Watch the Walk

Do you like spelling? Do you like that every letter is ordered in its proper place and follows some sort of pattern or rule? Or do you find spelling a nuisance, a necessary evil? You wish that it didn't exist, that you could spell words however you wanted, according to your mood. Buht thatt mite nought bee a gud ideeuh. Spelling's important. But how is spelling determined? Who makes the rules? Who says that we have to spell things one way, and not another? In English, a typically written language, those decisions are made by the originator of terms. Their decisions are formalized by dictionaries , but the dictionary doesn't create words or spellings-- it reflects commonly accepted ways of writing. But what do you do when the dictionary is incomplete, and people are largely unaccustomed to write in their own language? Or, worse, those who have started writing in their language use a manner of writing which complicates writing words, rather than simplifying...

In a lot of ways, I think growing up in a small town prepared me well for life in Africa. How so? Well, here's a starter list: -> Getting things done is a often a more informal process, dependent on the people you know or connections they have. -> Reputations matter. -> On the same note, everyone talks about everyone. -> You might not always find exactly what you want in the stores in town. But if you can, you buy local. And you buy from your friends. -> Identifying places often relates to the history surrounding it. "You know the place that used to do street meat, next to the old Red Crescent? That's where the best pizza is." You know where so-and-so's mom lives? It's next to there... -> People know you and you might not know them. -> It's hard to run errands without running into people you know. Ten minutes to go to the store? Only if you don't get sidetracked by a long conversation...

One of my favorite characters "Please keep Frodo in your thoughts. He's trying to get to Mount Doom, but the ring is really messing with his ability to handle life and relationships. Oh, and Orcs keep getting in the way." "The taxi drivers are on strike and we've got a flight to catch that might not happen because the president commandeered our flight." Some of you read that and it makes sense. Others of you read that and feel like you're wading into the deep end of something you have little hope of understanding. But you want to be involved, so you keep reading. The communication divide between one world and the other is tricky to navigate. How do I properly explain to someone what it means to live in a place where so many things are different from the standard American life? A place where the key players think differently, the key infrastructure functions differently, and the key resources you have for dealing with that aren...

1. You're back! How long are you here for? 4 months. I'll head back to Clove Island the week after Easter. 2. So, you're not here to stay? Nope. Still heading back to Africa. 3. What's your 5 year (10 year/20 year) plan? Great question! Ask God. Honestly, I'm where I'm at and working hard there, but holding plans loosely in anticipation that they could easily change due to a variety of factors. 4. What's your favorite thing about being back in the US? My people! Catching up with friends and hearing about what's going on with them in person is so wonderful. Otherwise, I like breakfast sausage, espresso, tall evergreens, frosty mornings, driving "fast" on curvy roads, and a whole host of other things that where I live in Africa doesn't offer. 5. What do you miss about Africa? My people! I keep getting messages and voicemails from my friends on Clove Island. "Abby! When are you coming back?" I also miss not having...

I've been back in the US for 2.5 weeks now, so a lot of my questions have been answered, but it's always interesting catching up on things that have changed while I've been away. And I recently realized that a lot of the questions could just as easily be asked by someone who's just finished serving time in prison. Awkward. Sorry y'all, I'm not an ex-con, I'm just back in North America after living in Africa for awhile is all. So without further ado, here are some of the questions I've been asking: 1.  Is this gas price high or low? On Clove Island, the price of gas is federally regulated, so it's always around $1.30/liter. Fluctuating prices isn't really a thing there. 2. How did the shop know my name in order to call it when my order was ready? Ok, ok, they read my credit card, I guess. Hmm. Not sure how I feel about that. 3. How does "tap to pay" work? How do I know if my card works that way? Do I want to use that option? This questio...

How I feel about office "efficiency" here Equipment: two outdated computers, probably with multiple resident viruses. Personnel: one secretary, two men to run the office and tell the secretary how to do her job. Missing: the boss who has the authority to do things. Decorations: a couple of bookshelves stacked high with folders full of documents and extraneous papers, a coating of dust, a picture of the president, multiple printers and photocopiers, of which maybe one works partially. All photocopies must be done in another office on another floor of the building.  It's that time of year when my service visa has to be renewed, and yet again I shake my head over the inefficiency of the government offices. After walking in and announcing that I needed a letter to take to immigration to request a new visa, it took most of an hour for them to do the following: 1) locate in the computer a similar letter which they could adjust with my details; 2) change the details, which in...

What are you thankful for today? I can make a pretty long list of things for which I am thankful, but at the end of the day I'm most thankful for the nature of character of Him whom I worship. He is perfectly faithful. He's not capricious. Who He is will always be reflected in how He acts. And that's not something to be taken for granted. Here on the island I'm often told by friends not to trust others. "They'll steal from you."  "They'll betray your trust."  "You think that they're trustworthy, but they're not. Give them an opportunity and they'll turn on you." I constantly have friends talk about how they can't trust their boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, or essentially anyone other than their own mother. They don't trust anyone to be faithful to their promises. And the government acts the same way. They say nice things, but turn and do the opposite. Money is quietly channeled into personal pockets and pri...