Watch the Walk

Have you ever had someone tell you that you had food on your face? It might be slightly embarrassing, but I'm always grateful for the people who serve as my mirrors and help me out when unaware. But sometimes the person trying to fix your look gets it wrong. You think there's a story in this? Of course! After about a month of living on Clove Island, I was walking away from my house toward a teammate's house when a neighbor waved me over to her shop. This baby has also had black eyebrows drawn on her. "Come!" she yelled.  Well, that I understood. I came over to her. "Come closer"  -- uh, okay. I was a little closer to her than I was comfortable with, but it's not like I knew the culture yet, so maybe there was something I needed to learn. Nope, it was too close alright. Next thing I knew, she was drawing on my face! "Ah, you're so beautiful!" she exclaimed, and handed me a mirror. Know what she drew? BLACK EYEBROWS. And then she gifted m...

 I love driving, but for my 2.5 years on Clove Island I never got behind the wheel of a car. I got to experience a lot of other drivers. So, for your perusal, I present to you a few of the driving types on my African scene: 1) Classic taxi driver: this guy is young, energetic, likes to smoke, and drives fast. Heavy on the accelerator, heavy on the brakes, fuel economy isn't really his thing. What is his thing? Women. Passengers are often delayed as he stops and visits with his various girlfriends along the way. 2) Family man taxi driver: a little older, this guy will double as a "school bus" driver, filling the back of his car with 7 or 8 little kids (in addition to an adult passenger or two) whom he delivers to each of their homes. He can often be seen chewing out small children any time they do something he perceives as unsafe (hands out the window, moving around too much, exiting the car into traffic...). 3) Private car owner type 1: this person cares about their car, ...

Want to play Bingo??? Old people are awesome. Did you know that, on Clove Island, there's a different greeting to use for older (and more respected) people? If I slipped up and didn't greet an elder with the right phrase my language helpers would chew me out for my lapse of respect. This last weekend I visited one of my few remaining older relatives. Referred to as "the G.A.," a reference to one of Arthur Ransome's books, Aunt Vivian is one of my favorite people to visit. She's lived in the same retirement community since before I can remember and every visit is a special experience. Why are old people awesome? Let's start the list: 1) they can take life at a slower pace (and often do). Just walking into the retirement community reminds me of this as older couples and individuals wander the grounds at a gentle pace. Granted, there are the people who get too zippy because they've got their walker to keep them upright, but the vast majority move at an ea...

After a rash of more serious posts, I figure it's time for a fun one. And since I'm a list-maker, what better than a post of lists. So without further ado, here are some lists 5. Bad ways to start a day 1) You roll over to discover that the pillow next to you has molded overnight. 2) Reaching into the closet for clothes and finding a new ant nest. 3) Turning on the water for a shower to discover the cistern is empty and there's no water. 4) The power still hasn't come on at 10 AM. 5) The mayor is at the front door 4. Things I've never done: 1) Broken a bone 2) Skiied or snowboarded 3) Gotten a tattoo 4) Dyed my hair 3. Things I've done and wished I hadn't 1) Vacationed alone 2) Every sunburn 3) Brought a knife through airport security 2. Favorite things about America 1) Good roads for driving 2) Espresso/quality coffee 1. Joke Q) How many islanders can you fit in a little hatchback? A) Just one more!

"Life is pain, highness. Anyone who tells you differently is selling something." -- The Dread Pirate Roberts I'm young. Despite having a lot of life experience for my age, I've still been spared from a lot of the pain in the world. A person I know recently lost his wife to cancer. Four months ago they were planning their next phase of joint ministry, now she's gone and he's left picking up the pieces. That's a curve ball that hits you in the gut. People lose jobs, get divorced, deal with loss of all kinds. Then there's the American presidential election. Who would have thought we'd end up with the options we've got? Curve ball? Sucker punch? Something. Back on Clove Island a man was killed by a mob. His family on another island thought that he'd been freed from the evil spirits but they returned, he killed someone, and vigilante justice prevailed. His family and former neighbors are suffering. Terrorism, acts of violence, pain, fear-- the w...

Flashback to when my eyebrow proved its vulnerability InvinciGirl*: a female who is in the unique situation to do everything and be everything (despite a tortured past), showing to the world the power of a girl who depends only on herself. And, for the record, that's not me. When I walk down a country road at night I change sides of the road so cars don't have to dodge me. Why? Because somehow I know that even the dinkiest little Smart car can take me out. I know it's a popular thing these days; we all got tired of female movie characters who serve only as the romantic interest for the male lead and decided that a female lead should, well, really lead. So we now have Katniss and Merida. But just as Superman doesn't really exist (oops, sorry folks), InvinciGirl doesn't either. She's really attractive though. She's got it together, can take on a storm, draws upon her supply of inner strength, and doesn't need other people to make her what she is. I admire...

On Clove Island, life is lived in the conditional. Even with seemingly definite plans. If I tell a friend, "I'll see you tomorrow!" They always reply "If God wills." "My birthday is tomorrow!" "If God wills." "You'll have a great trip." "If God wills." "I'll see you at 3." "If God wills." It's also used for more serious things. "God will give you children." "If God wills."  Anything said that references the future is typically tagged with an " if God wills " at the end. I can even guarantee it when giving a speech. "And I hope to see you all in level 2 next month."  "If God wills," responds the entire crowd. When I think of the future, I tend to insert that phrase into my thinking. But sometimes it just becomes a phrase and I forget what it really means. Do I really hold all of my hopes, dreams, and even the definite plans with an open palm,...