JJACKMAN

Video Fun

2011-04-24T12:41:00.001-07:00

Around The World Slideshow: Jessica’s trip from Kampala, Uganda to 15 cities Costa Rica, Budapest, Ukraine, Lima, Zihuatanejo, Bolivia, Cusco, , Puno, Iquitos, Odessa, Chisinau, Entebbe, Machu Picchu and Jinja was created by TripAdvisor. See another Mexico slideshow. Create your own stunning free slideshow from your travel photos.

Revived

2010-11-20T12:58:00.000-08:00

Somewhere along the way I have lost my inspiration to write. I am not sure why. Maybe it’s because I am living life, I’m lazy, or to busy. I don’t know, but in reading some of my friend’s blogs I realized anew that I need to keep up with my blogging and journal writing. Some of the experiences I have will be lost and forgotten if not jotted down somewhere. So, in another attempt at reviving this blog I have brewed some coffee, put on some music and am nestled next to my space heater ready to jot down some words about my Peace Corps experience!

Last time I posted anything of substance was when I still lived with my host family. Oh my, how long ago that seems. In actuality I realize it was not long ago at all. These days life seems to be a whirlwind of adventure and new experiences. To begin, I did finally move in to my own place. I live in a small Dacha less than a block away from my host family’s house. I call it my secret garden as the yard is completely unruly filled with grapes, pear trees, apple trees, walnut trees, a picnic table nestled under an overgrown canopy of grapes, chickens, and a number of other plants and weeds that I have no clue about. The house is the last one on the street. Next to my house are fields of wheat, greens, sunflowers, onions, carrots, tomatoes, and a variety of other gardening plants. As you can imagine, the primary source of income in a community so small is farming. In fact, today there was an entire concert put on by the school to commemorate all the farmers and their work. Several people in the farming community received awards. I was put in charge of taking pictures and the concert was one filled with music and dancing about harvest time.

Sunflowers Near My House

My dacha is four rooms. The first room is a kitchen like room with a sink, a table, a hotplate, and Petchka. The next room has a refrigerator, the entrance to the creepy cellar, my water storage, and my clothes line. The next room is basically my living room. It has a couch, desk, and book case that I store my clothes and books in. The last room is my bedroom complete with you named it, a bed! Oh, the toilet is outside next to the shed. When I first moved in I didn’t have a refrigerator or running water. I have a sprocket outside that I would fill buckets with every day and use for my water supply. Apparently the city turns the water on during the winter so as of the last few weeks I now have running water in my one sink. Mind you, the water is only turned on during the day. The times change but usually it is turned on around 9:30 a.m. and shuts off somewhere between 5:00 and 6:00. I only purchased food that was non-perishable for the first few weeks but now I have a refrigerator and it is splendid!

My kitchen in all its glory!

School started on September 1st. The first couple of weeks were relatively mellow with me doing my clubs and observing classes. As of current I usually teach about 8 English classes a week, hold two clubs, tutor a variety of kids, and are currently in the process of writing a grant. My leadership club and I were able to successfully put a small Halloween party together. My friend Anne came to help which I am eternally grateful for! We had about 40 kids show up which is a significant amount considering there are only 80 students total that attend my school. In fact, I was recently having tea with another teacher and her family. Her daughter speaks English and attends the University in a nearby city. As we were speaking her daughter informed me that in reality only about 300 people live here. The “census” reports 554 people, however a great deal of that number is kids who leave for the University or work in the city. Anyway, my point being that the kids enjoyed the Halloween party. A few of my regular kids even glued (literally glued) jewels to their nose to look like they had nose piercings like me. I should feel like a bad influence but I don't. It was adorable!

A couple of my regulars in my English club for Halloween

My clubs seem to be going well although not exactly as planned. Things are hard to plan in advance here because things never turn out exactly as expected. Sometimes I have 4 kids show up to my clubs and sometimes I have 10. Sometimes teachers are really involved and sometimes they are not. Sometimes the school needs money so we spend the first two weeks of school harvesting onions in a nearby village. Sometimes the school schedule is rearranged because there are things being fixed. My point is that I never really know what is going on so I am often just shooting from my hip. Of course I try and prepare some stuff, but often times it falls through or I am asked to do something different 5 minutes before they expect me to do it. My big goal currently is to write a grant to build new sports facilities and purchase more sports equipment for the school. I would like my leadership club to be involved in the project management portion of this; however they are a bit young so we will see how that goes!

Kids visiting me at my house

In other news I recently took a trip to Moldova with some close friends. It was a quick trip full of adventure! I almost got detained on the border of Ukraine and Moldova and was bailed out by the only man I would ever compare to God, the Peace Corps security officer Sergei. We got to go on a wine tour and eat Mexican food which was amazing! On our way back in to Ukraine we got stranded in a random place called 7 kilometers from Odessa which we later learned is one of the largest bazaars in Ukraine. Anyway, it was 4 in the morning so it was just an empty parking lot when we were there. We found a kitten that looked more like a rat because she was so small and ill. I couldn’t turn her away so my friend Jess lent me her scarf and we wrapped her in it and carried her on the bus for an additional 5 hours to Kherson. We then took her to the vet, got her all patched up and then I trekked the remainder of the way home alone with her. She is a welcome addition to my house in Chervoni Promin. Soma is now somewhere in the vicinity of 5 months. Not really sure as we found her and she was malnourished We thought she was more like 2 weeks old however the Vet informed me she was more like 2 to 3 months old.

Some of the Moldova Crew (Anne, me, Val, and Jess)

Soma (Сьома) all wrapped up in a scarf ready for the journey home

Alright, now that I have written a novel my new goal is going to be to update this blog at least once a week as to not have to write a novel and hopefully get back some of my lost inspiration to write. Thanks for reading!

Success

2010-09-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine had this quote posted on her facebook profile and I really liked it, so I thought I would post it here!

to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Catching Up

2010-08-31T01:03:00.000-07:00

My first month at site was spent adjusting to doing nothing. Sounds kind of strange I know. I live in a village of less than 600 people and I can’t even buy bread or phone credit in my one store. People in my village survive off of the land. Every day my host family gets up at around 4:00 a.m. to go feed the animals and farm. Being that it is summer, people are either doing this or on vacation thus although the school is open every day no one is working. I watched the entire series of Gillmore Girls and countless other movies. I have read three books, wandered through fields of sunflowers, caught up on the sleep I have missed out on the past 10 years, and yep that about covers it.

During the second week of July I took a bus to the Western part of Ukraine to participate in an English Summer Camp. It was like doing a complete 360! I went from having little to nothing to do to being busy for 12 or more hours a day. I had to get up at 7:30 for morning exercises with the kids. Breakfast at 9:00 and then I would teach 5 lessons a day starting at 10:00 a.m. and ending at 6:30 p.m. Usually in the evenings we also did some sort of evening activity with the kids. I really did enjoy the camp though. Most of the classes were fun classes such as how to make lemonade, teaching them songs, watermelon seed spitting contest, basketball, and capture the flag. I did get to teach a couple of real classes on gender empowerment which was awesome and probably my favorite part of camp. I got to work with a variety of American teachers and Ukrainian teachers as well. I had a really great time and was sad to leave. I was only supposed to be there for two weeks but my friends talked me in to staying an extra two weeks to help with another session of camp. I’m pretty easily talked in to doing things.

After camp ended I stayed with my friend Valerie for a few days. We then took a train to Kyiv for a Peace Corps sponsored training. It was a pretty cool training. I met my director of the school there and we worked together to put together an action plan for a project. I will be starting an English based Leadership club. My hope is that within a few months the kids will primarily write a grant to fund a community project of their choosing and implement it. I will be working with a few of the teachers at my school so that the project will hopefully become a sustainable club at the school.

After the training I spent the night in Kyiv with a few other Peace Corps friends and some American’s that were visiting them. I got to stay in an amazing apartment in downtown Kyiv which would be the equivalent of Time Square in New York. We all went out and saw the city and danced the night away. The next day I hung out with one of the Americans. We went to a shooting range where I shot an AK47 and some sort of other Russian pistol. Later we went and got Indian food which is a huge treat here. Afterwards I booked it to the train station and made it just in time. I took the overnight train to Kherson and now I am home. School starts tomorrow and although I am not entirely sure what I will be doing aside from my club I am pretty excited to get things going. I will also be moving in to my own house very quickly. I looked at it yesterday and the repairs are almost done. I am waiting on them to fix the toilet (which is outside) and get me a refrigerator. Life is pretty great!

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Life is Great

2010-08-30T03:40:00.000-07:00

I have been in Ukraine for just about five months. My daily routines are starting to set in. The shock of the complicated transportation system is weaning. Not hearing anyone speak English for weeks at a time has become a norm. Walking 2 miles in a day just to get home is not a big deal. Every once and a while though, a moment of clarity encompasses me, and I remember that I am living in a village of less than 600 people in Ukraine and I have to say that it is pretty fucking cool.

I don’t really know what I want to do when I get out of Peace Corps. The opportunities are endless and I revel in that fact. I’m ok with not having a set plan at the moment. My whole life has been a whirlwind of maybe’s, last minute adventures, and doing a ton or random things. I have intentionally planned my life around the ability to be unpredictable and I can honestly say that I love my life. This isn’t to say I don’t have my rants, upsets, and improvements to be made, but overall I have had some pretty awesome experiences and met some pretty cool people along the way and I wouldn’t trade any of them for anything.

Caveat, I had a bit of a nostalgic moment today. They are frequent these days as I have a lot of time to think and ponder. Sometimes I get in the mode of I need to do more, I need to plan, and I haven’t done enough. I need to step back and realize that I have actually done a tone and experienced so many things that many people never will. I have friends all over the globe, I have swam in the Amazon and Nile river, I have seen lions in the wild, I have taught classes on gender empowerment in Russian to kids who have never met an American in their lives. I have worked countless hours for causes that I believe in and have seen tangible changes occur. What I am getting at I suppose, is I love life and I am really excited to continue having experiences throughout life. I am particularly grateful that I have been able to have these experiences and meet the people I have. So for those very few people that read this, I hope that you love life and if you don’t change what is missing so that you do!

Whirlwind of Training

2010-06-26T01:37:00.001-07:00

I am a bad blogger, it is official. Now that I have much more free time I am presuming I will automatically get better. Here is for an optimistic outlook on upcoming posts! I arrived in Ukraine at the very end of March. It's crazy to think that training is already finished and I have officially been sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I was placed in a town of 16,000 people called Миронивка. I grew to love this place and my host family and already miss it. I lived with a Бабушка named Вира in a small but nice apartment. Near my house were several ponds and a river. Every day I would walk to my language instructor's (Лариса) apartment along with four other fellow trainees. We had Russian language class every weekday for four hours. After this we would often meet at our Technical Trainer's (Оксона) apartment to learn things such as classroom management, working with Ukrainians, needs assessments, English clubs, cultural differences, and so on.

After three weeks we began teaching healthy lifestyle courses at the school in Russian. This was probably one of the more difficult things for me. Preparing a lesson plan in another language and co-teaching it with other trainees is stressful at minimum. We also co-taught a couple of English classes. Most Saturdays we would meet a bunch of kids near the school and play soccer, basketball, Frisbee, kickball, and whatever other games we could think of. At the end of training we conducted a three day summer camp and a festival to raise money for sports equipment for the school. Both were very successful.

My Бабушка and her family were amazing. They took me in as family immediately and I foresee a relationship with them for years to come. The night before I left they all came over and we had a big dinner and party. They gave me some going away gifts and I said goodbye. The following day we were bussed to Кyiv where we got to see the other 70 some odd volunteers we hadn't seen in over two months. We had our site announcements and got to meet a colleague who we will be working with very closely over the next two years. There was an official ceremony where the United States Ambassador spoke along with a variety of other people. Following that we said our final goodbye to those we had spent every day with the last two months and hopped a train to our new home. More to come on my new home in my next post!

Pictures from Ukraine

2010-06-01T04:10:00.000-07:00

Some of my Host Family

Woman Walking Her Goats

Church

Training Group

More of Host Family

Arrived Safely

2010-04-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

So I have been receiving many inquiries about my journey and being here in Ukraine. I don't have much time left, however for those of you actually reading this here is a quick update!

I arrived in Ukraine and spent my first two days at an old Soviat Retreat with the remainder of my Peace Corps group (75ish). We were split in to clusters of 5 people. So far, everyone in my group seems really cool. We are learning Russian! On April 2nd we were bused to our communities with our cluster mates. I am in a decent sized town called Myronovka. I am very lucky and currently have access to any amenity I may need or want. I live with a very kind Babushka (Vira)in an apartment not far from my language instructors home. I have about a 20 minute walk to an from class everyday. Thus far, we are primarily working on language. I have four hours of language training a day, 1.5 hours of personal tutoring a week, several hours of technical coaching a week, and many hours of studying afterwards!

I am supposed to begin teaching classes in 4 weeks, eek! I will also be doing some sort of community project and summer camp for kids during the next three months. After these three months are up I will be moved to my permanant placement somewhere in Ukraine. Everything is still very new, however when I have things figured out more so I will be posting pictures and write more about my experience!

Peace Corps Goodbye Party in Salt Lake City

2010-03-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

Before I left Salt Lake City I had a goodbye party. Most of the people that I cared about coming did, and I really enjoyed myself! Below are a few photos from the party.

Natalie & I

Power Trio (Casandra, Joshua, and I)

Brad & I

Group Photo

Not-Natalie, Natalie, Jenny, & Me

Jack, Muyly, & I

Natalie, Doreen, Dijean, and Me

Naomi, Theresa, & I

Brad & I

Leaving On A Jetplane

2010-03-09T10:04:00.000-08:00

I moved from Salt Lake City and am now a temporary resident of Colorado. Most of my time spent here will be organizing, packing, and buying a few necessary items. I will be visiting Boulder for a few days and then be leaving to staging which will be in Washington DC. My address for the first three months is listed below. Please, only send letters. No packages or boxes will be accepted. After I move to my official placement then I will have a new address and the availability to receive packages and such. I do not have a phone number yet. I am hoping within a week of moving to Ukraine I will get a cell phone. I am also looking into Skype but that is yet to be determined. Hope to hear from everyone!

U.S. Peace Corps/Ukraine
PCV Jessica Jackman
P.O. Box 298
01030
Kyiv, Ukraine

Or, if you need a physical address

U.S. Peace Corps/Ukraine
PCV Jessica Jackman
111A Saksahanskoho Street
01032
Kyiv, Ukraine

Quick Update

2010-02-10T11:29:00.000-08:00

Since receiving and accepting my official Peace Corps invite I have stayed very busy! Its amazing how much you realize has to be done to prepare for moving across the world when you actually have to do it! The sheer amount of paperwork it requires to cancel memberships, power of attorney for financial affairs, student loans, passport, visa, resume, questionnaires, letters of resignation, life insurance, and packing lists is exhausting.

Secondly, the actual packing part is equally as annoying. Figuring out what to do with your stuff for over two years is a pain. Luckily, I don't have that much stuff. It makes me curious about how people who own much more than I do (which is most people) handle packing. Also, I am leaving Salt Lake City for two years and truthfully will probably never come back other than to visit; there are a lot of people that I want to spend my time with before I leave. I am also working until the end of the month and it therefore takes up more of my time that I would like to give. I suppose it is a necessary evil as this job was necessary to enable myself to do the Peace Corps.

On top of all of those things (as if they are not enough) I rolled Djibouti and he/she (haven't given a gender to the name yet) didn't survive. I, on the other hand, escaped relatively unscathed! Not sure how I managed to walk away from rolling my car twice, however I am grateful non-the less. My parents were kind enough to let me borrow one of their cars for the remainder of the month that I stay in Salt Lake City. As I am leaving in less then two months, it seems silly to buy a new car. Renting one for that time frame would be far more expensive than it is worth. So, although I rolled Djibouti (my car if you have not figured it out yet), I did walk away with extra cash for my travels. A blessing in disguise I suppose.

Anyhow, not much more is going on except the above mentioned items. I am leaving Salt Lake City on March 4th. I will post my address and contact information for Ukraine about a month prior to departure (just in case it changes). Thanks for stopping by!

Official Peace Corps Invitee

2010-01-23T16:32:00.000-08:00

It has been an inordinate amount of time since I last posted. Again, my life has fallen into something of what I deem a boring routine. This is all about to change very shortly however. After having spent the last 18 months as a corporate drone, I am finally leaving! The following lyrics drummed through my head for the last few months. I think that it sort of pertains.

Map of the World

Monsters of Folk

There's a map of the world
on the wall in your room
Green pins where ya wanna go
White pins where ya been
there isn't even ten,
you're already feeling old
Pretty faces stare back
from a magazine stack
that you read when
you're feeling bored
Look through a telescope lens
it doesn't make sense
you think you've been there before

Some far off feelings
Some up close kind of ache
White screen reason to
look the other way

There's a place by the lake
that you go when it's late
it was summer and the crowds were gone
and you sit all alone with
With your thoughts, gettin stoned
just waitin for some peace to come

Like the thing thatcha
tried that you thought that you liked
for a minute then it all felt wrong
So your changing again
All your clothes, all your friends
It's the same as it ever was

That far off feeling
That up close kind of ache
Some white screen reason to
look the other way

It's a road that you've paved
over Indian graves and
you wonder why your dreams are crazed
So you cling to your wife,
your kids, and you life
There's nothing that you're gonna save
Put the razor to your face,
Hot water for a shave
Kill the shadow of yesterday
Clean shirt, clean pants,
clean slate second chance

You're going by another name

Some far off feeling
Some up close kind of ache
That instant karma
That always comes too late

I applied for the Peace Corps in July of 2009 and recently received/accepted my invitation to serve in Ukraine. Barring some unforeseeable disaster or something of the like, I will be leaving March 29^th. The time it is taking to depart seems to be idly pacing itself at the slowest possible rate. Looking back however, the application process seemed to fly by! The time frame in which I submitted my application and received my actual invite was approximately 7 months; it will be a total of about 9 months from the click her to submit and the “I’m Leaving On a Jet Plane” outcome. Apparently the 9 months it took me is about the shortest time it takes most volunteers. Many of the other upcoming volunteers I have spoken with applied 1 to 2 years prior before actually receiving their invite! I am thankful it did not take me that long.

My job title will be Youth Developer. I’m still not really sure what that means. The Peace Corps tends to be very vague in almost everything. It could range from working in secondary schools teach HIV and Drug Abuse Prevention, creating outside activities for kids to be involved in, mentoring at risk youth and orphans, to maybe teaching some English. I don’t even know where in Ukraine I will be! The first three months will be living with a host family while I train. After that I will be sent to my placement site for the remainder of the two years. I will be learning either Ukrainian or Russian. I am hoping to pick up both. I have recently started to study Ukrainian in an attempt to not sound like a complete idiot when I move in with my host family. Yes, it is true. I will spend only 2 days at “staging” in the US. I will then immediately fly to Ukraine and be placed with my host family. I would like to have at least a few necessary words and phrases down before I arrive.

Anyhow, I will likely be making my blog private shortly. I have been told that this might be necessary with being in the Peace Corps. Let me know if you will want to be added. I will post again soon with updates on things like address, finalized items and whatever else may be of interest. Cheers!

I concur!

2009-11-04T17:33:00.000-08:00

I agree fully. Enough said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/its-not-maine-its-the-pro_b_345248.html

Portraits

2009-07-09T23:13:00.001-07:00

Looking through my photos I came across a bunch of portrait type of photos and thought they looked really cool. People fascinate me and I really like portraits, so I decided to post some of my favorite portraits of friends, people I have met traveling, and just fun ones.

Nostalgia at it's finest

2009-07-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

Recently I was chatting with a friend about how things have changed and stayed the same. Many of my good friends and I met my freshman year of college, and although that is a relatively short time frame for many, it is a long time for me. Generally speaking, I would argue that most people change and come in to themselves the most between ages 18 and 25, thus the time gap we have known each other seems quite significant.

Getting back to the point, there have been a lot of great times. Casandra found a document, or whatever one would call it, describing a party that a Casandra, Bri, and I had gone to freshman year. Although we have been to plenty since, this party has sort of gone down in the books as famous. I don't know if it was because we were so young, if it was the crowd that was throwing it, or if it was purely one of the first parties we had ever attended; but it was a phenomenal party at the time. With that being said, after reading the document about our experience I find it amazing how much can be lost or forgotten if not recorded. Casandra sent me this, and there were so many things on there that I had totally forgotten about, and I remembered anew the utter excitement of attending that party. So, without further adieu I have posted the document. I hope everyone gets as much entertainment from this as I did!

Outline of Party Piracy Mayhem October 25 – 26

I. Casandra’s Horrible Lie (4: 10 am)

II. The “Yelling in the Background” phone call

III. Shopping:

A. Toys ‘R’ Us

B. Pary Land (Better swords)

C. Shopko

D. Closed DI

E. Pib’s exchange (costume was too expensive, but ended up less expensive than outfits: Casandra = Fashion Diva)

F. Walk back from Pibs.... “ok RUN!!!”

IV. Called Kelly (alcohol v. freeloading)

V. Drove past house and Jesse looked out the window @ our car (9:20 pm)

VI. Called Dustin and asked about the 7 ppl who were there/costumes

VII. The Impossible Crush

VIII. Got Dressed (took forever)

IX. Goal to go to car to get boots.

X. Andrew stopped by to ask Bri out on a date.

XI. Call Dustin and find out it’s a big party

XII. Go to party and there’s this peeing guy outside...Casandra threw a fit...and a new wave acid boy who told us our costumes were underdressed.

XIII. Found Dustin, (Casandra got cherries and a coke). Darren had a mind of his own with Bri and the Beer.

XIV. Everything runs together – different stories.

XV. Casandra went outside to get Twister and Robin saw a police car go by...she said it was fine.

XVI. We all met in dance room and somebody said there was a cop. We took off through the back and tried to convince Spencer/John (aka hot blonde boy) not to drive drunk.

XVII. Bri changed in the middle of the sidewalk.

XVIII. Walked home....fought about whether to go up or down on Virginia St...Matt’s Frat House.

XIX. Ran into a bunch of guys in ties (Jessica thought they were from the party).

XX. Bri peed in the OSH building bushes.

XXI. Stole treats from Pyjama Party

XXII. Visited Kelsy and Joshua.

XXIII. Called Dustin & Alex.

XXIV. Alex and friend came to dorms (got a speeding ticket on the way).

XXV. Went back to house to get twister, sword, camera, and keys...Dustin waiting on couch with only twister.

XXVI. Sneaking through naked bodies looking for keys...look for keys at car, but get locked out of house. Call Alex, but no answer.

XXVII. Snuggle up on couch and alex calls us. Jessica doesn’t know what he said...we’ll just wait for everybody to wake up.

XXVIII. Alex took us home. (5:40 am)

Speed Scrabble with a Twist

2009-05-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

Friday night Casandra, Natalie, and I attended a mutual friend of ours "non-baby baby shower." One might question what sort of party that is. Too shed light on it, he was having a vasectomy the following day. I won't go into the details surrounding his decision but will state it was/is a positive thing for him. Anyhow, when we arrived they were playing scrabble. It was not the normal scrabble however it was speed scrabble with a twist!

Those of you who are not familiar with speed scrabble it is a version not including the board. All of the scrabble pieces are placed in the middle of the table. Everyone picks five pieces and has to try and create scrabble with the five pieces. When one person has accomplished using all five pieces he/she yells go! Everyone then continues to pick two more until again someone yells go. When all of the pieces are done, rather than count words everyone creates a story using their board.

I thoroughly enjoyed playing this. I generally like normal scrabble, however the time it takes to play makes it a bit taxing at times. This version is quick and the story adds a lot of humor. Following a few glasses of wine the stories become pretty hilarious. I thought I would add this snippet of information on to everyone in case someone wants to give it a try. It is my new favorite game and I could not be more thrilled. I am planning on going home to Colorado tomorrow to visit the family for a bit and fully intend on introducing them to it as well. Cheers!

Mexico

2009-04-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

I recently went to Mexico with my friend's Juliann and Chelly. Shirin also came for part of the time. I had a fantastic time. Our fun ranged from beach hopping, disco, horseback/donkey rides, fishing, and having a generally good time. Below are some of the photos from the trip.

Surfing

2009-04-03T09:57:00.000-07:00

While Casandra and I were in Costa Rica we went surfing. It was one of the highlights of the trip. Casandra had most of the surfing photos on her camera for some reason. She has been a bit of a slacker uploading them and sending them. Although they are difficult to see, the little specks are us! I thought I would share it because I'm not very modest and very proud of the fact I can surf!

Rafting the Nile

2009-03-30T22:31:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Mexico and will update my blog about the trip soon. In the meantime I have uploaded a short clip of Shirin and I rafting the Nile from last year. Shirin came to Mexico with me and informed me that her mom uploaded a youtube video on it. Here it is!

Black Listed

2009-02-05T19:23:00.000-08:00

Those of you who know me probably know that I am involved in several organizations in support of gay rights. The most recent being Marriage Equality Utah which has been involved in Equality Utah to launch the Common Ground's Initiative in Utah. The goal of the initiative is to give gay couples medical and housing rights. The first leg of the initiative got shot down at the legislature. It would have allowed a gay partner already on the will to sue in wrongful death cases.

What is this diatribe of mine coming down to? The Sutherland Institute (a right wing think tank) and the Eagle Forum have banned together to start their own campaign against the Common Ground Initiative. They claim that it is a ploy to eventually fight for gay marriage to be legalized in Utah or at least will pave a path in which it is possible. The Sutherland Institute was holding a press conference/meeting to launch its campaign. It was set to be open to the public as long as you reserved a seat. Casandra and I did so in hopes of listening to what they had to say. Granted it would not change our minds but we were still interested. We showed up only to be escorted out by security!!! We didn't even make it in the doors. Apparently they connected our names to the organizations we are involved in and black listed us from attending the event. To add to the humorous and slightly offensive action, the person at the door is someone I work with!

I am a little proud that I am involved in a group that is so well known that we can't attend our oppositions events. I am a little annoyed by their tactics. I could understand if we were to be disruptive and rude inside the event, but to not even let us in and claim it is a public event is a bit absurd. It only makes me strengthen my beliefs. It is clear that these people don't want anything to do with civil communication or even understanding where others are coming from. It was my hope to understand them a bit more but I leave with more of a biased opinion against them and their goals.

Costa Rica

2009-02-05T13:11:00.000-08:00

After having been back from Costa Rica for over a month now, I have decided to post a blog about the trip. I recently realized that I post much less frequently than I used to. The primary reason for this is that now that I am not living abroad I have much less interesting experiences. If I post they are usually rants of mine which likely very few people even care about. For those of you who bug me to update my blog (Casandra) here you go. By the way, Casandra almost died following our trip because she caught a disease. The entire time we were in Costa Rica she kept having medical mishaps (mosquito bites and faulty ankle). We joked that she would catch something more serious…and low and behold she did. It was not really funny when it happened though!

Casandra and I started off on our adventure by arriving in San Jose. San Jose was not that exciting aside from some of the clubbing and people we met. I am not going to go into lots of detail about the trip because people seem to respond better to pictures. I will say that while in San Jose we met Michelle from New York whom ended up backpacking with us for at least half of the trip. I had a random Rasta take a picture of me while I was sleeping on a hammock. I woke up and yelled at him. This was after he had made the rounds of hitting on Casandra, Michelle, and I. Casandra hooked me up with some guy (in a not so conscience state) whom followed me the entire evening we were clubbing. We went to the Arenal Volcano in which we didn’t actually see it because clouds covered the WHOLE things. Casandra was upset because we chose Costa Rica primarily because she has always wanted to see it. In that same day I discovered I get car sick, or rather bus sick. We also went on a canopy zip line tour through the jungle in which was a blast! We met a few friends from San Jose as well.

After leaving San Jose we met up with another backpacker Charlie. He traveled with us to Manuel Antonio Park. We stayed at a hostel with a spectacular view. We went on a hike through the park and saw a whole slew of wild life. Casandra had a run in with two coconut guys. We went white water rafting and hiked through a spice garden in the jungle. The river rafting was fun, but nothing compared to the Nile. I found myself a little nervous every time I went through the rapids because of my experience on the Nile. We had a bonfire and party on the beach in which we went night swimming. Casandra lost her first pair of flip flops there. Her second pair of shoes (along with mine and Charlie’s) mysteriously disappeared from the balcony of our hostel. We hypothesis it was monkey’s because who would want soaking wet shoes? Casandra and I split up for a couple of days. She went to Mal Pais while I stayed with Michelle and lounged on the beach.

The next day Charlie, Babtist (another hostel friend) Michelle and I took two buses, a taxi, a speedboat, and two more buses to Mal Pais. When we arrived it was a little surfing town and no one seemed to know where the hostel in which Casandra was staying was. We spent at least an hour wandering on the dirt road looking for it. When we saw her she and this Austrian guy were walking bear foot up from the beach. This is where she had her third pair of shoes stolen!!! Oh yea, we also met a couple of Swedish guys that traveled with us there. Michelle and I left Charlie and Babtist in another town. Mal Pais was great. We spent most of our time surfing. I really love surfing now!! Casandra and I rented bikes one day and rode a couple of miles to find a hidden beach. We almost got stuck on it because the tide came in. The guy whom owned the hostel we stayed on was a German Rasta. He was very cool and had a pit bull named Lilly whom did not like Michelle. Mal Pais is where we hypothesize Casandra caught her disease that hospitalized her for several days.

When we flew home we almost missed our last leg of the flight in Vegas because we were drinking in the airport. We were both very depressed to be coming home to snow. Plus, I only had my flip flops because my other pair of shoes got stolen! Over all it was a great trip and I would love to go live in Mal Pais for a summer and surf!

This Red Book (Pinback)

2009-01-20T15:35:00.000-08:00

Recently I discovered my friend Kathy's blog. Being the internet stalker I am i was browsing through her blog. One of her posts I thought would be a fun game to play at work while I was bored. I have to admit that it was pretty entertaining to play. My answers however makes me seem like a bit of a emo kid. Maybe I should evaluate my music choice! Here are the results.

1. Put your music listening device on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write that song name down no matter how silly it makes you sound.
4. Title this post what the answer to your last question is.

* If someone says 'Is this Okay' you say
You May Know Him (Moon Pix)

* What do you like in a guy/girl?
Fucking Boyfriend (Bird and Bee)

*How do you feel today?
You Know I'm No Good (Amy Winehouse)

*What is your life's purpose?
Minus (Beck)

*What do your friends think of you?
Good to know that if I ever need attention all I have to do is die (Brand New)

What do your parents think of you?
Nickel Bags (Digable Planets)

*What do you often think about?
When you say nothing at all (Alison Krauss)

*What do you think of the person you love?
Crosses (Zero 7)

*What is your life story?
Heaven and Hell (Opium Jukebox)

*What do you want to be when you grow up?
CMYK (Ladytron)

*What do you think when you see the person you love?
Left and Leaving (the weakerthons)
*What will they play at your funeral?
Slow Company (American Analog Set)

*What is your biggest fear?
Lonesome Tears (Beck)

*What is your biggest secret?
Astronaut (Shy Child)

*What do you think of your friends?
Friendly Ghost (Unknown)

*What are you going to name this post?
This Red Book (Pinback)

Coffee and Cheese; two of the small delights in life.

2008-11-20T12:03:00.000-08:00

I was chatting with a friend today. Amongst the discussion was her utter disappointment in mankind. I have to admit I agree with her. With the mass amounts of hate and sheer disregard for our fellow human beings that exist it is hard not to become disenfranchised from wanting to be a part of the world. It is hard enough to reconcile the fact that people actually believe and think some of the things they do. It is out right shocking at times that people have the audacity to say and act on those things and are not embarrassed by their disregard for their fellow human being. Yes, I say human being specifically leaving out “American”. The United States so often put itself on a pedestal of moral superiority, however rarely exhibits any of the traits in which I would deem as moral or even decent. It seems that we forget that we are a human race, not an American race. Even within the “American” context, we divide ourselves from each other using our moral complex as justification. Ultimately we are going to destroy ourselves however. Not in the milieu that is often thrown about (due to our straying from morals and traditional beliefs). No, it will be in our lack of respect for each other. It will ultimately end in blowing each other up over some fairy tale stated in the bible, Koran, or any other book.

I find it hard to understand or even relate to thinking it is ok or somehow right to treat people with so much contempt. As a kid I always clung to treating people well and loving them because they are a person. Walking past someone that is homeless and thinking “that bum should get a job” never even crossed my mind. Being able to reach out and help someone in need was just what you did. Having respect for the life and rights of someone else was expected. I take a look at the world around me now, some people I know, things being published in the media and it brings a great sadness to me. When did people become so mean and hurtful towards each other? I guess people have always been this way, I just chose to stay in my oblivious bubble that people are generally good. I find it an absolutely offending concept that people excuse their actions though “god” or religion. I refuse to live a life of excuses.

With that being said, I refuse to believe that the human race as completely disappeared. I believe there is good in the world if only for my own selfish reasons of having a purpose to get up in the morning. A friend of mine once said something to me that struck a chord in my being. She had eluded to the fact that for a long time she was trying to figure me out because there was no way anyone would be so nice with out having some ulterior motive. This was a person that had lived a fairly dismal existence in drugs. Her surroundings were drug users and people that always wanted something. She said it dawned on her that maybe there were people out there that just cared and were actually good people. I have thought about that conversation a lot, especially recently with the mass amounts of disheartening things that seem to be coming to a forefront. My conclusion is that yes, there are good people and good things. The media has a tendency to throw about all of the bad things going on in the world, and the good things and people are often overlooked and overpowered by the bad. With that being said, a few of the things I am going to list are what I see as being good and give me hope.

1.) Recently I have been involved in protests urging for marriage equality for our fellow human beings. Shortly after the disappointing passage of proposition 8 in California there was a rally in SLC. I was not expecting many people to show up. When I arrived there were over 3,000 people at the rally fighting for humanity. It was an amazing thing to be apart of.

2.) When I was in Uganda there were so many sights of sad things. The people there however, were happy, friendly, welcoming, and surprisingly uplifting. There were people from all over the world giving their time to help whether it is volunteering in an orphanage, teaching school children, or giving money. There are people all over the world sacrificing to help others.

3.) I worked in drug and alcohol treatment and foster care for a while. While there were a lot of hard things to see, I found there to be even more inspirational things than bad. There were people accomplishing things (being clean, caring for their kids, graduating high school, coming to terms with abuse) that they never thought they would, and frankly not many people believed they would either. I saw amazing strength in kids whom had experienced things no adult should and not only survive, but thrive.

4.) Aside from witnessing some amazing things, there are also amazing little things in life that many of us take for granted. Things that I love doing or seeing that often times seem trivial. Coffee, cheese, fall leaves, warm fires, good friends and good conversation, guitar, reading, having a job, red wine, the ability to travel, and generally good times.

Rather than focus entirely on the bad, I am going to try my best and focus on the good. This is not to say that I will not be furious and disappointed with many of my fellow human beings. It is saying rather that I will continue to look for the inevitable good in people and things that I truly believe exist. I will continue to fight for a world in which I am not disheartened and that I can be proud to call my neighbor my friend and not foe. I will ultimately cling to my childish/naïve belief that the world is indeed a hopeful bright place and continue to turn over the rocks that seem to be burying much of its beauty.

F.Y.I

2008-11-11T15:57:00.000-08:00

In 1967 the Supreme Court ruled on Love v. Virginia overturning a law prohibiting marriage of different races. The following is an excerpt from the ruling. This excerpt is why I believe that Proposition 8 should be overturned and that it is unconstitutional to prohibit anyone from marrying.

"Marriage is one of the "basic civil rights of man," fundamental to our very existence and survival.... To deny this fundamental freedom on so unsupportable a basis as the racial classifications embodied in these statutes, classifications so directly subversive of the principle of equality at the heart of the Fourteenth Amendment, is surely to deprive all the State's citizens of liberty without due process of law. The Fourteenth Amendment requires that the freedom of choice to marry not be restricted by invidious racial discrimination. Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State."

The Equal protection clause under the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits discrimination by state government institutions. The clause grants all people equal protection of the laws, which means that states must apply the law equally and cannot give preference to one class of persons over another.

With this being said I find it odd that proposition 8 does this exactly. It is applying laws to only one class of persons and refusing to apply the same laws to another (gay and lesbians). Regardless of how one feels about the "morality" of homosexuality the constitution states that these basic rights cannot be taken away. How is it that 52% of Californian's (in the most recent election) and many other states have chosen to ignore this factor? Even more disturbing, how is it that it has been allowed?

Does Ideology belong in our Justice System?

2008-10-24T12:47:00.000-07:00

In response to some of the feedback I received after posting my last blog, I have written a few more things on the subject matter. One response in particular sited sources of people or institutions being sued due to their choices in association or rather choosing not to associate with individuals that are gay and lesbian

Adoption services: Catholic Charities in Massachusetts refused to place children with same-sex couples as required by Massachusetts law. After a legislative struggle — during which the Senate president said he could not support a bill "condoning discrimination" — Catholic Charities pulled out of the adoption business in 2006.

Housing: In New York City, Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a school under Orthodox Jewish auspices, banned same-sex couples from its married dormitory. New York does not recognize same-sex marriage, but in 2001, the state's highest court ruled Yeshiva violated New York City's ban on sexual orientation discrimination. Yeshiva now allows all couples in the dorm.

Parochial schools: California Lutheran High School, a Protestant school in Wildomar, holds that homosexuality is a sin. After the school suspended two girls who were allegedly in a lesbian relationship, the girls' parents sued, saying the school was violating the state's civil rights act protecting gay men and lesbians from discrimination. The case is before a state judge.

Medical services: A Christian gynecologist at North Coast Women's Care Medical Group in Vista, Calif., refused to give his patient in vitro fertilization treatment because she is in a lesbian relationship, and he claimed that doing so would violate his religious beliefs. (The doctor referred the patient to his partner, who agreed to do the treatment.) The woman sued under the state's civil rights act. The California Supreme Court heard oral arguments in May 2008, and legal experts believe that the woman's right to medical treatment will trump the doctor's religious beliefs. One justice suggested that the doctors take up a different line of business.

Psychological services: A mental health counselor at North Mississippi Health Services refused therapy for a woman who wanted help in improving her lesbian relationship. The counselor said doing so would violate her religious beliefs. The counselor was fired. In March 2001, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit sided with the employer, ruling that the employee's religious beliefs could not be accommodated without causing undue hardship to the company.

Civil servants: A clerk in Vermont refused to perform a civil union ceremony after the state legalized them. In 2001, in a decision that side-stepped the religious liberties issue, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that he did not need to perform the ceremony because there were other civil servants who would. However, the court did indicate that religious beliefs do not allow employees to discriminate against same-sex couples.

The examples listed above are just a few that were cited but reflect the general purpose of the point. Other points brought up were freedom of association, the role of government, and imposing values. My reaction to these points brought up is as follows.

First off, I would like to address the myriad of examples cited as being unintended consequences stemming from this matter. I would argue that these “consequences” are actually intended. These consequences stem not from the proposition but rather laws already on the book. The avenues in which all of the subjects in the examples were allowed to sue were not due to proposition 8, rather anti-discriminatory laws in one form or another. These laws have been in place for a long time and are not set for the sheer purpose of gay and lesbian people. Rather they are set to protect discrimination in all faucets (sex, race, religion, and yes sexual orientation). Whether or not these people win is a different story and reflects the justice system but not the actual law that allows them to sue. I would argue to remove that law would be detrimental to society as a whole.

I would ask you to consider why these laws were placed in the first place and whether you think it a good idea to remove them? If this be the case, think of the unintended consequences here. The intended I imagine would be to allow personal freedom in “association.” The unintended would be the blatant discrimination of people in all walks of life. I would certainly like to think that we have moved pass discrimination in our society but the truth of the matter is we have not. Whether it is race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation, people face discrimination everyday and I would ask what your solution would be to the matter if these laws were not on the book? I would also ask you to consider the event that you were turned down for a position because of your Religious leaning. Should you have the right to sue the company? If so, how does this differ from the subjects in the examples right to sue?

Second is the matter of ideology and whether ideology should have a place in our laws and constitution. Laws are meant to be objective and neutral and when specific ideologies (values) are placed in the construction of laws they swiftly become un-objective. Our entire justice system is based on the concept of ruling on not opinions rather evidence of the effect on society as a whole. Regardless of a personal value, our laws and regulations should be based on what is best for society. Unfortunately everyone’s ideas based on their own morals and values differ, thus decisions should be based on not personal ideology and antidotal evidence but rather carfully studied facts and statistics.

I would ask everyone to consider what are the ramifications to our government, justice system, and foundation of this country if we are to begin making judgments based on our own ideologies? I would argue that passing proposition 8 is a terrifying step based what it begins to say on the role of government and people’s basic assess to fundamental rights. My last question is, if we do not protect fundamental rights of people, whom will protect mine or yours when it is attacked? If we begin to erode making sound logical decisions based on facts and statistics for decisions based on “morals and values” then none of us are really protected are we?

Marriage...is it really religious anyway?

2008-10-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

In light of the upcoming initiative to make marriage defined as a man and a woman in California, I felt it my duty and obligation to post the following. Although I did not write it I believe it to be completely true. My friend Casandra posted this on facebook and I could not have expressed my own sentiment about the issue any better. So rather that write my own I have posted hers. I encourage all those who read this to take it in to consideration and welcome any comments as it is an important issue that will likely effect society any way that it turns out this upcoming election.

I think it is an important question to ask whether this means that marriage is an open institution. First of all, I'd like to say that I believe that "civil unions" (the legal unions of people) should be a government contract and that "marriage" should be a religious contract. I think that would really solve much of the problem. But my ideas are neither here nor there 'cause nobody is ever going to get rid of marriage as a government institution. I think that regardless of how we try as a society to keep things the same, marriage will continue to change. It was only 40 years ago that interracial marriage was illegal (see Love v. Commonwealth of Virginia), and I would argue that very few people today consider interracial marriages a problem. Furthermore, I would argue that interfaith marriages are a pretty recent phenomenon. So, does opening marriage to same-sex couples open a can of worms? I would argue that it is the worm of a previous can.

Unfortunately, I think there's little anybody can do about being called a homophobe or a bigot if they support Proposition 8. Again, I refer back to the civil rights plight of African-Americans. It was commonplace only a few decades ago to view blacks as inferior in every way, but that idea is now shunned and those who support it are ostracized as racists. Less than 40 years ago, it was uncommon to see women in "the workplace" and they were not welcome there, but people who feel that way today are considered sexists. So, I would say that there isn't really anything anyone can do. Society changes (for better or worse) and those who don't change with it are rejected.

I would argue that the "institution of marriage" has already lost all of it's reverence. I think that the divorce rate is a clear indicator that our society's reverence for marriage has been lost. I would argue that gay couples are no less fit to be married and raise families. I think about my family (and the large number of degenerates within it), and then I consider my gay friends, which makes me realize that my degenerate family is far less qualified to (or deserving of) being married and raising a family. If there are going to be qualifications on who can be married, I think there are better benchmarks than gender. This, of course, segues into a much larger discussion about the change in the nuclear family and whether it's been better or worse for society =D.

For those that support Proposition 8, I would invite you to consider how much (or how little) your concerns about gay marriage mirror concerns about interracial marriage. I would invite you to consider the implications of the similarities and whether the concerns are something with which the government should intervene. And I would invite you to consider the role the religion in marriage versus the role of the state in marriage and whether the state can allow something that a religion does not. Please consider where "the church" stands on interracial marriage:

As evidenced by the ever-increasing divorce rate, marriage is simply a difficult process in the best of circumstances. When the complexities and stresses of race differences are added to the situation, it is far more likely that divorce will occur. Therefore, interracial marriages are discouraged by [the Church]. -Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.527) and contemplate how similar or different it is from same-sex marriage.

I would also invite you to consider the implications of not legally protecting same-sex families. For example, what happens to the children if the biological parent dies—is it really fair to not allow their other "parent" to raise them. Or, if a same-sex couple splits, it is really fair to not protect the visitation rights of one of the "parents." If a same-sex couple is raising a family where one "parent" is a home-maker, is it fair that because they are making the sacrifice to care for their family, they should be denied health insurance coverage through their "spouse." The government has placed so much on the marriage contract, that the legal protections and economic benefits are huge. Is is really fair to deny those benefits based on gender?

To those who say, "I believe in equal rights. Just don't call it marriage," I would ask if you would say the same thing in reference to race. Would you feel okay allowing black people to marry, but classify it as "black marriage?" My guess is that most people would find this notion offensive, if not just a little bit silly. I contend that to make this distinction for gay people is no less silly or offensive.

Sailing the Tides of Life

2008-09-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

I suppose it is time to update those few readers I have on my life as of late. In my last entry I mentioned that I had just gotten a job. I started working at Fidelity in May and it has been a roller coaster of events since. One of the requirements of the job is to get licensed. I have spent the last several months studying and taking exams. It was a bit of a challenge for me being that I have no industry experience. It was an exhausting and exhilarating experience studying and passing. Yes, I did pass both the series 7 and 63. It was interesting studying for it because I don’t think in my entire college career I ever put as much effort in to something as I did this. It was not difficult material per say but an extreme amount of learning new things. I am pleased to announce though that I did pass and am very much relieved.

Currently I am also studying for the GRE (Graduate School Examination). It has been a goal of mine for a long time to go to grad school. I fully expect this experience to also be an uphill battle but am looking forward to the challenge. I take the test in a little over a week. Depending on how I do I will either re-take the exam or begin applying for graduate school. I am looking at a few International Affairs programs in Seattle, Portland, and Boulder. I will let everyone know how this goes when I have some news.

I recently took a road trip to Boulder to visit my good pal Shirin. Boulder was a beautiful area. Even more spectacular were the things that we did and the people I met. Shirin just started law school thus I had the privilege of meeting most of her law school pals through a party that she and her roommates hosted and going camping with the same bunch of people. Along side those people I also met a few other friends from the past and was able to spend some time with them also.

Within this jumble of events my parents finally sold their house. They are in the process of moving this week to Canon City Colorado which I understand is near Pueblo. It seems my family is swiftly migrating to Colorado. I say this because my younger sister Sabrina recently moved to Grand Junction for school and my grandparents are also attempting to sale their home with the prospects of moving to Colorado also. Who knows, depending on how things go I may move to Boulder in the near future. When I say near future I mean a year or so. It will definitely be Boulder, Portland, or Seattle. Any how, these are a few of the events as of the last couple of months. I am also planning a trip to Costa Rica this upcoming December with my friend Casandra and expect there will be pictures and stories from that adventure also.

A Different Spin

2008-05-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

I have been back from Uganda a little over one month now, and well as busy as I have been the things I have been doing have been drastically less exciting then my prior six months in Uganda. For those of you who are mysteriously interested in my not so interesting life as of current, this is for you!

When I arrived in Salt Lake City, my good friend Taralee and Brendan were kind enough to let me stay with them in their recently purchased house. I am currently still residing here probably for another month of so until I start my job and can find my own place. Being the great friend Taralee is she also recommended that I work with her at Fidelity. At first I was a little put off by the idea being that I hate math and finance has never been my forte. After some though however, I decided that it would be a good challenge for me. On a personal level I am pretty stoked to learn about investments and finance and the company seems to be a really great place to work. Needless to say I start my new job on Monday as a financial advisor. The first four months however will be training to learn the ins and outs of a completely foreign field.

The second week I was back in Utah I decided to drive to Vernal to visit the family. On the way back I hit an elk totaling my car. It was sad being that 1.) I killed the elk, and 2.) My ever so dandy car is gone. On the upside I did get a new car. Although it is not my dream car (hybrid) it is a very nice car that I hope will last me a few years until I have the finances to buy my hybrid. The car I currently has is a green Saturn Ion. Although I have not finished a full tank of gas yet, it is appearing that it is getting at least 35 miles to the gallon and possibly a bit over.

Another busy thing I have been doing is dental work. When I was in Uganda one of my tooth implants came out!!! I had it temporarily fixed in by which I mean glued to my other teeth. When I came back I found out that it was not as easy of a fix as I had hoped. I had to have surgery because the screw had broken off of the cap and part of it was stuck in my implant. After going under the “knife” so to speak it was found that not only was the screw stuck in there it was not possible to remove. This left me with the option of having to replace the entire implant!!!!

I am still in the midst of figuring this situation out being that it is a very expensive procedure that really should not have happened in the first place. We will be negotiating with our dentist whom I believe was negligent in placing the crown causing the tooth to come out. Although he is a very nice man I don’t believe I should be responsible in paying for a mistake he made. When he originally screwed the crown in it was loose. He never took it out. At the time he said he was worried it would ruin the entire implant so he thought we should wait for it to come off by itself. Little did he know that by leaving the tooth loose it would break the screw causing much more damage than he thought. In retrospect and speaking with a couple of specialists, he should have actually taken it out in the fist place.

On top of trying to replace my tooth, getting a new car, and starting a new job I have mostly been wondering around visiting friends and family. Although I have had nothing to do I have stayed very busy doing “nothing.” I am, however, looking forward to starting my new job and will hopefully be moving in to a new apartment shortly. For those of you who don’t care about these things (which I imagine is most) sorry its not more interesting. For those of you who do care I will try and write more another day!

Washington D.C.

2008-05-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

While in Uganda my good pal Josh and I e-mailed frequently. Amongst our conversations of politics, world events, and random banter we decided it was past due for a visit. When I booked my flight home I decided to stop in DC for a week for the purpose of seeing Josh. It was a spectacular time of pure laziness and relaxation.

My flight from Uganda to Washington DC was surprisingly very pleasant. While waiting in the Entebbe airport I noticed that the girl sleeping across the way was indeed one of the acquaintances I had met on my river rafting trip three days prior. When she woke we did a bit of seat swapping and sat next to each other on the way to London. It was a lot of fun. In the meantime I met one of her acquaintances whom were stopping in London for a couple of days. Lorinne was also stopping in London for a day. Both of them tried to talk me in to changing my ticket and spending at least a day touring with them. Although I was tempted, I opted out wishing them both the best of luck.

When I arrived in DC Josh was there waiting. I spent the next week catching up with him and getting to know his wonderful girlfriend and friends. They were all very welcoming and a blast to be around. Most of the trip consisted of playing Wii, Guitar Heroes, Sing star, and general bantering. We went on a hike which was also a lot of fun. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the visit and can not wait for Josh and Abby to come visit SLC in which I hope I will be as great a hostess.

Lake Bunyoni

2008-04-03T14:05:00.001-07:00

Murchison Falls

2008-04-03T13:59:00.001-07:00

Murchison Falls Safari and Nile Boat Ride

2008-04-03T13:37:00.001-07:00

Videos

2008-04-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

Thankyou Mr. Boda Man

2008-02-28T04:46:00.000-08:00

Generally speaking taking Taxi's and especially Boda's in Uganda require the skill of bartering. It goes a little like the following:

Boda/Taxi Man: “Hullo Madam, we go?”
Jessica: “ I need to go to….how much?”
Boda/Taxi Man: “4,000”
Jessica “No no, what is your lowest price?”
Boda/Taxi Man “Madam you give 3500.”
Jessica “I’ll give you 2500”
Boda/Taxi Man “3000”
Jessica “I want the non-Mazungu (white) price. I know.”
Boda/Taxi Man “But madam gas prices.”
Jessica “Gas prices haven’t gone up. I can go find another boda.”
Boda/Taxi Man “Ok Madam, we go.”

Bartering is a skill that I use daily. Generally speaking the taxi’s and boda men will stop at nothing to get me to pay higher because I am white. They assume that I have money due to this fact. The prices they quote are generally double! The other day I was taking a taxi from a place that I frequent. The taxi drivers were new to that area and had not seen me before. They quoted me a price almost double the real price. I laughed and said I have been here a while, I know the price. They laughed and said oh, so you know the real price. I guess one can’t blame them. When the average income of a Ugandan is less then $1.00 a day it is not surprising that they try and ring money any where they can. Whites are an easy target because generally we actually do have much more money than any one of these boda drivers will ever begin to imagine.

Secondly, in order to get to your destination safely you must tell the boda man to drive safely and slow down. Frequently I will make a deal on a price and then offer them more if they drive safely. They usually laugh and agree. Bodas can be dangerous due to the mass amounts of traffic and no traffic rules to boot.

Today I approached a boda man and told him where I was going. I expected him to quote me around the 3500 shillings range. I generally end up paying 2500 after bartering. He looks at me and quotes me 1000. One can imagine my shock when he quoted a lower price then what was actually fair for him. I looked at him and said, no I will give you 2000. He laughed. Granted, I believe that he didn’t know the place I was asking him to take me. He said, “Ok, madam” with a smirk on his face. I was especially surprised when I got on. I didn’t even have to ask the boda man to slow down or drive safely. He did it all by himself!!!! I couldn’t believe it; an honest safe boda man. What are the odds in Uganda?

As I descended the boda I thanked the boda man for his honesty and safety. He again laughed thinking that I was a crazy Mazungo. I could easily have accepted his original offer of 1000 shillings for the ride and got away with cheating him. Over all I had to write a blog thanking the Mr. Boda man for my likely one honest experience with a boda man.

Don't Over Speed

2008-02-19T00:52:00.000-08:00

While driving down a highway on Sunday I saw a billboard that read, “Don’t Over Speed.” Does the term speed not denote going over a limit already? Why then would anyone throw the term over in if speed is already there? Don't speed should be sufficiant. It sounds a little like “its ok to speed as long as you don’t over do it." What does over speed mean if one is already speeding? Where is the cap?

The sign made me chuckle a little being that I have never really even seen a speed limit sign in Uganda. I wondered to myself whom was the advertising company placing this billboard? I would have taken a picture of it but did not have my camera with me.

I realize this is not a blog of great substance or length, but I had to write it. I’m no grammar guru by any means as evident from this blog. I do know however, that two words placed together signifying the same thing (that of which I’m pretty sure over speed does) is not correct. I would expect an advertising company to realize that before placing the billboard. Just so everyone remembers though, “Don’t Over Speed!”

Do Family Values Equal Intolerance?

2008-02-08T03:01:00.000-08:00

I thought that I would write a follow up to my previous blog. Not necessarily on the thievery act but on the term moral. I recently watched an episode of Boston Legal in which one of the characters said something rather profound. In a discussion between himself and a colleague they were talking about things they wish they could rid the world of. He said that he wished he could get rid the world of people who use the term family values as a veil for intolerance. For instance, “I am upholding family values by not allowing homosexuals to marry.” I won’t go off on my diatribe about that; however I think the same concept applies to morality.

Often time’s people use the term moral as a justification or excuse for bad behavior (intolerance, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness). I hate it when people say that (anything) is immoral. Why is it immoral? Most of the time there is not a valid logical argument for it being immoral. Moral is not so easily defined. The term itself is a shroud of ambiguity. One’s views on morality and values stem’s from where they sit in life and there is no set rule of what is moral and what is not. What might be considered immoral in Utah may be perfectly acceptable in New York or some other part of the world.

People should not cower behind terms such as morals and values to justify their belief. If they truly believe it then why do they place a veil on their opinion? Could it be because they know that without such terms their opinions would seem rather petty and illogical? If their opinions and beliefs are not petty then they would not need such terms to prove their arguments. Thus the term morality in my mind should be used with precaution as to not fall into the realms of shadowing justification for ones actions and thoughts. If you believe something to be true then just say it and don't use an excuse!

Excessively Moral?

2008-02-08T02:14:00.000-08:00

I took my friend Tabitha downtown to not such a nice area last week. If I were reading this I would be wondering why Jessica would do such a thing. She recently came to Uganda to attend a study abroad program. In route her baggage was lost and she was in need of some cheap items to hold her over until her baggage could be claimed. I took her to an area that is more crowded than a can of sardines!!! This area however, has anything(clothes, shoes, batteries, toys, food, hair supplies)anyone could ever want for a very cheap price. Before going we discussed the importance of carrying your bag very close to you due to the high amounts of petty theft.

While we were walking I saw a man following very close to a random girl of which I had no relation. He seemed very suspicious and jumpy. I, being the curious type, followed them for a bit. I then saw him reach his hand in to her purse. Without thinking and just reacting I slapped his hand as if I was scolding a young child for doing something wrong (not that I would ever really slap a child’s hand)! We looked each other in the eyes for a moment. Both of us were as shocked as the other. My shock was derived from my action where as his shock was derived from the fact that a Muzungo (white) had caught him in the act of theft and then assaulted him! He then said sorry in an attempt to not seem suspicious to others standing around us and ran away.

In Uganda if a thief is caught they perform what is called “mob justice.” I have yet to have witnessed such an event being that most thieves are very skilled in what they do. I have been told however, that if one is caught stealing people here do not wait for the police rather they strip the thief (male of female) of all of their clothes and then beat them. I can only presume that the aforementioned thief that I slapped ran quickly to avoid such an occurrence.

When reading this one might think, “good for you Jessica.” In some ways I agree. I stood up for what I believed to be morally wrong. Thinking about it logically however I realize that this man/thief could have easily had a weapon on him and pulled it on me in retaliation. A saying that I often use/hear is that alcohol is liquid courage or stupidity depending on how one looks at it. This is also true to my act; sober mind you. Was it courage or stupidity??? It wasn’t really courage because I didn’t think about it, however it was stupid being that the results could have been detrimental to my safety.

As for the next time such an occurrence happens, I hope I will think before I act, although it is unlikely being my nature. Cheers to being excessively "moral"

Jinja

2008-01-29T05:36:00.000-08:00

Boda Boda ride through Jinja

Guy Jumping in to the falls!

A Day at the Beach!

2008-01-29T04:54:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,

Below are a few photos from Sunday. I went to the beach with some friends and we played soccer and just hung out. It was a wonderful day barring my knee deciding to move in and out. I learned how to ride a motorcycle (that of which I have had a desire to do for sometime) and generally had a good time!

Lake Victoria at Dusk

Tabitha and Derrick

Derrick and I

Uncle Charles and I

Lake Victoria

I learned how to ride a motorcycle (boda boda) along the boardwalk of Lake Victoria!

Florence (not the woman I'm staying with), Aunt Sarah, Tabitha, Derrick, and I'm not sure :)

Tabitha, JaJa (Grandma), and Me.

The "Smoking Gun"

2008-01-18T04:43:00.000-08:00

What began as an election dispute in Kenya has rapidly turned in to a crisis with up to 1,000 dead and on the fast track to if not already a humanitarian catastrophe. Was it really ever an election dispute or was the election rig just the smoking gun to the already mounting pressure of tribal and ethnic clashes reaching hundreds of years back? Just recently there was an article in the leading newspaper in Uganda about the attempts to poison Kenyan refugees whom fled the violence of the riots to Uganda. The refugees were staying in a camp on the Ugandan side of the border. Two people from the opposing side (tribe) snuck in and put poison in the food. Luckily it was caught before the food was distributed to hundreds of people. Before this, a bus was burned of people again trying to flee the violence. The bus was burned by the opposing tribe as a retaliation tactic for people in another tribe having been injured and killed.

Kenyan tribal clashes are not the only clashes however. What about Darfur, Rwanda, Israel, Palestine, Hitler, Stalin, the war on terror? Any of these ring a bell? All of these have something to do with different tribes, ethnicities, and beliefs. What is it about people’s differences that create such havoc in the world? I suppose that it is not the first time this question has been asked nor will it be the last. Nor is there any one answer, otherwise the Middle East would not be such the hot bed it always has been. Everywhere in sight there is visible intolerance, hatred, and ignorance sparking the eruption of violence and planting the seeds to sprout future generations of fighting until we do the inevitable and exterminate ourselves.

One might ask what has sparked such animosity in my thinking. I am a generally overly optimistic person. I still am and believe that the world and people’s hearts can change, however the seemingly approach of the “end of the world” can not be ignored. Maybe it won’t even be the “end of the world” in a literal sense but one of a decreased quality of life. A while back a read a book titled “Stupid White Man” by the infamous Michael Moore.

One of the chapters focused on a future of the world running out of resources and a place once known as the “super power i.e. America” in where people are forced to use candles because there is no electricity left. A world in which vehicles are one of the past because there is no oil left. The chapter was trying to make a point that the world is on a path of decreased quality of living if something does not change.

The aforementioned clashes between people are not just based across the globe apart from the United States however, there is a war engulfing America as well. Democrats vs. Republicans, Atheists vs. Evangelicals, Creationists vs. Evolutionists, Black vs. White, Oil Companies vs. Environmentalists, Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life, and so on. We talk as if we are united as Nationalists of America but there is an inflaming war between Americans that have always existed. United as one is of the past and a divided nation is looming nearer especially here in Uganda.

The thought of Ugandan civil war erupting was a recent contemplation. In a conversation involving Kenya between me and a friend of mine, he brought up the realities of a looming war in Uganda. He told me that he foresaw civil war breaking out in Uganda within the next couple of years. Uganda has 56 different tribes and of those tribes one primarily owns and runs the country. Currently there is a battle between one tribe and another over land. Everywhere I go people ask each other what tribe they are. The Africans and the Indians don’t get along. All in all it seems inevitable that eventually there will be a “smoking gun” like the Kenyan election to incite Uganda in to a catastrophe as well. Having been recovering from the catastrophe of Indi Amin’s rule only twenty years ago it is soon to delve into another one. Whether the smoking Gun is Museveni's attempt at rigging his re-election or land being taken away it is an inevitable truth. Over all however I invite anyone to show me a place that is not at war somehow. I am unable to think of one.

Blissfully Ignorant

2008-01-03T05:48:00.000-08:00

"The world is falling apart and all we here about is blowjob gate." is a chillingly accurate quote from Blood Diamond. I watched Blood Diamond when it was first released in the states last year. It really made me think about the atrocities going on in the world that most people have never even heard off. Not long ago, before I moved to Kampala, I was ranting about the Darfur crisis. An acquaintance of mine looked at me in a daze and asked "what is Darfur?" I was floored. There is genocide happening and people don’t even know about it!!!

It is one thing to be grateful and appreciative of having the luxury of living in a place where we don’t have to worry about non-predictable bouts of violence sprouting up, running water, pluming, or a hot shower. It is another to be so ignorant of world events that the mention of Darfur or Rwanda doesn’t bring a chill to your bone. A while back I was speaking to my brother and he mentioned something that a professor of his had said at the end of the semester. I don’t remember the exact phrase but it was something to the extent that it was not by God’s mercy or anything particular that we (Americans) have done to be born in America, rather it is by pure luck. Anyone in this room could have just as easily been born somewhere different. When thinking about immigration or current affairs the least one can do is think about that.

Since being here in Uganda a-lot has happened. On one side of the coin I am having a-lot of fun and meeting a-lot of amazing people. On the flip side of things however, I finally understand the true meaning of blissfully ignorant. About a month ago there was an Ebola outbreak. About 40 people died and another 250 people were suspected of having it. Shortly after that Bhutto was assassinated. Of course Bhutto was killed in Pakistan, but the news was ramped here with a large portion of the population being Muslim. In that attack 150 people died. Now there are violent riots going on in Kenya. People are being burned in churches and buses. We have thousands of people fleeing the violence coming to Uganda. Fuel prices have skyrocketed in a country where people can barely afford to feed themselves. Every day there are families on the street begging for any bit of spare change one might have.

Often times in the State’s you hear about the “ghetto’s or slums” that people live in. I don’t want to downplay people’s suffering however we don’t know the meaning of a slum. A slum in the States consists of an apartment with running water, electricity, and probably at least a television set. A slum in Africa consists of no sewage, no electricity, and maybe a one room shack with five or six people living in it. The worst part about it is that it is all preventable.

The government is so corrupt that money is not distributed where it should be. When I first arrived there was the Commonwealth Heads of States here. The Ugandan government spent millions of dollars on building new hotels for them to stay in and making the downtown look nice by putting flowers and temporarily fixing the roads. Meanwhile there are places in the city that don’t have running water. Kids that can’t afford to even get a basic education.

These Governments talk about wanting to develop their country in to a modern society. How can one expect people to care about hosting the Queen or not littering when they can’t even figure out how to feed their family or buy things for basic hygiene? In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs he says that someone’s basic needs (food, health, and safety) have to be met before they can attain any sense of self actualization. In retrospect then, it seems that the government needs to focus more on taking care of their citizens by giving them a living wage and making it possible to feed their families before they work on hosting heads of governments in new facilities. One of the CHOGM slogans was “ six billion eyes are on Uganda.” If they really want to do justice for their country why did they not take those “six billion eyes” to visit these slums so that the world might be motivated to help solve the problem as well?

Over all it is not one individual’s fault for the things going on. Awareness is not spread in the US or other “developed” countries like it should be. On the other hand, there are plenty of good people out there doing what they can and what can be done is only so much if people are not working together to solve these problems. So the question remains then, “when was the last time the world wasn’t falling apart?” We are all part of the problem. Maybe not directly but we are because we refuse to be part of the solution. Of course in such a large world where do we begin?

Some Photos

2008-01-03T05:24:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone, here are a few more photos. I recently visited the Entebbe zoo and a beach at Lake Victoria. Both were very exciting!!!

White Rhino

Shoebill Stork

Chimpanzee

Lake Victoria

Ugandan Crane

Panty Pegs

2007-12-20T05:14:00.001-08:00

In the late night/early morning of my going away shin dig, several of my close friends and I were sitting in my friend Victor’s living room bantering back and forth. Among those in attendance was my pal Doreen. Doreen’s family is whom I am staying with in Uganda. While chatting she brought up “panty pegs.” She informed me that while in Uganda I would be using them. The term “panty pegs” struck an inquisitive note in most of my friends; including me. Since being in Uganda I have received several e-mails from those people present at my shin dig inquiring about panty pegs; thus the title of this blog.

In Uganda and I imagine much of the world; people wash their laundry by hand. Many houses employ a “house girl” or maid to do much of the work (cooking, cleaning, and laundry). Washing someone else’s underwear however is unacceptable (understandably so). Thus, it is everyone’s individual duty to wash their own underwear (panties). After washing they are hung in your closet on something similar to a hanger called a “panty peg.” Most of them are either pink or blue.

I hope everyone’s curiosity is satisfied!

Recent Adventures

2007-12-18T06:12:00.000-08:00

I have been in Uganda close to one and a half months. Realizing this, I decided that it was time to visit a couple of the Kampala historical sights. Kampala itself is a bustling city with an amazing nightlife, but little in terms of historic places to visit. Most tourist books recommend going outside of Kampala for the “touristy sights.” There are a couple of sights however, and I chose to visit them recently.

The fist sight I visited is The Uganda Museum: A display of Uganda's cultural heritage. It is a vivid reminder of the country's colorful past. One of its most interesting features is the collection of traditional musical instruments, which one is free to play. The Uganda Society’s library is housed in one room of the Uganda National Museum. Started in the 1930’s by a group of scholars, the collection is comprised of approximately 3,000 volumes, maps, periodicals and photographs, all pertaining to African history, culture, sociology, travel and science. In addition to its collection, the library houses the books of the East African Wildlife Society and a number of books from the museum which were given to the society’s care some years ago. The Uganda Museum (founded in 1908) in Kampala has exhibits of traditional culture, archeology, history, science, and natural history. It regularly presents performances of traditional music.

The following day I visited some historic tombs. The Kasubi tombs are one of the burial grounds/royal tombs of the Kabakas of Buganda, and the site is an example of traditional Ganda Architecture, culture and living traditions. The palace was built by Kabaka Mutesa I in 1882 and according to culture, each king was supposed to be buried at a separate site when he died and a royal shrine to house his jawbone which was believed to contain his spirit was to be established at another site. Mutesa I was the 35th King of Buganda (1856-1884) and the first king to be buried in his former palace (the Tombs) at Kasubi without removing his jawbone. Mwanga II who succeeded his father Mutesa in 1884 was the second king to be buried at the Tombs after his remains were brought back from exile (Seychelles islands) in 1910. His son Daudi Chwa II succeeded him at the age of one year in 1896 and ruled until his death in 1939. He too was buried in the Tombs. Daudi Chwa II was succeeded by his son Edward Mutesa II and the then governor of the Uganda protectorate. He died in 1966 in exile (London) and his remains were brought back and buried in the Tombs in 1971.
The Kasubi Tombs is an important Burial site for the Kabakas of Buganda because old traditions were broken at the site when the Kabakas were buried together. Each prince and princess who is a descendant of the four Kabakas is also buried at Kasubi behind the main shrine. The site is important as a cemetery of the royalty of the Buganda kingdom.

The tombs comprise the Bujjabukula (Gatehouse) a beautifully built gate, which is the entrance of the site. It's constructed with wooden columns and a wall made of wooden woven reeds. The gate leads to a small courtyard with a circular house-House of Royal drums (Ndoga-obukaba) where the drums are kept. In the main courtyard, there are several houses built for the widows of the kabakas and other ritual purposes. At Kasubi and all other royal tombs, there is an area behind a back-cloth curtain known as kibira (forest) where the real Tombs of the kabakas are and where certain royal ceremonies are performed like the new moon ceremony and the consultations of the mediums. In front of the curtain, there are raised platforms corresponding to the position of each kabakas tomb behind the curtain. Entrance to the "Secret forest" is only limited to the widows of the Kabakas, the royal family, the Buganda Prime-minister (katikkiro) and the Nalinya (kabakas official sister).
The Kasubi Tombs are adorned with royal regalia like spears, drums, medals, photographs and shields of the kabakas buried there. The structure is supported by wooden poles wrapped in backcloth and the floor covered with grass and palm leaves mats. Backcloth traditionally popular for clothing is a fabric made from the soft back of a fig tree (Ficus natalensis) and has a strong ritual importance to the people of Uganda. Thatching of the roof is carried out by members of the Ngeye clan (colobus monkey clan) ant the decorators of the poles are from the Leopard clan, who are the only people allowed to do this work.
Pregnant women and widows are not allowed to enter the building while its being thatched since this is believed to cause leakage. Similarly, the thatchers are not supposed to have sexual intercourse during the thatching period. The great roof is supported by 52 rings, which represent the 52 clans culture.

Overall, both visits were fun and educational. Anyone whom decides to come visit Uganda should visit both of these sights!

"Drinking Club with a Running Problem"

2007-12-13T07:18:00.000-08:00

Within a few days of arriving in Uganda I joined a "drinking club with a running problem" as most people describe it. Florence is the Hash mistress, thus every Monday I go with her and Daphne to run. Generally speaking we run around 6k and then eat and drink. The people in the club are fun and outgoing and really love running.

Following the run we join together in "the circle." In this circle they welcome new comers to the club by making them chug a beer. They then spend time picking on people and making them drink for any reason such as not joining the circle, talking during the circle, or just for fun. After one has been to the club a certain amount of time they give them a Hash name. Generally the names are things such as “Bent Pussy”, “Ebola”, or “Dirty Dick.” One can imagine the crowd!!! I have yet to have been named thus retaining my dignity at this point. Also, if you have new shoes they put beer in the shoe and make you chug it. I luckily have not had that pleasure. I think I would easily throw up! Over all it is a fun lively crowd.

For those of you who know me, I am not a runner. I enjoy sports such as swimming, tennis, or rock climbing. I have never had the endurance it takes to continue running past a mile. Thus, joining this club was a big step for me. I have really enjoyed it thus far and have met a few friends through my horrible attempt at running.

Last weekend I was roped in to running a marathon; courtesy of my Hash colleagues. As cool as a marathon sounds, I chose only to run the 10k. Daphne, Noreen and I finished in a little less than an hour and a half. Pretty horrible, but it was fun. The marathon was for charity and it made it all worth it. All of the proceeds of the marathon are going to North Ugandan Refugee camps.

Sorry for the Inconveniance

2007-12-04T23:14:00.000-08:00

Before I came to Uganda I was forewarned that the power frequently goes off. In the States such occurrences happen rarely and usually during a storm or some freak mistake by the power company. In Uganda the government randomly shuts the power off in an effort to conserve energy I suppose. There is never any set time the power will stay off either. It may be two hours and it may be all night. One moment I am blow-drying my hair and the next I am putting it in a pony tail because I could not complete the task.

Living in Uganda is not like living in the States in which there are street lamps and neighboring houses with lights. Thus when the power is shut off, the darkness is a complete blackout leaving no room no maneuver other than ones trusty sense of feel or lack there of in my case. Once it is shut off there is the task of stumbling to the next room to find candles or other like items that might help. It is especially inconvenient when it is shut off while getting ready to go out per say. Luckily however, I was warned and brought my trusty head lamp; that of which has served as a companion.

Nancy Reagan Advises to "Just Say No"

2007-11-26T03:07:00.000-08:00

When I was in 9th grade I ate an earth worm for extra credit in a science class. Being that it was worth 100 extra credit points and the mounting pressure from my classmates that had already eaten one I chewed it up and swallowed the little guy with little to no hesitation. Peer pressure is often an amazing incentive and eating a grasshopper here in Uganda is of no exception.

I did my research on Uganda before arriving and thought that I was relatively educated on the culture and food; however no where in any of the research were grasshoppers mentioned. In a conversation one evening Daphne asked me if I had ever eaten an insect. I told her my story of the earth worm. She looked at me in disgust and could not believe I would do such a thing even for extra credit! It was beyond her comprehension. Not even a moment later she, nonchalantly mentions that grasshoppers are good and they are eaten in Uganda frequently. I laughed and shrugged it off as a sarcastic attempt to poke fun of my worm eating adventure.

The following day while we were having a drink at a local restaurant/bar a man strolled by with a container filled with crispy looking things resembling the shell of something fried. Daphne motioned the guy over and he gave us a handful of the fried items on a napkin. Daphne was not fibbing; sprawled out before me were fried grasshoppers! Since I am in a new place I decided to be bold and try one. Much to my surprise they were actually pretty good.

Sold by street vendors and eaten as if they are lays baked potato chips, grasshoppers are indeed a commonly eaten snack. With the head and body in tact, legs pulled off, deep fried, smothered in spices; these little guys serve as a decent appetizer. Apart from the black beady eyes staring at you before you pop them in your mouth and the crunchy dilemma of knowing one is eating a grasshopper, they are better than I would have imagined.

Pictures

2007-11-26T01:33:00.000-08:00

I haven't taken a lot of photos since being here, mostly because I have been in the city. Below are a few photos however, and I will post more later. I will be taking a few short trips up country in the coming months and should have more to post.

Introductory Ceremony (prior to wedding)

Me in a Gomes (Traditional Ugandan Dress)

Daphne, Mariam, and Derek

Kampala (the view from my office)

My Backyard

Spine Drive (The Road I Live On)

Are you ready for CHOGM?

2007-11-13T23:52:00.001-08:00

One of the very first things that I learned after stepping off of the airplane in Uganda is that The CHOGM is coming. Buildings are being repaired, hotels are being built, and police are out in full force making the streets safe for CHOGM. Local DJ’s are announcing it, taxis are advertising, night clubs talk about it, and the local television stations mention it at least every 10 minutes. It remains nearly impossible to go anywhere in the city without hearing about CHOGM. In fact, a week before CHOGM arrives it has been announced that there will be two days of National Holiday It is even said that it is possible the city may shut down when the CHOGM arrive. The question remains then; what is The CHOGM?

CHOGM is the 56 Heads of States and 5000 delegates that are going to be visiting Uganda on November 22 and 23. The Queen of England and Prince Charles will be among those visiting. Uganda was colonized by the British, thus those that are a part of the common wealth will be here. The government is building new hotels for the Heads of State and removing houses and businesses in certain areas to make the city look cleaner. The problem with this is that many people are being displaced with no where to go or no means to make a living due to this “cleanup.” Also, the government is spending a lot of money to build these nice hotels that will likely not be able to sustain after the CHOGM leave.

Ultimately the following weeks should be very interesting in Uganda due to CHOGM. A city of 2 million people shutting down is hard to believe, however since being here I can understand how it will likely happen. I will be staying in my house because of the hassle and potential danger with protests and such. I will update this as soon as The CHOGM arrive and will let everyone know what happens.

Initial Impression

2007-11-13T23:50:00.000-08:00

I have been in Kampala about five days now and have been having a wonderful time. The people are so friendly and welcoming and the food is fantastic. As many of you probably already know, I am an individual whom loves different types of food and experiences, thus I am in the perfect place. Doreen’s mother (Florence) and sister(Daphne) picked me up at the airport and have been showing me around since.

The house in which I am staying is very nice, especially for Ugandan standards. I am sharing a room with Daphine until she leaves for the states in January. Also living in the home is Florence, Noreen, and Sumya. Noreen is an adopted daughter of Florence whom helps around the house and goes to school. Sumya works for Florence and does most of the cleaning and cooking. Both have been so welcoming and friendly; I could not have asked for a better place to stay.

Since being here I have been learning how to take minibuses and boda boda’s. Minibuses are the main transportation I will be taking. They are little vans that drive around going to different places. They are usually between 500 and 1000 shillings which end up being between 25 and 50 cents. Generally speaking they are kind of slow; however they will get you anywhere very cheaply. They often pack 15 or more in to one bus. Boda boda’s have been my favorite thus far, although are the most dangerous. They are little motorcycles that will also take you anywhere. Due to the road conditions and the heavy traffic, they are not very safe. Boda boda’s are good to take when you are in a hurry because the driver’s are crazy and will swerve through anything. It is sort of like riding an amusement park ride, however are much more likely to kill you.

Boda Boda

Mini Bus

Roads here are mostly dirt, and those that are not may as well be because of the pot holes. Florence told me that “if you see a car driving straight you know they are drunk.” This is due to the pot holes. Cars are swerving constantly to miss them. I am absolutely stunned that people are able to get around as much as they do, especially in the rainy season. They manage however, and I have a new sense of what types of roads non-four wheel drive cars are able to handle.

The term used for me here by many people, especially kids, is mazoonga (white girl). Although the official language in Uganda is English, many and most people will frequently speak in Luganda. I have no problem communicating because they all know English, but I will often be in a taxi and hear people speaking. When I hear Mazoonga I know they are talking about me. Daphne is currently doing an internship at a newspaper here, thus she has passes to a lot of events. On my second night here she took me to a press party at a club. I had a fantastic time. They had two performers who are like pop stars come and perform (Julliana and Camilla). While I was there however, the press kept following me around taking pictures because I was the only Mazoonga there. It was very entertaining.

Daphne and I

Katanga, Daphne, Florence, and I

Also, when I arrived Florence had a traditional Ugandan dress called a Gomes made for me. I attended what they call an introductory ceremony with Daphne. It is a pre-wedding ceremony in which the parents are introduced. It was several hours long of dancing and random stuff I could not understand. The boy’s family offered the girls family a-lot of gifts; that of which included a half of a cow, chicken, stove, and lots of other random items.

Any how, these are just a few of the things since I have been here. I will update shortly on more interesting events and experiences.

In Route

2007-11-13T23:36:00.000-08:00

Most of those reading this blog already know that I have recently moved to Uganda. I arrived in Kampala after a grueling 40 hour transit. I left Salt Lake City on Monday November 5th at 10:00 a.m. and arrived in Uganda on November 7th at 2:30 p.m. Granted, many of those hours were spent in airports during layovers, however the layover’s seemed longer then flying. The entire journey was not horrible however. I was able to spend 9 hours in Dubai which was definitely the most interesting airport that I have ever been in.

Dubai is located in the Middle East near Kuwait. I was a bit nervous flying there due to all of the things going on in the Middle East and it being obvious that I am a white American girl traveling alone. My layover there turned out to be very interesting however, and I have left there with a new prospective. I met several people in the airport that I spent a good amount of time chatting with and having coffee.

One such person was from Iraq but lived in the UK. He had been on holiday visiting his family and was waiting to catch a flight back to the UK. It was intriguing speaking with him because his family still lived in Iraq; however he had been gone for 11 years. He had no desire to return for good and wishes his family would leave, however they are content and love Iraq. He talked about how lucky he was to have been able to leave and wishes more had the same opportunity.

Another individual was also from Iraq and was fleeing to China. I was sitting reading a book when he passed by and abruptly stopped and looked at me. He came and sat next to me and enthusiastically asked me if I was an American. He was an eighteen year old whom had never been on an airplane and was leaving for what he hoped was forever. He spent some time talking about the war and the many dangers that he faces daily. He talked about the many bombs and people that he has seen killed. Unlike many people in Iraq, he loved the Americans and it was his dream to go to America. He told me how he has spent much time researching the facts and feels that most Iraq people are blind to what is really going on. I exchanged e-mails with both of them and will hopefully get updates on their adventures. Over all, the short time that I spent in Dubai was a great learning experience. Almost everyone was very friendly and I did not run in to any problems.

List of Acronyms and & Text Messaging Shorthand: Interesting Indeed

2007-09-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

Recently I went to a conference in which a myriad of items were discussed involving today's teens. One of the presentations that I sat in on was "Connecting with Teenagers and Technology." I consider myself pretty knowledgeable involving technology, especially text messaging. It is a communication style that I frequently use. The presenter passed out a huge list of acronyms and shorthand for text messaging. I was shocked!!! I never knew there were so many, and I was especially surprised by what some of the short hand stood for. So, without further adieu, below is a list of some of them. I hope that everyone finds them as amusing and disturbing as I do.

2bz4uqt=too busy for you cutey
2g2b4g=too good to be forgotten
2g2bt=too good to be true
4eae=forever and ever
4nr=foreigner
8=oral sex
9=parent is watching
99=parenting is no longer watching
aaf=as a friend
adbb=all done bye bye
adih=another day in hell
afdn=any fucking day now
atab=aint that a bitch
awgthtgttsa=are we going to have to go through this shit again
bsaaw=big smile and a wink
btfo=back the fuck off or bend the fuck over
dyhab=do you have a boyfriend
dyhag=do you have a girlfriend
esadyfa=eat shit and die you fucking asshole
esmf=eat shit mother fucker
f2f=face to face
fmuta=fuck me up the ass
fo=fuck off
galgal=get a load of her
gap=got a pic
gbh=great big hug
gos=gay or straight
gyhooya=get you head out of your ass
gypo=get your pants off
iliciscomk=i laughed, i cried, i spat/spit coffee/crumbs/coke on my keyboard
ipn=i'm posting naked
ish=insert sarcasm here
its=intense text sex
jeomk=just ejaculated on my keyboard

Anyhow, I think you get the point. The presenter passed out at leas 10 pages of shorthand similar to this. My question is who in the hell comes up with these? Also, how do they know what they stand for? ISH=insert sarcasm here? Why is it not I sleep here or various other things it could be? Some of them are very obvious but for those that are not who uses them and why? Also, are not some of them fairly disturbing? Anyway, there is my rant for the day.

Chopstick Disaster

2007-07-29T16:05:00.000-07:00

It has recently come to my attention that chopsticks are of the devil! Okay, using the devil as a reference to chopsticks may be a bit exaggerated, but there is an important point here. Chopsticks are contributing to the demise of our environment. Don’t get me wrong; I am a fan of Chinese food and Japanese food. I will even go as far as to declare Sushi as my favorite cuisine. I never pass up an opportunity to get Sushi. There is something special about the ambiance that a Sushi restaurant provides, aside from the delicious food; something of a hip, healthy, and smooth vibe. I am guilty of partaking of using chopsticks as much as anyone, if not more. In all my years of partaking of the slice of heaven referred to as Sushi, not once did I stop to think about how many chopsticks are used on a daily basis in one restaurant, let alone the world!

Take a moment to ponder the amount of chopsticks being thrown away on a daily basis in one city alone. Once you are able to wrap your mind around that, think about the amount used in one state, in one country, and then worldwide! It is not Sushi restaurants alone however; it is Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and so on. These wooden utensils are made from trees, a resource that is being rapidly depleted. Rain forests are disappearing at an alarming rate, yet billions of chopsticks are being manufactured every day and wrapped in once again paper; another product created from trees! Although it seems like a minor offense due to the small size of chopsticks, it is a problem spanning across the world only contributing to the depletion of trees. What do we do to stop the amount of waste that wooden chopsticks create? Should we boycott going to restaurants that provide chopsticks or only use forks? Neither of those seem very fair. There is a solution however, reusable chopsticks!

Reusable chopsticks are not a difficult concept. In reality it is an environmentally friendly, financially sound, and socially acceptable solution. The sheer amounts of waste that would be saved from restaurants and individuals investing in a pair of reusable chopsticks seem logical. Restaurants would have to pay more up front to purchase reusable chopsticks, but would save money in the end. Most nice restaurants use washable napkins anyway. Why not provide reusable chopsticks wrapped in washable napkins and do our parts for the environment and save some money? We don’t have to give up our love of different cuisine, we can purchase our own chopsticks and take them with us to use if the restaurant does not provide reusable chopsticks.

Now that I have spent some time ranting and attempting to persuade people to stop using wooden chopsticks, everyone go buy a pair of reusable chopsticks, and enjoy a nice sushi roll filled with orgasmic pleasures!

Seven ways at looking at the man and woman in the Red Door

2007-07-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

1.) Amongst a room of about 20 unsuspecting individuals the man sits with his stomach turning, while covering it up with constant chatter. His stomach turns with the unknown thought of the woman sitting across from him.

2.) A woman scans the room nervously afraid to glance at the individual sitting across from her for reasons unsuspecting to the naked eye.

3.) The candles and lamps burn dimly as the room of 20 talks amongst themselves. Some notice a couple in the corner that appear to be on a date while others search the room for a possible new person to meet. Others drink their dirty martinis, paying no attention to anyone other than those familiar faces in which are near.

4.) A bar tender scurries across the bar serving numerous martinis to individuals scattered every which way. He puts on a smile while unsuspectingly running around frantically in hopes of making some much needed money on tips and praying silently not to make a mistake as too possibly get behind. He brings a third glass of red wine to the man sitting across from the woman; she is still on her first. What will he tip at the end of the evening?

5.)A woman glances through a crowd in the dim room over and over while searching through her thoughts. She is bored, it is not working out, and she needs a scapegoat. There is a door leading outside, a bathroom trapping her for a while, and a bunch of unfamiliar faces in which cannot help her in her awkward state. Which if any does she choose?

6.) A man sits in the cold outside the Red Door near a curb on 2nd and Main. His eyes wonder into the seemingly cozy room in which people are throwing their money away as if it is nothing. His eyes slowly move from individual to individual watching every move with thoughts of selfishness running through his mind. One individual is on his third glass of wine. He could use that money to buy food.

7.) A doorman sits on a stool checking ID’s as people walk in. He glances over at the two girls on the couch that seem very young. Did he check their ID’s? They came in around the time that the man and the woman on the other side of the room did. It’s to late now, he doesn’t want to bother with the possible hassle they may give him. They aren’t causing any harm. They are simply sipping a couple of martinis and giving the bar tender some much needed money. He will ignore them because no one else has said anything.

Tales of muppets, rock stars, and paleontologists

2007-07-13T10:46:00.000-07:00

Bri and I decide to take a stroll down to Wild Oats Market to participate in a well known little sport called people watching. We purchase some salad and soup and then go to the top floor in which a view of the entire store and everyone in it is accessible

First comes Beaker. You know…beaker the Muppet? Yes… there is an employee of Wild Oats Market that looks remarkably like beaker. Next is bread boy. He analyzes and investigates every loaf of bread as if it is a choice that will lead him to his death if not cautious. He picks one loaf of bread continues to walk away and abruptly stops turns and chooses a different loaf of bread on several different occasions. Finally after repeating the analyzing, investigating, choosing, and returning he decides on the very first one he chose.

Next is all the intriguing little kids running around. We have a family that consists of Rocks Star and Paleontologist. The little girl of about age 3 has tight spandex pants that have designs of stars all over, a cool shirt, long blonde hair, and sunglasses. She pushes a little cart around following her mother and brother paleontologist. Paleontologist carries with him a fanny pack, tight beige pants that go to his belly button and glasses. An interesting duo indeed!

Then comes along Beanie Girl, she has the coolest little outfit ever, talks like a Muppet, and pushes a mini cart around that reads, “customer in training.” She stands next to the boy who looks like the kid off Jerry Maguire. Yes…it’s all true. Beanie Girl then proceeds to pick up off the floor what looks like a dried apricot, she tugs on her mother’s shirt to show her. I proceed to tell Bri that I hope Beanie Girl doesn’t eat the strange item on the floor, the next thing I know the mother of Beanie Girl grabs the item and eats it herself!

Needless to say it was a wonderful day of people watching in which I hope to do again soon!

The Illusionist

2007-07-13T10:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever sat in a movie theater with a bunch of friends watching one of those so called "scary movies?" The one that is so ridiculous that it can't be taken seriously. Rather than be categorized as a horror film it should really be in the comedy section. Dawn of the Dead is one of those films. It became a "cult classic" due to its attempt at being scary but only accomplishing laughter. Of course when you are sitting in a big theater surrounded by people laughing with you it is truly funny.

Everything changes when you are in your downstairs basement all alone at midnight watching the same movie that months earlier made you cry from so much laughing. This time it is different. The possibilities of the ridiculous things being portrayed in the movie seem logical when you are alone. Mutated mountain men in the West Virginia hills are actually on their way to your basement to slay you with an axe. Even worse, the boogie man really does exist and he is waiting for the opportune time to attack. Butterflies begin to swarm around in your stomach, multiplying with every second that passes. You start looking around to see if something is going to jump out at you. Wait a minute; was that a shadow on the wall? Holy mother of God, there is a strange sound coming from behind you. Finally it is too much! You jump up, turn the lights on, shut the TV off, run to your room, and jump under your covers. The same mind frame of when you were five comes rushing back. Of course if you get under your covers that demon that lives under your bed can't possibly retrieve you.

The mind is an amazing thing. Its capabilities are far reaching, delving into realms that have yet to be discovered. The roles it takes on vary in shape and size. It can be a best friend creating logical justification helping you sleep better at night, a teacher that is constantly helping to process information in a relative format to your frame of thoughts, an enemy that betrays everything you once knew; you mean Pluto isn't a planet, and an illusionist that bring to life the phrase "the mind plays tricks on the eyes."

There we were the dynamic duo Bri and Jessica crossing the bridge for our routine game of tennis. We were determined to one day become professional tennis players. It seemed to be a likely scenario being that we played every day. It didn't matter that we had only begun playing several weeks prior to this night. We were destined to go down in history as undefeated Wimbledon champions. The Williams sisters were no skin off our backs. They would never encounter as fierce competitors as Bri and I. We were beginning our practice this particular evening a little later than usual. As we walked by the abandoned dorms near the highly anticipated tennis courts, Bri noticed a light on in one of the third floor dorms. It was a curious situation being that the dorms were scheduled to be torn down.

It was also an ironic situation being that earlier that day the tales of Ted Bundy having been a RA in these dorms years earlier had been swarming around. Bri and I glanced at each other with a bit of nervousness residing in our eyes, but quickly began to laugh as our minds logical side took a grip. We continued walking past the dorms, checking the doors to see if maybe a homeless man had invaded the abandoned building. None of the doors were open; the situation quickly became more intriguing. We had a tennis game to catch however, so our investigation had to come to an end. We quickly changed the subject of conversation and continued along toward our destination residing only moments away. After all, the lights only stayed lit for another three hours; it was imperative that we rush to be able to fit in a grueling tennis practice. Being number one at Wimbledon would be no easy task and take a lot of dedication. We were not so naive that we didn't realize this.

After an exhilarating game of tennis, Bri and I began our journey home. It was only about a 15 minute walk, one in which we had done frequently. This time however, it was dark and a bit intimidating. As we walked past the abandoned dorms both Bri and I were a bit nervous noticing that another light was on. How could this be? We had checked all the doors previously and none of them were open. We both were thinking the same thing, but didn't want to say it due to the reaction it would likely bring. We strolled past the dorms as if neither of us were secretly glancing over our shoulders to find the perpetrator that was likely hiding in the bushes waiting for Bri and me to walk past again. We continued our conversation about the song "complicated" by Avril Lavine when suddenly I felt someone grab my hand urging me to follow.

Bri had grabbed my hand in an effort to pull me along as she began to run. My heart stopped! I had never heard a more shrilling scream come from anyone, let alone Bri. This was a serious situation. I had heard of the rush of adrenaline that comes over a person in an emergency situation before, but had never experienced it until this moment. I ran as if I was an Olympic athlete. I had never been so motivated in my life. I was sure this was the end of my life. Thoughts of Ted Bundy mutilating my body and burying it in a discrete location in the hills filled my head. Would anyone notice that Bri and I had gone missing? Would I get caught and Bri get away? All of this occurred in a mere two seconds, but it seemed like it had easily been much longer when Bri dropped to the ground in laughter.

I was so confused. As I turned to look over my shoulder there was no one there, except a parking meter! I instantly knew that Bri and I had been the victims of a parking meter, not the contrived man hiding in the bushes. I also dropped to the ground in laughter. After the mirth had subsided Bri and I lied on the hard pavement catching our breaths from what we had full heartedly believed to be the end of our Wimbledon dreams and even worse our lives! Just imagining the horrible things that a Ted Bundy copycat would likely do to Bri and I was enough to offer someone a heart attack. A sense of relief permeated me until Pumpkin (a well known dorm mate of ours) walked past and waved. Had he seen everything that went on? Had he heard our shrilling screams of fear and death?

After lying on the pavement under the street lamp composing ourselves, we decided to venture the remainder of the route home never to mention our experience to anyone. Pumpkin also known as Justin, never said anything to us about that night. We will never know if he witnessed the trick of the illusionist. To this day, when I see a parking meter, which happens frequently, I grin at our painstakingly comical event.

Peruvian Delight Day 1

2007-07-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

Adventures of this caliber are difficult to describe with the vigor that it deserves. Having extended this disclaimer before hand, I will attempt to put into words my AMAZING trip I recently took. Peru is a small country located in Western South America. It is bordered by Ecuador, Columbia, Brazil, Bolivia, Chili, and the Pacific Ocean. Don’t be fooled however, although small, it is a country filled with astonishing sites and geography surpassed by few. Peru is a country abundant with rich unique culture and heritage woven by many denominations of ethnicities including Amerindians, Africans, and Spanish. The primary language spoken is Spanish, although there are a myriad of native languages such as Quechua spoken throughout the country. Knowing very little about Peru other then having heard of Machu Picchu and my brother having recently moved there, I was in for nothing less then a spectacular journey starting at sea level and ending at a sheer 12,507 feet (figuratively and literally).

My journey began with a long arduous day of airport adventure (as I am sure many of you can relate). My flight left the Salt Lake City airport around 6:30 a.m., placing me in the Atlantic Georgia airport at noon. I had a five hour layover in which I spent most of the time curled up in a ball sleeping. I then boarded my plane for a grueling seven hour flight to Lima Peru. Getting off of the flight and going though customs and immigrations was quite possibly the most taxing part of my day. Customs itself took over an hour to get through, teaching me my first lesson of Peru. Peruvians take their time! I had received a message from my brother prior to boarding my flight indicating that he would be sending an Embassy car to pick me up. I would be able to recognize the driver because he should be holding a sign holding my name. I naively expected to walk out of the airport and see my driver immediately. After all, how many signs could there be? Hundreds is the answer! I walked out to a frenzy of sign holders, people asking me if I needed a taxi, others seemingly beckoning me in Spanish (that of which I don’t speak or understand). Luckily, after standing there confused and dazed for a moment, my brother popped up. He was a welcoming sight for the weary.

My initial impression of Lima was not what I had expected. I had been preparing myself for a very poor country with dirt roads and kids on the street corner begging. I later learned that I was not entirely wrong, in fact mostly correct according to the majority of Peru. The area in which we drove and my brother lives however was very modern. There were clubs, casinos, restaurants (Chili’s), and modern cars. The driving was something to be hold however. Driving in Peru is not unlike most underdeveloped countries I suppose; unsafe and crazy! Driving in Peru demands that you be on your toes at all times and you must be both an offensive and defensive driver. Another striking observation was that Peruvians will not stop for pedestrians. They will run you over, this is no exaggeration. After what I deemed a miracle, we arrived at my brother’s home safe and sound.

I woke to a beautiful sun filled day and my nephew staring at me. Being the responsible one that my brother is, he was at work. My sister in-law had a meeting that she was at. Thus, it was Caleb, Aurora (the maid), and I. My brother’s house is located only a few moments walk from a spectacular view of the ocean. Not being able to contain my excitement of being in a new place and only moments away from the Ocean I told Aurora (in as many words as I could because she only speaks Spanish) that I was going to take a walk and find the Ocean. I asked her how to say Coffee in Spanish and I was on my way. I was greeted along the way by random pedestrians with “Hola, Buenos Dias,” hello, and good morning. After a few moments I had my first phrase in Spanish down. Next was the obstacle of ordering Coffee. I never imagined doing something as simple as ordering coffee could be so nerve racking. I understood for the first time what it must be like for people living in the US without knowing English. I went to a corner café and listened politely to the cashier greet me and then politely replied with the only phrase I knew, “Hola, Buenos dias. Café con leche?” She quickly understood that I was a dumb American that could barely spit out the phrase, “hello, and good morning. Coffee with milk? She politely smiled and gave me some coffee. First goal accomplished!

I continued my stroll toward the ocean with my “café con leche” in hand. Along the way I was sure to be careful while crossing the street. As aforementioned; Peruvian driving is chaotic at minimum. Aside from the virtual game of hopscotch that I skillfully participated in with the thousands of cars while crossing an intersection; I was solicited a myriad of times by buses appearing shanty at best resembling somewhat of a clown car by way of dangerously overcrowding itself with people. Having declined risking my life in any of the shanty clown buses, I finally arrived at my destination. The view itself was somewhat of a distance from the ocean. There was a boardwalk streaming across the city of Lima, I don’t know how far it reached. Along the board walk were beautiful purple flowers and trees. I sat on a brick fence for a moment pondering the surreal reality that I was in a different country and at the moment alone in a city of people that I could not communicate with. The feeling was one of enthusiasm, excitement, and curiosity.

As I gazed at the ocean and the city below me, I felt a tap on my shoulder. A man of short stature and an aged face murmured something directed at me. I politely informed him that I did not speak Spanish. He smiled in a welcoming manner and pointed to the brick wall. I replied with a smile and hand gesture indicating that he was welcome to sit next to me. He began talking to me as if we had long been friends. I did not understand what he was saying apart from a few muddled words I was able to distinguish from my Spanish I class in high school. Although little was understood language wise, we had a marvelous conversation using facial expressions, body language, and hand gestures. I understood that he was a student with hopes to move to the United States sometime in the future. I explained to him that I had a brother living here and I was on vacation. As he continued to speak I glanced at my watch and realized that my sister in-law would be home shortly. Being that it was my first day in Peru I thought she would probably be worried about me if I was not home when she returned. I thanked the man for a delightful time and expressed that I had to leave. He gave me a kiss on the cheek and we parted.

I arrived at my brother’s home to be greeted by Aurora. She informed me that Seniora Linsey had called and was on her way home. When Linsey arrived Caleb and I were in the living room reading Cat in the Hat or some sort of like book. She asked if I would be interested in going to lunch with her and an American friend. I excitedly agreed. We walked to the street corner and hailed a cab. I was taught another important lesson at this moment. When getting a taxi, always negotiate. She gave me the run down of average prices. The first taxi we hailed attempted to give us an above average price because we were two white girls. He assumed we were tourists and didn’t know better. He was half correct; I was a tourist and would not have known any better had I not been informed moments earlier. Linsey on the other hand had been in Lima for close to 9 months and was very well aware of how things are run in Peru.

We met her friend outside of her apartment complex. We decided being that it was my first day in Peru that we would walk. The area we walked in was also a very nice part of Peru. There were Peruvians dressed in business attire walking around in the bustling city. We stopped at a small sandwich shop not far from where we began. Although Lima itself is not known for its sight seeing, the food is something to be admired. Generally speaking the food I encountered in Lima exploded with orgasmic flavors, not excluding this meal! Linsey ordered a traditional drink for me. She explained that Peruvians love this drink called “Chicha.” It looked like grape juice, but tasted nothing of the like. It is made of corn. Although my sister in-law adamantly discarded it as gross, I remained neutral. I wouldn’t order it again, but I did not dislike it. Peruvians however LOVE it; along with Inca Cola (to be discussed later). After lunch we took a taxi back to the house in which we arrived home shortly before my brother. We spent the remainder of the evening catching up and just hanging out. I took a small stroll with my brother to the corner café in which I had visited earlier that day for dinner. We ordered some empanada’s that of which were delightfully delicious and chatted about nonchalant items. I retired to bed that evening having been pleased with my relaxed yet exciting day in Peru.

I'm not interesting enough to be a television character

2007-07-10T23:29:00.000-07:00

As most of you have probably noticed being that you are currently reading this, the title of this blog is, "I'm not interesting enough to be a television character." This notion dawned on me in an evening of cocktails and deep contemplation about the philosophies of life according to Jessica and Casandra. As one can imagine, not many of the philosophies made much sense. Among those philosophies involved one important conversation however, about the characters in the television series Sex and the City.

Casandra began by making the very important point that when most people compare themselves to any character in Sex and the City they usually say they are a combination of Carrie and someone else. Although Casandra was not comparable to a character in Sex in the City, she definitely fit the profile of a myriad of other television characters as do many of my friends. It then dawned on me that this was not the scenario for me. Both Casandra and I contemplated for a long while about any character I would fit. In the end we still came up with nothing. Thus, I have been in search of a title character that I can relate to. I have yet to discover it. Our evening ended on the premise that I am indeed not interesting enough to be a television character!