An Unexpected Journey

I have been doing a lot of self-reflection on our emotions.   Instead of trying to coherently dissect all of my thoughts on this topic, I will let my poetry speak for itself.   Before I share, I feel like I need some type of disclaimer.   I don’t actually believe that I’m a poet; rather, I see myself as merely someone in conversation with the voice of creativity and these are the results of our dialogue.   The motivation between writing these two poems came from two different places, but I will let you decide how they speak to you.   Emotions I Why do you tell me, Do not be so sad? Does it make me weak, An apple gone bad? The pain is of me, Which must make me mad. Can I not be both, Happy and, too, sad? Why do you tell me, Do not be afraid? I know that this fear, Can make me a slave. But sometimes it shouts, Till it fades away. Can I not be both, Happy and afraid? Why do you tell me, Do not be angry? Maybe i...

I have had some of the best work partners during my time in Uganda.   While an intern, I worked with an amazing woman who fiercely advocated for her clients and truly cared for her work.   As an administrator at an international school, I worked with a sassy, vivacious woman who was almost always making me laugh.   And, for most of my Peace Corps service, I have been paired with one of the most hardworking, perseverant women in the social services field.   Her name is Akello Lillian and she has, more or less, been vital to my current success as a Peace Corps volunteer.   Although we do not work so closely together anymore, she was my assigned counterpart and has been there for me since I was a Peace Corps baby.   Lillian amazes me.   Life is tough, but she does not let it knock her down without getting back up.   We got along well from the start because she was always inviting me to go into the field with her even though I really didn’t add ...

I would like to invite you to join me in a conversation.   It may not be an easy topic to discuss and it is only one of many problems that we have in society today, but I still would like to invite you to join me.   Your role right now is to listen.   And if you need some guidance as to how to prepare to listen, please first check out my post titled “Shut up and listen (please)”.   For as long as I can remember, I have heard people say that a girl needs her father to show her how a man loves a woman.   When she doesn’t have a fatherly example of love, she will grow up seeking it in other men…men who are similar to her father.   If her father was absent or abusive, then she will likely end up with someone who has those same character traits.   So she becomes stuck in a cycle of moving from bad man to bad man.   It’s an interesting theory and I know that I can’t be the only one who has heard it.   Maybe there is evidence-based research to...

My favorite "Peace Corps activity" to do is teaching on menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and how to make reusable menstrual pads (RUMPS).  There are a number of reasons why I love this teaching so much:  Oftentimes, people want to have something tangible from me; they know the information and want to be able to do something with it.  I do not have much to give in terms of technical expertise, but I can sew a great RUMP and can teach others how to do the same (though, their sewing skills depend totally on their abilities and willingness to learn) It is such an empowering curriculum!  I can teach people, from both sexes and of all ages, about normal body functions and how to take care of the body during this time.  I have seen the way it has made a difference in peoples' lives and know that, if people are able to apply it to their lives, can keep more girls in school!  We can debunk myths and talk about the questions that have gone unanswered.  A...