the first time I heard it. In the few days I spent there, I was impressed by [...]
From Morocco, where delicious food helped me gain some much-needed pounds, I continued on to Mali. In 2005, I spent time working in a Senegalese border town just a stone’s throw from Mali, but had never crossed. This time, I was set on seeing this desert nation. Carol joined me for a trip of transport [...]
My time in Morocco was truly special for the guidance I had. My family’s neighbor from New Jersey is of Moroccan origin, and his extended family took me under their wing– giving me places to stay, incredible meals, and an amazing insider’s view to the country. I cannot thank them enough for their hospitality, our [...]
I was very lucky to be invited to Lisbon by my senior thesis advisor who is a professor there. I had the opportunity to speak to his masters students about my experiences with development work in Uganda. He was kind enough to show me around the city and introduce me [...]
As some of you may have noticed, I am back in America now. I do not know yet what this means for the blog. However, for those who are interested, I’ll be filling you in on some of my travels over the coming weeks. Also, now that I have access to speedy internet, I can [...]
I had only one night in Bujumbura (Burundi). Bed was tempting. I was filthy, exhausted, and had eaten only a few tiny bananas all day. But I was determined to rally. I caffeinated myself and took a chilly shower and hit the town to see a play at the French Cultural [...]
The staff at the Burundian consolate in Kigoma must not get many visitors. My request for travel and safety information and a visa is met with curiosity- Who am I? Why do I want to go to Burundi? Why will I travel without a husband? Do I want one? Those maters (mostly) settled, debate ignites. [...]
[photos to come-- some technical difficulties]
We knew that our trip was going to end with a trip to Kigoma, and a visit to Gombe Stream National Park, where Jane Goodall has been researching chimpanzee behavior for decades. Our plan was to take the train from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma. A 36-hour ride (in the [...]
After running some errands solo (I was proud of myself for both getting very lost and for finding my way back home, via the alleys!), we headed to the bus park, to catch a dalla dalla for Jambiani – a small village on the east coast. In Zanzibar, the dalla dallas are kind of like [...]
We woke up before the call to prayer (in other words, ungodly early), hoping to catch the 5am bus to Dar, and then the 4pm ferry to Zanzibar (the last of the day). At 4:45, a hotel staffer walked us to the Dar Express office, but the lot was very quiet. There appeared to be [...]
We woke up before the call to prayer (in other words, ungodly early), hoping to catch the 5am bus to Dar, and then the 4pm ferry to Zanzibar (the last of the day). At 4:45, a hotel staffer walked us to the Dar Express office, but the lot was very quiet. There appeared to be [...]
At 6 am, our driver picked us up at our campsite to take us to the Ngorogoro Crater. (His name was Wilson and all day I had images of the volleyball in Castaway, and the neighbor from the 80s show Home Improvement!) The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) is 3,200 sq. mi. and includes the Ngorongoro [...]
[Thank you, Megan! Notes from our journey in Tanzania.]
In Kiswahili the word safari means trip or journey, not just a trip to see animals in the wild. My safari began the evening of Oct. 28th, after drinks with Cait and Jill at Boston’s Logan airport. I landed in Dar es Salaam – the economic if not [...]
On March 3rd, 2007, I posted these words, from Jeffrey Eugenides’ Middlesex. And now here they are again.
“Emotions, in my experience, aren’t covered by single words. I don’t believe in “sadness,” “joy,” or “regret.” Maybe the best proof that the language is patriarchal is that it oversimplies feeling. I’d like to have at my disposal [...]
A few months back, I heard about AppLab Uganda at a conference. It’s a pretty neat concept. They’re basically creating mobile phone applications that will help ordinary Ugandans who don’t have access to a lot of up-to-the-minute, accurate information about important topics that affect their lives (aside from perhaps radio).
Considering the increasing popularity [...]
Yesterday was our first book day, and it was a huge success. It is really fun to see kids who have never owned a book before get excited about reading!
Thank you all for your contributions to the Malaba Youth Center library. You have made a difference.
While all of you play with your fancypants iPhones and fool with whatever this “Twitter” business I’m hearing about is, I am content with the perfect technological solution for my Ugandan life: the Ka-Torchi. In Uganda, “ka” is the word used to refer to something that’s small. “Torchi” means torch (or flashlight). [...]
Last month, I was fortunate to have an opportunity to travel to Northern Uganda. When I arrived here in 2007, Peace Corps volunteers were not allowed to go to the north at all, due to security concerns. Now, Peace Corps is opening up the north. I was part of a small team [...]
Some of you may have heard or read about recent events in Uganda. I am and have been very far from any violence or unrest. There has been an ethnic element to the turmoil that does not involve the people of my region.
Last week, violent and deadly (just how deadly depends on who you [...]
I’ve shifted to primarily working at the border (Malaba) since I extended my service in May. This meant that I changed to a new house, which is still in Tororo but a bit closer to where I need to catch transport for my daily commute. I love my new house- it was a [...]
I have mentioned in previous entries the immense interest and pride I have witnessed when it comes to Barack Obama. He is celebrated and honored. There are a handful of popular songs featuring the American president that regularly play on the radio here. Shop-owners have renamed their businesses. On my way to work every [...]
I found this little guy in my laundry pile. I thought he was dead, but it turned out he was only sleeping!
Only days after our return from Kenya, we packed up to head west. Our destination? Uganda’s most lauded tourist attraction: the mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
The park has several groups of gorillas that are habituated to daily human visitors. We hiked to see H group, the largest in the park.
We walked through thick [...]
Because I actually have a quick connection for once, some more photos from Kenyan vacation:
dohnkeys in a village outside of Mombasa, carrying jerricans of water
balancing our dhow while sailing around Lamu
sunrise over Malindi
ancient Gede Ruins
fresh coconut!
a tiny shopping spree at Nakumatt in Nairobi
fancy resort where we couldn’t [...]
To start where I left off…Here’s some more about last month’s vacationing!
The day after climbing Mount Longonot, we went to nearby Hell’s Gate National Park, where visitors are permitted to walk or bike through the park (instead of needing the usual safari vehicle). The park is home to many animals- including some predators! We pedaled [...]
Mt. Longonot is a dormant volcano in Kenya’s Rift Valley. A climb of Mt. Longonot’s slopes provided close encounters with herds of zebras and thorny acacia trees as well as spectacular views of the valley’s geological scars: ridges, craters, rifts, mountains, and lakes. On top, a 2km-wide crater is surrounded by a jagged rim with [...]
In the middle of a particularly long stretch of vacation travel in Kenya, extremely tired, dusty, sweaty, and a bit sick, we decided to pay the equivalent of about $1.50 to take showers in an extremely seedy hotel in Mombasa before boarding another long bus ride. Luckily, we didn’t sleep there– the place gave me [...]
Lamu is a stunningly beautiful place off the Kenyan coast where I was lucky to spend several days of vacation, drinking fresh fruit juices and eating Swahili spiced seafood and coconut rice. The town is quiet and peaceful, at once ancient and alive. Intricately carved wooden doors dot Lamu’s maze of winding narrow [...]
A letter to the editor written to a major Ugandan newspaper (click to read):
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