Watch the Walk

Okay, so I totally stole the blog title. Y'all should check out Rend Collective's album (and song) with that title. But that aside, let's talk about celebration. No, not parties. I mean the high-fives. The "way to go!s" The "you rock" and the "wow, you're awesome!" I think we miss out on a lot of opportunities to celebrate other people, both who they are and what they do. Celebrating others is a selfless act-- it's not asking for our own recognition, but rather giving that recognition to others. On my long road trip I saw so many things to celebrate: - The people who work low-paying jobs in order to meet the needs of their community.  - The church that teaches English to recent immigrants. - The drivers who pull over to let people behind them pass. - The parents who work hard and never stop caring for their children even when they're most tired and stressed. - The business owners who prioritize their employees and give up a little e...

Roadtrippin' USA ... you wonder randomly which state you're in. ... you close your eyes and still see road rushing towards you. ... it seems like a luxury to stop somewhere that's not either a gas station or a rest area for more than 5 minutes. ... you can go an entire day without greeting a single person. ... the types of beauty you encounter overwhelm you. You might be roadtripping on Clove Island if... ... you intentionally dehydrate so you don't have to look for a place to pee in the bushes or at a stranger's house. ... you give English lessons in the bus because the person in the back of the bus won't take "no" or "later" as an answer. motorcycle roadtrippin' ... you walk into a random village and discover a friend who just happens to be there the same day. Or a friend of a friend. Or someone who already knows all about you because you're a white girl on the island. ... you intentionally sit near the front and next to a window to...

As I was quickly peeling an orange for my anxiously waiting nephew, the other was so excited that he face planted into the as-yet partially-unpeeled citrus, taking a large bite out of it. Could he wait? Yes. Did he want to? Obviously not. Some things take time. I've driven over 4000 miles this month visiting family and friends, yet wishing doesn't make the 10 hour days on the road any shorter. All that makes it shorter is economizing on stops and staying on the road, yet the joy of the journey is often lost if I don't stop to see things along the way. And enjoying the things along the way is worthwhile too. Like signs in North Dakota that remind us to be nice: Or a bathtub in the woods:  Or hiking with a friend: Or sea glass from a lake: Or funky street art:   And as much as the destinations are great, the journey is beautiful too. Language learning takes time, but the process builds relationships and the product is worth waiting for. Teaching English takes time and student...

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!