Watch the Walk

I'm a list maker. Sometimes when I'm thinking about things I just start making a list to see what I think. Or I make a list just to get things done. Or I make a list because... well... I don't want to actually get things done. That also works. So instead of a story or thought point today, I'm give you some lists... 5 Things I've been doing: 1. Working on spelling corrections for a word list 2. Spending time with significant people 3. Drinking coffee 4. Writing emails 5. And this week-- hanging with my sister and nephews 5 Places I've been frequenting: 1. Riverfronts 2. Hilltops 3. Coffee shops 4. The piano bench 5. My computer screen 5 Songs I've been listening to: 1. A Million Dreams - The Greatest Showman 2. We Will Not Be Shaken - Bethel 3. Delta (full album) - Mumford and Sons 4. Nyora Mbili - Goulam 5. The Power of the Cross - Keith and Kristyn Getty 5 things online I've appreciated: 1. Looking for balance and c...

The other day I was chatting with a friend (hey Nancy!) and we ended up on the topic of making friends with immigrant neighbors. Now, for some of you, that might come easily. But for others it's difficult and hard to even know where to start. What if I say something stupid and they get offended? What if they don't want me to be nosy? What if... what if...? But maybe we just don't know where to start? After "hello" what do you say? Well I decided to write down some starting points for connecting with internationals: 1. Ask them about their background. Don't assume that you already know about them because of what their face looks like. Ask for their story. 2. Assuming their mother tongue is not English, ask them about what animals say in their native language. You may laugh, but animals speak differently too . 3. Learn from them about their culture. 4. Ask their perspective on things happening around you-- and don't be surprised when they have a d...

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...