Home again

Haven't written much on this blog lately. I've been busy keeping my two other blogs (a journalist journey and Glimpses of Africa) updated.

I'm home in Kenya, just incase you were wondering. I've been back for a week and two days and it feels like I never left. I didn't have any time to be jet lagged but picked up with work last Tuesday and have been going ever since.

So here's what's been up.

After I left NYC I went Atlanta to hang out with a "old" friend. Audri and I have been friends since we were 16 and went to Malawi with Teen Missions International. We had only seen each other ONCE since then and that was FIVE years ago. So I hung out at her house for a couple of days (see the pictures in the last post).

After that I spend a couple of days with my bro and fam in North Carolina. Got another article in our hometown newspaper and got paid for both of the articles they have published. Also got a chance to talk to the Junior High youth group at my home church and catch up with a few friends.

Then it was done to Alabama to hang out with my other bro and fam. We had a family birthday party (my mom is so cool, she sent presents for everyone, balloons etc). I had a couple of deep theological conversations with my big brothers…wow they know so much more than I do. Lots of fun, shopping, enjoying the HOT weather etc.

Then David and Gracie took me to the Atlanta Airport on June 12 and I started my LONG trip back to Kenya. My flight from Atlanta to Chicago was delayed and I started worrying since I only had an hour and 15 minutes originally. I was all set to get new tickets and work through all that and guess what…my flight out of Chicago to London was delayed too and I made it. Got to London later than planned and then I only had about an hour to wait for my flight to Nairobi. Now that's the way to fly.

On my flight from Chicago I sat with some students headed to Ghana for a few months to do mission work. We got to chat quite a bit. The flight from London to Nairobi was all about sleeping and when I got into Nairobi at 9:30pm I didn't feel too bad.

The next day was my mom's birthday and we all had a wonderful day together. Then to church on Sunday and lots of hugs from my friends. Monday hung out and then Tuesday I went to my very first press conference then out to a primary school where I'm now teaching writing once a week. Wednesday was all for writing and Thursday I headed out to the primary school to teacher. Friday I came down with a nasty cold and hung out in bed and did the same on Saturday. Yesterday or jana as we say in Kiswahili, I went to Club Xpressions…the youth service at our church and was very touched by the message on living a life of faith. Then in the evening I headed to a sleepover to say bye to a close friend who is headed back to her home in Switzerland on Wednesday.

Now this week means more work, looking for a house, writing and reporting, teaching and who knows what else. In case you hadn't noticed: I love my life!

Monday at the old schoolhouse with Audri

The old schoolhouse is a museum/theater/restaurant. Its very fun.


Some of the decor

Audri (and I) inside

Audri and I outside in the garden

A Sunday at the Lake with Audrianne

I did a little photo shoot for Audri...got some decent shots (at least in my opinion)

The lake/river was really pretty and there was fog rising off of it (cold water, hot air)


Check out this cute little boy who was there with his dad (he never stopped running)

I was there too and here are the pictures to prove it.

New blogs

I have two new blogs. During WJI is was suggested that we might want to keep our private and professional blogs separate. So I have started two "professional" blogs.

Glimpses of Africa is as the title suggests about Africa (well Kenya for the moment). There isn't much on it simply because I'm not in Africa right now and I don't really like to write about things from places when I'm not actually there to know that what I'm writing is truly true.

Since I write about other things besides Africa I decided to start a separate professional blog for all the other things I write. the journalistic journey already had a number of short articles that I have written but never published on it. I also hope to make it a guide for young journalist looking for advice on how to further their careers.

If you want a little bit deeper content than you find on this blog please check out one or both of my new blogs.

Life on the Planet Earth

Weird title…I know.

Life continues on. I'm in North Carolina after an amazing three weeks in NYC. I can't believe it flew by so fast. But that little section of my life is over and I'm left with top notch new friends, scattered all over the country and probably eventually all over the world. I also left with a wealth of new knowledge and skills to further my career plus about 30 books to read.

I can't say enough about WJI (World Journalism Institute). It was what I needed at that particular moment in my life. Being with young Americans who share the same passions, interested and for the most part beliefs that I do. People who believe journalism can be used to change the world and who what to take a stand for the Gospel in the world. Who believe that "being in the world but not of the world" is possible and means that we can't limit ourselves to the Christian sphere of things but must actually get out there and be IN the world….all the while staying close to God and not being off the world. It's a hard balance especially in a city like NYC, but with 18 friends to keep us on track, I think we all proved it is achievable.

Well I could go on and on about WJI but I'm not going to. There probably will be a few posts in the next few days about specific events that we went to etc but for now if you want to know something specific send me a question, I'll be happy to answer it.

After leaving WJI and NYC on Saturday I flew to Atlanta and spent two wonderful days with an old friend of mine. Audrianne and I went to Malawi together when we were 16. We became close friends and "twins" during our 8 weeks together and have stayed in random but fairly close contact ever since. I have only seen her one other time in 7 years, when she came to visit back in 2003. So 5 years and many stories later, we got to spend two days together. Two days in nowhere near enough time to catch up on 5 years of stories but we did our level best and stayed up until 4 one morning.

Now I'm in North Carolina at Gary and Cathy's hanging out with them and their girls. On Friday we will head to Alabama and I will spend the rest of my time at David and Gracie's. They will take me to the airport in one week. Yikes the time has flown.

That's all for now.

WJI Closing Dinner

After Dinner Picture Party

The dinner. Dr. Robert Case (top right) and Micheal Gerson (lower left)

The Paparazzi Gang

Some of my classmates from top right:
Regina, Thomas, James N,
Jess, Chris, Molly,
Ryan, Aubra, and James H

Another WJI Multimedia project

Here is another video project that I worked on at WJI. Check it out….its about homelessness