I've been busy. Really busy. In the middle of my busyness I am trying to figure out how to live in the western world Africanized. I'm trying to figure out how to survive a 45 minute commutes both ways, make it home to dinner with my family, and still manage to volunteer, have a social life, maintain an exercise routine, and find space to meditate upon my Holy Book. It is not working. And yet it is. In the midst of the chaos in which I have created, I am doing what I love.
I love working with Africans. I love that my boss is African. I love (and hate) that my program staff in Sudan have gone MIA from the internet and I am trying to write a grant.
I love that I live with family and can have dinner with them at six o'clock- like we always have, and always will. That fish Mondays will forever remain in my home. That I can become creative in what to cook with my mother and that my dad is okay in trying new things.
I love that my best friend lives minutes from home and that her children squeal with delight when I show up and teach them how to roll down hills, and splash in puddles, and read them bed time stories and tuck them into their bed at night.
Yet I am struggling to live in this western Africanized world of mine where I go from drinking tea and saying Insha'Allah it will happen and then going home to look at pinterest. Can I do that? Sometimes I think it is easier to live in one world or the other. Not this combination world of reading, writing, and knowing about the troubles of the horn of Africa while living this comfortable life. It is hard to do.
For a while, I had a loyal fan base of readers but then I got busy. Trying to figure out how to live in Africa while I live in the US. It is a complicated city. It is a complicated, globalized world. And Insha'Allah, I will figure it out.
17 June 2012
27 May 2012
Big News
Oh, well hello blog. Did you miss me? The problem with me and blogging is that when big things happen in my life, I don't want to blog about it. This serves as a problem when most people run to their blog to tell the world. So when I have major things happening in my life, menial things seems relatively- well trivial, which then seems silly to blog about. The other problem is the fact that all these big things are happening and it creates very little time to blog about trivial things. So therefore, whoever actually reads this blog, is left with nada. Sorry peeps. I should figure it all out so that I don't go missing from the web when big things happen.
So big thing number one: I joined twitter. (note the sarcasm since I don't blog about big things). I did really join twitter though. And a certain dictatorship country is now following me (no, its not North Korea)- which I find to be strange. I suppose I would never get a visa to their country! Ha!
Second big thing: The trash in the bin that sits outside my office window on the street gets picked up by an electric arm that comes out of a truck. They come three times a week. I find it fascinating and I stop all form of productivity to watch- just like a toddler would.
Third big thing: I am going to buy an iphone this week and I am quite happy about it. Maybe then you will get a picture of the trash arm to prove to y'all that I am not crazy.
Thats all the news you will get from me today. I do, however, have some blog post topics related to development that are marinating. So stay tune.
So big thing number one: I joined twitter. (note the sarcasm since I don't blog about big things). I did really join twitter though. And a certain dictatorship country is now following me (no, its not North Korea)- which I find to be strange. I suppose I would never get a visa to their country! Ha!
Second big thing: The trash in the bin that sits outside my office window on the street gets picked up by an electric arm that comes out of a truck. They come three times a week. I find it fascinating and I stop all form of productivity to watch- just like a toddler would.
Third big thing: I am going to buy an iphone this week and I am quite happy about it. Maybe then you will get a picture of the trash arm to prove to y'all that I am not crazy.
Thats all the news you will get from me today. I do, however, have some blog post topics related to development that are marinating. So stay tune.
27 April 2012
California
California dreams. I lived in California for four and a half years and I decided this winter that it was time to return and visit my friends. I landed at midnight at LAX and stumbled out of the airport to find my friends in their car waiting for me. I think squelling was involved when we first saw one another. As we drove from LAX to their city in Orange County, I kept thinking how crazy it was that I had lived there. The overwhelming amount of smog, cement, and traffic greeted me as we sped down the freeway. There are parts of Southern California that are beautiful and there are parts that are not. The only beautiful part is the diversity, the friends, the families, that inhabit the cement city.
The next day I woke up, packed up some things, and drove to a park to have a mini college reunion. It was so good to see everyone! Catch up on life and hear about what they are doing right now. Here is a picture of my first roommate, her husband, and baby. It was so good to spend time with them!
I also had the opportunity to go to a benefit banquet for an organization my friend Meg works at. It was fun to see and hear the work that they are doing and how her passion fits within their framework. Meg has a gift to work with kids and right now she works in a hard neighborhood, with tough kids, and yet still creates an environment for them to just be kids. In addition to the banquet, I had a chance to see her in action and do her thang during her program. Below is a picture of a few friends dressed up for the banquet.
And, of course, it seems like when I come into town I force my old roommates to get together and hang out. Unfortunately, not all of them were available this weekend- but it was good to get some of them together! I am so blessed by their friendships.
Finally, what would a trip to Southern California be without some great Asian food? Noodles, Currey, Boba, oh my! I love the diversity of food options in California. Below is boba from Half and Half. The new Asian- go-to Boba place in SoCal. Their boba is honey flavored and it was delicious. It was also the size of a pint of ice cream.
This trip to California was wonderful. I slipped back to my friend's lives very easily- to the point where I was shocked at how easy it was. While these are not all the people I saw, or things I did while in California- it gives you a taste for why I visit California. Its not for the beaches, or Disneyland, or movie starts (although I sat next to Julia Roberts on my flight out). I visit California for my friends, for the community they have, and the joy visiting brings.
The next day I woke up, packed up some things, and drove to a park to have a mini college reunion. It was so good to see everyone! Catch up on life and hear about what they are doing right now. Here is a picture of my first roommate, her husband, and baby. It was so good to spend time with them!
I also had the opportunity to go to a benefit banquet for an organization my friend Meg works at. It was fun to see and hear the work that they are doing and how her passion fits within their framework. Meg has a gift to work with kids and right now she works in a hard neighborhood, with tough kids, and yet still creates an environment for them to just be kids. In addition to the banquet, I had a chance to see her in action and do her thang during her program. Below is a picture of a few friends dressed up for the banquet.
And, of course, it seems like when I come into town I force my old roommates to get together and hang out. Unfortunately, not all of them were available this weekend- but it was good to get some of them together! I am so blessed by their friendships.
Finally, what would a trip to Southern California be without some great Asian food? Noodles, Currey, Boba, oh my! I love the diversity of food options in California. Below is boba from Half and Half. The new Asian- go-to Boba place in SoCal. Their boba is honey flavored and it was delicious. It was also the size of a pint of ice cream.
This trip to California was wonderful. I slipped back to my friend's lives very easily- to the point where I was shocked at how easy it was. While these are not all the people I saw, or things I did while in California- it gives you a taste for why I visit California. Its not for the beaches, or Disneyland, or movie starts (although I sat next to Julia Roberts on my flight out). I visit California for my friends, for the community they have, and the joy visiting brings.
24 April 2012
What can I do?
What can I do? What can you do? The comment I received from my last post was really, really good. So basically, I took from her comment a few things. Often as Americans we are told to just throw money at a problem in order to solve it. That the church in the United States tells us that we must share God's love to the world through our actions, which then means donating money to the church. Invisible Children is giving the general population a different option than just giving money.
The Kony2012 videos give an easy way for the average person to feel part of doing something. Calling up our congressmen and telling them to solve this problem, the problem of the LRA in central Africa. Just so that I am clear, I think Kony and the LRA are people who have committed evil atrocities against humanity and they should be punished for their actions. I have simply been asking, if it is always the job of Americans to fight the bad guy when there are thousands of people in the countries the LRA operate that know the situation better than we do. (You can read my first post here and my second post here)
So the question is, what can we do? What can the average outsider, American, Brit, etc. do when we hear about these terrible things going on in the world? What can one person do to make a difference? My response is based upon how involved you want to be.
1. Donate Money. I know, I know- you want other ideas. But this is the first layer of involvement. You hear about a need, you want to be minimally involved (unless you are Bill Gates) and you donate money to a reputable organization. Donating money to an organization is helpful- even the $20 a month donation. My friend Rachel who has worked in the Horn of Africa just blogged about this: which you can find here. You will eventually become bombarded with needs and organizations requesting donations. Which leads me to point two.
2. Find a problem, issue, country, people group, topic and stick with it. Learn everything you can about the topic. Be a walking advocate about the issue. Know the facts, know the problems, know the complexities of the issues. You can be more effective in solving a problem, if you become focused. Essentially, it becomes your "hobby" so to speak. When you get together with friends, they ask you how you are doing, what you are doing, etc. This is the avenue to start sharing about the issue you care most about. There is a fine line between being obnoxious with friends and family, and simply sharing with what you are most passionate about. In this research, you know which organizations are work hands-on to adress the problems. Then you can be an informed donor and confident that your money is going to a good place.
3. Do what Invisible Children does. Flood the mail box of your congressmen about your issue. If you know what is happening on the issue you are passionate about, then you know what is happening in politics and how it links. Why do you think we have American troops in Uganda? It is because enough people of the general public wanted them there and congress listened.
4. Find other people who are passionate about the same topic. Form a working group to share information, access resources, and creatively come up with ways to be part of solving a problem. Bring in guest speakers and experts.
5. Find a local problem and volunteer. The US has some major problems and sometimes it is easier to become involved in solving a local problem.
If we choose one topic we are passionate about and do everything we can to change the current situation (donations, volunteerism, government advocacy), then when we hear the million pleas for help we can confidently decline and focus our energy on the topic we are passionate about and know that change can come about as a result of it. We can not solve every single problem or we will be pulled in so many directions, but we can focus on one thing and hopefully see change. Invisible Children chose the LRA. What will you choose?
12 April 2012
Leave Africa
I've been reading a bit about the Kony2012 2.0 follow up and even more blog posts and news articles since the initial Kony 2012 movie.
The conversation about Americans and our savior complex is interesting. The article by Teju Cole, which you can find here gives an interesting perspective. I could not help but think that in his critique he was also falling into the same savor complex. However, he has some valid points.
It actually reminded me of a heated debate in one of my grad school courses. The class was a communication and advocacy course: how to put together an advocacy campaign, etc. We were told to choose a topic that we would use throughout the course, at the end culminated by a speech that appealed to our audience to action. I was young and new to the development world. Most of my work experience was US-based but I wanted to branch out into the international realm. So I chose a controversial topic based on three months work experience in a slum outside of Nairobi. Land rights. To make it even better, there were four or five Kenyans in my class. I spoke with all of them before I decided to commit to the topic. I wanted their opinion, I wanted to know if they would be offended if I chose a controversial topic from their country. Most were okay with me learning more about their country, land rights, and tribal differences. One man, was a bit more hesitant to give me his blessing. However in the end, he said okay.
By chance, the topic of land rights in this particular slum had become popular news in Nairobi. Land reform was happening, construction of new buildings, moving people from their old homes to new ones, etc. By the time the course was over, things had dramatically changed within the country. Something I was not expecting. My final presentation had to be changed significantly because what I had started out advocating for was indeed happening while the class was taking place. However the way I came across started a heated conversation: should Americans be involved in development or should we allow for locals to address their problems?
My personal opinion which I spoke about in my original blog post about Kony2012 is that local people should be the ones to create change in their communities and should first ask for help from the outside, international community before anyone comes blazing in to help. This opinion was, in fact, strongly influenced by this advocacy class.
The last class of the course we had a three hour discussion about the involvement of westerners in international development. I was, as a white American woman, a minority in my academic program and also this class. Eighty percent of the class came from emerging countries and economies. In the end, many people in this class were personally hurt by the very blunt and forward comments by my classmates. What went down would have been a scene from a movie if the UN all of a sudden just said what they wanted to say without thinking about the repercussions. One of the very few comments I remember stuck with me. "Americans, you need to get out of Africa and let us Africans handle our own problems." I was blown away. The very Kenyan man who had told me to seek out this topic in this class just told me, as an American, to never enter his country again. I left hurt, confused, and wondering why I had quit my job, moved to Boston, and enrolled in an international development program when my classmates did not even want me involved.
I had the chance to speak with this Kenyan later, to follow up with his comment. Other Africans came up to me in the days following to say that they did not agree with this man's statement, that they wanted me to part of changing their countries, but not in a top-down, Americans know-all mentality. They wanted me to work with them instead of Americans controlling them. For the record, this Kenyan man actually became a good friend of mine in graduate school. And I thank him for making such a bold statement in an advocacy class because in the end, it changed my perspective. I will never understand the culture as well as a local. I will always have the option to use my blue passport and bail when things go wrong. I will always have the ability to change my career and find something new to do in the United States, find a man, get married, buy a house, and forget about the troubles of the world. My classmates, my friends, do not have that luxury.
So in our effort as Americans to try and save the world, we forget that we can not save the world. We can not tell an entire continent what to do. The Kony2012 2.0 video shows more Africans than Americans, which is good. It was also the first time that I have ever seen the organization demonstrate any depth in their understanding of the problem. It was the first time I have ever seen them acknowledge that they are not the only ones who are working on this issue. Yet I am still not ready to jump on this bandwagon. Namely because I still have no clue what they are in doing in Uganda (and now the Central African Countries) except put up a radio tower and follow Kony around the bush. Invisible Children is still an advocacy group to rally the US government to capture Kony. Someday a Harvard Business School Case Study will be written about them and their use of video to rally a world around a cause. I'm just wondering what the ending will be. American superheros capture the vilan? Or Ugandans step up and use the resources of the world to decide what they want to happen.
The conversation about Americans and our savior complex is interesting. The article by Teju Cole, which you can find here gives an interesting perspective. I could not help but think that in his critique he was also falling into the same savor complex. However, he has some valid points.
It actually reminded me of a heated debate in one of my grad school courses. The class was a communication and advocacy course: how to put together an advocacy campaign, etc. We were told to choose a topic that we would use throughout the course, at the end culminated by a speech that appealed to our audience to action. I was young and new to the development world. Most of my work experience was US-based but I wanted to branch out into the international realm. So I chose a controversial topic based on three months work experience in a slum outside of Nairobi. Land rights. To make it even better, there were four or five Kenyans in my class. I spoke with all of them before I decided to commit to the topic. I wanted their opinion, I wanted to know if they would be offended if I chose a controversial topic from their country. Most were okay with me learning more about their country, land rights, and tribal differences. One man, was a bit more hesitant to give me his blessing. However in the end, he said okay.
By chance, the topic of land rights in this particular slum had become popular news in Nairobi. Land reform was happening, construction of new buildings, moving people from their old homes to new ones, etc. By the time the course was over, things had dramatically changed within the country. Something I was not expecting. My final presentation had to be changed significantly because what I had started out advocating for was indeed happening while the class was taking place. However the way I came across started a heated conversation: should Americans be involved in development or should we allow for locals to address their problems?
My personal opinion which I spoke about in my original blog post about Kony2012 is that local people should be the ones to create change in their communities and should first ask for help from the outside, international community before anyone comes blazing in to help. This opinion was, in fact, strongly influenced by this advocacy class.
The last class of the course we had a three hour discussion about the involvement of westerners in international development. I was, as a white American woman, a minority in my academic program and also this class. Eighty percent of the class came from emerging countries and economies. In the end, many people in this class were personally hurt by the very blunt and forward comments by my classmates. What went down would have been a scene from a movie if the UN all of a sudden just said what they wanted to say without thinking about the repercussions. One of the very few comments I remember stuck with me. "Americans, you need to get out of Africa and let us Africans handle our own problems." I was blown away. The very Kenyan man who had told me to seek out this topic in this class just told me, as an American, to never enter his country again. I left hurt, confused, and wondering why I had quit my job, moved to Boston, and enrolled in an international development program when my classmates did not even want me involved.
I had the chance to speak with this Kenyan later, to follow up with his comment. Other Africans came up to me in the days following to say that they did not agree with this man's statement, that they wanted me to part of changing their countries, but not in a top-down, Americans know-all mentality. They wanted me to work with them instead of Americans controlling them. For the record, this Kenyan man actually became a good friend of mine in graduate school. And I thank him for making such a bold statement in an advocacy class because in the end, it changed my perspective. I will never understand the culture as well as a local. I will always have the option to use my blue passport and bail when things go wrong. I will always have the ability to change my career and find something new to do in the United States, find a man, get married, buy a house, and forget about the troubles of the world. My classmates, my friends, do not have that luxury.
So in our effort as Americans to try and save the world, we forget that we can not save the world. We can not tell an entire continent what to do. The Kony2012 2.0 video shows more Africans than Americans, which is good. It was also the first time that I have ever seen the organization demonstrate any depth in their understanding of the problem. It was the first time I have ever seen them acknowledge that they are not the only ones who are working on this issue. Yet I am still not ready to jump on this bandwagon. Namely because I still have no clue what they are in doing in Uganda (and now the Central African Countries) except put up a radio tower and follow Kony around the bush. Invisible Children is still an advocacy group to rally the US government to capture Kony. Someday a Harvard Business School Case Study will be written about them and their use of video to rally a world around a cause. I'm just wondering what the ending will be. American superheros capture the vilan? Or Ugandans step up and use the resources of the world to decide what they want to happen.
05 April 2012
Kony2012 Part Two
Invisible Children's follow up video was released today. I'm still formulating my opinions and will post a follow up. But in the mean time, below is the video to watch it.
Or you can find it here.
Or you can find it here.
02 April 2012
Hunger Games
I'm a week behind but I want to comment on the Hunger Games. I went last night to watch the movie. My plan was to go the opening weekend, but my cousin's plan was to read the book the week after opening weekend. Who could deny her the opportunity to read the book? So I waited. I was so so excited to see the movie! I heard an entire week of people raving about it and I wanted to see it. I'll be honest, the books kept me up until the wee hours of the night and I wanted to see how they would turn this compelling story into a movie. It had been ages since I had been pulled into a book and willingly allowed myself to stay up until 3am reading a book.
The movie, while good, did not live up to my expectations. Expectations is probably not the right word. I expected the movie to not be as good as the book because movies never are as good as books. However, Harry Potter did a fairly good job so I thought that this might be a similar situation. Boy was I wrong. I left the theatre incredibly disappointed. Where was the details of relationships? The first book develops a lot of the characters, their history, their situation, the history of the country, etc. This did not happen at all in the movie. I almost felt like they producer assumed you had read the book. I was so disappointed! I also really wanted to see the Capitol's costumes more- the cinematography was used in a creative way to show the main character's emotions and thoughts but that also meant taking away from the viewer's ability to really soak up all the details of the costumes. I mean, who wouldn't want to stare at these crazy outfits- right?!
(Image from thehungergames.wikia.com/wiki/The_Capitol).
On a positive note, they did a really good job at keeping the violence to a minimum, which I appreciate. This is a violent book and series and therefore the movies could have been ten times more violent but they were not. If anything, I think the books were more violent than movie- which is incredible! I also left the theatre wanting to re-read the book again. So perhaps that is also a positive thing.
So to summarize my post. If you have not read the book and have not seen the movie, read the book first. If you have seen the movie but not read the book, read the book! If you have read the book and are planning on seeing the film, walk into it knowing you will be disappointed.
My friend posted an interesting critique about the book from an author's perspective. I found it helpful because she was able to articulate my feelings towards the book. You can find it here.
Over and out.
The movie, while good, did not live up to my expectations. Expectations is probably not the right word. I expected the movie to not be as good as the book because movies never are as good as books. However, Harry Potter did a fairly good job so I thought that this might be a similar situation. Boy was I wrong. I left the theatre incredibly disappointed. Where was the details of relationships? The first book develops a lot of the characters, their history, their situation, the history of the country, etc. This did not happen at all in the movie. I almost felt like they producer assumed you had read the book. I was so disappointed! I also really wanted to see the Capitol's costumes more- the cinematography was used in a creative way to show the main character's emotions and thoughts but that also meant taking away from the viewer's ability to really soak up all the details of the costumes. I mean, who wouldn't want to stare at these crazy outfits- right?!
On a positive note, they did a really good job at keeping the violence to a minimum, which I appreciate. This is a violent book and series and therefore the movies could have been ten times more violent but they were not. If anything, I think the books were more violent than movie- which is incredible! I also left the theatre wanting to re-read the book again. So perhaps that is also a positive thing.
So to summarize my post. If you have not read the book and have not seen the movie, read the book first. If you have seen the movie but not read the book, read the book! If you have read the book and are planning on seeing the film, walk into it knowing you will be disappointed.
My friend posted an interesting critique about the book from an author's perspective. I found it helpful because she was able to articulate my feelings towards the book. You can find it here.
Over and out.
26 March 2012
Lost in this never-ending void
I feel lost in this never ending void. Life is happening around me. People are working, children are attending school, house wives are driving their mini vans to PTA meetings, and husbands are driving their sedans to the office. Ants moving up and down, all around. Yet I have stopped. For the first time in my life I have stepped outside the pre-ascribed life path that was predestined for my life, my culture, my age group, my gender. Stopped. The funny thing is, I did not intentionally stop. It is almost as if God pulled me out. Said, no- you need to stop this never-ending pre-ascribed cultural process. Stopped. In desperation to get back in, I have applied to hundreds of jobs, spoken to hundreds of people, have about fifty versions of my resume, eaten too much dark chocolate, and still I am stopped.
A professor wants me to come and speak to her undergraduate International Development 101 class in a few weeks. What do I say? This class will be filled with idealistic college students who have inevitably jumped on the Kony2012 bandwagon and are eager to change the world. They are culturally Southern California, which is fine and good but the reality is that if they want a job in the aid industry they will have to make the inevitable move to the east coast. If their class is any like my graduating class, a handful will make the jump east, a few will be living out of the country, and most will stay in California and will either return to school for a different degree, struggle to maintain a job in the small nonprofit sector of SoCal, or get married and be a housewife. All options are fine and good but none of them are saving the world. I don't want to sound negative but today in the middle of my never-ending void and removal of all normal life paths, I am feeling a bit pessimistic. Wondering what the heck I am doing, what advice I will give these college students, and how in the world I am going to get back to this treadmill of life- because right now, it feels like a never-ending void of unemployment is what awaits me.
A professor wants me to come and speak to her undergraduate International Development 101 class in a few weeks. What do I say? This class will be filled with idealistic college students who have inevitably jumped on the Kony2012 bandwagon and are eager to change the world. They are culturally Southern California, which is fine and good but the reality is that if they want a job in the aid industry they will have to make the inevitable move to the east coast. If their class is any like my graduating class, a handful will make the jump east, a few will be living out of the country, and most will stay in California and will either return to school for a different degree, struggle to maintain a job in the small nonprofit sector of SoCal, or get married and be a housewife. All options are fine and good but none of them are saving the world. I don't want to sound negative but today in the middle of my never-ending void and removal of all normal life paths, I am feeling a bit pessimistic. Wondering what the heck I am doing, what advice I will give these college students, and how in the world I am going to get back to this treadmill of life- because right now, it feels like a never-ending void of unemployment is what awaits me.
23 March 2012
Vote for Fount!
Do you want to help a good organization win a $1000 grant?
Do you want an organization to help empower local community-based organizations to take ownership over their own development?
Do you want to help advance Ugandan women's understanding of reproductive health? So that Ugandan youth will know that washing with coke does not make someone a virgin again. How HIV/AIDS is spread. How a child is formed within a womb?
The organization in which I worked for in Uganda, www.fountofmercy.org, has been nominated to win a grant from Oxfam America.
Pretty cool, eh?
All you have to do is click this link right here and vote for Fount of Mercy.
So that the women that I was standing with a year ago in the picture above, will have a better understanding of their bodies in the future.
Do you want an organization to help empower local community-based organizations to take ownership over their own development?
Do you want to help advance Ugandan women's understanding of reproductive health? So that Ugandan youth will know that washing with coke does not make someone a virgin again. How HIV/AIDS is spread. How a child is formed within a womb?
The organization in which I worked for in Uganda, www.fountofmercy.org, has been nominated to win a grant from Oxfam America.
Pretty cool, eh?
All you have to do is click this link right here and vote for Fount of Mercy.
So that the women that I was standing with a year ago in the picture above, will have a better understanding of their bodies in the future.
21 March 2012
Pinteresting Follow Up
I knew it! I knew that organizations would find a way to use pinterest to their benefit. My alma matter, Biola University, has a pinterest account. I was quite proud when I saw the link on twitter last week. So I clicked on it and it is brilliant. One thing that Biola does really well is utilize cutting edge social media to their benefit. While most universities or organizations that large are slow moving about new media tools, Biola is not. They have a pinterest account that utilizes it in a different way than the average user. They have a board designated for the tour of the campus. One for where notable alumni are in life right now (slightly ofended that I am not on that board! ha!). One for local restaurants near the school, another for local attractions. Can I just say that this is a really good idea. Way to go Biola.
Then the next day I saw Oxfam America did the same thing. They have a pinterest account. This one is to highlight their own work around the world. Brilliant. I already know friends who are using it to advertise their photography business, etc.
So I like this idea up until it just becomes an electronic advertising board. I like that I can follow Biola and Oxfam and at the same time find instructions for a diy. The minute pinterest becomes only an advertising board for companies, universities, or organizations then I'm out. Hopefully pinterest can be balanced between organizations displaying their work, bloggers showcasing their latest invention, and normal people like me storing the ideas I see around the internet.
If you want to check out Biola's pinterest account you can find them here: Biola's Pinterest Account
Then the next day I saw Oxfam America did the same thing. They have a pinterest account. This one is to highlight their own work around the world. Brilliant. I already know friends who are using it to advertise their photography business, etc.
So I like this idea up until it just becomes an electronic advertising board. I like that I can follow Biola and Oxfam and at the same time find instructions for a diy. The minute pinterest becomes only an advertising board for companies, universities, or organizations then I'm out. Hopefully pinterest can be balanced between organizations displaying their work, bloggers showcasing their latest invention, and normal people like me storing the ideas I see around the internet.
If you want to check out Biola's pinterest account you can find them here: Biola's Pinterest Account
19 March 2012
Pollo in Potacchio
So I wrote up a few blog entries about various recipes I have tried in the last few months but never posted them. I'll be honest. It is Monday night and I have had no blog inspiration from the last few days. So I guess the default is to use an already written, unpublished, entry on a recipe. This one is good. I've made it a few times and will do so again when I have a kitchen back. It is easy, tasty, and healthy. And for those who are into the gluten free trend (or those who are really a celiac) it does not contain gluten.
Pollo in Potacchio (GF)
I've made Pollo in Potacchio twice in the last few months. It is a bit labor intensive than my normal but totally worth it. Anyone who cooks outside of the US, this would be considered an "easy" meal. When I lived in East Africa, I would easily spend two hours in the kitchen making dinner from scratch- I mean, really scratch. We don't cook from scratch in the US anymore. Okay, so the dinner. It is more like Chicken Stew than anything else. And I LOVE IT.
Pollo in Potacchio
Written by SkinnyTastes.com with my modifications.
Ingredients:
10 skinless chicken thighs (with bone) [note: I used chicken breast, cut it into small bite-sized pieces)
kosher salt and fresh black pepper
3 - 4 small sprigs fresh rosemary (the more the better!)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cups Imported crushed tomatoes (Tuttoroso) [note: I didn't have crushed tomatoes on hand this time, and just used tomato sauce and it tasted just as good!]
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio)[note: I used cooking wine]
2 cups low sodium, fat free chicken broth
Directions:
1.Lightly season the chicken with salt and fresh pepper. If you are using chicken breast then cut into small pieces. Place a Dutch Oven or large heavy pot on medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil, when hot add the chicken and sear until browned on all sides. I like using tongs to move them around for each side to get done. Transfer chicken to a dish and set aside.
2.Sauté garlic and onions (and red pepper flakes if using) in remaining oil; sauté until golden, stirring occasionally. Add celery and carrots and saute on medium-low, until soft. Add the wine and chicken broth, scraping any caramelized bits from the bottom.
3.Add tomatoes, marjoram, reduce heat to low, adjust salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 30 minutes.
4.Add the chicken and rosemary to the sauce, partially cover and cook slowly on low heat for another 25 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding water if needed.
Nutrition: Serves: 5 - 10 • Serving Size: 1 thigh with sauce
Calories: 123 • Fat: 4.6 g • Protein: 14.3 g • Carb: 4.1 g • Fiber: 0.7 g • Sugar: 0.5 g
Sodium: 186.4
Comments: I adjusted this recipe a bit but overall I really liked it. The first time I made it, I felt like there was too much sauce and this last time I made it I felt like there was no enough. Next time around, I will probably use 1 1/2 cups broth. I paired it with roasted broccoli, which the fam. equally loved.
Source:www.skinnytaste.com/
Bon Appetite!
Pollo in Potacchio (GF)
I've made Pollo in Potacchio twice in the last few months. It is a bit labor intensive than my normal but totally worth it. Anyone who cooks outside of the US, this would be considered an "easy" meal. When I lived in East Africa, I would easily spend two hours in the kitchen making dinner from scratch- I mean, really scratch. We don't cook from scratch in the US anymore. Okay, so the dinner. It is more like Chicken Stew than anything else. And I LOVE IT.
Pollo in Potacchio
Written by SkinnyTastes.com with my modifications.
Ingredients:
10 skinless chicken thighs (with bone) [note: I used chicken breast, cut it into small bite-sized pieces)
kosher salt and fresh black pepper
3 - 4 small sprigs fresh rosemary (the more the better!)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cups Imported crushed tomatoes (Tuttoroso) [note: I didn't have crushed tomatoes on hand this time, and just used tomato sauce and it tasted just as good!]
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio)[note: I used cooking wine]
2 cups low sodium, fat free chicken broth
Directions:
1.Lightly season the chicken with salt and fresh pepper. If you are using chicken breast then cut into small pieces. Place a Dutch Oven or large heavy pot on medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil, when hot add the chicken and sear until browned on all sides. I like using tongs to move them around for each side to get done. Transfer chicken to a dish and set aside.
2.Sauté garlic and onions (and red pepper flakes if using) in remaining oil; sauté until golden, stirring occasionally. Add celery and carrots and saute on medium-low, until soft. Add the wine and chicken broth, scraping any caramelized bits from the bottom.
3.Add tomatoes, marjoram, reduce heat to low, adjust salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 30 minutes.
4.Add the chicken and rosemary to the sauce, partially cover and cook slowly on low heat for another 25 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding water if needed.
Nutrition: Serves: 5 - 10 • Serving Size: 1 thigh with sauce
Calories: 123 • Fat: 4.6 g • Protein: 14.3 g • Carb: 4.1 g • Fiber: 0.7 g • Sugar: 0.5 g
Sodium: 186.4
Comments: I adjusted this recipe a bit but overall I really liked it. The first time I made it, I felt like there was too much sauce and this last time I made it I felt like there was no enough. Next time around, I will probably use 1 1/2 cups broth. I paired it with roasted broccoli, which the fam. equally loved.
Source:www.skinnytaste.com/
Bon Appetite!
12 March 2012
The Reno: Part One.
Did I mention that my parents are remodeling their house? Well, they are. From 7:30 in the morning until 5:00pm we have a great team of construction specialists in our house. I think their mission is to make as much noise as possible. It probably is a man thing... or a construction thing. Anyway, they are all hard workers and it is amazing to see the progress they make every day.
This afternoon, after a respectful noon day break from the noise to allow me to have a phone interview without banging and pounding and jack hammers, I came upstairs and the electrician- who has a long pony tail, crooked smile, and jeans that proudly say "I'm a man's man- I work hard for my money"- opened his hands and said, "well- how'd it go!?" The four other men, none of whom I had met until that minute- stopped working, stared at me expectantly and wanted to know. This is shocking to me. Here are a group of men who have mastered a trade, who work hard for their income, and care about the people who live inside the house they are remodeling. Even the adult child of the people who are paying their salary for the day. In that moment, I felt proud. Proud to be a Minnesotan. Proud to be a citizen of the United States. Proud to know that there are people out there that know that finding a job today is hard, who are willing to take their lunch break so that someone can have an interview in peace, and then ask about it.
At the end of the day today, these men cheered because they got the gas line to work. They are proud of their work and I am proud to know them.
This probably will not be the last post about The Reno. It will be going on for another 80 days. Yes, I am counting. However today, despite the loud construction noises, I am thankful for a bunch of hardworking men who cared enough to ask me how my interview went.
This afternoon, after a respectful noon day break from the noise to allow me to have a phone interview without banging and pounding and jack hammers, I came upstairs and the electrician- who has a long pony tail, crooked smile, and jeans that proudly say "I'm a man's man- I work hard for my money"- opened his hands and said, "well- how'd it go!?" The four other men, none of whom I had met until that minute- stopped working, stared at me expectantly and wanted to know. This is shocking to me. Here are a group of men who have mastered a trade, who work hard for their income, and care about the people who live inside the house they are remodeling. Even the adult child of the people who are paying their salary for the day. In that moment, I felt proud. Proud to be a Minnesotan. Proud to be a citizen of the United States. Proud to know that there are people out there that know that finding a job today is hard, who are willing to take their lunch break so that someone can have an interview in peace, and then ask about it.
At the end of the day today, these men cheered because they got the gas line to work. They are proud of their work and I am proud to know them.
This probably will not be the last post about The Reno. It will be going on for another 80 days. Yes, I am counting. However today, despite the loud construction noises, I am thankful for a bunch of hardworking men who cared enough to ask me how my interview went.
10 March 2012
Kony 2012
This past week, Invisible Children's (IC) new video went viral. I watched it, followed a bit on twitter, and read a few blog posts and news articles. I originally did not want to post about the Kony2012 campaign. Mostly, because I have never been to Gulu so I feel inadequate to give you my assessment. That being said, it seems like everyone has an opinion on the topic and the lack of experience in Gulu doesn't hold anyone else back. Given that I have lived in Uganda and have been to northern Uganda (just not Gulu town), I feel like I should at least give you my opinion. So here it is.
First, if you have not seen the video, you can find it here: Invisible Children (IC). You should watch it. Now on to my opinion.
Joseph Kony is an evil man who has abducted children and used them for his benefit. He is the head of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). For lack of a better, more concise overview, I am going to refer you to wikipedia's article here. With the LRA, Kony has destroyed countless communities and lives in northern Uganda. He is currently wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity and war crimes. If you click on the link, you will notice he is not the only one from the LRA that is wanted.
Which leads me to my first question, why does Invisible Children only name him in their video? I really have no idea. Except that it is easier to have a Kony 2012 campaign than a Kony/Otti/Odhiambo/Ognwen 2012 Campaign. Right? Not to mention that some of those names are kinda hard to pronounce by English speakers. And I digress.
So we have this man and his army who have done terrible things to the country. I can personally attest to the atrocities since I have friends who have been effected by the LRA. However, the worst of the LRA's destruction pretty much ended in 2005. Northern Uganda is rebuilding, healing, and moving forward. Which leads me to my next question, why is Invisible Children focusing on a war that has mostly fizzled out? On something that, yes, has destroyed the country, but is not at all the worst of the country's problems at the moment.
Perhaps I should list some of those problems out for you:
1. Lack of good health care and also a plethora of diseases such as: the Mysterious Nodding Disease, malaria, and HIV/AIDS.
2.Economic inflation. Some of my friends who still live in Uganda have shared with me that inflation has increased by 25% in the last year. This article,which you can find here, outlines the inflation rate in the past year. Thankfully, it is slowly coming down.
3. Insufficient electricity. My dear friend helps fund a hospital in Uganda, and because of the lack of electricity, she reports that more than 100 people have died because they were unable to run the necessary equipment to help them stay alive. This is an extreme example of lack of electricity. It also inhibits businesses. Imagine if the electricity didn't work in your office for an entire week with absolutely nothing to be done about it.
4. The Karamojong people. Google it.
5. Finally, I am going to mention politics. It is my opinion that with sending US troops to Uganda to help eliminate Kony, you are also strengthening Museveni, his army, and his power within the country. For better or worse. President Museveni has been in power 26 years and will be for a total of 30 until the next election comes around. Museveni has advanced the country a great deal since the Idi Amin regime. However, there are also some things to question about him as well: Google "Museveni Crackdown" if you would like to learn more about him.
So why is the IC so determined to catch Kony when his capture, while surely significant, is not a huge development issue within the country currently? My list of five are only five, there are so many other things to be addressed as well! Perhaps it is because Jason Russell (founder of Invisible Children) and his co-founders made a promise to a boy in northern Uganda- to do everything they could to end the war. This is a noble promise and one that they have worked hard to achieve. However, is this the only reason why someone continues to promote this agenda? My other thoughts are negative. Again, I am hesitant to say them. Mostly because I have had friends who have worked for Invisible Children, of which none of them do now. Another reason why IC made the film was promotional for themselves. They will get a lot of money from this campaign. It will help drive their organization forward, rally a group of people in the US- and all over the world- to one single cause: capture the bad guy.
Some of you might question my thought about money. International Development is an industry. It finds causes, markets them, and gets money to help solve problems. However, these problems are so complex that is it very difficult to solve them by eliminating one person, or sending food to a group of people, or giving a box of toys to children who have very little. Humans are complex. Ugandan people are complex. The politics of Uganda and central Africa are complex. Eliminating one man from the mix of complexities will not solve everyone's problems. It will complete Invisible Children's mission, it will make American college students feel like they have done something, but it will not solve Uganda's problems. Only Ugandans can solve its problems. They can solicit the help of others, other aid organizations, churches, international politics, countries, and the UN for help- but it comes down to the fact that Ugandans must solve their own problems. They know the situation better than anyone else. They know the needs better than anyone else.
So are we, as US citizens, as global citizens, listening to their needs? Their desires to change their lives? Or are we following a bunch of wealthy southern California guys in fighting the big bad Kony? I would rather listen to Ugandans tell me what they need than listen to Invisible Children tell me what Ugandans need. What about you?
First, if you have not seen the video, you can find it here: Invisible Children (IC). You should watch it. Now on to my opinion.
Joseph Kony is an evil man who has abducted children and used them for his benefit. He is the head of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). For lack of a better, more concise overview, I am going to refer you to wikipedia's article here. With the LRA, Kony has destroyed countless communities and lives in northern Uganda. He is currently wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity and war crimes. If you click on the link, you will notice he is not the only one from the LRA that is wanted.
Which leads me to my first question, why does Invisible Children only name him in their video? I really have no idea. Except that it is easier to have a Kony 2012 campaign than a Kony/Otti/Odhiambo/Ognwen 2012 Campaign. Right? Not to mention that some of those names are kinda hard to pronounce by English speakers. And I digress.
So we have this man and his army who have done terrible things to the country. I can personally attest to the atrocities since I have friends who have been effected by the LRA. However, the worst of the LRA's destruction pretty much ended in 2005. Northern Uganda is rebuilding, healing, and moving forward. Which leads me to my next question, why is Invisible Children focusing on a war that has mostly fizzled out? On something that, yes, has destroyed the country, but is not at all the worst of the country's problems at the moment.
Perhaps I should list some of those problems out for you:
1. Lack of good health care and also a plethora of diseases such as: the Mysterious Nodding Disease, malaria, and HIV/AIDS.
2.Economic inflation. Some of my friends who still live in Uganda have shared with me that inflation has increased by 25% in the last year. This article,which you can find here, outlines the inflation rate in the past year. Thankfully, it is slowly coming down.
3. Insufficient electricity. My dear friend helps fund a hospital in Uganda, and because of the lack of electricity, she reports that more than 100 people have died because they were unable to run the necessary equipment to help them stay alive. This is an extreme example of lack of electricity. It also inhibits businesses. Imagine if the electricity didn't work in your office for an entire week with absolutely nothing to be done about it.
4. The Karamojong people. Google it.
5. Finally, I am going to mention politics. It is my opinion that with sending US troops to Uganda to help eliminate Kony, you are also strengthening Museveni, his army, and his power within the country. For better or worse. President Museveni has been in power 26 years and will be for a total of 30 until the next election comes around. Museveni has advanced the country a great deal since the Idi Amin regime. However, there are also some things to question about him as well: Google "Museveni Crackdown" if you would like to learn more about him.
So why is the IC so determined to catch Kony when his capture, while surely significant, is not a huge development issue within the country currently? My list of five are only five, there are so many other things to be addressed as well! Perhaps it is because Jason Russell (founder of Invisible Children) and his co-founders made a promise to a boy in northern Uganda- to do everything they could to end the war. This is a noble promise and one that they have worked hard to achieve. However, is this the only reason why someone continues to promote this agenda? My other thoughts are negative. Again, I am hesitant to say them. Mostly because I have had friends who have worked for Invisible Children, of which none of them do now. Another reason why IC made the film was promotional for themselves. They will get a lot of money from this campaign. It will help drive their organization forward, rally a group of people in the US- and all over the world- to one single cause: capture the bad guy.
Some of you might question my thought about money. International Development is an industry. It finds causes, markets them, and gets money to help solve problems. However, these problems are so complex that is it very difficult to solve them by eliminating one person, or sending food to a group of people, or giving a box of toys to children who have very little. Humans are complex. Ugandan people are complex. The politics of Uganda and central Africa are complex. Eliminating one man from the mix of complexities will not solve everyone's problems. It will complete Invisible Children's mission, it will make American college students feel like they have done something, but it will not solve Uganda's problems. Only Ugandans can solve its problems. They can solicit the help of others, other aid organizations, churches, international politics, countries, and the UN for help- but it comes down to the fact that Ugandans must solve their own problems. They know the situation better than anyone else. They know the needs better than anyone else.
So are we, as US citizens, as global citizens, listening to their needs? Their desires to change their lives? Or are we following a bunch of wealthy southern California guys in fighting the big bad Kony? I would rather listen to Ugandans tell me what they need than listen to Invisible Children tell me what Ugandans need. What about you?
07 March 2012
Oven-Barbecued Asian Chicken
I love trying new recipes! For me, there is a challenge to find new recipes that incorporate healthy food in a new way. Over-Barbecued Asian Chicken was a recipe I had wanted to try for a while. It looked so yummy! My brother was in town a few weeks ago and he wanted to cook, so we went for it. My over all assessment was that it was not amazing, but still good. It does, however, satisfy your craving for Chinese food in a healthy way! Another alternative is to use the sauce in a stir fry, which I think might even be better! So here it is:
Oven-Barbecued Asian Chicken (GF)
Ingredients:
• 1 bunch scallions
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Asian hot sauce, such as Sriracha, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (found it at Target!)
• 4 bone-in chicken thighs (1 1/4-1 1/2 pounds total), skin removed, trimmed
• 4 chicken drumsticks (1-1 1/4 pounds total), skin removed, trimmed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Notes: I used a double package of boneless, skinless chicken breast and doubled the sauce in order to cover the chicken well. Since I used chicken breast, the cooking time took about 30 minutes.
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch (or similar-size) baking dish with tin foil and greece with butter.
2. Thinly slice 1/4 cup scallion greens; set aside. Mince the whites. Whisk the scallion whites, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, hot sauce and five-spice powder in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Arrange the chicken in an even layer in the prepared baking dish, meatier-side down. Pour any remaining sauce from the bowl over the chicken.
3. Bake, turning once halfway so the meatier side is up, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching bone registers 165°F, about 1 hour. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and top with any remaining sauce from the baking dish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and the reserved scallion greens (Note: My chicken only took 30 minutes to cook).
Nutrition:
Per serving: 361 calories; 16 g fat ( 4 g sat , 6 g mono ); 144 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrates; 4 gadded sugars; 42 g protein; 1 g fiber; 547 mg sodium; 473 mg potassium.
Comments:
I didn't include the hot sauce or soy sauce so that probably changed the taste a bit. I think this is a recipe I will use once and a while, but not on a weekly basis.
Source: Eating Well, November/December 2011 Issue, Photo from Eatingwell.com
Oven-Barbecued Asian Chicken (GF)
Ingredients:
• 1 bunch scallions
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Asian hot sauce, such as Sriracha, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (found it at Target!)
• 4 bone-in chicken thighs (1 1/4-1 1/2 pounds total), skin removed, trimmed
• 4 chicken drumsticks (1-1 1/4 pounds total), skin removed, trimmed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Notes: I used a double package of boneless, skinless chicken breast and doubled the sauce in order to cover the chicken well. Since I used chicken breast, the cooking time took about 30 minutes.
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch (or similar-size) baking dish with tin foil and greece with butter.
2. Thinly slice 1/4 cup scallion greens; set aside. Mince the whites. Whisk the scallion whites, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, hot sauce and five-spice powder in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Arrange the chicken in an even layer in the prepared baking dish, meatier-side down. Pour any remaining sauce from the bowl over the chicken.
3. Bake, turning once halfway so the meatier side is up, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching bone registers 165°F, about 1 hour. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and top with any remaining sauce from the baking dish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and the reserved scallion greens (Note: My chicken only took 30 minutes to cook).
Nutrition:
Per serving: 361 calories; 16 g fat ( 4 g sat , 6 g mono ); 144 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrates; 4 gadded sugars; 42 g protein; 1 g fiber; 547 mg sodium; 473 mg potassium.
Comments:
I didn't include the hot sauce or soy sauce so that probably changed the taste a bit. I think this is a recipe I will use once and a while, but not on a weekly basis.
Source: Eating Well, November/December 2011 Issue, Photo from Eatingwell.com
06 March 2012
Happy
Happy. Can you be happy and yet stressed out? Maybe it is contentment? I am happy. I am happy where I am at. I am happy sitting in the coffee shop where I got my first job in high school. I am happy that while I sit here, my friends are working the bar, and people I have known my entire life stroll through the door to get a good afternoon cup o' joe. Happy.
Happy. Maybe it is because I feel like I belong. This is my place. My people. My culture. My coffee shop. This is where I have cried, worked, learned, sang, and contemplated life. This is, without a doubt, the hub of my community. Happy.
I am happily looking for a job. I am happily unemployed. I am happily drinking a cup of coffee. I am happily watching the high school girls wear sweatpants in style. (yes, MN teenage girls can pull that off). Happy.
Happy that I am here. Happy that I was born in this place. Happy that it is where I feel at home. Happy.
Happy. Maybe it is because I feel like I belong. This is my place. My people. My culture. My coffee shop. This is where I have cried, worked, learned, sang, and contemplated life. This is, without a doubt, the hub of my community. Happy.
I am happily looking for a job. I am happily unemployed. I am happily drinking a cup of coffee. I am happily watching the high school girls wear sweatpants in style. (yes, MN teenage girls can pull that off). Happy.
Happy that I am here. Happy that I was born in this place. Happy that it is where I feel at home. Happy.
03 March 2012
I have a pinterest account. Doesn't everyone? I like it. I like putting things I find online in one place. It is nice, easy, convenient, and the new google.
I also find myself feeling like I live in a idealist world when I am on pinterest. Does everyone's kitchen really look like that? Because mine sure does not! Does everyone have the picture perfect kids? Does everyone have the dream wedding and fall in love for the rest of their lives? I made this recipe and it, well, didn't look like the picture or taste the way they told me it would. But I will repin, because that is what we do now. We pin and repin and drool over opulent stuff.
Then there are other times when I feel amazing. I have one pin that has been repined nearly 3,000 times. That is almost 3,000 people in the world seeing this picture and putting it on their board. And then, because of this one pin, other people- that I don't even know!- started following me on pinterest. Talk about a self esteem booster, right? Right... because my value and worth now hinges on the fact that 2,899 strangers repined a pin.
Then I think of my time living in a developing country and cringe. Cringe because we waste time and energy and money on stuff. But then I don't want to sound or think like a communist, so I don't say it. But maybe I should. We do not need the dream kitchen, wedding, husband, kid, outfit, hair, body, menu, birthday party, and garden to be happy. Don't you know there are starving children in the world? *Gulp* Because lets be honest, I did excited when 3,000 people repind my pin. I did get happy when I found an amazing recipe. I. get. sucked. in.
Oh my countrymen, what will it take to wake up and realize that we already live in a dream world for the majority of the world? We have luxury that only people can dream about and it is not good enough for us. Will it ever be good enough?
I also find myself feeling like I live in a idealist world when I am on pinterest. Does everyone's kitchen really look like that? Because mine sure does not! Does everyone have the picture perfect kids? Does everyone have the dream wedding and fall in love for the rest of their lives? I made this recipe and it, well, didn't look like the picture or taste the way they told me it would. But I will repin, because that is what we do now. We pin and repin and drool over opulent stuff.
Then there are other times when I feel amazing. I have one pin that has been repined nearly 3,000 times. That is almost 3,000 people in the world seeing this picture and putting it on their board. And then, because of this one pin, other people- that I don't even know!- started following me on pinterest. Talk about a self esteem booster, right? Right... because my value and worth now hinges on the fact that 2,899 strangers repined a pin.
Then I think of my time living in a developing country and cringe. Cringe because we waste time and energy and money on stuff. But then I don't want to sound or think like a communist, so I don't say it. But maybe I should. We do not need the dream kitchen, wedding, husband, kid, outfit, hair, body, menu, birthday party, and garden to be happy. Don't you know there are starving children in the world? *Gulp* Because lets be honest, I did excited when 3,000 people repind my pin. I did get happy when I found an amazing recipe. I. get. sucked. in.
Oh my countrymen, what will it take to wake up and realize that we already live in a dream world for the majority of the world? We have luxury that only people can dream about and it is not good enough for us. Will it ever be good enough?
27 February 2012
A ship destroys the internet
Once upon a time, internet providers in East Africa decided to make their internet faster. To American standards, that ment moving from dial up speed to slow cable speeds. They decided to build a fibre optics station in the bottom of the sea. Surely, no one would ignore the restricted space that flagged this area. So they built fast internet, charged expats a fortune, and locals the inability to experience the fast internet. And so it was.
Then one day a ship was unable to access the port it wished to dock. So it decided to anchor outside the port. Restricted access? Surely it does not mean us. So they anchored. And destroyed the high-speed internet's fibre optics. Down went the high speed interent for multiple countries. Down went fast internet, work ability and the such. But this is Africa, and life continues whether or not the foreigners are able to access the high speed internet.
I laughed when I read this news article about a ship's anchor destroying a fibre optics line for high-speed internet off the coast of East Africa. If I was in East Africa, I would be furious. Since I am not, I can only laugh and think, "only in Africa would the internet be destroyed by a ship".
If you want the full story, you can check it out here: on the BBC website.
I had horrible experiences with internet, paying for internet, only for the record of my payment gone, etc. So this is story is just so typical with the woes of internet and East Africa. For my friends experiencing abnormally slow internet speeds, I am sorry.
Then one day a ship was unable to access the port it wished to dock. So it decided to anchor outside the port. Restricted access? Surely it does not mean us. So they anchored. And destroyed the high-speed internet's fibre optics. Down went the high speed interent for multiple countries. Down went fast internet, work ability and the such. But this is Africa, and life continues whether or not the foreigners are able to access the high speed internet.
I laughed when I read this news article about a ship's anchor destroying a fibre optics line for high-speed internet off the coast of East Africa. If I was in East Africa, I would be furious. Since I am not, I can only laugh and think, "only in Africa would the internet be destroyed by a ship".
If you want the full story, you can check it out here: on the BBC website.
I had horrible experiences with internet, paying for internet, only for the record of my payment gone, etc. So this is story is just so typical with the woes of internet and East Africa. For my friends experiencing abnormally slow internet speeds, I am sorry.
24 February 2012
New York Times
I like reading the New York Times. It makes me feel sophisticated. I usually skim the headlines and focus my reading on the op-eds and the world news section. Today, however, I got to read an article written by a friend. So if you want, jump over and read her story of giving birth to an American child in a Muslim country on the anniversary of 9/11.
You can find it here.
You can find it here.
23 February 2012
Morning Commutes
There is something about morning commutes that make me feel alive. I don't know why, but they do. I have fond memories of morning commutes. Most people dread them, hate them, move closer to their work so that the time is shorter, etc. But they make me happy.
When I was in college and still living in the dorms, I would walk into the bathroom and my friend would be sighing with happy sighs that the day had begun. The walk to the cafeteria was quiet, not everyone was awake, the breakfast bland, but the company enjoyable. I filled up my cup with ice, to chew in class to stay awake, before I would join in the throngs of students sleepily moving towards their classrooms. Professors somehow were always more awake. At least, the ones that taught early classes.
When I lived in Kenya, the feet that traveled the dirt paths alongside the roads of Nairobi, the cars honking, the smell of exhausted filling your nostrils, ultimately making them black, kept me alive. I was so exhausted that I just followed my friend's feet in front of me, one after the other in the cold air. The smell of burning garbage, smoking maize, and dust filled the air. Exhausted, happy, worried, and filled with life that I was part of the morning commute.
When I worked in Minnesota, I would commute with my dad. He would drive in, and I would drive out. Pitch black, with only the headlights to light the way, we would enter the lineup of cars wanting to enter the freeway. By the time we were onto our second highway, I was nodding off, trusting that my dad would get us where we needed to be. But on our way home. Our way home I drove, and we chatted about our days. He would be exhausted, but I would be full of life. Even sitting behind cars of people, I felt content. Part of society.
When I moved to Boston, I walked to "work" aka school. A morning rush and fight over the one single bathroom I shared with my roommates. The making of coffee, splitting the pot with my friend. Feeling like I was a duck, following my friends up the hill to the university. One step, two steps, three steps more. The song, "we are following the leader, the leader" played in my head a lot. I felt alive in the morning, with cool crisp air that filled my lungs. Happy.
When I moved to DC I took the train. I felt empowered. I would park my car in a pre-paid spot, happy that I had scored such a deal. I would walk the few blocks to the train station and swipe my smart pass through the gate, grabbing a newspaper along the way. I would stand on the right side of the escalator for those who were incredibly rushed could run by. I knew where to stand on the track so that the door would open exactly in front of me, allowing me to get the choice seat. I sat and read the paper, listened to music, and people watched. I transfered trains smoothly, knew where to throw my paper into the recycle at the end of my ride. I got mad at tourists, even angrier at the transit committee for trains breaking down, and would compare horror stories with my coworkers about the metro. Buy I was part of the daily commute of people who worked for powerful people. The people who made decisions about the country and the world.
When I lived in Uganda, the sounds I heard as I woke up were what made me feel part of the commute. School kids walking by, talking and gossiping. Boda Boda drivers revving their engines. The sounds of my landlady greeting the staff, jumping her car, running to her next destination. The lorries honking their horns as they narrowly missed the neighborhood goat. The beginning of a new day.
This morning, I was up and out of the house. I spent the morning at a tea shop and got a glimpse of the morning commute. Regulars coming in and ordering their drinks, mothers having tea dates to catch up, school kids running in with their mom's money to buy her a cup of tea. The rhythm of morning life. It gives me joy.
Morning commutes are good. It shows life, the economy, culture, and customs. It makes me feel apart of something.
When I was in college and still living in the dorms, I would walk into the bathroom and my friend would be sighing with happy sighs that the day had begun. The walk to the cafeteria was quiet, not everyone was awake, the breakfast bland, but the company enjoyable. I filled up my cup with ice, to chew in class to stay awake, before I would join in the throngs of students sleepily moving towards their classrooms. Professors somehow were always more awake. At least, the ones that taught early classes.
When I lived in Kenya, the feet that traveled the dirt paths alongside the roads of Nairobi, the cars honking, the smell of exhausted filling your nostrils, ultimately making them black, kept me alive. I was so exhausted that I just followed my friend's feet in front of me, one after the other in the cold air. The smell of burning garbage, smoking maize, and dust filled the air. Exhausted, happy, worried, and filled with life that I was part of the morning commute.
When I worked in Minnesota, I would commute with my dad. He would drive in, and I would drive out. Pitch black, with only the headlights to light the way, we would enter the lineup of cars wanting to enter the freeway. By the time we were onto our second highway, I was nodding off, trusting that my dad would get us where we needed to be. But on our way home. Our way home I drove, and we chatted about our days. He would be exhausted, but I would be full of life. Even sitting behind cars of people, I felt content. Part of society.
When I moved to Boston, I walked to "work" aka school. A morning rush and fight over the one single bathroom I shared with my roommates. The making of coffee, splitting the pot with my friend. Feeling like I was a duck, following my friends up the hill to the university. One step, two steps, three steps more. The song, "we are following the leader, the leader" played in my head a lot. I felt alive in the morning, with cool crisp air that filled my lungs. Happy.
When I moved to DC I took the train. I felt empowered. I would park my car in a pre-paid spot, happy that I had scored such a deal. I would walk the few blocks to the train station and swipe my smart pass through the gate, grabbing a newspaper along the way. I would stand on the right side of the escalator for those who were incredibly rushed could run by. I knew where to stand on the track so that the door would open exactly in front of me, allowing me to get the choice seat. I sat and read the paper, listened to music, and people watched. I transfered trains smoothly, knew where to throw my paper into the recycle at the end of my ride. I got mad at tourists, even angrier at the transit committee for trains breaking down, and would compare horror stories with my coworkers about the metro. Buy I was part of the daily commute of people who worked for powerful people. The people who made decisions about the country and the world.
When I lived in Uganda, the sounds I heard as I woke up were what made me feel part of the commute. School kids walking by, talking and gossiping. Boda Boda drivers revving their engines. The sounds of my landlady greeting the staff, jumping her car, running to her next destination. The lorries honking their horns as they narrowly missed the neighborhood goat. The beginning of a new day.
This morning, I was up and out of the house. I spent the morning at a tea shop and got a glimpse of the morning commute. Regulars coming in and ordering their drinks, mothers having tea dates to catch up, school kids running in with their mom's money to buy her a cup of tea. The rhythm of morning life. It gives me joy.
Morning commutes are good. It shows life, the economy, culture, and customs. It makes me feel apart of something.
15 February 2012
Normal.
I've been told by my only loyal reader on this blog that I need to write a blog post. I'll be honest, I think I am a terrible blogger. Blogging takes time and dedication. I have the time, but apparently not the dedication. I think desire gets thrown into the mix too... and creativity. I often think, who the heck would want to read about my life? Apparently my best friend does. Which is funny, because she knows more about what is going on in my life right now than pretty much anyone else.
Perhaps her timing could not be more perfect. It has been one year since I left Uganda and this week I have been thinking about it quite a bit. I think I have hit all re-entry, culture shock, and craziness of leaving one country and entering another that happens. I have written a master's thesis, traveled to Boston a few times, and managed to graduate. I flew to Sri Lanka to be able to watch a good friend get married and felt like I was the queen of the world by staying in some posh places. In the process of returning to the states, I got stuck in Qatar and feared for my life, cried like a fool, and was in complete awe of the amount of sand that the country held. Maybe I should have been in more awe of their oil. So technically I can check off the Middle East and Arabian Peninsula off of my- travel-to-one-day list. I also really regret not buying the dates in the duty-free store in the Doha airport.
I returned to Minnesota and life got predictably normal. Because lets face it, normal people don't travel and move and change addresses as much as I have in the last five years. I'm figuring out normal and it is growing on me. Normal means making dinner for my parents at night and getting great joy out of their satisfaction. Normal means being able to see my friend'sbabies toddlers grow and learn and change. Normal means teaching said toddler how to draw snowmen and getting him addicted to it. (Sorry Beth!) Normal means spending hours and hours on end applying for more than 150 jobs and still being unemployed; and then having your friends/colleagues tell you they have applied to double your amount and are still unemployed. Normal means trying to figure out how to make friends in a normal setting. Normal means trying to explain on a volunteer application why you have more than seven addresses in the last five years and not sound crazy. Normal means shoveling the limited amount of snow we have gotten. Normal means being pasty white (because I live in MN) and being okay with it. Normal means hanging out with my cousins on a weekly basis. Normal means meeting with dear friends who have equally un-normal lives but somehow have ended up normal with me. Normal means drinking more, wait for it- green tea than coffee. Yes, I did just admit to the world that I am drinking more green tea right now than coffee.
So in the midst of all this normal, I find it hard to write a blog. Yet people get famous by writing a blog on their normal lives. But is that really what I want? Not really. I don't really want to be a famous blogger. Maybe, just maybe, I am joining the ranks of normal bloggers. Mediocre bloggers. The thing is, wherever someone is in life it seems so normal to them that they don't think anyone would be interested in reading about their lives. Because to them, it seems boring. I even felt like that towards the end of my time in Uganda. Yet we fail to realize that our normal will never be normal to anyone else. Yes, other people may relate- but my reality in all its conditions will never be like anyone else. wow. Did I just talk myself into blogging? Maybe I did. But here is the thing. Do I have the desire and time? I have the time (remember the 150 failed job applications?) but do I have the desire? Probably not... at least not until my dear friend tells me to write another blog post.
And for kicks, since blog posts are always more interesting with pictures, I have included one with my mother and I doing a normal winter thing of visiting the conservatory.
Did you notice the pasty white skin? Yeah, apparently that is normal for Minnesota in January.
Perhaps her timing could not be more perfect. It has been one year since I left Uganda and this week I have been thinking about it quite a bit. I think I have hit all re-entry, culture shock, and craziness of leaving one country and entering another that happens. I have written a master's thesis, traveled to Boston a few times, and managed to graduate. I flew to Sri Lanka to be able to watch a good friend get married and felt like I was the queen of the world by staying in some posh places. In the process of returning to the states, I got stuck in Qatar and feared for my life, cried like a fool, and was in complete awe of the amount of sand that the country held. Maybe I should have been in more awe of their oil. So technically I can check off the Middle East and Arabian Peninsula off of my- travel-to-one-day list. I also really regret not buying the dates in the duty-free store in the Doha airport.
I returned to Minnesota and life got predictably normal. Because lets face it, normal people don't travel and move and change addresses as much as I have in the last five years. I'm figuring out normal and it is growing on me. Normal means making dinner for my parents at night and getting great joy out of their satisfaction. Normal means being able to see my friend's
So in the midst of all this normal, I find it hard to write a blog. Yet people get famous by writing a blog on their normal lives. But is that really what I want? Not really. I don't really want to be a famous blogger. Maybe, just maybe, I am joining the ranks of normal bloggers. Mediocre bloggers. The thing is, wherever someone is in life it seems so normal to them that they don't think anyone would be interested in reading about their lives. Because to them, it seems boring. I even felt like that towards the end of my time in Uganda. Yet we fail to realize that our normal will never be normal to anyone else. Yes, other people may relate- but my reality in all its conditions will never be like anyone else. wow. Did I just talk myself into blogging? Maybe I did. But here is the thing. Do I have the desire and time? I have the time (remember the 150 failed job applications?) but do I have the desire? Probably not... at least not until my dear friend tells me to write another blog post.
And for kicks, since blog posts are always more interesting with pictures, I have included one with my mother and I doing a normal winter thing of visiting the conservatory.
Did you notice the pasty white skin? Yeah, apparently that is normal for Minnesota in January.
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