still looking...

thoughts

2011-06-22T15:07:00.003-05:00

So I arrived in Kisumu! Have internet in hotel! Tired, but a few updates:

- I was feeling sick for a couple of days, but I am feeling much better now (please do not worry, Mom and Dad!!)
- I missed a flight this evening due to Nairobi traffic and construction. That doesn't ever really happen in Kansas City.
- Got on a later flight and still made it to Kisumu. *whew*
- There is a World Vision conference happening at this hotel. Lots of people in WV tshirts, and I've seen several Americans. Maybe I can talk to them, if I ever come out of my room (which doesn't really happen because my room-time is so limited and so so precious).

...what else?...

- I feel like I have been in Kenya for WEEKS. This is not an exaggeration. (Well, I guess I have been here for TWO weeks, but I feel like it has been about 5.) It's not a bad thing, it's just that SOO much has happened since I arrived!
- OH YEAH!!!! I went to a game park this morning; my first time! It was AWESOME! At first I was like, "yeah, that might be cool, but animals aren't really my thing," but then I saw giraffes, zebras, buffalo, lots of birds, lots of gazelle-like things, elephants, and lions! And it was AWESOME! (oops already said that!) Then we got sort of lost in the park...and I kind of fell asleep...and all of us and our things got really dusty. But I am so glad we went. It really was cool.
- Spent about 8 hours in the car today. That was not so awesome.

Okay, that might be it for now. I should try to sleep (even though I'm not really tired because I slept a lot during those 8 hours). Good night (day) to all; missing you and looking forward to seeing you soon.

karibu kenya!

2011-06-15T15:21:00.003-05:00

So, I've been here for several days and have actually had an excellent internet connection for the past few. It's late, and I'm tired, so I won't write anything substantial...but the last few days have been great! Two days of a workshop, three days of a conference (which ended every night with a dance party...pretty awesome). It has been great to meet so many people, and I have been really inspired by them and by the awesome stuff that is happening here. Tomorrow I start another workshop, then I'm off to Meru, then Kisumu! Then back to Nairobi! The trip isn't even half over yet, but I'm feeling great. Ready to keep going (provided that I can catch a bit of rest...somewhere).

Alright, off to sleep. Really hope there isn't a mosquito in my net. Would reallllly defeat the purpose. Night! (Day! to all of you back home!)

warm greetings from brussels!

2011-06-10T02:23:00.002-05:00

Look, I'm still blogging! This is progress. Don't know how many of you are actually interested in hearing from me so frequently, but I know my mother is, so I will update.

Currently in Brussels, where it is about 8:30am. (2:30am in KC.) The weather is very cool. I hope that I packed warmly enough for Kenya...it is supposed to be in the 60s and 70s (winter!). I just ran into a girl with a KU hat in the bathroom...she got a little freaked out when I asked her if she is from Kansas (forgetting that she was wearing it on her forehead). Small world.

The flight was fine, except for the fact that it was absolutely FREEZING. Even with my (special fuzzy) airplane socks and cardigan and blanket and scarf (which I even wrapped around my head at a point). Despite all of my attempts to get an aisle seat (which weren't that extensive, except for the fact that it is listed on my 'preferences' on our work flight-booking site and it's always yielded aisle seats in the past), I was smack in the middle of a 5-seat row. I guess it could have been worse. I didn't feel too claustrophobic. Watched Hall Pass (not terrible). Read some. Ate some (not terrible) food. Napped. Felt the need to stretch my legs but didn't really have the opportunity.

So now I have a bit of time in the Brussels airport before I head out to Nairobi, which will be...just checked...EVEN LONGER than the last flight...9 hrs 35 min vs. 7 hrs 28 min for the last one. NAIROBI IS REALLY FAR AWAY. Why do *I* work with all the really far away places?? So many of my coworkers have these lovely 4 hour flights that don't even take them out of the TIME ZONE. Luckeeee. (At least I don't have to get up at 4am to catch those flights.)

Okay. Think I'm going to sign off for now and do some actual work before I have to get on the plane again. (I will really try to do that instead of watching the Grey's Anatomy dvd that is calling my name right now.)

See you in Nairobi!

about that whole "blogging" thing...

2011-06-09T11:43:00.002-05:00

...I guess I'm not very good at it, if good = consistent. But, I'm getting ready to leave the country again for a bit, and might have some typing-time available while I am traveling, so...maybe I can try?

So I'm on my way to Kenya for a little while. I'll be participating in a conference and will also visit a couple of our offices, then will return home.

I had a lovely ride to the airport this morning in one of the 'shuttles.' I was the only passenger, and was able to talk with the driver, who is from Sudan. We talked Sudan politics, religious diversity, life in Kansas City. He's been here for almost 8 years, and so I asked him how he feels about living in the U.S: "It's great. There are so many opportunities."

It's good to hear that...to be reminded. The fact that I have a job, that there are educational opportunities, etc etc...sometimes I get jaded about my own society, and forget to be grateful. I'm feeling a little more grateful today: for my home, and for the chance to share a little life with a stranger...

oh my friends.

2011-04-12T12:45:00.001-05:00

Colin: you should fake your own explosion
and then i'll do the same
and then we can start new lives as unexploded people in the big city
nate can fake his own explosion too. we don't want to exclude him.

potential vs. poverty

2011-03-24T01:12:00.004-05:00

So, yesterday a friend showed me this video...

While I think it's a little sad (does any kid [or adult for that matter] need to watch a movie that's so violent?), I appreciate the sentiment of focusing on potential rather than poverty. It's good to see some media that celebrates the dignity and spirit of people rather than glorifying the "pitiful." Eh??

you know you're getting old...

2011-03-23T22:30:00.001-05:00

...when you spend your whole evening trying to stay awake until an "acceptable" bedtime (which is NOT 7:30pm).

what happened to fun and exciting Sara??

I've been ruined.

2011-02-23T22:30:00.004-06:00

...so that every time I go to the supermarket I'm freaked out. All I can think about is how little the 'food' that is available to us actually resembles real food. And how absolutely ridiculous it is that we have literally dozens of options of bottles fruit juice, chips, butter-like substances. Who knows where these 'foods' come from, or what's actually in them?

It is probably a little dramatic to say that I've been "ruined." Perhaps I should say that I have been opened up to the possibilities of food, and have become blessedly more aware of my connection to the earth and to my community...

This is not some sudden awareness; I've been ruminating over these thoughts for several years now. But only recently do visits to the supermarket actually make me a little anxious. And a little angry.

2010-09-27T15:19:00.001-05:00

at the end of the week, I'm exhausted.

at the beginning of the week, I'm exhausted.

...

that's all.

nicaragua!

2010-08-10T15:56:00.002-05:00

So I’m going to Nicaragua tomorrow.

It will be a different sort of trip than I usually go on. This is a “Mission Awareness Trip” that is designed for sponsors so they can travel and meet their sponsored friend. I’m serving as the “CFCA-Kansas representative” since our president (who usually helps to facilitate these trips) is in the process of walking from Guatemala to Chile (no big deal).

So, it will be different. Definitely a different kind of work trip than I am used to...I’m hoping it’s more like a vacation? (Probably not, but I like to think about it that way.)

One thing that is DEFINITELY different is that it is only one week long...hooray! THAT means that I can most likely fit all of my gear into a small suitcase that I can carry on. This way I can ensure that my bag won’t get lost in the air (or wherever lost bags go to). Plus...one week? That’s peanuts. (I think...I don’t actually know what that phrase means. I mean to say that “it’s really no big deal compared to the longer trips I usually go on.”)
I won’t have to travel through 5,237 time zones to get there, or to come back.
I can travel there within one day.
Everyone there will speak Spanish. I don’t speak Spanish. But I can probably understand it better than Tamil, or Hindi, or Telugu, or Malayalam, or Santali, or Swahili, or Luo.
I get to shop for souvenirs. Any requests?

This will be my third trip this year. WHEW. It feels like a lot. I’m pretty sure, however, that this will be my last trip of the year, which is good. It will be nice to have a long break.

quick update!

2010-06-19T05:26:00.002-05:00

So, we're sitting in the Dubai airport which has free wifi, so I thought I would try to give a quick update:

First -- the Dubai airport is definitely the coolest airport I have ever been in. It's like a mall. It is super nice. It is also the most diverse airport I have ever visited: Janet and I were playing "identify the nationality" and we only saw maybe 2 people that could have been American.

ALSO: Emirates Airlines is the best airline I have ever flown. Seriously...

Okay, the real (non-aviation) stuff: the trip has been great so far. We spent just under 2 weeks in India, with 2-3 days at each of our four projects in Tamil Nadu. It was lovely. We learned a lot and it was really productive, plus the weather was great: we had heard that temperatures were hovering around 108 degrees farenheit a few days before we arrived, but it was surprisingly mild throughout our whole visit. I don't quite know what else to say about the trip that isn't boring and work-related...Janet is a fun person to travel with.

OH! Here's something that is noteworthy: aside from maybe 2 days when I was slightly uncomfortable, ***I did not get sick at all during my time in India!*** This is truly amazing. I also ate a ton more than I usually do, which might have made a difference.

So, India was great. I was sad to leave. Usually, I get homesickish and am ready to come back by the end, but I was really digging it the whole time. I think I could live there.

Now, we're in Dubai waiting to board our flight to Kenya (in fact, boarding just started!). We'll be there for 5 days, then will head to Switzerland for a couple of days for my /friend/Nate's roommate Cephas's wedding. First time to Kenya, first time to Switzerland! I can't wait!

Now, boarding! I may be a little out of touch because I can't tweet in Kenya, but I may be able to get online at times.

xoxo

2010-06-02T11:11:00.001-05:00

When we act under the influence of negative
thoughts and emotions, we become oblivious to the impact our actions
have on others. -Dalai Lama

maybe one of these kids has been waiting for YOU.

2010-05-19T20:45:00.004-05:00

Ok. So, I work for an organization called CFCA (if you hadn't figured that out already from my rambling travel-ogs and bleeding heart quotes). To be honest, I have been with CFCA for about 4.5 years and can say with sincerity that I am really excited about the work that we're doing.

CFCA operates through the model of sponsorship. That means that individuals have the opportunity to partner with one child, youth, or aging to help her/his family bring themselves out of poverty. This is a pretty exciting concept.

Usually, I'm a skeptic about this sort of thing, but I have seen and experienced what this program can do for families. These are NOT the stories like "oh, my life was so awful and sad before CFCA, but then my sponsor came along and made my life better and saved me." These are stories of empowerment, of individuals joining together to form community, of children reaching their desired potential, of relationships being formed across caste and religion and culture, of social change.

Seriously.

So, the reason I'm telling you all of this NOW is because I have given myself a personal mission. A few weeks ago I agreed to "take" 5 kids to find sponsors for them. So far, I haven't done a very good job. But I am determined to find sponsors for these 5 BEFORE June 7th.

[edit: while I was writing this, my mom, dad, and sister agreed to sponsor Susana from Columbia. AWESOME!]

So, here are the remaining FOUR!

Emily, 8, lives in Guatemala. She likes to play with dolls and cars, and is described as "smiling and happy." Her dad is a farmer and her mom is a housewife. [edit: Emily has been sponsored! Thanks Ty & Maddy!]

Mamatha, 10, is from India. Her parents are farmers. Her talents are dancing and drawing, and her job at home is to help her mother with the household work.

Isai is 6 and lives in Mexico. He's "happy, a little grumpy but social and playful." (I love it.) His favorite school subjects are to color and cut. (Again, love it.) He lives with his mother, stepfather, and younger sister. [edit: Isai has been sponsored! Thanks Andrea!]

James, age 5 (almost 6!), is from Kenya. He is an above average student and likes to go to school. His favorite subjects are Kiswahili, English, and Math.

So...I know that I know LOTS of people who would love the experience of being a sponsor...they just don't know it yet. I myself have sponsored a girl named Yesenia from El Salvador for the past 4 years. I even traveled to El Salvador and was able to meet her!

To be a sponsor, you commit to sending $30 per month, which will benefit the child and family that you sponsor. More importantly, however, you exchange letters and are able to build a real relationship with a real person...and I'm pretty convinced that relationships are what change the world.

So, if you're interested in sponsoring one of these FOUR, please let me know. I would be happy to answer any questions you have about sponsorship or about CFCA. (You can find more information about CFCA here, and can even look at profiles of other kids and aging who are waiting for sponsors here. I strongly encourage you, however, to choose one of the four listed above.)

Thanks for reading! Hopefully, my social media bombardment will get these 4 sponsored. :)

xoxo

organic gardening and life

2010-05-10T09:48:00.003-05:00

...I've learned to nurture [the] circle of life, starting with microorganisms in the soil. Working with nature instead of trying to thwart it produces a confluence of benefits, many of them unforeseen. This philosophy also can be applied outside the garden. Take a positive mental attitude, for instance. It doesn't come from excluding or fighting with people whose ideas differ from yours, but rather from welcoming them--like the myriad bugs in the garden--into the debate, learning from them, and discovering how their ideas--distasteful or indifferent though they may be--can enhance your own.
-Jeff Cox

2010-05-04T12:34:00.001-05:00

People living in poverty have the least access to power to shape policies – to shape their future. But they have the right to a voice. They must not be made to sit in silence as ‘development’ happens around them, at their own expense. True development is impossible without the participation of those concerned. - Nelson Mandela

I may be starting a series of work-related posts soon. (or, this post may be the first of the series.) stay tuned.

a quote...

2010-04-16T16:19:00.003-05:00

...from a letter from a sponsored child in Nigeria to his sponsor:

"Yes, banger is a kind of firework. It is graded according to the sound it produces. Example: one sound banger will produce only a sound, two sound banger will produce two sounds. Banger can also called knockout. The banger we have are from one sound to nine sounds. I can hold it and let it bang while I'm holding it. Though it is dangerous, you just need to be careful. It is more fun when you hold it."

2010-03-25T01:39:00.002-05:00

omg...internet, for the first time in days!!

We got these net-card-modem things when we were in Hyderabad, thinking that we would be able to use them while traveling...but they only worked in Hyderabad (and, now it seems, Delhi). whoops. HOWEVER, we were in such a rural area for so many days, that we probably wouldn't have been able to get much service anyway.

So, now we're in Delhi! We have been to Hyderabad (where I posted last), Dumka for a couple of days, then in "interior villages" throughout Jharkhand and Bihar, Bhagalpur, Allahabad, and now Delhi. The time has passed surprisingly quickly...we have been very busy. Now, we have the rest of today and tomorrow in Delhi, then I fly home tomorrow night! yay!

I got a bit of sickness yesterday, but have been attacking it with antibiotics and electrolyte fluid and as much rest as I can get, so I'm feeling better today. yay! I can make it through these last couple of days!

Overall, it's been a really good trip. In terms of work, it's been really productive, but it's been a really good trip for me personally, too. I had a rough first few days (I usually do), but then I settled into my groove. It was good that we didn't have internet or cell coverage...I think I needed a chance to be totally separated from my "connected" life, which allowed me to experience a sort of spiritual cleansing...a lenten fast, if you will. Plus, we were in the middle of Beautiful Nowhere...Bihar and Jharkhand...very rural villages, beautiful scenery...most of the places we stayed barely had electricity (for only a couple of hours a day, if at all). It was a good time to reflect.

Plus, being placed in a culture that is sooo different from your own allows you to examine your own culture, and habits, and lifestyle, and thought patterns. (You would think that I would be used to this by now, since it's my fifth trip to India!) This process can sometimes be unsettling, but when combined with the rural exile, it allowed me to have a particularly reflective time. ahhhh.

So anyway. Really only a day and a half left...and I'm ready to come home. I miss my little home in Kansas City. :)

hyderabad...

2010-03-16T16:58:00.002-05:00

Well, I made it safely to India...barely. My flight out of Kansas City was delayed a couple of hours, so I was literally running through Chicago O'Hare (a la 'home alone') to make my connecting flight. I did make it, but my bag didn't.

The bag was supposed to be delivered to Hyderabad yesterday, but wasn't. Now it is supposed to be sent to Calcutta tomorrow evening so I can pick it up on my brief (very brief) stay in that airport...PRAY FOR MY SUITCASE! I was able to go shopping and have a few extra outfits, but not enough to last for 10,236,273 days or however long it is until I get home.

But, I've been in Hyderabad for the last couple of days, and it's been good. Very busy (though I did have some down time this morning...loooove the down time). And we've been to a few gatherings where we have been the "honored guests": this is nice, but it can be exhausting (literally) to be treated like a celebrity all the time. I'd rather just sit in the back row and watch everyone else.

So, tomorrow we have a few more meetings, then we fly to Calcutta (Kolkata) in the evening where I will RETRIEVE MY BAG and then we will get on a train to...somewhere in Jharkhand.

It's the middle of the night now, and though I'm having a hard time sleeping (hooray jet lag), I should probably try. I really miss everyone, and Kansas City!

(and: phone tweets work! you can view them at http://twitter.com/sarainindia)

bye! pray for my bag!! :)

tweet tweet

2010-03-11T12:37:00.004-06:00

I'm contemplating a new way of keeping in touch while I'm in India. I've set up a twitter account that I will try to update while I'm there, either from the internet OR *crossing fingers* from my cell phone. We'll see if it works. My twitter username is "sarainindia" (@sarainindia). If you're a twitter user, you can "follow" me. If not, you can visit http://twitter.com/sarainindia to see my updates! (If it works, of course!)

Oh, and...I'm going to India on Saturday. In case you didn't catch that. ;) It should be a good trip...I'm looking forward to the HOT weather! woohooo!!!

I think it's about time...

2010-03-04T12:34:00.002-06:00

...that I also announced the launch of KC Bookies, the official blog of my book club.

Our book club is the best. We have great members, we read great books, we drink great wine, we eat snacks.

Our blog is a way for us to share our books with the world. You should check us out.

first post of the new year, apparently.

2010-02-22T22:20:00.002-06:00

I offer you a quote:

"...we are all invited...to discover, through following Jesus, that this new world is indeed a place of justice, spirituality, relationship, and beauty, and that we are not only to enjoy it as such but to work at bringing it to birth on earth as in heaven." -N.T. Wright, Simply Christian

It doesn't exactly have the same effect out of context. But it's still good if you let it simmer for a little while.

I would like to start writing more. For me, though, it's not something that I can just do...it has to overflow. I'm working on 'simmering' my life a little more so that a little more spills over. I guess we'll have to see what happens. Lent is a good time to 'simmer'...

top albums of the decade.

2009-12-31T14:49:00.002-06:00

A few days ago, a few friends and I had an email exchange in which we shared our top 20 albums of the decade. It was one of the most fun exercises I’ve done in awhile: flipping through the ipod to see what it really IS that I’ve been listening to for the past 10 years.

The albums that made the list are ones that I just LOVED, and still love now. 20 is a remarkably small number...there are many more albums that were highly qualified to fall on this list.

20. gnarls barkley – st. elsewhere
19. feist – let it die
18. arcade fire – funeral
17. sufjan stevens – seven swans
16. over the rhine – the trumpet child
15. ryan adams – heartbreaker
14. andrew bird – armchair apocrypha
13. damien rice – o
12. over the rhine – drunkard’s prayer
11. iron and wine – the creek drank the cradle
10. coldplay – a rush of blood to the head
9. glen hansard and marketa irglova – the swell season
8. patty griffin – 1000 kisses
7. bon iver – for emma, forever ago
6. over the rhine – ohio
5. thom yorke – the eraser
4. regina spektor – begin to hope
3. sigur ros – takk...
2. radiohead – kid a
1. radiohead – in rainbows

****

In other news, I find myself here on the eve of a New Year and I am, unexpectedly, INCREDIBLY EXCITED. Looking forward to what is to come in my life and in community. Excited to keep learning and growing. Hoping that I will continue to be transformed by the renewing of my mind.

(I also turn 28 in a few days, and that IS giving me anxiety. Minor late-twenties crisis. I’m sure I’ll be fine.)

belated

2009-10-15T15:18:00.001-05:00

...written during the trip, but not posted. so I'll post now.

(that means that I'm back! I'll update with more soon.)

**********************

Cookies and orange soda…that’s what I had for dinner.

Honestly…I don’t like Indian food that much. >.<>

One thing we have found that we can eat in restaurants, etc is Chinese food. It’s actually pretty common on menus in the cities. So…in the last couple of weeks, I have eaten more chicken fried rice than I probably eat in a year. It’s good, but after this trip I probably won’t be eating it for a long, long time.

On other occasions, people are usually aware of our eating habits ahead of time, so there will be some plain boiled vegetables or “chicken no spice” prepared for us. But, of course, nobody else eats it because they don’t think it tastes like anything.

If all else fails, I eat the trail mix that I brought along. (My travel companion, Ilene, brings enough food with her to last the whole trip. She could probably bring a small suitcase full of food.) I have discovered that my favorite trail mix elements (I mix it myself from the bulk bins at Wild Oats) are ALMONDS (I could probably survive solely on them), craisins, and M&Ms (the Wild Oats version). I could probably live without the soy nuts. Um…you probably don’t care about my favorite trail mix items…

One thing I do love when I’m in India is FRUIT. It is so fresh and sweet! I’ve read that you are only supposed to eat fruits that can be peeled, so I eat a lot of plantains (tiny bananas) and oranges. Last night I ate an orange that had green skin…and greenish flesh…but it wasn’t as good as the regular oranges (which are EXCELLENT).

Okay, so…that was a blog post about food. We had a good day today, but I can’t imagine that anyone wants to hear about our all-day staff meeting…

Coming home soon!

so sleepy.

2009-10-06T13:24:00.001-05:00

I wrote this earlier today when I had a few minutes...
********************

I have been terrible at updating during this trip, which is too bad, because we’ve pretty much had an internet connection the whole time. Why have I been such a bad updater? Well…

…This has been a very different trip for us. Usually, if we are doing an organizational audit or normal project visit, we have a lot of activities: visiting multiple “subprojects” in one day, going out to villages, visiting sponsored families, etc…lots of moving.

For THIS trip, we have just been in cities, working primarily at our “project” (main) offices, training our new staff members and working through issues. Lots of inside time. We had thought that it would make this trip somewhat easier: not having to stay in a new place each night, being “in touch” (our cell phones and internet cards always work in the cities) most of the time, not as much traveling around…

…but it seems like it’s harder. Doing all of this training and office work has been EXHAUSTING. The other night, we got back to our room and slept from 6:30 to 11:30pm…I woke up and worked for a couple of hours because I had things to do, but slept again from 2 to 7:30 am with no problems. Yawn.

Anway…today we’re in Bangalore. The weather here is BEAUTIFUL. After many days of hot hot in Delhi and Chennai, we arrived here on the train this morning (early, about 4:30am), and it was kind of chilly! But now that the sun has come up, it is beautiful. We had a great and productive meeting this morning, and now we’re preparing to drive to the airport to head to Palay. We also had a couple of nice days in Chennai…some really productive work with our new staff, and a visit with some old friends. I like Chennai.

This trip has also seemed long. Fortunately, I feel like I have settled in so the length doesn’t feel as emotionally oppressive anymore J, but it feels like we have been traveling for much longer than 10 days. Whew. We’re on the downhill slope now, though. It’s funny…by the end of a trip, I feel both eager to get home AND frustrated that I can’t stay longer. Oh well.

naps at 6pm

2009-10-01T07:46:00.002-05:00

...is what I do when I'm traveling. Or so it seems for this trip.

Jet lag is so weird. My body just pretty much refuses to sleep at night. Once I do finally fall asleep, it's a very light and fitful sleep, and I way up ridiculously early. Then, I work all day, we come back to our hotel, and...take naps. and then get up. and then try to go back to sleep at "night."

So today was officially day 5 of this trip (though the first two days were taken up traveling to get here...as I said before, India is FAR AWAY). We're still in Delhi, and have been working at our office here to train our new staff. We got a lot done over the last couple of days, so I think that we will have the opportunity tomorrow to visit a village where we have sponsored families. It will be so nice to be out in the community instead of cramped in an office (or hotel room)! Tomorrow we will fly to Chennai, where we will spend a few days training our staff there. It will be nice to be back in Chennai...I haven't been since last spring.

For those of you wondering, I have been feeling GREAT (aside from the nausea that I have come to expect from my malaria medication) (knock on wood). I thank you for all of the prayers and good thoughts and positive vibrations. They are very much appreciated. :)

I am finally starting to feel a little more culture-settled. It seems that I always feel a little (or a lot) culture-shocked when I arrive in India, and get homesick, but it always gets better. And I think I'm on that up-side now. But I can't promise that I won't send emo texts at times. :)

Anyway, I am missing you all, and am looking forward to coming home, but am having a nice time. Peace...

delhi delhi delhi delhi

2009-09-28T15:46:00.003-05:00

We arrived in Delhi! About 24 hours after we left KC. India is FAR AWAY.

Don't have a lot of time to write right now, because it's 2:18am right now and I have a conference tomorrow morning. Just wanted to let you know that we arrived safely...stricken with plane-head and dry skin and puffy ankles...but otherwise healthy and happy!

<3

so...

2009-09-23T15:09:00.003-05:00

...I'm going to India, again, leaving in 4 days. Will be gone for 16.

There's a lot to do before I leave, and I don't exactly know when it will all get done, but if I have to forgo sleep for a couple of nights...I have a 23-hour journey to catch up on sleep. (and be subsequently jet-lagged).

It will be fun, friends! I do hope that you, my many readers (ha!), keep in touch while I'm gone. Feeling connected to home while I'm so far away from home helps me to feel more at home in my home-away-from-home. We will be in cities most of the time, and will probably have access to internet the whole time, so I will try to be good with updates. :)

2009-09-04T12:33:00.001-05:00

"OMFG! Obama wants to rape our children... why else would he encourage them to stay in school? You know who else wanted kids to stay in school? Judas Iscariot. That's right. Obama killed our lord and savior. It's all right there in the secret documentation he sent out to your kids." -Jayson V

Doh!

2009-04-22T12:10:00.001-05:00

Oh My Goodness amazon.com has revealed the universal wishlist. This is going to revolutionize my world. Imagine all of the Etsy things I can keep track of...!

happy earth-day.

2009-04-22T11:05:00.001-05:00

"The question that must be addressed, therefore, is not how to care for the planet, but how to care for each of the planet's millions of human and natural neighborhoods, each of its millions of small pieces and parcels of land, each one of which is in some precious way different from all the others. Our understandable wish to preserve the planet must somehow be reduced to the scale of our competence-- that is, to the wish to preserve all of its humble households and neighborhoods."

-Wendell Berry in Word and Flesh

thanks to Andrew for sharing

2009-04-14T10:33:00.000-05:00

"If I wanted to destroy a nation, I would give it too much and I would have it on its knees, miserable, greedy and sick." -John Steinbeck

Still, by A.R. Ammons

2009-04-13T21:48:00.002-05:00

I said I will find what is lowly
and put the roots of my identity
down there:
each day I'll wake up
and find the lowly nearby,
a handy focus and reminder,
a ready measure of my significance,
the voice by which I would be heard,
the wills, the kinds of selfishness
I could
freely adopt as my own:

but though I have looked everywhere,
I can find nothing
to give myself to:
everything is

magnificent with existence, is in
surfeit of glory:
nothing is diminished,
nothing has been diminished for me:

I said what is more lowly than the grass:
ah, underneath,
a ground-crust of dry-burnt moss:
I looked at it closely
and said this can be my habitat: but
nestling in I
found
below the brown exterior
green mechanisms beyond the intellect
awaiting resurrection in rain: so I got up

and ran saying there is nothing lowly in the universe:
I found a beggar:
he had stumps for legs: nobody was paying
him any attention: everybody went on by:
I nestled in and found his life:
there, love shook his body like a devastation:
I said
though I have looked everywhere
I can find nothing lowlyin the universe:

I whirled though transfigurations up and down,
transfigurations of size and shape and place:

at one sudden point came still,
stood in wonder:
moss, beggar, weed, tick, pine, self, magnificent
with being!

2009-04-07T11:01:00.002-05:00

“You cannot be friends upon any other terms than upon the terms of equality.”

Woodrow Wilson

I LOVE THIS

2009-04-05T15:09:00.001-05:00

sooo...since it's been forever since I've written a proper post...

2009-03-24T06:56:00.003-05:00

I guess I should write an update. Fortunately, I'm pretty sure that the few who read this blog for actual travel updates have already been in touch through mobile (luckyyyy), but for the rest of you who are out there and aren't one of the like 3 people I've called, THIS IS FOR YOU. *blows kiss*

so, basically, I'll try to give the brief stream-of-consciousness version of my last several days, because I don't really have the energy for much more. (I was coming up with all sorts of witty blog posts in the hospital this morning, but that was this morning.)

Soooo...I can't even remember the last time I posted. I think it might have been in Bihar? It was. And I just posted about my huge lip in Dumka. Okayyy...

...bullet points might be easier. I love bullet points. (but not bullets)

After a few busy yet fruitful days in Dumka, we visited one of our Dumka subprojects, and then took an overnight train to Kolkata (Calcutta). On this evening, I got an EXCRUCIATING headache, one of the nausea-inducing kind. The train ride wasn't great (I can't say that I've ever had a GREAT time on an overnight train in India), but wasn't terrible, thanks to Excedrin Migraine and the ever-trusty ipod with the audio books on it.
We arrived in Kolkata, found a taxi, drove to the airport, got on the airplane, SAT on the airplane for what seemed like forever, and then actually FLEW on the airplane to Hyderabad.
Arrived in Hyderabad, tried to rest for a bit (which was probably necessary, seeing as how I had only slept on the train from about 12:30am to 4:30am prior to our 5:00am arrival), showered, and then went to a gathering of mothers group leaders.
During the gathering (which was very nice, the moms are amazing, the community center that they have now is amazing, it is amazing what these women are doing for their families. just give women a chance!), I started to feel preeetttyyyy sick. I had been feeling a little woozy since the uber-migraine from the night before, but by this point I could tell I was actually sick sick. I was asked to say a few words after Ilene gave one of her inspiring talks, but had to say my words from my chair because I thought I might fall over if I got up.
I did have to get up eventually, and almost passed out, and was feeling really bad, and had to be taken to lie down. Our Hyderabad coordinator asked if I wanted to see a doctor, and I knew that I needed to. (Malaria is a particular threat in some of the areas we had been traveling in, so I knew that I should "immediately seek medical attention," but I also just felt really, really crappy.)
So, we went to a hospital.

And...that's where I was for the past few days. It sucked. At one point, I thought I was going to die, and was prepared to...mind you, this was at my absolute worst point, in the middle of the night, when I super feverish and delirious and dizzy. The nurses were applying cold compresses all over my body to bring down the fever, and my bedside companion-cum-coworker Rosie looked so worried that I thought, "okay, this might be really bad, I might die, I don't really want to, but I think I'm ready."

Of course, I didn't die (see previous post re: hypochondriasis), but those few days sucked. Once I felt better, I was just so BORED and SO tired of being there, but it was supposedly important that I stay hooked up to that daggum IV (which, in hindsight, WAS important). I

completely exhausted the magazines that I had brought for the whole trip (I had spent a lot of time finding the Perfect Three, ones that weren't as shallow as Us Weekly but still light enough to keep me entertained [if not stimulated] during the journey),
finished my book club book (Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri, delicious and terribly melancholy),
finished my audio version of The Sisterhood (not deliciously melancholy, but light and fun enough),
started my audio version of David Sedaris' Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (I bet this would be more fun to read than to listen to),
tried to knit: this went very badly. Please keep in mind that I had an IV stuck in my hand. I ended up dropping a stitch, which caused me to unravel the whole thing (I wasn't that far into the project anyway). I started again, but then realized that my IV hand was starting to swell...>.<>

In the end, I ended up NOT having malaria (which is very good), but instead a stomach infection (which is not BAD but sure wasn't FUN). Today, after three nights, I was finally released. FINALLY. I can't believe I ended up staying for so long.

Right now my coworkers are shopping, (buying me shirts!), and I am just lying here, trying to get back in touch with the electronic world. I hope this post doesn't sound like a sob story. I just had to spit my last few sucky days out onto the internet so I don't have to think about them anymore.

In Much More Exciting News, we fly back to the U.S. TOMORROW! I am beyond ready. I know that I will experience culture shock (I'm already feeling it today just peeking in on facebook...), but I really miss home. I've been missing home. It's been a really GOOD trip, and I have really learned SO MUCH (maybe someday I will blog about THOSE things instead of my self-indulgent me-posts), and am really glad I came. But, tomorrow, we get to start heading toward my homeland, and I am sincerely looking forward to it.

see you on the flip side...literally...of the world...

I wrote this pretty much forever ago...

2009-03-24T06:55:00.000-05:00

Here is the funny story for the day*: So I woke up unreasonably early this morning, as usual (about 5am). I plugged myself into my ipod to listen to a little more audiobook and try to lull myself back to sleep. Once it was about time to actually get up, I felt this little pain on my lower lip. A couple of minutes later, I touched my lip, and realized that it was swelling up. Huh. A couple MORE minutes later, I felt it again, and realized that it was getting even bigger. I freaked out a little bit, went into the bathroom to look at myself in the mirror, and freaked out some more, because I was starting to LOOK freaky.

I had been lying under my mosquito net when it happened, so I was convinced that something terrible and poisonous had attacked me, and that either my lip was going to continue to get bigger, like as big as my face, or that I was going to go into convulsions and die soon.

I made the frantic and tearful phone calls to my dear ones in the States, and then went next door to my coworker’s room to show her what was happening to my face. They all soothed me and told me that it was very unlikely that I was going to die, that the swelling would go down with a little Benadryl, and that if I started to have any adverse reaction I could go see a doctor. No biggie. (Ilene even told me that I looked cute, kind of like a botoxed movie star.)

Obviously, there was no adverse reaction. The bump on my lip, however, DID end up taking over most of the lip. I had to go meet with a bunch of people that I don’t know very well (one or two for even the first time), pretending like it was no big deal that I suddenly had this HUGE LIP, and tried not to spill coffee all over myself when I found that the bump got in the way of the coffee actually going into my mouth.

Now, this evening, my lip is practically back to normal. And I’m feeling a lot less freaked out. (Thanks, dear ones!)

It is kind of funny how sensitive I am to things like that when I travel. In the US my hypochondriasis is much less acute, but when I’m here, the smallest little symptom makes me so nervous. With my one experience with medical care in India, plus the fact that lack of proper medical care is a huge concern in these rural areas that we are visiting, I get these visions of being sick and stranded and helpless. But I’m not sick, nor am I stranded, nor am I helpless. I think I might be kind of a weenie.

In other bite-related news, I am learning to exercise self-control and to NOT scratch my zillion mosquito bites, even though they are very very itchy…right now…self control…

* funny to me now, at least

thoughts from underneath the mosquito net

2009-03-15T09:04:00.002-05:00

the thing...that makes it so hard...to blog...while I'm in India...is that I'm so...tired.

I realize that it's only 7:30pm, but whew. I could fall asleep right now. In fact, I WOULD fall asleep right now, but we haven't had dinner yet, and even though I'm never quite hungry when I'm here, it's a part of the traveling-together-and-being-congenial-with-our-hosts deal. (which certainly is not bad. I have fantastic traveling companions and hosts, the best in fact.)

While I am roughly sleeping while it's dark and staying awake when it's light, my sleeping schedule is pretty wack, what with the jet lag and doses of benadryl that I've been taking to make my legs not turn into huge mosquito-bite-lumps. Last night I fell into a drug-induced sleep at about 9pm, but woke up at about 2:30am and had to listen to my sisterhood of the traveling pants in little bursts until I got up at about 5:45am.

Anyway, none of this is interesting. I'm in India. Things that ARE interesting:

I went to mass this morning. It was all in Hindi, but it was a seriously soul-refreshing time for me (particularly after the fitful pseudo-sleep that had preceded it). According to my rough calculations the congregation was 77.777777% women. Interesting. They WERE celebrating International Women's Day (hurrah!), but still...?

We got to meet with sponsored families today. This is always nice, particularly when we get to visit people's homes. It is just good to BE in the community...this is why we do what we do. Certainly, we have to spend some time in offices and in meetings and coordinating things to make sure our programs work the right way. But being in the community is always the best.

I've been pretty discouraged over the past few days because there has been so much talk (and evidence...you can see it) about corruption in India. It's so ingrained in the culture, and it's so toxic. But today, I saw mothers getting excited about meeting together, taking loans to start livelihood projects, and making changes in their community...and it got me excited. It was really inspiring.

(I also have the privilege of working with some inspiring people.)

Okay, I think that's all. I'm sorry that my India blogs are so stream-of-consciousness...someday I really will get better about thinking things over and planning and crafting blog posts, but today is not that day.

peace...

in the airport!

2009-03-13T00:30:00.002-05:00

I feel like my friends who frequently travel and blog from the airport. fun.

sooo...I'm still in Delhi, but we're getting ready to fly to the state of Bihar to spend some time at one of our projects there. I'm feeling pretty nauseated from the drive to the airport...stop/go crazy traffic and exhaust fumes. ugh. I'm looking forward to going to Bihar, though...a beautiful part of the country!

We spent most of yesterday doing interviews...unfortunately, I got super jet-lag-tired about 3 pm. Once we got back to the hotel at about 7:30pm, my coworker and I collapsed on the bed and fell asleep immediately. I woke up at about 10 or 10:30 to change and send a couple of texts, and then slept again until 6:30 this morning! magical!

anyway. Things are going fine, India is fine. I'm looking forward to this day of travel (we'll be on a train for a few hours this afternoon/evening) to hopefully read a little, listen to my audiobooks, maybe even knit! and of course nap. :)

in india!

2009-03-12T00:10:00.002-05:00

We arrived safely!

Got into Delhi last night...I had slept for most of the 15-hour flight. (seriously.) And then...fell asleep promptly at 11-ish pm. And then...woke up at 5 a.m. And I've been awake since then.

I took the necessary preparations prior to this trip to be more easily "in touch," so I have a cell phone that works AND an internet connection that I will be able to use for most of my trip...this makes a HUGE difference in my homesickness levels.

It's kind of nice to be back. We have a very busy and full trip! I am looking forward to going back to Jharkand and Bihar, and to knitting on the train, and visiting sponsored families...should be good.

I miss y'all...keep in touch...

ahhh

2009-03-06T10:44:00.002-06:00

I feel GOOD.

* this weather is absolutely unbelievable...I have never enjoyed being outside more in my ENTIRE LIFE.

* I'm leaving for India in 4 days, and I feel remarkably less stressed than I ever have before a trip. As far as work goes, I feel like I'm...ready?

* I have incorporated a Lenten practice into my...practice of Lent, and it has been really good. As Nate said last night, we just need a "restart" sometimes.

* I have also taken up the practice of looking at really beautiful blogs each day. beautiful images, inspiring design. it just puts me in a good frame of mind.

mmm...

...I'll try to blog more while I'm in India.

love it

2009-03-04T21:20:00.000-06:00

"People who don't read piss me off." -david wayne reed

I would just like to announce...

2009-02-19T19:10:00.002-06:00

...that this evening I bought:

1 candle
1 piece of cool fabric
1 lace tablecloth
3 glasses
5 spoons
1 gilded serving bowl
3 (nice) scarves (one brand new), and
1 pair of shoes

...for just over $12.

I LOVE THRIFTING!!

2009-01-30T15:00:00.001-06:00

In the video below, Ilene talks about our visit to a leper colony in India:

january 20

2009-01-20T12:07:00.001-06:00

:) today is a good day!!

domestic disturbances

2009-01-03T17:38:00.002-06:00

Over the last couple of years, maybe just year, I have cultivated a love of -silence-. I don't know if it's because I've gained an appreciation for solitude, or because my inner-peace-level is higher, or I'm becoming more of an introvert, or I'm just more COMFORTABLE with silence (I haven't always been)...but these days, one of my greatest pleasures is to be alone in my apartment, piddling around and doing stuff or just lying around...with no noise. Maybe a bird chirping or something, but no music, tv, babies crying...nothing. ahhhhh.

The funny thing is, my upstairs neighbors (who happen to be my landlords, and super-cool ones at that) don't seem to share my love for -silence-. In fact, they tend to play music quite frequently, which is fine (I love music too!), except that...
a) it is LOUD.
b) it tends to have extremely heavy and prominent bass lines. and
c) it appears to come from a location that is directly above my bedroom.

I'm on my bed right now, and I have earplugs in (at 5:45pm), and I can STILL hear the bass of whatever it is they're playing right now. (sometimes I am not so fortunate to have it happen at such a reasonable hour...the reason for the earplugs-purchase was because this was happening between 11pm-1am on weeknights. this girl has to work in the mornings.)

It's funny, too, because the music that they DO play (and, when I am earplug-less, I can hear it quite clearly) is...funny. They are probably just a little younger than my parents, but they listen to things like Beyonce, random R&B, 90's adult alternative...stuff that I wouldn't expect from...them. But what do I know.

Anyway. The reason that I decided to blog about this was because just a bit ago I was listening to them listen to "Lady Marmalade," which was definitely clashing with my quiet Bon Iver. It seems to have stopped...maybe I can resume my quiet piddling now...:)

loaded questions

2008-12-04T00:06:00.004-06:00

"I'm in the back seat of a jeep and Natalie Merchant is driving. Then she suddenly disappears and nobody is left driving the jeep! I have to crawl to the front and drive. ...It has something to do with me not being in control of my music."

-Jayson's recurring nightmare

winterrr...

2008-11-21T17:10:00.002-06:00

...makes me want to take a bath in hand cream. and take a drink of olive oil.

another short update...

2008-11-07T09:10:00.003-06:00

(written last night on the train with only spotty internet connection)

I’m sorry (Mom!) that I haven’t been able to update more often on this trip…though I have been able to get internet in most places, there were others where we didn’t have a connection (or running water, or electricity!). On the days when we HAVE had a connection, I have been so tired at the end of the day (or have been still working on my laptop, in bed) that I couldn’t muster the energy to blog. (I like that “blog” is a verb.)

So, we are currently on the train…just leaving Bhagalpur and headed to Calcutta. We had a lovely few days in the villages of Bihar and Jarkhand…really, really lovely. I very distinctly felt my soul align one day as we were driving along the paddy fields…on terrible roads…with most of my traveling companions singing songs in Hindi. It was truly a beautiful area and I met many beautiful people…lots of things to ponder (like my future vocation as a farmer in India…just kidding). Perhaps whenever I have an opportunity to gather and write my thoughts, I will.

Overall, we have had a very productive visit so far. I can’t believe that we are almost headed home…just a few more days! In the beginning I was VERY homesick, and, of course, now that we are nearing the end of our journey I am just hitting my stride. Oh well. I AM looking forward to getting home...though I think I have sufficiently mastered the bucket-bath on this trip, I am indeed looking forward to a nice hot shower in my home.

I've been reading some Wendell Berry agricultural essays while I'm here (though "reading" might be an overstatement, as I've probably only read about 15 pages over 2 weeks), and what with that and all of my time in the rural villages, I've been thinking a lot about...well, agriculture, and development, and a lot of things. Lots of good things to chew on.

miss you all...

2008-11-05T07:33:00.003-06:00

On Indian TV, headlines about Obama's victory:

"STIR IT UP, YOU BEAUTIFUL MAN!"

:) excellent.

a short update...

2008-11-01T10:51:00.002-05:00

I'll try to make it short, at least, because I am very very tired.

After my last post (written while EXTREMELY sleep deprived on the sleeper train), we arrived in Allahabad, where we had the privilege with meeting with the leaders of the mothers groups in the area. It was amazing...but since this is just "a short update," I will save the meaty stuff for another post when I have more time (I should actually be working right now).

We took another sleeper train last night (not as nice, but I slept MUCH better) and arrived in Jarkhand today to begin our 7-day visit of our Bhagalpur project. Our two teams will each visit a different town/village every day and meet with sponsored families. This is my favorite part of one of these trips...I can do office stuff just fine, but I love being "in the field" and hanging out with the sponsored families in their villages and homes.

It's good to be here...somewhat hard, but good. Tonight I am staying at a parish, and I have a mosquito net...which is good, because there are hundreds of mosquitos here, and they looove me. (my ankles are covered.)

well, I really, really need to sleep, even though it's only about 9:40 pm. I miss you all!!

written a couple of nights ago...

2008-10-30T20:41:00.001-05:00

right now, I'm on a sleeper train...it's about 7:10am here, and I've been awake for the last...4 hours or so? This jet lag thing is kickin my butt...I'm EXHAUSTED during the day, and then I sleep pretty well for a couple of hours...and then I wake up at about 4am!

the sleeper train isn't bad...I have a little curtain, and have been plugged into my ipod all night...not bad! HOWEVER. it has THE most disgusting bathroom I have EVER seen in my whole life. Makes all disgusting gas-station bathrooms absolutely pale in comparison. I unfortunately drank quite a bit of water last evening, so have had to make a couple of trips, but I've bathed in hand sanitizer afterwards (and am holding it right now, waiting until we 'land').

Unfortunately, I'm pretty homesick, and still kindof culture-shocking. I'm missing Kansas City a lot...[and then I lost my internet connection]

in india!

2008-10-29T13:55:00.002-05:00

well, we finally got an internet connection. WHEW.

When I'm in the States, I tend to make fun of those people who are constantly connected to and communicating via their cell phones (aka 'girlfriends'...in a joking way of course). But once I get to India and remember that my cell phone doesn't work here, and that I might not have internet the whole time I'm here...I FREAK OUT!!

culture shock + lack of connectivity + missing people = freakout!

anyway, our internet card was delivered today, so you may hear from me intermittently.

We did arrive safely, last night, after about 21 hours of travel (this included a 15-hour DIRECT FLIGHT to Delhi from Newark, during which I slept peacefully and watched movies). We'll be here in Delhi again tomorrow, then an overnight train to one of our Delhi subprojects. Should be fun!

Anyway, miss you all, hope to be able to stay in touch while I'm here....<3

2008-10-27T11:37:00.001-05:00

currently sitting in the KC aiport.

In a little less than 24 hours, I'll be landing in Delhi...though it will be tomorrow evening then. there.

I'll be back in the US on the 11th, so I'll miss the election...it's a good thing I already voted! I don't know how my media-access will be once I'm in India, so I hope I find out the results of the election before I get back to the US.

I don't know how much internet access we're going to have once we get there, but I'll try to update when I can!

exciting times for america.

2008-10-26T12:26:00.001-05:00

“These two boys waited as a long line of adults greeted Senator Obama before a rally on Martin Luther King Day in Columbia, S.C. They never took their eyes off of him. Their grandmother told me, “Our young men have waited a long time to have someone to look up to, to make them believe Dr. King’s words can be true for them.” Jan. 21, 2008.

Check out the rest of these amazing photos that Callie Shell took candidly of Obama over the last couple of years..

(post stolen from my friend b mccoy)

2008-10-22T22:10:00.003-05:00

In five days, I'll be off to India for a couple of weeks.

I'm excited, but nervous...my last trip was pretty eventful.

One of the main challenges I faced the first time was life without luggage. THIS time, I am pulling out all the stops to ensure that NOONE loses track of my bag on the way to India. (To be fair, I will do my part and keep track of my baggage claim tags.) It's a pretty nondescript black suitcase, so I'll need to do something to make it a bit more...festive.

any ideas??

(this is me being reunited with my suitcase last time, after several days!)

maybe race SHOULD influence politics.

2008-10-08T21:16:00.002-05:00

My dear friend B. McCoy posted some thoughts on race and the election.

I've been thinking about formalizing a "why I'm voting for Obama" post, but that seems too complicated (and there are SO MANY reasons!!), so I'll just share some thoughts that I commented on his post:

"hm.
I think Obama’s race might have something to do with why I want him to be the next president…(a) because I feel like he has had the ‘opportunity’ to experience discrimination, and (b) he has struggled with his own identity as it relates to his race…and I feel like both of those things make him more well-fit to be president than any candidate that I’ve ever seen.

let me flesh that out a bit more…I’m voting for Obama because I believe in his character and because I believe that he cares more about the average American (and the oppressed, the ones that Jesus calls US to care for) than most politicians. I believe in his convictions and in his authenticity. perhaps his racial identity has contributed to that…that is the impression that I got from reading his first book..."

they call me sara six pack because of my amazing abs

2008-10-03T15:23:00.002-05:00

"I think the folksy, I am just like you, hockey mom approach has worn thin. That is not what people care about when it comes to leading a country." - a canadian

I recognize that my blog has been mostly political mumbo-jumbo lately, all quotes by other people, but it seems to be what's on the minds of everyone these days.

and I know that, if my blog is going to get politicky, I should say something real, something from the heart, something of my own. believe me, I do have actual thoughts and opinions, I just haven't had a time to write them down yet. I'll try!

love to all, and peace...

thoughts on the bailout.

2008-09-30T11:04:00.002-05:00

"Let's LOAN Wall Street the money -- At the current interest rate of the average American's credit card. I'd say that's probably about 30% right now. I'd buy some stock in America, Inc. with those kinds of returns." -Nate

"Please don't have pity on George and his corporate welfare baby mamas." -Andrew

2008-09-25T16:00:00.002-05:00

"I’m going to try to make this simple. On the Democratic side you have a guy whose campaign has been based on the Internet, who believes America may have something to learn from other countries (like universal health care) and who’s unafraid in 2008 to say he’s a 'proud citizen of the United States and a fellow citizen of the world.'"

On the Republican side, you have a guy who, in 2008, is just discovering the Net and Google and whose No. 2 is a woman who got a passport last year and believes she understands Russia because Alaska is closer to Siberia than Alabama.

If I were Obama, I’d put it this way: 'Senator McCain, the world you claim to understand is the world of yesterday. A new century demands new thinking. Our country cannot be made fundamentally secure by a man who thought our economy was fundamentally sound.'"

- Roger Cohen

2008-09-24T21:17:00.001-05:00

this evening, I had the most wonderful conversation with my pharmacist. at the drive-through window. it renewed my faith in humanity a little bit.

in other news, I don't think that The American Way of Life is worth fighting for.

I'm too tired to expand on that thought...just chew on it for a bit.

perception

2008-09-17T15:55:00.002-05:00

(not written by me, obviously...)

I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight....

If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."

Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.

If your name is Barack, you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.

Name your kids Willow, Bristol, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.

Graduate from Harvard Law School and you are unstable.

Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.

If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a=C 2district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on theForeign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.

If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.

If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society·

If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.

If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

OK, much clearer now.

I'll add one more fact; and your rich heiress wife, became addicted to pain killers that she stole from the charity she volunteered for.

Her explanation; "I was under a lot of pressure, while John was involved in the "Keating Five" trial."

Hummm, wonder what she will do when the real pressure of the White House hits?

PLEASE TAKE A FRIEND TO THE POLL AND VOTE!!!!!!

oh jelly belly.

2008-09-09T10:04:00.004-05:00

From an email to a coworker:

"Oh how disappointing to have to throw away so many jelly beans! I could tolerate baby wipes, toothpaste, black pepper, and pencil shavings (definitely my fave of the weird ones), but could NOT tolerate (in order of bad to worst) skunk spray, booger, moldy cheese, ear wax, vomit, and rotten egg. Ewwwww!"

2008-09-02T15:29:00.002-05:00

I did a google search on the RNC and this is what I saw:

"Pro-abortion Hollywood elites will be descending upon New York City during the Republican National Convention to support the killing of babies via abortion." (rockforlife blog)

now, I'm not a fan of abortion either, but what a way to spin some words...

2008-08-28T15:23:00.001-05:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
2
people with my name in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

exciting things

2008-08-27T10:04:00.003-05:00

  a)  I got a new, reusable cup (with lid and handle!) from QuikTrip last week for $3.99.  I’m sure it will end up paying for itself within a couple of weeks (refills are, like, $0.11 cheaper)!  exciting.
         
(fyi…I work veryveryclose to QT.  I go there almost every day.  Some days I go more than once.  Last week when I bought my new cup, the cashiers were like, “Whoa, big step for you!!  New cup!!”  …we’re friends.)

b)  I have recently become addicted to “Rooster Booster,” the energy drink that comes from the fountain at QT.  I’ve never liked energy drinks; I think they generally taste like vitamins.  But this one…I can’t describe it…it’s just so tart, and bubbly, and makes me feel good in the mornings.  They even have a diet version, so my little “cocktail” includes ice (cubed, not crushed, about a third of the cup), half regular Rooster Booster, and half Diet Rooster Booster.  I CAN’T STOP

c)  Since we’re talking about QT, I guess I should inform you that they are giving away FREE DONUTS this morning at the one over here.  I hear that they’re giving away free sandwiches later.  excellent!!

I am turning into a handygirl!

2008-08-11T10:15:00.000-05:00

Since we moved into our new place, I have:

re-hung the porch swing on new hooks (after the previous hook broke while my friends were sitting on it…sorry friends..)
tightened the screws on our bathroom door
attempted to hang a cabinet in the bathroom (attempted…the landlord had to come fix it for us)

…that’s it so far. But I’m feeling very empowered! Maybe I should ask for some power tools for Christmas…

these people are pretty much my life

2008-06-18T12:26:00.000-05:00

amazing.

2008-06-16T11:12:00.001-05:00

"If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together." -Lila Watson

this video changed my life a little bit.

2008-06-14T16:11:00.002-05:00

watch it, then go make a difference at cfcausa.org ;)

2008-06-11T19:27:00.002-05:00

"We're at a moment where it's neither smart nor fun to trust other people with saving the world. When you make a conscious choice--as millions of people are starting to--to become the kind of person who is going to redefine the world around them to make it more sustainable, more just, and more beautiful, it actually changes the way you see the world. It lifts that burden of despair. It makes you somebody who's part of building the future, rather than somebody whom the future is bearing down upon. If I can recommend to people to do one thing, it would be to simply become one of those people."

-Alex Steffen, Worldchanger (stolen from readymade)

2008-06-09T00:05:00.003-05:00

"why do they make you pay so much for something that's so important?"

-my 13-year-old sister on healthcare

2008-06-04T10:21:00.001-05:00

I AM SO PROUD OF MY BOY OBAMA

!!

blog games round two

2008-06-02T19:04:00.003-05:00

The Rules:
1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by asking you five questions of a very intimate and creepily personal nature. Or not so creepy/personal.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Nate's questions and my answers:

1. Who has been the most influential person in your life and why?

I've been thinking about this for almost an entire day and, I'm sorry, I just can't name just one. so here are a few:

[my parents] - for obvious child-life-developmental reasons. but also because we moved around a little more often than average, and I think that that mobility shaped me a lot. and they're just really fantastic, cool people.

[some friends in high school] - high school was a very spiritually-developmental time in my life, and a handful of friends walked with me on that journey.

[some professors in college] - I will just come out and say that Dr. Chance, Dr. Cadd, and Dr. Henson, and others, whether through their person or classes, changed my paradigm in lots of ways.

[some men that I've dated] - I would like to think that I'm a better person having come through...those relationships

[writers] - CS Lewis, Thomas Merton, Barbara Kingsolver, Brian McLaren, Peter Berger, Greg Behrendt...I am a different person because of these people. (don't laugh at Greg Behrendt, it's true!)

[the Capuchins] - these men (and those they hang with) were a tangible, human example of the reconciliation of intellect, service to God, and service to people that I had been seeking for several years...so those things...reconciled in my life. I continue to be inspired by them and by those like them.

[my crew] - past and present. I hang with the best people in the world, in my opinion.

okay, that was more than a few. :/

2. Tell us about one of your most embarrassing moments.

okay. one time, about a year ago?, a group of us went to go see Jesus Camp. Afterwards, we went to McCoy's to drink beer, as usual. There were about 10 of us. We were sitting in the big corner table, and someone says, about a guy sitting at the next table, "is that the kid from Home Improvement?" we look over, and are like, "...maybe, maybe not..." there is lots of speculation going on. and lots of talking about this guy. and then people start to talk about him even MORE loudly, so it is obvious that we are talking about him. and then someone pulls out their phone and start looking up facts about this guy. "So, he used to be MARRIED, he really likes to ROLLERBLADE, his favorite game is SOFTBALL...." so it is obvious that we are talking about him, and obvious that he can hear us...

...and I was SO EMBARRASSED, that I started sweating and was trying to hide under the table. at McCoy's. I have never been so embarrassed in my WHOLE LIFE.

(they finally did start talking TO him, and found out that he was in town for business. I saw him at Harry's a couple of weeks ago.)

3. Compare your favorite Radiohead song to your favorite place in the world.

my favorite song is "idioteque." my favorite place in the world...if I'm really honest with myself, right now, at this time, NOT counting places that I think are really beautiful or places that I'd like to visit or even maybe live someday...I'd say Kansas City. really. annnnd...I first heard "idioteque" during the summer that I lived in Kansas City proper for the first time. it was, maybe, a perfect moment. it was, maybe, a perfect summer.

4. Do you have any nicknames? If so, tell us where they came from.

I do. My father has called me "Roux" for as long as I can remember. I used to think that it was spelled "Roo," like "Kanga-and-," but I have since discovered the real spelling and that it is a cooking term. He also calls me "Liz," which is a reference to my middle name.

In high school, people started calling me "Phoebe," because I reminded them of the character on Friends. She's funny, but...

Now...people just usually call me "Sara." Tomika calls me "Sar" (I call her "Tom"). Others call me "Little Sara."

5. What is your idea of a perfect date?

hm. getting food somewhere cozy and/or eclectic. and drinking wine. then going to see a really good band/musician. yep! that would be perfect.

guilt

2008-06-02T14:50:00.004-05:00

I've been really tired a lot lately.

I think it's because, since I've been back from India, I've had some trouble reconciling my work with my life...or my life with my work...regardless, while those things seemed to work together perfectly well before, suddenly they aren't, and I'm not sleeping as much as I used to? or working more? or just busier?

all this to say...I have had a hard time getting through my workdays several times over the past few weeks. and when coffee just doesn't seem to cut it anymore, or just isn't quite as satisfying as it used to be, I switch to...

...candy. which is HIGHLY satisfying in so many ways.

but...

...I...just don't feel like eating candy every day is making things better. and...it's increasing my guilty feelings.

so...

that's all I wanted to say. (with an empty butterfinger wrapper sitting next to me.)

2008-05-31T09:33:00.002-05:00

...There are always those who take it upon themselves to defend God, as if Ultimate Reality, as if the sustaining frame of existence, were something weak and helpless. These people walk by a widow deformed by leprosy begging for a few paise, walk by children dressed in rags living in the street, and they think, "Business as usual." But if they perceive a slight against God, it is a different story. Their faces go red, their chests heave mightily, they sputter angry words. The degree of their indignation is astonishing. Their resolve is frightening.

These people fail to realize that it is on the inside that God must be defended. not on the outside. They should direct their anger at themselves. For evil in the open is but evil from within that has been let out. The main battlefield for good is not the open ground of the public arena but the small clearing of each heart. Meanwhile, the lot of widows and homeless children is very hard, and it is to their defence, not God's, that the self-righteous should rush.

-yann martel, the life of pi

2008-05-30T16:07:00.002-05:00

happy sex and the city day!

I'm not seeing it today, though, I'm seeing it tomorrow, hopefully a matinee, and hopefully with some of my best girls...

and, best girls, if you read this, let me just publicly announce that I don't think we should have slumber parties on weeknights anymore. this girl can't do her job well post-sleepover.

2008-05-22T12:25:00.002-05:00

my internet explorer feed-reader broke a couple of weeks ago, which was kind of tragic.

I recently (as in, last night) switched over to google reader, and now I am playing catch-up with all of my favorite sites...

...including the sartorialist. I could just eat this guy's photographs. he has such a great eye. and, though upon first glance I might not strike you as fashion-obsessed (I'm not, actually, plus, it's not really my 'spiritual gift'), I can't say that this blog hasn't influenced my personal, uh, style...

blog games

2008-05-19T18:08:00.002-05:00

the tragic thing about springtime...

2008-05-19T11:57:00.004-05:00

…is that, after being shut in for the last several months because it has been SO COLD for SO LONG, it’s absolutely beautiful outside…

…and I find myself being shut in by necessity, as my allergies are maybe worse than ever.

tragic!

I have embarked on a new (hopefully more natural) regimen that a little bird prescribed to me: eating local honey every day (supposedly increases my immunity to local allergens) and using a neti pot. If you don’t know what that is, I suggest that you look it up, because it’s kind of weird and I don’t feel like describing it.

So, that’s what I’m doing for my natural remedy…and…eating lots of things like Claritin, Mucinex, and Sudafed PE Sinus Headache. (sigh.) :) until my natural remedy starts working. Hopefully, soon, I will be able to open the doors and windows and play in the park…

2008-05-06T21:51:00.000-05:00

more india pictures that I stole from other people

please watch this

2008-05-05T15:45:00.000-05:00

shoutouts

2008-05-03T21:16:00.002-05:00

today I would like to shoutout to:

* My friend Brent recommended "a walk on the westside", which I hadn't even heard of prior to last evening. It was the most fun I'd had in a long time, and I saw a handful of really great people (some that I hadn't seen in years). And, it reminded me of how much I love Kansas City. Music and men in drag. On the Westside. Oh man!

* Radiohead (who I will be seeing in a couple of weeks, are spinning at this moment on the 'pod, and are my FAVORITE BAND EVER) are committing to changing the way that they tour to reduce their carbon footprint. I mean, seriously. I didn't think I could love them any more...but they never cease to amaze me...<3

* Excedrin Migraine. Earlier this evening, I had the worst headache of my entire life. After a trip to Walgreen's and about 35 minutes, I was able to lie on the couch with my eyes open and watch a couple of episodes of Sex & the City. awesome.

that's all for today...

2008-04-30T12:19:00.002-05:00

“we are all little plants, and the sponsorship program is the manure”

- a kid giving a speech at a gathering at one of our projects in India

old school.

2008-04-27T23:33:00.002-05:00

yanked from the old blog, came up in the midst of a great conversation this evening.

I just remember their kindness and goodness to me, and their peacefulness and their utter simplicity. They inspired real reverence, and I think, in a way, they were certainly saints. And they were saints in that most effective and telling way: sanctified by leading ordinary lives in a completely supernatural manner, sanctified by obscurity, by usual skills, by common tasks, by routine, but skills, tasks, routine which received a supernatural form from grace within, and from the habitual union of their souls with God in deep faith and charity.

-thomas merton, seven storey mountain

yum.

jet lag

2008-04-20T06:49:00.002-05:00

...is kind of amazing.

I cannot remember a Sunday morning, EVER, that I was awake at 6 a.m.

granted, the whole "not sleeping at night" and "becoming disgustingly devastatingly tired at 7pm when I am supposed to be hanging out with people" is kind of a drag, but otherwise it's kindof nice because it has shaken up my sleeping schedule a bit. previously, I could have slept anytime, anywhere, which might sound nice but is actually pretty inconvenient. we'll see how I do when I actually go back to work tomorrow...will I be able to last all day? will I be able to sit upright when my body has become so used to lying around the past few days? will I fall back into the coffee habit, which I may have temporarily extinguished?

india photographs.

2008-04-18T06:38:00.001-05:00

India One
India Two
India Three

2008-04-16T23:13:00.002-05:00

I arrived home after...about 36 hours of travel.

without a freaking bag.

so Lufthansa and United do NOT get my stamp of approval for this journey. one suitcase! is this so hard to keep track of??

I have slept maybe only 3 hours in the last 48, so I am going to go crash now.

peace. <3

culture junkie?

2008-04-13T21:56:00.003-05:00

I am worried about the toilet in our hotel here in Delhi. It is making really scary noises.

nothing else is really new...our time in Delhi has been a bit different because we're focusing most of our time on interviews rather than hanging out in the community. but it's a nice change of pace.

I feel like I'm finally settling into India life and and Indian sleeping schedule (I'm not waking up at 4 a.m. anymore), and it's almost time to come home. But I think I'm ready. I miss Molly and the 'partment and my friends, and toilet paper and processed food. ;)

and, Mom, I'm feeling MUCH better. so much better. no more delhi belly.

2008-04-12T11:41:00.000-05:00

Take a good look at the diet of each country and the cost of what is eaten in one week.

Italy : The Manzo family of Sicily . Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11

Germany : The Melander family of Bargteheide. Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07

United States : The Revis family of North Carolina (Sure hope most American
families eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and less junk food than this family.) Food expenditure for one week $341.98

Mexico : The Casales family of Cuernavaca . Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09

Poland : The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna. Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27

Egypt : The Ahmed family of Cairo . Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53

Ecuador : The Ayme family of Tingo. Food expenditure for one week: $31.55

Bhutan : The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village . Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03

Chad : The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23

delhi belly

2008-04-12T11:26:00.004-05:00

since I've been in India, I've pretty much weaned myself off of coffee.

...and food.

Yesterday my "feeling sickly" continued and was accompanied by fever. I referred to the cdc.gov website, which told me to "seek medical attention immediately" if I get a fever any time during my trip (or a year afterwards!) (in case it's malaria [I have been taking malaria pills, but they apparently don't prevent all cases]). So, we went to a hospital.

Fortunately, our coordinator (here in Delhi)'s wife is a nurse, so I was able to see a doctor pretty quickly (I felt terrible because there were probably a hundred people waiting). Based upon my report of my symptoms, he ruled out malaria (no chills or sweating) and after a bit of poking around determined that I had instead contracted a stomach infection (probably food or water). So I got some antibiotics. (Also, this doctor is apparently the prime minister's doctor. So I am hoping he knows what he's talking about.)

So after a couple of days of eating hardly anything (really, I'm on the road to swimsuit season now), I ate some last night, felt better, and feel almost 100% today.

I am very glad that I don't have malaria.

Otherwise, Delhi is nice. Every city we've been in so far has a different feel. India, in general, "feels" different than I would have expected (probably a combination of my impressions of movies like the Darjeeling Limited, the Namesake, and Born into Brothels).

Urban and rural areas are VERY different, obviously. In rural areas, I feel like a total weirdo because I'm not in a saree. In urban areas, my man-shaped and man-colored outfits don't look SO out of place (though we do get a lot of stares regardless).

So, I am going to start a new list: things that I miss most when in India:

showers (it is rare that we find a good one. and I haven't quite mastered the art of the bucket-bath.)
toilet paper. (seriously. hot commodity in these parts.)
food that my stomach can handle (I had mostly cookies today, gross)
traffic laws (I can't believe we haven't died yet)
my clothes (in the absence of sarees and because my authentic Indian dress is limited, I am sporting the whole business-casual look, which is NOT ME AT ALL AND IN FACT PRETTY AWFUL)

But other things about India that I love, in addition to color and immaculate kitchens:

hard beds and pillows. mmm. I love it.

thoisday

2008-04-10T12:37:00.003-05:00

Today was a great day in Hyderabad. I got to see:

a street children's center
a shoe-making training facility
a bag-making shop
a notebook-making shop (these are all livelihood programs supported by sponsored mother's groups)
an in-construction community center (that will house the notebook-making)
an engagement party

I also:

got a little sickly
gave a presentation in front of like 150 social workers (maybe not that many, but it felt like that many, but it was great fun)
had dinner at the Hyderabad coordinator (Suresh)'s home (he has the cutest little boy I have ever seen)
visited other friends (yes, you can make dear friends within only a few days.)

Tomorrow we fly to Delhi for a bunch of interviews. It will probably be a nice change of pace, as we've had such a busy schedule since we arrived. And I'm excited to see Delhi.

Also, since I've apparently started making lists, I have one more point to add to my "to-do-upon-returning-to-the-states-from-india" list:

organize my kitchen (Indians have the most immaculately organized kitchens! it's amazing!)

I'm pretty sure there was something else, but I can add it later. There are 6 more days, after all.

good morninnnngggg hyderabad

2008-04-09T12:00:00.002-05:00

things I would like to start doing once I return to the States, thanks to India:

have more plants on my porch (and take proper care of them)
hang my laundry out to dry
wear more color (I know, I said it, be sure to write that one down)
be a nicer person. (seriously. the hospitality is...overwhelming.)

We had our first day in Hyderabad today...it was great. we had meetings all throughout the morning and afternoon. this evening, we met with some of mothers' groups, and I was privileged to meet some of the most gracious, beautiful, powerful, and inspiring women. in the world. I'm sure.

plus, I think I'm just in love with this city. It's great. I have loved being in some of the more rural areas this past week, but since I'm a city girl I feel very at home here. and, as I mentioned previously, the hospitality that we've received is just overwhelming. you can't help but feel at home, even though I'm very very far away from home.

tuesday

2008-04-08T13:14:00.003-05:00

So, we finished up in Kadapa this morning, and early this afternoon began the 7-hour drive to Hyderabad. Because our days have been SO BUSY since we arrived, it was nice to have a few hours to plug myself into the ipod and watch the foliage as we drove along.

It is so nice to be in Hyderabad. Kadapa was kind of stressful, very busy, and I kept getting chomped on by mosquitoes. Here, we are staying at the CFCA office which is BEAUTIFUL (nicer than any of the hotels we've stayed at so far...but don't worry, it's still modest), and the internet connection is working, and the staff here are amazing. It just feels so homey, and I haven't felt homey since I got to India.

speaking of. being here has been so...different. It's so different here than any place I've ever traveled. The cultural differences are profound. The women are the most beautiful people I've ever seen. Pretty much everything is falling apart, but everything is beautiful. There is color everywhere.

I would go into more detail, but I am exhaused and have a very cozy bed and blanket here in Hyderabad. Until next time.

peace

2008-04-06T12:14:00.002-05:00

had dinner with the bishop of Kadapa tonight.

had dinner with the bishop of Vellore last night.

bishops are funny, entertaining people.

my ankles are all swollen and mosquito-bitten.

I have never been so tired in my life.

good night. (good day.)

oh yeah!

2008-04-05T21:54:00.002-05:00

...I was reunited with my suitcase last evening. What a blessing. We took a celebratory picture.

It is nice to be reunited with my things, so nice, but...I guess...it was good for me to be without them for awhile. It's good to be reminded that I can survive without my "things." and it's good to be forced to depend on others sometimes. and I have depended on many others over the past few days!

I think it's sunday?

2008-04-05T21:19:00.004-05:00

So, we arrived in Cuddapah this morning. We took an overnight sleeper train from Vellore (very Darjeeling Limited) and got here about an hour ago.

Yesterday, we visited a bunch of families and spent a lot of great time in the Vellore project office. The team there have mostly been brought in from some of our other projects in Tamil Nadu, and since they are kind of transient they live most of the time in the office. They cooked us an AMAZING lunch...the first time that we have had anything in India that hasn't been spicy. (My boss is very funny...she cannot stand spicy food at ALL, so lives off protein shakes, granola bars, water, and sometimes a tiny piece of chicken.) I have been pretty good at trying stuff, but because I have somewhat of a sensitive stomach anyway, I have been a little more careful (it's not good to be a sensitive-stomach-traveler). But, all that to say, the lunch that the Vellore staff prepared for us yesterday was EXCELLENT. And they are all really excellent people. I have been blessed to have been able to spend time with them. And I'm very encouraged.

The home visits have also been great...people are so hospitable. In every home we've visited, they've offered us all sorts of drinks (mostly coconuts...with the top cut off and a straw stuck in). I am always very hesitant to take stuff (sensitive-stomach traveler), but feel okay drinking bottled soda, so when they offer soda I feel like I HAVE to drink it, so was definitely on somewhat of a sugar high for awhile (and had a sugar CRASH yesterday evening).

We visited a leper colony last night at dusk. We were greeted by a group of elderly ladies who were just FANTASTIC. When we asked them what the greatest challenge in their community is they told us that they really need toilets: they used to use a nearby field, but it has recently been fenced off. sigh.

When asked what is the BEST thing about their community, they said, all of them, without hesitation, "God. We are so, so blessed." They then proceeded to claim us all as their granddaughters. I cried a little bit.

So...we're having a good time. We have about an hour to get ready before we start another busy day, so I should get my train-slept self together. peace and blessings to everyone.

I'm losing track of our days!

2008-04-04T12:34:00.000-05:00

I’m really only capable of a short update right now because I am sooo tired…we have been having some very long days. Good, but long. It didn’t really help that I slept for what was probably a total of 5 hours in a 48-hour stretch (my body was still on ‘merica time and I was having anxiety about my suitcase sitting at the bottom of the atlantic). Fortunately, last night I got about 8 hours. Unfortunately, I was more tired during the day today than I have been for the past few days. Figures.

We did find out yesterday that my suitcase had been discovered…somewhere in DC, or Frankfurt, I’m not sure. Kandasami and his international network worked for a couple of days until it was found. I cannot express how blessed I feel to have someone that has dedicated so much time to finding my bag…and I cannot express how relieved I am to know that it is NOT at the bottom of the ocean. It is being delivered to Kandasami’s house tomorrow, and then one of our CFCA staff members will bring it to Vellore. Tomorrow!

In the meantime, Venita and Preethi took me shopping to get some new clothes. I had been hoping to buy some Indian clothes sometime when we were here, but didn’t know if I would have the opportunity in our jam-packed schedule. But, thanks to my suitcase being lost, an opportunity was created! We went to a mall in Chennai (very tall mall with many stories) and were able to go to the only store (that they knew of) that was open until 10pm (as I said…jam packed schedule. It was late.). They had stuff in there that American teenagers would wear, but Preethi and Venita seemed pleasantly surprised to find that I actually WANTED to buy Indian clothes. So, in the 15-20 minutes that we had until the store closed, they quickly helped me to determine the items that I would need and the styles that would suit me, and I was able to get 3 outfits (2 Indian and one more generic American [khaki capris and a little polo…still not very “me”]) and a bunch of underwear.

So, I’ve been wearing my Indian outfits the past couple of days. They’re fabulous, and sooo comfortable…I feel like I’m wearing pajamas. You will likely see me in these once I’m back in the States.

BUT…I am very much looking forward to getting my suitcase back. It will, of course, be nice to have clothes, but it will be nicer to have my camera-battery charger and own shampoo and stuff to make my hair look a little less crazy (though, in the humidity here, it ain’t bad). Ilene has also been nice enough to let me borrow pretty much anything I need…so I bet she will be glad when I have my stuff back, too.

So our days…our first “working” day involved meeting with staff, doing some interviews, and my fun shopping excursion (which also involved dinner at the mall and driving by the beach…apparently the 2^nd longest in the world).

Second day: home visits with some sponsored children and families. Most of the time, this includes an elaborate welcome involving flower garlands and rituals to ban evil spirits and putting stuff on our foreheads. Then, we get to go in their home and meet and talk with the families. This is nice. Ilene and some of our other staff here apologized that I wouldn’t really have the opportunity to do any “touristy” things on this trip, as we’ll be so busy…but I would much rather meet with normal people and see their homes and hang out in back-alley neighborhoods.

We also got to “meet with the children and families” of one subproject: this basically means that they do lots of performances for us (and of course, more flower garlands, etc) and give speeches. I even gave a little bit of a speech. Ha.

Today: More family visits. Many family visits. I got sooo tired in the afternoon/evening, and at about 5 our car stopped, and I woke up to see hundreds of children looking at me and smiling. Following that, there were many dances. And speeches.

this was written a few days ago...

2008-04-04T11:56:00.002-05:00

...on our first "night."

*****

So, we’re in India, finally “settled” for the first night. It’s apparently 4:30 pm in the States, and it’s 3 am here. And it’s been one helluva long day! I am having so much difficulty comprehending where I am in space and time. Literally.

The travel process was arduous. I’ve done the “one-leg” international flight before, which is disorienting enough, but we ended up traveling for about 26 hours total. Here is my quick synopsis of our travel experience:

Kansas City: quick and efficient. It always is at MCI.

DC: I find out I had left my luggage sticker on the last flight. Oops. We transfer from United to Lufthansa, a German airline. The Lufthansa lady doesn’t seem too concerned that I don’t have my luggage sticker.

Frankfurt: Well, at first, it was really nice being in Germany, if only at the airport…reminded me of the good ol’ days when I was there in 2002. UNTIL we realize that…ugh. I don’t even want to go into it. Suffice it to say that it is the WORST airport I have been in, ever, and I am going to try to avoid it (and Lufthansa, though I don’t know if they are entirely to blame) from now on if I can help it. (they basically don’t have anywhere to sit in the airport, and won’t let you sit at your gate, and they are SO rude, etc.)

(When in Frankfurt, though, I had the opportunity to witness dozens of Hasidic Jews [I am assuming they were Hasidic based upon my reading of Chaim Potok] pray together, which is a big affair involving props such as boxes and ropes of leather and odd clothing garments, and lots of chanting. It was awesome. Plus there were lots of these cute little Jewish families…very young couples with infants. I was enchanted.)

Flight to Chennai was fine…aisle seat with an open seat next to me (awesome). I slept about 7 of the 8 hours (which was great considering I had hardly slept at all on the first flight). I had Indian food for dinner and German tea for dessert. Excellent.

Then we get to Chennai…wait for the bags…and mine is not there. Not. There. Soooo we had to go through this big ordeal with the Lufthansa people, which seemed inordinately inefficient and unproductive (I JUST NEED YOU TO TYPE MY NAME INTO A COMPUTER AND TELL ME WHERE MY BAG IS, IS THAT SO HARD?). So I won’t know any information until tomorrow morning at the earliest. Fortunately, the person we are staying with (Kandasami, one of our independent auditors) is extremely well connected and was pulling as many strings as he could with the staff in Chennai, even made calls to DC. So we’ll see what happens. Until then, I am stuck with my computer (which is why you get a blog!) and purse…which has…a toothbrush, and a little bit of money. Sigh. We might go buy me some clothes tomorrow.

So, I’m now in Chennai, staying at the home of Preethi, Kandasami, and Venita. I don’t have many impressions of India yet, as it’s the middle of the night (and I am so not tired…), but love it (and the people, particularly the ones we’re staying with, these people get hospitality better than anyone else I know) so far. We start meeting with people tomorrow here in Chennai, then travel to Vellore the next day…so I hope my bag turns up by then!

<3>

2008-03-30T20:59:00.002-05:00

so I'm going to India tomorrow! hooray!

I'll be traveling with another colleague to visit several of our CFCA projects in Tamil Nadu state, Hyderabad, and Delhi. We'll be gone for 17 days.

I'll try to update while we're gone! But we will be very busy, as our schedule is jam-packed. But I bet it'll be fun! I've never been to India!

worldview

2008-02-24T21:43:00.001-06:00

What is Your World View?
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Cultural Creative

Cultural Creatives are probably the newest group to enter this realm. You are a modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. You are very spiritual, even if you are not religious. Life has a meaning outside of the rational.

Cultural Creative

94%

Romanticist

56%

Idealist

56%

Existentialist

50%

Fundamentalist

44%

Postmodernist

44%

Modernist

31%

Materialist

25%

still looking...

thoughts

karibu kenya!

warm greetings from brussels!

about that whole "blogging" thing...

oh my friends.

potential vs. poverty

you know you're getting old...

I've been ruined.

nicaragua!

quick update!

When we act under the influence of negativethoughts and emotions, we become oblivious to the impact our actionshave on others. -Dalai Lama

maybe one of these kids has been waiting for YOU.

organic gardening and life

a quote...

hyderabad...

tweet tweet

I think it's about time...

first post of the new year, apparently.

top albums of the decade.

belated

so sleepy.

naps at 6pm

delhi delhi delhi delhi

so...

happy earth-day.

Still, by A.R. Ammons

I LOVE THIS

sooo...since it's been forever since I've written a proper post...

I wrote this pretty much forever ago...

thoughts from underneath the mosquito net

in the airport!

in india!

*ahhh*

love it

I would just like to announce...

january 20

domestic disturbances

loaded questions

winterrr...

another short update...

a short update...

written a couple of nights ago...

in india!

exciting times for america.

maybe race SHOULD influence politics.

they call me sara six pack because of my amazing abs

thoughts on the bailout.

perception

oh jelly belly.

exciting things

I am turning into a handygirl!

these people are pretty much my life

amazing.

this video changed my life a little bit.

blog games round two

guilt

blog games

the tragic thing about springtime...

please watch this

shoutouts

old school.

jet lag

india photographs.

culture junkie?

delhi belly

thoisday

good morninnnngggg hyderabad

tuesday

oh yeah!

I think it's sunday?

I'm losing track of our days!

this was written a few days ago...

worldview

When we act under the influence of negative
thoughts and emotions, we become oblivious to the impact our actions
have on others. -Dalai Lama

ahhh