I love this video! I hope you do too. Enjoy!
Oh, the Places You'll Go at the Burning Man Festival
Monday, June 11, 2012
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Love Life: Summer Peach Edition
Everyday, I realize how lucky I am to have summers off to learn new things, read, relax, volunteer my time, and do things that are unique and fun.
Here are some things that I have tried recently:
Meditation
Hiking alone (and with friends)
Road trips
Making underwear out of old t-shirts ( I might switch to pillow making).
Applying for graduate school.
Going on a hot air balloon ride.
Planning a camping/white-water rafting trip.
Making peach crumble. Oh, you want the recipe? No problem. You will love life too when you try this one! Enjoy!
4 cups slices peaches
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup granola
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup Brown Rice Syrup
1/3 cup Coconut Oil (YUM!!!!)
3 TBSP water
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with the sliced peaces (you can also add berries to this). In a separate mixing bowl, add all other ingredients and mix until everything is combined well. Spoon the mixture evenly on top of the peaches and bake for 30 minutes. While the 30 minutes is slowly ticking by, make sure to walk outside the house to clear your nostrils and then walk back inside to enjoy the sweet smell of loving life.
I realize that not everyone has the opportunity for long summer vacation time, but its important that you find and do things that make you happy. What are the small blessings in your life?
Muah!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Still thankful...
I look back at my last post entitled "Thankful No Matter What". I was commenting on the fact that I had poison ivy and had missed some school, and that even with that going on, I was still thankful. At the time of writing that, I was really itchy and annoyed and just wanted to be at school with my students. Looking back now, I think to myself, what was there to not be thankful for? Poison ivy seems MINUSCULE compared to what my family is facing now. A dear friend lent me the book "Zen Wrapped in Karma, Dipped in Chocolate" written by Brad Warner, a fellow Akronite and Zen Master. This book is really helping me cope with all of the hurdles in my life right now and helping me to see clearly through the struggles that we are faced with (he also makes me laugh on practically every single page). In the first chapter he says that "There is something very profound, perhaps we can even say holy, in every human being. We all have access to this something every moment of every day, but most of us will live our entire lives without even suspecting that it even exists". Isn't that empowering? Don't you want to delve within and find that inner holiness that you have? I know I do. Its also a good reminder that no matter how bad someone is, there is something uniquely wonderful about them. I am seeing these "holy" characteristics in my family on a daily basis. My mom and dad are a nonstop never ending supply of energy, support, and advocacy. My sister is the single most positive and graceful healer that I have ever witnessed in my life. She shows me on a DAILY BASIS what it means to be brave...seriously, shes incredible.
So, as I continued to read the book today, the author delved into the concept of death and the Zen Buddhist explanation. He explains that they do not believe in the whole heaven/hell philosophy nor do they believe in reincarnation. He used an amazing analogy to describe life and death as a Zen Buddhist. Here goes: "Our lives are like bubbles on the surface of a river. When those bubbles pop, their existence as that bubble is over once and for all, yet they were really just expressions of the river, and the river still flows." Now...death is a scary and unwelcome concept for me. I try to think about it as infrequently as possible, but this explanation is very peaceful to me. It helps ease the anxiety that comes with the thought of death. All religions attempt to come up with an explanation for death that will reassure their followers, and I must say that this is one of the first descriptions of death that actually comforts me.
The final thing that I read about tonight was pertaining to disappointment. I read this part of the book and decided that it was time to leave the coffee shop and head home because if I read anymore then I would start forgetting the valuable things that I had read. Its time to digest. What he said about disappointment is that "Zen practice can help you deal with disappointment by showing you that all of life is characterized by disappointment. Nothing ever lives up to your expectations, no matter what your expectations are. This doesn't mean that you are never disappointed. But you know that disappointment is just the action of your brain readjusting itself to reality after discovering that things are not the way that you thought they were. The best course of action when encountering disappointment is to know you now understand the situation better than you did before when all you had to go on was your thoughts. There is no sense wallowing in sadness that you were mistaken. You are fortunate, in fact, that you're now better equipped to move forward realistically."
This journey that I am on with my family is one that is bound to be filled with ups and downs. The ups are AMAZING and the downs need to be treated just like these Buddhists handle disapointment. It is what it is...we need to readjust our lense and work with what we've got. Negativity is not an option for us right now. My mom told me once that "an expectation is a pre-meditated resentment". When you set yourself up for one thing to occur and it doesn't, you have a choice...readjust your expectations for your reality or be resentful. I think you know what the better choice is!
I love you all and your support is healing for both me and my family. I love you and I LOVE THIS LIFE!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Thankful no matter what...
I am covered in poison ivy and I haven't been to school in almost two weeks. I miss my students like CRAZY! But guess what, I still love my life.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The Big Chill
Any winter blues that I may have had were just wiped away by listening to my ALL TIME FAVORITE album in the WHOLE WORLD...The Big Chill Soundtrack. It doesn't get any better than this. I'll never forget walking to King Elementary School with my beloved Darah, Sarah Rogers, and Madeline Rogers with my dad driving our '78 Volkswagen Beetle 2 miles/hour right next to us, blasting this album and serenading us as his brown eyed girls. We were humiliated, of course, at the time but it has transformed into one of the best memories that we all have together. I love this life!
Friday, January 21, 2011
I love my job.
What could be better than loving what you have to do for 8-13 hours per day anyways? I think that it is so sad when people hate their jobs, dread going to work, bored all day, no warm fuzzy feeling about all of the people that they are helping or the good work that they are doing.
Being a teacher is HARD WORK. I am on the stage all day long-performing-all in an attempt to get my kids to remember and learn and grow. After 6 hours of acting, I sit down and plan my next performance, grade papers, write IEP's, send emails, call parents-anything that I can to give a child the best education that I can. The mantra in our school among the teachers is "Is it best for kids?". If the answer is no, then you shouldn't be doing it. How awesome is that? In return, I get respect, love, and growth as a gift from my students. I watch them blossom right before my very eyes.
I still sit in awe some days that parents send their children to our school and into my classroom everyday, entrusting me with their child's education-quite possibly the most important and life changing thing that could ever happen to them. How lucky am I? I think that I have the best job in the world.
One of my favorite quotes: "Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit"
-John Steinbeck
Sunday, June 13, 2010
I love...
FOUNDERS WEEKEND IN AKRON, OHIO
For all of you out there that don't know, AA had its beginnings in little old Akron, OH. Two men and their wives dedicated their lives to this simple program that has left a legacy of healing and continues to help people with their addictions every day. Every year, around this time, thousands of people (approx. 10,000 this year) trek to Akron to pay tribute to the people who started this program that has improved if not saved their lives.
It is a tradition for my mom and I to go to the tribute for the founders at the cemetery at which they are buried. The event begins outside of McDonalds on Market St. A procession of hundreds of motorcycles barrel down the street and towards the cemetery. The people on the motorcycles are all unique, people of different racial backgrounds, from different countries, differing in almost every way that you can think of, but they are all united under AA and have somehow been influenced or changed by this program. Their faces are happy and excited, enthralled and thankful. They have been to the bottom, so they know how good it feels to be on top. They rev their engines all the way to the cemetery where tribute is payed to the individuals who started this program which has saved so many peoples lives and well-being.
As an onlooker-someone who has been affected by alcoholism but not felt the grip of alcohol- I feel an overwhelming power by this group of people, this elite club. Seeing the sea of faces, everyone so different but coming together (to my little city) for one purpose. This is their Mecca.
I love this weekend every year. I love that I live in this very special town. I love that all these people love my town too.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Simple, healthy and so delicious!
Salad
-Spinach
-Arugula
-Sprouts
-Dried Cranberry's
-Fresh Strawberry's
-Raw Walnuts
-Raw Pumpkin Seeds
-Lots of Cilantro
-Avocado
-Oil and Vineagar
Mix it all together and enjoy! So yummy!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Back from Ghana...sort of
I have been back from Ghana for almost two months now, but mentally, I am still there. I miss the kids, I miss the people, I miss the country.
I have lots of pictures and lots of memories to share with anyone willing to listen. I had the time of my life.
I love you/life.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Follow me on Facebook
Hi everyone. Blogspot is really not working very well for me in Ghana. The latest problem is that I cannot get my documents to copy and paste into the text box for my blog. I am going to start using the 'notes' function on facebook. Follow me there!
Let me know if you have any questions about Ghana or about what I am doing!
Love you/life!
Maureen
Let me know if you have any questions about Ghana or about what I am doing!
Love you/life!
Maureen
Monday, December 28, 2009
Decmber 19
December 19, 2009
Akwaaba! I have made it to Ghana. It is so surreal being here and taking everything in. The amount of things to see and learn and look at are completely overwhelming. Everywhere you turn there are welcoming faces, street vendors, wandering animals, and happy children. The weather is VERY hot and EXTREMELY humid. Today was 90F and 70% humidity.
Both of my flights were very pleasant. While I was in the security line in Cleveland, I mentioned to a man in front of me that I was headed to Ghana, and a Ghanaian couple behind me overheard where I was going and were overjoyed about my trip. We had both of our flights together, so they took me under their wing, and prepared me for my trip. They waited for me and the three other Cross Cultural Solutions volunteers to come off of the plane in Ghana, and they helped us get our baggage. One of the volunteers (Katherine’s) luggage got lost, and the Ghanaian couple helped her claim the lost items. They then helped us find our way to our driver, and took some contact information so that they could keep in touch. I feel so lucky to have met them. What a wonderful example of how kind-hearted almost all Ghanaians seem to be.
Once we found our driver, we loaded our bags up and took a 3.5 hour (air-conditioned) drive to Hohoe where I will be living the next 12 weeks. We had lunch, took a nap and then took a tour of the bustling city. Everywhere you look there are people selling fruit and fish, cutting hair right out on the street, singing and dancing, and enjoying life. Three children, about 5 years old, came up to us today to shake our hands. We shook their hands and said hello, and once we left our tour guide, George, told us that we had just made their day. For children in Ghana, it is a very big deal to shake the hand of a white person. It made me really happy that we were able to put a smile on these children’s faces.
So far the food is wonderful. For dinner we had a type of potato with a tomato sauce on top, plantains, and fresh mango. I talked to another vegan today who advised me to make sure that I am very conscious about getting protein. I am going to try to find a jar of peanut butter tomorrow so that I can take a few spoonfulls and not worry too much about protein.
I also was very excited when I opened up my bags this evening to unpack, and my wonderful Akron friends made me an absolutely gorgeous book. Many of my friends took the time to write me such thoughtful notes. I know that I am really going to appreciate having this piece of home with me, and I look forward to looking at the book often and thinking about all the people that I love.
I am really looking forward to settling in and starting to feel familiar with the town and the language. I am feeling out of my element and a bit nervous about this whole being gone for 14 weeks deal. I am sure that once I settle in, the time will fly by. I feel so lucky to be in such a wonderful place with so many great people.
I think that in about a week I will be getting a pre-paid phone so that I will be able to call home and you will be able to call me. The internet here is pretty ‘sketchy’ and it is hard to know when it will work. The electricity also goes out several times a week, so it is hard to know when I will be able to skype or email.
I will be in touch. I love you all!
Maureen
Akwaaba! I have made it to Ghana. It is so surreal being here and taking everything in. The amount of things to see and learn and look at are completely overwhelming. Everywhere you turn there are welcoming faces, street vendors, wandering animals, and happy children. The weather is VERY hot and EXTREMELY humid. Today was 90F and 70% humidity.
Both of my flights were very pleasant. While I was in the security line in Cleveland, I mentioned to a man in front of me that I was headed to Ghana, and a Ghanaian couple behind me overheard where I was going and were overjoyed about my trip. We had both of our flights together, so they took me under their wing, and prepared me for my trip. They waited for me and the three other Cross Cultural Solutions volunteers to come off of the plane in Ghana, and they helped us get our baggage. One of the volunteers (Katherine’s) luggage got lost, and the Ghanaian couple helped her claim the lost items. They then helped us find our way to our driver, and took some contact information so that they could keep in touch. I feel so lucky to have met them. What a wonderful example of how kind-hearted almost all Ghanaians seem to be.
Once we found our driver, we loaded our bags up and took a 3.5 hour (air-conditioned) drive to Hohoe where I will be living the next 12 weeks. We had lunch, took a nap and then took a tour of the bustling city. Everywhere you look there are people selling fruit and fish, cutting hair right out on the street, singing and dancing, and enjoying life. Three children, about 5 years old, came up to us today to shake our hands. We shook their hands and said hello, and once we left our tour guide, George, told us that we had just made their day. For children in Ghana, it is a very big deal to shake the hand of a white person. It made me really happy that we were able to put a smile on these children’s faces.
So far the food is wonderful. For dinner we had a type of potato with a tomato sauce on top, plantains, and fresh mango. I talked to another vegan today who advised me to make sure that I am very conscious about getting protein. I am going to try to find a jar of peanut butter tomorrow so that I can take a few spoonfulls and not worry too much about protein.
I also was very excited when I opened up my bags this evening to unpack, and my wonderful Akron friends made me an absolutely gorgeous book. Many of my friends took the time to write me such thoughtful notes. I know that I am really going to appreciate having this piece of home with me, and I look forward to looking at the book often and thinking about all the people that I love.
I am really looking forward to settling in and starting to feel familiar with the town and the language. I am feeling out of my element and a bit nervous about this whole being gone for 14 weeks deal. I am sure that once I settle in, the time will fly by. I feel so lucky to be in such a wonderful place with so many great people.
I think that in about a week I will be getting a pre-paid phone so that I will be able to call home and you will be able to call me. The internet here is pretty ‘sketchy’ and it is hard to know when it will work. The electricity also goes out several times a week, so it is hard to know when I will be able to skype or email.
I will be in touch. I love you all!
Maureen
Decmber 19
December 19, 2009
Akwaaba! I have made it to Ghana. It is so surreal being here and taking everything in. The amount of things to see and learn and look at are completely overwhelming. Everywhere you turn there are welcoming faces, street vendors, wandering animals, and happy children. The weather is VERY hot and EXTREMELY humid. Today was 90F and 70% humidity.
Both of my flights were very pleasant. While I was in the security line in Cleveland, I mentioned to a man in front of me that I was headed to Ghana, and a Ghanaian couple behind me overheard where I was going and were overjoyed about my trip. We had both of our flights together, so they took me under their wing, and prepared me for my trip. They waited for me and the three other Cross Cultural Solutions volunteers to come off of the plane in Ghana, and they helped us get our baggage. One of the volunteers (Katherine’s) luggage got lost, and the Ghanaian couple helped her claim the lost items. They then helped us find our way to our driver, and took some contact information so that they could keep in touch. I feel so lucky to have met them. What a wonderful example of how kind-hearted almost all Ghanaians seem to be.
Once we found our driver, we loaded our bags up and took a 3.5 hour (air-conditioned) drive to Hohoe where I will be living the next 12 weeks. We had lunch, took a nap and then took a tour of the bustling city. Everywhere you look there are people selling fruit and fish, cutting hair right out on the street, singing and dancing, and enjoying life. Three children, about 5 years old, came up to us today to shake our hands. We shook their hands and said hello, and once we left our tour guide, George, told us that we had just made their day. For children in Ghana, it is a very big deal to shake the hand of a white person. It made me really happy that we were able to put a smile on these children’s faces.
So far the food is wonderful. For dinner we had a type of potato with a tomato sauce on top, plantains, and fresh mango. I talked to another vegan today who advised me to make sure that I am very conscious about getting protein. I am going to try to find a jar of peanut butter tomorrow so that I can take a few spoonfulls and not worry too much about protein.
I also was very excited when I opened up my bags this evening to unpack, and my wonderful Akron friends made me an absolutely gorgeous book. Many of my friends took the time to write me such thoughtful notes. I know that I am really going to appreciate having this piece of home with me, and I look forward to looking at the book often and thinking about all the people that I love.
I am really looking forward to settling in and starting to feel familiar with the town and the language. I am feeling out of my element and a bit nervous about this whole being gone for 14 weeks deal. I am sure that once I settle in, the time will fly by. I feel so lucky to be in such a wonderful place with so many great people.
I think that in about a week I will be getting a pre-paid phone so that I will be able to call home and you will be able to call me. The internet here is pretty ‘sketchy’ and it is hard to know when it will work. The electricity also goes out several times a week, so it is hard to know when I will be able to skype or email.
I will be in touch. I love you all!
Maureen
Akwaaba! I have made it to Ghana. It is so surreal being here and taking everything in. The amount of things to see and learn and look at are completely overwhelming. Everywhere you turn there are welcoming faces, street vendors, wandering animals, and happy children. The weather is VERY hot and EXTREMELY humid. Today was 90F and 70% humidity.
Both of my flights were very pleasant. While I was in the security line in Cleveland, I mentioned to a man in front of me that I was headed to Ghana, and a Ghanaian couple behind me overheard where I was going and were overjoyed about my trip. We had both of our flights together, so they took me under their wing, and prepared me for my trip. They waited for me and the three other Cross Cultural Solutions volunteers to come off of the plane in Ghana, and they helped us get our baggage. One of the volunteers (Katherine’s) luggage got lost, and the Ghanaian couple helped her claim the lost items. They then helped us find our way to our driver, and took some contact information so that they could keep in touch. I feel so lucky to have met them. What a wonderful example of how kind-hearted almost all Ghanaians seem to be.
Once we found our driver, we loaded our bags up and took a 3.5 hour (air-conditioned) drive to Hohoe where I will be living the next 12 weeks. We had lunch, took a nap and then took a tour of the bustling city. Everywhere you look there are people selling fruit and fish, cutting hair right out on the street, singing and dancing, and enjoying life. Three children, about 5 years old, came up to us today to shake our hands. We shook their hands and said hello, and once we left our tour guide, George, told us that we had just made their day. For children in Ghana, it is a very big deal to shake the hand of a white person. It made me really happy that we were able to put a smile on these children’s faces.
So far the food is wonderful. For dinner we had a type of potato with a tomato sauce on top, plantains, and fresh mango. I talked to another vegan today who advised me to make sure that I am very conscious about getting protein. I am going to try to find a jar of peanut butter tomorrow so that I can take a few spoonfulls and not worry too much about protein.
I also was very excited when I opened up my bags this evening to unpack, and my wonderful Akron friends made me an absolutely gorgeous book. Many of my friends took the time to write me such thoughtful notes. I know that I am really going to appreciate having this piece of home with me, and I look forward to looking at the book often and thinking about all the people that I love.
I am really looking forward to settling in and starting to feel familiar with the town and the language. I am feeling out of my element and a bit nervous about this whole being gone for 14 weeks deal. I am sure that once I settle in, the time will fly by. I feel so lucky to be in such a wonderful place with so many great people.
I think that in about a week I will be getting a pre-paid phone so that I will be able to call home and you will be able to call me. The internet here is pretty ‘sketchy’ and it is hard to know when it will work. The electricity also goes out several times a week, so it is hard to know when I will be able to skype or email.
I will be in touch. I love you all!
Maureen
12/19/2009
December 19, 2009
Akwaaba! I have made it to Ghana. It is so surreal being here and taking everything in. The amount of things to see and learn and look at are completely overwhelming. Everywhere you turn there are welcoming faces, street vendors, wandering animals, and happy children. The weather is VERY hot and EXTREMELY humid. Today was 90F and 70% humidity.
Both of my flights were very pleasant. While I was in the security line in Cleveland, I mentioned to a man in front of me that I was headed to Ghana, and a Ghanaian couple behind me overheard where I was going and were overjoyed about my trip. We had both of our flights together, so they took me under their wing, and prepared me for my trip. They waited for me and the three other Cross Cultural Solutions volunteers to come off of the plane in Ghana, and they helped us get our baggage. One of the volunteers (Katherine’s) luggage got lost, and the Ghanaian couple helped her claim the lost items. They then helped us find our way to our driver, and took some contact information so that they could keep in touch. I feel so lucky to have met them. What a wonderful example of how kind-hearted almost all Ghanaians seem to be.
Once we found our driver, we loaded our bags up and took a 3.5 hour (air-conditioned) drive to Hohoe where I will be living the next 12 weeks. We had lunch, took a nap and then took a tour of the bustling city. Everywhere you look there are people selling fruit and fish, cutting hair right out on the street, singing and dancing, and enjoying life. Three children, about 5 years old, came up to us today to shake our hands. We shook their hands and said hello, and once we left our tour guide, George, told us that we had just made their day. For children in Ghana, it is a very big deal to shake the hand of a white person. It made me really happy that we were able to put a smile on these children’s faces.
So far the food is wonderful. For dinner we had a type of potato with a tomato sauce on top, plantains, and fresh mango. I talked to another vegan today who advised me to make sure that I am very conscious about getting protein. I am going to try to find a jar of peanut butter tomorrow so that I can take a few spoonfulls and not worry too much about protein.
I also was very excited when I opened up my bags this evening to unpack, and my wonderful Akron friends made me an absolutely gorgeous book. Many of my friends took the time to write me such thoughtful notes. I know that I am really going to appreciate having this piece of home with me, and I look forward to looking at the book often and thinking about all the people that I love.
I am really looking forward to settling in and starting to feel familiar with the town and the language. I am feeling out of my element and a bit nervous about this whole being gone for 14 weeks deal. I am sure that once I settle in, the time will fly by. I feel so lucky to be in such a wonderful place with so many great people.
I think that in about a week I will be getting a pre-paid phone so that I will be able to call home and you will be able to call me. The internet here is pretty ‘sketchy’ and it is hard to know when it will work. The electricity also goes out several times a week, so it is hard to know when I will be able to skype or email.
I will be in touch. I love you all!
Maureen
Akwaaba! I have made it to Ghana. It is so surreal being here and taking everything in. The amount of things to see and learn and look at are completely overwhelming. Everywhere you turn there are welcoming faces, street vendors, wandering animals, and happy children. The weather is VERY hot and EXTREMELY humid. Today was 90F and 70% humidity.
Both of my flights were very pleasant. While I was in the security line in Cleveland, I mentioned to a man in front of me that I was headed to Ghana, and a Ghanaian couple behind me overheard where I was going and were overjoyed about my trip. We had both of our flights together, so they took me under their wing, and prepared me for my trip. They waited for me and the three other Cross Cultural Solutions volunteers to come off of the plane in Ghana, and they helped us get our baggage. One of the volunteers (Katherine’s) luggage got lost, and the Ghanaian couple helped her claim the lost items. They then helped us find our way to our driver, and took some contact information so that they could keep in touch. I feel so lucky to have met them. What a wonderful example of how kind-hearted almost all Ghanaians seem to be.
Once we found our driver, we loaded our bags up and took a 3.5 hour (air-conditioned) drive to Hohoe where I will be living the next 12 weeks. We had lunch, took a nap and then took a tour of the bustling city. Everywhere you look there are people selling fruit and fish, cutting hair right out on the street, singing and dancing, and enjoying life. Three children, about 5 years old, came up to us today to shake our hands. We shook their hands and said hello, and once we left our tour guide, George, told us that we had just made their day. For children in Ghana, it is a very big deal to shake the hand of a white person. It made me really happy that we were able to put a smile on these children’s faces.
So far the food is wonderful. For dinner we had a type of potato with a tomato sauce on top, plantains, and fresh mango. I talked to another vegan today who advised me to make sure that I am very conscious about getting protein. I am going to try to find a jar of peanut butter tomorrow so that I can take a few spoonfulls and not worry too much about protein.
I also was very excited when I opened up my bags this evening to unpack, and my wonderful Akron friends made me an absolutely gorgeous book. Many of my friends took the time to write me such thoughtful notes. I know that I am really going to appreciate having this piece of home with me, and I look forward to looking at the book often and thinking about all the people that I love.
I am really looking forward to settling in and starting to feel familiar with the town and the language. I am feeling out of my element and a bit nervous about this whole being gone for 14 weeks deal. I am sure that once I settle in, the time will fly by. I feel so lucky to be in such a wonderful place with so many great people.
I think that in about a week I will be getting a pre-paid phone so that I will be able to call home and you will be able to call me. The internet here is pretty ‘sketchy’ and it is hard to know when it will work. The electricity also goes out several times a week, so it is hard to know when I will be able to skype or email.
I will be in touch. I love you all!
Maureen
Monday, December 21, 2009
Im Here!
After all this time and talk about going to Ghana, I have finally made it. I am constantly amazed that I get to live in this beautiful country with all of these lovely people. Everyone here is so welcoming and so nice.
Since I have been here, we have done so many things. Yesterday, we spent much of the day in orientation. We also had a Ewe (a-way) lesson which proved to be interesting, but VERY difficult. I also learned how to play Texas Hold'Em. We were betting with toothpicks. I got second place! Not bad for a first timer. Dad, are you proud?
Today was our first day at our placements. I am placed at an orphanage called "House of Hope". There are about 30 children there, ranging from age 5-15. They are truly wonderful children, and I cannot wait to work with them. The children learn English throughout schol, so the younger ones create a pretty significant language barrier, but we can still have alot of fun and communicate. Right now is there Christmas break, so they will not go back to school until the 14th. When they go to school, we will go with them and help out in the public school system. The facility is very nice and the children are well taken care of. The mother of the house, Elizabeth is so sweet and so caring. The children are so lucky to have her caring for them. The bathrooms at the orphanage are very basic, as in a hole in the ground. Today, when I peeked in, there were lizards crawling all over the bathroom area. I think it will take a while to build up the guts to use this restroom!
After volunteering today, we went to the market, where there were thousands of people and hundreds of booths selling music, food, cloth, and much more. I bought some cloth so that I could get some skirts made. I think that I am going to come home with MANY traditional clothes from Ghana.
Once we got home from the market, we had a welcome ceremony from the local community in the form of drumming and dancing. After they finished demostrating, we were able to participate in both activitites. Dancing always looks easier than it really is, but it was certainly a lot of fun!
The food here is really good, although overloaded with carbs. This is only a bad thing because I had a few pounds to loose, but it is SO delicious!
I am overjoyed with Ghana. It is so beautiful to see how people with so little can love their life so much. The children at the orphanage use all the toys that American children would have thrown out years ago, but they are so proud of what they have, and they make so much use of these things. They are happy with everything that they have, and they dont have the constant desire for more. The people here are just full of joy and love. It is a great thing to witness.
I have been writing every night on word document, and when the wireless internet works, I will upload them to my blog. I will then be able to put pictures up as well. For now, I will post these overviews as often as I can make it to the internet cafe.
I love you all!
Keep in touch and email me at mfarris29@gmail.com if you would like. I cant wait to hear from you.
And to all of my friends who put together the beautiful <3 akron book, I cant even tell you how much it meant to me. I will cherish that book FOREVER! I am sure that it will help me get through any difficult days that may come.
P.S. I am going to spend Christmas SWEATING...A LOT! Will it be snowing in Ohio?
Love you/life.
Since I have been here, we have done so many things. Yesterday, we spent much of the day in orientation. We also had a Ewe (a-way) lesson which proved to be interesting, but VERY difficult. I also learned how to play Texas Hold'Em. We were betting with toothpicks. I got second place! Not bad for a first timer. Dad, are you proud?
Today was our first day at our placements. I am placed at an orphanage called "House of Hope". There are about 30 children there, ranging from age 5-15. They are truly wonderful children, and I cannot wait to work with them. The children learn English throughout schol, so the younger ones create a pretty significant language barrier, but we can still have alot of fun and communicate. Right now is there Christmas break, so they will not go back to school until the 14th. When they go to school, we will go with them and help out in the public school system. The facility is very nice and the children are well taken care of. The mother of the house, Elizabeth is so sweet and so caring. The children are so lucky to have her caring for them. The bathrooms at the orphanage are very basic, as in a hole in the ground. Today, when I peeked in, there were lizards crawling all over the bathroom area. I think it will take a while to build up the guts to use this restroom!
After volunteering today, we went to the market, where there were thousands of people and hundreds of booths selling music, food, cloth, and much more. I bought some cloth so that I could get some skirts made. I think that I am going to come home with MANY traditional clothes from Ghana.
Once we got home from the market, we had a welcome ceremony from the local community in the form of drumming and dancing. After they finished demostrating, we were able to participate in both activitites. Dancing always looks easier than it really is, but it was certainly a lot of fun!
The food here is really good, although overloaded with carbs. This is only a bad thing because I had a few pounds to loose, but it is SO delicious!
I am overjoyed with Ghana. It is so beautiful to see how people with so little can love their life so much. The children at the orphanage use all the toys that American children would have thrown out years ago, but they are so proud of what they have, and they make so much use of these things. They are happy with everything that they have, and they dont have the constant desire for more. The people here are just full of joy and love. It is a great thing to witness.
I have been writing every night on word document, and when the wireless internet works, I will upload them to my blog. I will then be able to put pictures up as well. For now, I will post these overviews as often as I can make it to the internet cafe.
I love you all!
Keep in touch and email me at mfarris29@gmail.com if you would like. I cant wait to hear from you.
And to all of my friends who put together the beautiful <3 akron book, I cant even tell you how much it meant to me. I will cherish that book FOREVER! I am sure that it will help me get through any difficult days that may come.
P.S. I am going to spend Christmas SWEATING...A LOT! Will it be snowing in Ohio?
Love you/life.
I'm Here!
After all this time and talk about going to Ghana, I have finally made it. I am constantly amazed that I get to live in this beautiful country with all of these lovely people. Everyone here is so welcoming and so nice.
Since I have been here, we have done so many things. Yesterday, we spent much of the day in orientation. We also had a Ewe (a-way) lesson which proved to be interesting, but VERY difficult. I also learned how to play Texas Hold'Em. We were betting with toothpicks. I got second place! Not bad for a first timer. Dad, are you proud?
Today was our first day at our placements. I am placed at an orphanage called "House of Hope". There are about 30 children there, ranging from age 5-15. They are truly wonderful children, and I cannot wait to work with them. The children learn English throughout schol, so the younger ones create a pretty significant language barrier, but we can still have alot of fun and communicate. Right now is there Christmas break, so they will not go back to school until the 14th. When they go to school, we will go with them and help out in the public school system. The facility is very nice and the children are well taken care of. The mother of the house, Elizabeth is so sweet and so caring. The children are so lucky to have her caring for them. The bathrooms at the orphanage are very basic, as in a hole in the ground. Today, when I peeked in, there were lizards crawling all over the bathroom area. I think it will take a while to build up the guts to use this restroom!
After volunteering today, we went to the market, where there were thousands of people and hundreds of booths selling music, food, cloth, and much more. I bought some cloth so that I could get some skirts made. I think that I am going to come home with MANY traditional clothes from Ghana.
Once we got home from the market, we had a welcome ceremony from the local community in the form of drumming and dancing. After they finished demostrating, we were able to participate in both activitites. Dancing always looks easier than it really is, but it was certainly a lot of fun!
The food here is really good, although overloaded with carbs. This is only a bad thing because I had a few pounds to loose, but it is SO delicious!
I am overjoyed with Ghana. It is so beautiful to see how people with so little can love their life so much. The children at the orphanage use all the toys that American children would have thrown out years ago, but they are so proud of what they have, and they make so much use of these things. They are happy with everything that they have, and they dont have the constant desire for more. The people here are just full of joy and love. It is a great thing to witness.
I have been writing every night on word document, and when the wireless internet works, I will upload them to my blog. I will then be able to put pictures up as well. For now, I will post these overviews as often as I can make it to the internet cafe.
I love you all!
Keep in touch and email me at mfarris29@gmail.com if you would like. I cant wait to hear from you.
And to all of my friends who put together the beautiful <3 akron book, I cant even tell you how much it meant to me. I will cherish that book FOREVER! I am sure that it will help me get through any difficult days that may come.
P.S. I am going to spend Christmas SWEATING...A LOT! Will it be snowing in Ohio?
Love you/life.
Since I have been here, we have done so many things. Yesterday, we spent much of the day in orientation. We also had a Ewe (a-way) lesson which proved to be interesting, but VERY difficult. I also learned how to play Texas Hold'Em. We were betting with toothpicks. I got second place! Not bad for a first timer. Dad, are you proud?
Today was our first day at our placements. I am placed at an orphanage called "House of Hope". There are about 30 children there, ranging from age 5-15. They are truly wonderful children, and I cannot wait to work with them. The children learn English throughout schol, so the younger ones create a pretty significant language barrier, but we can still have alot of fun and communicate. Right now is there Christmas break, so they will not go back to school until the 14th. When they go to school, we will go with them and help out in the public school system. The facility is very nice and the children are well taken care of. The mother of the house, Elizabeth is so sweet and so caring. The children are so lucky to have her caring for them. The bathrooms at the orphanage are very basic, as in a hole in the ground. Today, when I peeked in, there were lizards crawling all over the bathroom area. I think it will take a while to build up the guts to use this restroom!
After volunteering today, we went to the market, where there were thousands of people and hundreds of booths selling music, food, cloth, and much more. I bought some cloth so that I could get some skirts made. I think that I am going to come home with MANY traditional clothes from Ghana.
Once we got home from the market, we had a welcome ceremony from the local community in the form of drumming and dancing. After they finished demostrating, we were able to participate in both activitites. Dancing always looks easier than it really is, but it was certainly a lot of fun!
The food here is really good, although overloaded with carbs. This is only a bad thing because I had a few pounds to loose, but it is SO delicious!
I am overjoyed with Ghana. It is so beautiful to see how people with so little can love their life so much. The children at the orphanage use all the toys that American children would have thrown out years ago, but they are so proud of what they have, and they make so much use of these things. They are happy with everything that they have, and they dont have the constant desire for more. The people here are just full of joy and love. It is a great thing to witness.
I have been writing every night on word document, and when the wireless internet works, I will upload them to my blog. I will then be able to put pictures up as well. For now, I will post these overviews as often as I can make it to the internet cafe.
I love you all!
Keep in touch and email me at mfarris29@gmail.com if you would like. I cant wait to hear from you.
And to all of my friends who put together the beautiful <3 akron book, I cant even tell you how much it meant to me. I will cherish that book FOREVER! I am sure that it will help me get through any difficult days that may come.
P.S. I am going to spend Christmas SWEATING...A LOT! Will it be snowing in Ohio?
Love you/life.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Tomorrow
Tomorrow, I will leave Akron Ohio to follow my dreams and embark on a wonderful adventure. Life will be simple and good. Of course, I will miss all of you and I will surely long for some of the comforts of home, but the next 14 weeks will be filled with lessons, friendships, smiles, and change. I will come home a different person, but I promise that it will be for the better. Please keep in touch.
I love you/life.
Maureen
I love you/life.
Maureen
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Here we go...
I am taking the final steps to preparing for my 3 1/2 month trip to Ghana, Africa. My anticipation is really taking a toll on me. I am sooo excited, but also really anxious to find out what I am going to be doing, where I will be living, who I will meet, and what kinds of spiders and rodents I will come across. I am soaking up every single last drop of my time here in my beloved home town with all of my loved ones, and trying to make my 'goodbye' rounds.
For those of you who would like to email me while I am away, please use the following email address: mfarris29@gmail.com.
If you would like to send a letter to Ghana, please email me or post a comment on the blog and I will make sure to send you our address.
I love you all and will miss you very much.
Africa, here I come.
I love you.
I love life.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
12 days
This is all kind of re-rediculous-diculous! In exactly one week I will be graduating from college. In exactly 12 days I will be on my way to Ghana. I can hardly control my eagerness, anxiousness, and excitement. These last days and moments before I leave are filled with many mixed emotions ranging from complete and utter excitement and downright anxiety. What should I bring? How much money do I need? Do I have all of my shots? How am I going to handle being gone so long?
This is just downright crazy.
I have been receiving emails from volunteers who I will be working with, and everyone seems extremely nice. This is putting me at ease and helping to ground me and remind me of all the amazing opportunities that I have. These volunteers will become my family. They will be sitting around the table with me each day, they will celebrate Christmas and my birthday with me, we will discuss our hopes and our dreams, as well as our hardships and discouragement.
Opportunities like this really help you to cherish each moment. I am making an effort to appreciate each moment and each opportunity. To take some time to really soak in everything around me and enjoy the company of my loved ones.
All in all, I feel like the anticipation is going to kill me. I really cannot believe that this is happening. In just 12 days, I will take off into the sky and land in an entirely different and incredibly beautiful place, which will be my home and house my family for the next four months.
I love you.
I love life.
Maureen
Monday, November 30, 2009
Travel Costs
I tried to get my malaria medication filled today. The wonderful pharmacist (who I happened to grow up next to) was kind enough to call my mom and tell her that 101 days worth of "Malarone" would cost approximately $800.00!
The health care system is giving me a headache, and I am not even sick.
Love you all.
Maureen
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