Wright Family Adventures

Day at Dry Bridge

2011-03-07T02:41:00.000+09:00

So today the sun was finally shining here so a friend of mine from Belarus suggested we go to the 'Dry Bridge.' This is a big, outdoor market (over a dry bridge) where people come and try to sell everything from video games to antique dishes. As with most markets there are no set prices and the expectation is to bargain a little.

An article was written about the market in 2007 and here's a quote...(the market is a )"visual feast, a colorful collage of Georgia’s Soviet legacy and ancient culture. The crowded sidewalks are filled with a bonanza of artifacts – everything from weathered communist propaganda posters to bootlegged Russian pop music tapes is for sale."

I had a lot of fun browsing through the market, even though I didn't make any purchases. It was interesting to ask about certain items (a cigarette box from Russia from the early 1900s, a big copper pan used to make jam, statues of Stalin and Lenin, the American flag) and to see how the vendors displayed what they were selling. You could tell they really took a lot of time and effort into displaying their pieces 'just so' in order to attract buyers.

I will definitely be back to the market and maybe practice my Russian...

Food Friday: Khinkali

2011-01-14T18:17:00.001+09:00

I can't believe another week has come and gone and I haven't posted. Where did the week go? I've spent most of my time organizing things for my trip back to the US (I arrive on Sunday) and making plans to move into our house (hopefully in early February).

So, here we are on Food Friday again. Today I thought I would highlight a dish called Khinkali. These are dumplings stuffed with meat (usually pork and beef). They can be filled with other things (mushrooms, potatoes, vegetables) but I have not seen them sold like this. They are eaten without any sauce; just a little black pepper. You eat them with your hands and the juice runs out as soon as you bite into one.

After observing others there are some unwritten rules about eating them. First, there is a skill and an art to taking the first bite. You never want the juice to spill out because everyone will know you are a rookie if your plate is full of juice. Secondly, you don't eat the top of the khinkali--it is made of thick dough and is used as a handle for holding the hot dumpling. Instead you put the top back on your plate so you (and others) can keep track of how many you ate. Sounds like something a man invented :-)

If anyone wants to try to make them, here's a recipe I found online:

Makes 25 dumplings

4 cups of unbleached white flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups of warm water
1 pound of mixed ground beef and pork (not too lean)
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
Pinch or two of cayenne
1/4 teaspoon of ground caraway seed
3 small onions, peeled
1/2 cup of warm water or beef bouillon

Combine the flour, salt and warm water to make firm dough. Knead for 5 minutes, then let it sit, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Mix the ground meats and spices. Grind the onions and stir them into the meat mixture. With your hands, knead in water or bouillon.

Divide the dough into 25 pieces. On a floured board, roll each piece out to a 6-inch round. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each round. Make accordion pleats all the way around the filling by folding the edges of the dough in toward the center. Move in a clockwise

Direction, allowing each fold of dough to overlap the previous one until the filling is completely enclosed in the pleated dough. Holding the dumpling firmly in one hand, twist the pleats together at the center to seal, breaking off the excess dough at the topknot.

Cook the dumplings in salted, boiling water for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

So, I don't think we'll be seeing this recipe in Cooking Light anytime soon, but the dish is very tasty and you can only eat a few before you are full. I want to learn to make them and experiment with some vegetarian options. Maybe I can do a whole wheat version? I'll let you know.

Food Friday: The Georgian Snickers Bar

2011-01-07T21:28:00.000+09:00

Happy Friday (and Merry Orthodox Christmas)!

Since a lot of Georgian culture centers around food and drink I'm going to try to highlight one new food every Friday. Today's food: churchela

When I first came to Georgia I saw these weird purple things hanging from strings in most markets. I had no idea what it was or what to do with it. Was it a game for children? Something to start a fire with? Maybe a candle? The last thing I thought of was food.

Well, it turns out that these funny purple things are a tasty treat and have been around for thousands of years. They are referred to as the 'Georgian snickers bar' and were designed with the traveler in mind. If someone needed to travel a far distance many years ago (before gas stations and restaurants), churchela was the perfect snack. Once a churchela is made there is little that can be done to destroy it. As our driver, Dato, describes "It does not melt. It does not freeze. And if it gets dusty, just wipe it off. It gives you lots of energy and it made from walnuts and grape juice." What else do you really need?

I have found several recipes for churchela, and mostly they are the same. You start with grape juice mixed with flour and boil it down for a long time. Walnuts are then carefully tied to a string and then dipped into this mixture many times until the juice hardens. They sell at the markets for about 1 Lari each (50 cents).

We have eaten a few and I can say that they are actually pretty good. I prefer to cut them up into bite-sized pieces, but Jake prefers to bite off the end. Bon appetit!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T02:35:00.000+09:00

Happy 2011!

Christmas Day 1010 wearing fur hats.

Wow, what a year it has been! Last New Year's Day I could not have dreamed that I would be writing a blog from Georgia. Some things you just can't predict.

I'm a big believer in writing down goals & ideas and have done so for a long time. For me, there is something about putting pen to paper that makes a goal more real and gets my subconscious working on how to get what I want. My life coaching lessons have rubbed off a bit on Jon and most years we try to sit down together and write out our goals (which usually involves us getting out the world map!). For the last few years we have put down something about traveling and finding a place to live that fits our outdoor lifestyle. Although 'moving to Tbilisi' certainly wasn't on our list, I think we have found a pretty good match.

Greater Caucasus mountains

So, what else is on our list for 2011? Oh, lots of things. Host a dinner party once a month to meet new people. Open a CrossFit gym. Create a nice home environment in Tbilisi. Travel to Turkey and Croatia. Have our families to here to visit. Play more. Be more patient (with a certain 3 year old!). Go skiing. Even though we may not meet all of our goals, it is fun to brainstorm about what the year might bring and what fun experiences we would like to create.

I'd like to thank all of our friends and family who have supported us during this past year. Without you, our transition here would have been a lot harder. I wish you peace, happiness and good health in the coming year. We miss you!

A view of the mountains in Gudauri ski area.

Georgian Christmas traditions

2010-12-21T15:17:00.001+09:00

What is Christmas like in Georgia? I thought I would ask our nanny, Tamuna, a few questions about Georgian christmas traditions so that I could get to know more about how this country celebrates. Here's what I found out...

The Georgian name for Santa Claus is Tovlis Papa, which translates to 'snow grandfather.' The tradition is that he comes during the night of December 31st/New Year's Eve and leaves gifts for children. He has a big beard and his costume is very unique and involves white fur and a large cane. I will try to find a picture. He comes by himself (no need for reindeer and sleigh here!) and carries a large bag of gifts. Children usually write letters to him and there are places to go visit Tovlis Papa and sit on his lap before Christmas. Just for the record Tovlis Papa is single...no Mrs. is involved. Maybe he should check out match.com!?

On December 31st there are lots of good things to eat: walnuts with honey (like peanut brittle), turkey with walnuts and Georgian spices, roasted pig and champagne. Can't wait!

A traditional Georgian christmas tree involves carving a walnut tree branch into the shape of tree with long spirals. It is called chichilaki and they sell them in the local markets here. A lot of Georgians have adopted the Western christmas tree (usually plastic) as well and have both in their houses.

Carson next to our Chichilaki. He's not quite sure what to think about it!

On January 2nd there is a celebration 'Bedooba' which can determine how your year will be. Georgians believe that the first person to step foot in your house this day will set the mood for the year, so they throw candies in the doorway and try to ensure that a good person (usually a child) is the first to enter. Throughout the day Georgians visit each other and celebrate.

On January 7th most people celebrate the birth of Jesus (the orthodox calendar) by going to church and lighting candles at home.

I will be sure to take some pictures throughout the holidays. The lights here are really spectacular!

Morning Hikes

2010-12-14T17:15:00.000+09:00

I've started to hike a couple of mornings a week with a woman named Olga. She is from Latvia and has been in Tbilisi for a year with her husband and 7 year old son. She likes to hike and started a small hiking/walking group that goes out most mornings. Our hikes usually last 1 to 1 1/2 hours--but the time goes quickly because we are talking most of the time. We have been the only ones hiking recently, but I'm sure more people will join in the spring.

We leave from her house and walk straight up the mountain. It is really beautiful and quite a workout. Jon was able to join us last Friday. We are often above the clouds and get to see the sun coming up over the mountains. Great way to start the day. We haven't spotted any animals yet, but we have seen some interesting birds and always pass other people along the way. The air is much cleaner up in the mountains and you really get a great view of the city and surrounding area.

I have really enjoyed getting out and exercising this way. I've also enjoyed getting to know Olga and learning a big more about Latvia. She, like many people we have met, speaks multiple languages including Russian, Latvian, Turkish and English--which is amazing to me. She has already invited me to go to some of the local markets, so I know she will be a great tour guide and help us get settled into Tbilisi.

Happy Birthday Carson!

2010-12-07T01:11:00.001+09:00

Happy Birthday!

Mmmm...this stuff is good. Why haven't I had it before now?

Where did my cake go?

Wow, what a year it has been! Our little Carson is one today. He celebrated by eating some cake given to us by the Sheraton. He REALLY liked it!

So what's he up to these days? He's not yet walking, but he is so good (and fast!) at crawling that he doesn't have much incentive to get up on his feet. He loves playing with all kinds of toys, especially the ones that Jake is playing with :-) He loves taking walks in the stroller and most of all, likes to be with people. He's still drinking some formula from a bottle, but we are working on using a sippy cup and he's getting the hang of it. He seems to have a diverse palate and is especially fond of Tamuna's cheese soup.

We love him so much and can't remember what life was like before he was here. He is such a lovable, laid-back, funny and social kid. He wakes up happy and goes to bed happy. He smiles at everyone and is quite the vocalist. Can't wait to see what the next year brings!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2010-12-05T02:07:00.000+09:00

It was an exciting day here at the Sheraton! There was a huge International Bazaar in the lobby from 10AM until 6PM. There were so many amazing things to taste, buy and look at. Lots of art, jewelry, crafts, pottery....and on, and on. I guess the bazaar is held every year on the first Saturday of the month and brings in lots of people. Most of the proceeds go to charity.

What was really cool is that most countries set up a booth and sold country-specific items. We bought vodka from Estonia, sushi from Japan, some coconut cakes from France and some chocolate from Lithuania (are you sensing a theme?!)....oh, and some Trader Joe's peanut butter from the USA table. We also bought a few books for the kids and a really cool oil painting from a Georgian artist named Levan Mosiashvili. We hung it on our wall in the hotel room and it already makes the place feel homier.

Our new painting--sideways!

Jake had lots of fun. He was able to see Santa Claus, but wasn't too keen on the idea of actually touching him (although he was very tempted by the candy). The Sheraton has been working all week on making a huge gingerbread house, so that is also cool for him to run around in. All of the staff are getting to know him and he generally feels like a rock star. It is going to seem awfully boring to him when we finally move into a house :-)

A view of the gingerbread house.

The bazaar today was really amazing and made me more aware of the variety of people that live in Georgia. What I also realized today is how many people I know here already. As I walked around I probably stopped and talked (or said 'hi') to at least 20-30 people, which was fun. It was also great to introduce Jon to some of my new friends so that he can get to know them as well.

Some recent art work by Jake. Love the hands and foot reindeer!

Well, off to try the chocolates...yum.

Jake's Interview Part 2

2010-12-02T02:13:00.000+09:00

Happy Wednesday!

Jake Wright interview of Mommy (continued):

What are some things that surprise you about Georgia?

There are have been quite a few surprises. One is how nice the weather is. I was expecting it to be really cold, but actually the weather has been warm (in the 60s and 70s) and sunny most days. I haven't had to wear my winter coat yet. I guess Tbilisi only gets a couple of inches of snow every year, so winters are mostly sunny and cold.

Another surprise is how nice the people are. Everyone has been really helpful and has gone out of their way to make sure we are taken care of. When Daddy drove our car into a ditch this weekend, many people came to help us. You'll have to ask Daddy more about this story later!

I'm also surprised at how clean the streets are (we see people with brooms made of sticks cleaning them everyday). We also see lots of garbage cans around the city and if you are caught throwing litter from the car there is a big fine. However, I have not seen any recycling bins or any initiatives to encourage recycling. It feels really weird throwing away so many recyclable items--maybe we can start to change this while we are here.

I am also surprised at how many stray dogs are around the city; I'm not sure why, but there are a lot of dogs that roam the streets (and lots of dog poop, too!). You think it is a lot of fun to find all of the dogs while we are riding in the car.

What do you do all day when I'm at school?

Carson with Tamuna, our nanny

After I take you to school (with the help of our driver, Dato) I usually meet with a real estate agent for a while to help find a place for us to live. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I take Carson to an international playgroup and he plays with other babies. I have also joined the International Women's Association (IWA) and am part of a cooking club and a community service club. I'm also working on starting up my Life Coaching business again. I think there is going to be a lot to keep me busy here.

Jake with Dato, our driver for the past month

What are we going to do for Christmas?

We're not sure yet, but we will definitely celebrate. There is a big Christmas bazaar at our hotel this weekend and Santa Claus is coming. They are making a big gingerbread house in the lobby and you love to look at it. You have two weeks off of school, so we might go away for a few days to a town that is known for skiing. You will also have a Christmas party at school and are starting to sing Christmas carols.

Jake needs to go to bed, so he is signing off. All comments about his interview can be addressed to Amanda Wright and will be forwarded to Jake as he does not have email yet. Bye!

Starting Again...

2010-11-29T15:58:00.002+09:00

Downtown Tbilisi

Gamarjobat!

So, I've been wanting to start up with our blog again (the last post was a few days before Jake's birth!) but I haven't had the inspiration or motivation to do it. It has felt like work. Or maybe I've been afraid I wouldn't have anything to say or that what I post won't be interesting enough, funny enough, good enough or whatever. I'm over that now.

I have decided today is the day to start (and starting is really the hardest part in any project, right?). This blog is really meant as a log for Jake and Carson to read later so they will have some memories of our experience here. It's also so I can share some of our experiences with friends and family and hopefully provide a snippet of what life is like in this unique little country. If I keep that in mind I won't worry so much about my grammar or if I'm doing it 'right!' (which I am prone to do). So here it goes.

An interview with Mommy by Jake Wright: Part 1

The author: Jake Wright Age 3

Why did we move here?

Well, good question, Jake. We moved here to meet new people, experience new things and learn about different kinds of people. We also moved so that Daddy can work to help the people of Georgia keep scientists working on good projects (Daddy can tell you more about this later when you interview him).

What was our trip here like?

Before we left we told you that we were going on two big airplanes. You were excited. We had to pack up all of our things. We put some in a big storage unit in the US and we carried the rest in 8 suitcases on the plane. We brought your favorite toys and books, but we had to leave a lot of things in the US. You didn't seem to mind. You like playing with just about anything so you were happy. You were good on the plane (for the most part) and liked talking to the other people. You heard people speak in different languages and asked a lot of quetions. We landed in our new city (Tbilisi) in the middle of the night. You rode in a taxi with mommy and daddy to the Sheraton Hotel and we slept until the middle of the day. We were all very tired.

Was it hard to say goodbye to our friends and family?

Carson Wright 11 1/2 months

Yes, it was very hard. We had a goodbye party for you at your old school and your friends were sad that you were leaving, especially your teacher Ms. Rosario and your good friend, Muriel. It was really hard to say goodbye to your grandmas, grandpa and aunts and uncles, too. Our friends, Ken, Wendy and Cara, had a party for us so that we could see everyone before we left. The good thing is we can see a lot of our family and friends over the computer using Skype. We keep lots of pictures around so that remember our friends and family every day.

What did I do for my 3rd birthday?

You had a great birthday. It was on a Monday and you celebrated by having a big party at your new school. Mommy and Daddy came at lunch time and brought a big cake. You got some gifts and we sang happy birthday to you. You really like your new teachers (Tamuna and Ruso) and your new friends Quinn, Sally, Sarah, Paloma, Avery, Sophia and Anton. At night we celebrated by going swimming in the pool at the hotel.

Caucas Moutains: Photo taken in Bakuriani

What is Georgia like? It is a small country between Europe and Asia (you will learn about this when you are older). The capital is Tbilisi and is surrounded by beautiful mountains. Every time you see them you tell us you want to go climb them. I'm sure some day you will! The country is known for it's interesting history, friendly people and the beautiful scenery. There is lots to learn about it and we will travel a lot to see the different parts.

*Note: This interview will need to be continued as the author has a short attention span and needs to go play. Stay tuned.

Any day now...

2007-11-13T04:37:00.000+09:00

Well, our due date for Baby Boy Wright's arrival has come and gone and no sign of him yet! He must not have gotten the email about the date :-) Jon and I have been staying close to home and have been sure he was coming for the last three weeks but so far, nothing has happened. We've done a lot of cooking and baking, so maybe there is something to be said for the 'nesting' instinct.

We will keep you posted and will definitely put up a picture of our new arrival as soon as we have one.

Week 34

2007-10-01T05:21:00.000+10:00

Well, I'm 6 weeks away from my due date and feeling good. It's getting a little harder to get in and out of bed (especially for the multiple trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night!), but for the most part I have a lot of energy. Jon and I have the room pretty much set up and it looks really good. We are trying not to go overboard with buying stuff, but it's hard not to when everything is so darn cute!

My mom had a baby shower for me a couple of weeks ago and it was great to have so many of my close family and friends there. I also got together with my high school friends (Missy, Brandy and Karsten) in Hagerstown, MD yesterday for another shower. It's great to hear all the advice from my other friends who are mothers and I know I will rely on them a lot in the months to come!

We'll keep you posted on any changes :-)

Week 30

2007-09-05T02:21:00.000+10:00

Jon and I had a great weekend in Chicago and enjoyed our last big 'get-away' before Baby Boy Wright's arrival. We attended our friend Andy's wedding in downtown Chicago and stayed with Jon's mom. It was a quick visit, but we had great weather and a lot of fun.

I'm definitely starting to feel the weight of pregnancy--I've gained about 20 lbs so far. I couldn't dance as much as I wanted at the wedding, but at least I was out there trying!

Childbirth Class

2007-08-13T09:31:00.000+10:00

We spent 10 hours this weekend at a childbirth class and learned a thing or two about the birthing process. There were 9 other couples at the class and we covered topics like signs of labor, what to expect during birth and breathing exercises. At one point she had us listen to a relaxation tape to help with focusing during labor and Jon got so relaxed that he fell asleep with his head on top of mine--let's hope he stays a little more awake during the real thing! We also got a tour of the Birthing Inn which is part of Loudoun Hospital and opened in 2003, so it feels really new. One great thing is that all of the rooms are private and there is plenty of room for visitors.

Here's a picture of me from this week: I'm at 27 weeks out of 40 and starting my third trimester! The baby is moving around a lot and probably weighs close to 2 lbs. More to come...

Some 'prego' pictures

2007-07-11T12:53:00.000+10:00

Hi all,

It has definitely been a while since I've posted on our blog, but I'm inspired to write some more on it again.

A lot of you have been asking of some pictures of me with a belly, so I've included two pictures that we took tonight. I'm almost 23 weeks pregnant and am really starting to show. It is really exciting and the little guy is moving around a lot, especially after I eat icecream!

I will continue to post on here so stay tuned...Amanda

Couch surfing

2007-03-12T04:23:00.000+09:00

I'm not sure how many blog readers we still have (we haven't written in a while...so we may be the only ones!), but I thought I would write a bit to let you know what we have been up to since coming back to the US (it's hard to believe it's been 5 weeks!).

We have been really lucky that our friends and family have welcomed us to live with them while we do some job searching and figure out what we want to do and where we want to live. We've made the full circuit and have stayed with Ken & Wendy in Arlington, my mom and step-dad in Wardensville, WV, Jon's mom in Chicago, my dad and step-mom in Boonsboro, MD and plan to visit Jon's sister in upstate New York. We have become very good at packing and unpacking bags and are still living out of our suitcase--although my luggage has about tripled in size since our trip--gotta have the hairdryer!

Jon has been working hard submitting resumes and following up with some of his contacts from his last job. He's looking to get a job as a consultant. He's had a few really great leads and interviews and we should know more this week about who he might work for and where we might be located. We might have to be flexible about where we live at first, but we're hoping to be relocated to an outdoorsy city (possibly Denver or Portland?). We're excited about all of the possibilities.

I still plan to do Life Coaching and Physical Therapy, but can't really start up again until we have more of an idea about where we will be.

Here are a few pictures from the last few weeks--one is of my mom's dog Raisin getting her spring haircut--enjoy! Amanda

Party Animals

2007-03-01T00:22:00.000+09:00

Thanks to Ken and Wendy for hosting such a fun safari! We had a fantastic time and it was a great excuse to dust off the fogger.

Link to more photos

2007-02-11T11:52:00.000+09:00

Click here to see more photos from our trip--it's a work in progess!

Animal pics from Kenya

2007-02-06T02:11:00.000+09:00

Some fresh lobsters caught off the Kenyan coast.
A cape buffalo keeping a close eye on us.
Some giraffes eating their breakfast. Hippos wading in Lake Naivaisha

A dung beetle working on a 'nest' to lay some eggs--I guess nature has a way of making use of everything!

Scenes from Safari

2007-01-31T17:52:00.000+09:00

Well, it's our last day in Kenya and our bags our packed--they are a bit heavier than when we left :-) We've had an amazing trip and look forward to sharing more stories and pictures when we get back to the US.

In the meantime--here are a couple of pictures from our safari last week. We went to Lake Nakuru for one night (a soda lake famous for the flamingos) and then to Loita Hills (outside of the Maasai Mara) for three nights. We saw tons of wildlife and really had a unique experience. Most safari companies use mini-buses and just drive on roads to view the game--but we were in an open Land Rover and driving in the bush. There were quite a few times we thought we might be spending the night out in the middle of the plains because the terrain was so rough. Our guide, Sean, has a hunting background and was very good at tracking game (although the lions managed to remain hidden). One of our favorite drives was at night when we used a spotlight to see all of the animals out and about looking for food. We were able to see some really unusual species (who knew there was an African kangaroo?) as well as 3 male cheetahs out for a hunt. Very cool.

The lodge we stayed at near the Mara was called Olarro Camp--we've included a picture of our bungalow. The camp is built on land owned by the Maasai and is made from all natural materials. It has the capacity to accomodate 16 people, but we had the place to ourselves which was really nice. We highly recommend it to anyone who is up for a Kenyan vacation.

See you soon! A&J

Life's A Beach

2007-01-29T17:31:00.000+09:00

For all of you enjoying a cold spell right about now...we thought we would put up a few pictures of the sunny Kenyan coast. We stayed in a cottage on Tiwi Beach (just south of Mombasa) for about 2 1/2 weeks and really had a chance to enjoy the amazing scenery and beaches. Some highlights include:

Jon spearing his first octopus: Jon borrowed a homemade speargun and went out with Abdullah, a local fisherman, to test his fishing skills. After a few tries he made a successful spear and we were able to have octopus for dinner!

Starfish Sightings: The tidal pools were full of really beautiful starfish of all different colors. We also spotted a lion fish, an eel, lots of sea urchins and many colorful fish.

Learning to cook some new dishes: We had a small kitchen, so we were able to learn from the locals and cook up some yummy dishes including coconut prawns and fish curry. We will share our new recipes once we get home.

More pictures of our safari to come... A & J

Pictures from Narok

2007-01-21T17:44:00.000+09:00

Hi all! It's been a while since we've been able to add to our blog, but we have access to the internet today so we thought we would put up some pictures from our latest adventures. These were taken in Narok (the town Jon used to live)in early December. The first picture is Jon with his friend Kanyugi standing next to Jon's old house. The picture of me is with Jon's friend Joseph, who is Maasai, along with his mother. She lives in a traditional boma and wanted to make sure she had all of her earrings in before we took the picture! The third picture is Kanyugi with his wife and 3 children.

Defining Your Vision

2006-12-20T21:08:00.000+09:00

Hello from Bungoma!

So, it is Wednesday afternoon and Jon and I just finished presenting our first workshop to about 20 women and a few men from the town of Bungoma. It was quite the experience. The business groups were diverse and had different projects they were working on--everything from raising chickens and cows to ending world poverty and child abuse. The setting was definitely not a sterile boardroom--we were underneath a tree with chickens and cows all around!

We decided to call our workshop 'Defining Your Vision' and we facilitated a talk on focusing on the future of their businesses, which I think was very new concept for them. Because of the high poverty level, most people here are so focused on living day to day that they don't have the time to think about what they want in the future. I led them through a visualization exercise and then we had them draw out their vision on a piece of posterboard and present it to the rest of the group. They all took the assignment very seriously and were very thankful for the information and discussion. It was very cool to see how excited they were about the potential of their businesses.

We are now headed back to the sugar cane farm where we have been staying. We are living with about 12 other volunteers who are from other parts of the US and Canada. Most of the other volunteer projects involve HIV education work, which is very needed in this area. The farm also has a school and library, but they are closed right now because of the Christmas holiday.

That's it for now. Take care and Merry Christmas!

Kenya Greetings

2006-12-16T16:34:00.000+09:00

Amanda and I wanted to update everyone from Nairobi before we head to the bush. We've been in Kenya for a little more than a week and spent three days in Narok (my old volunteer site) and three days in Naivasha relaxing along a beautiful lake where we watched hippos from a boat and hiked into an old volcanic crater filled with flamingos. We would include pictures but to download them on these computers would take too long.

We are leaving tomorrow for Bungoma to volunteer with "Volunteer Kenya" (see the blog site link). Bungoma is located in western Kenya not far from the Ugandan border. Volunteer Kenya is pretty structured but the living conditions will be very basic, mud huts, and no running water or electricity...so you may not hear from us for awhile. We will be working with womens' groups for four weeks on business development. Amanda and I plan on developing a module based upon life coaching where the women explore their own interests first and then based on these findings develop business ideas that suit their interests, personalities etc.. At least that's the intention before we leave and may completely change once we get there!

Kenya is very similar to the Kenya I left. However, now Kenya has internet in most large towns and everyone has a cell phone. Unfortunately, the trash, noise and wanton disregard for safety is still the same. I visited Narok this past week and was shocked to see that it's about three times the size when I left. I sincerely believe I was lucky to be there when I was because it was still a quaint small town with just a few vehicles. I was happy to see that the tree planting project was a success and the trees Kanyugi and I planted along the road are now mature and provide shade to the street merchants.

While in Narok we visited my old neighbor Kanyugi and his family. They hosted us to dinner for three nights running. It was great to see them, but sad to see that Kanyugi got "sacked" from his good government job with the forestry department and is now living in a tough area of town trying to earn a living as a real estate broker and selling beans on the side. He's got his priorities straight, however, and is dedicated to ensuring his kids get good grades so they have the opportunity to go to college. Also, we found one PC volunteer living in Narok. He seems like a good guy and is working with prostitutes on HIV prevention. His house is sweet and includes running water, electricity and a color tv! Oh, he's also got a cell phone so he can keep up with his friends.

Interestingly, the Peace Corps training program has moved to Kitui, Justin's old voluteer site, for all you RPCVs reading this site. Apparently, the host families in Naivasha were not acting like host families anymore; also, a few volunteers had items stolen while at Malaika so another reason they moved. Of note, there are no more water and sanitation or agroforestry volunteers. Most of the work is centered on health education, HIV prevention and math and science. Volunteers no longer stay at the Parkside but rather opposite Uhuru Park in a hostel like accomodation. Amanda and I have not been there yet and have stayed in city center and are now in Westlands enjoying the amenities of a rich suburb!

That's enough for now. We'll write more when we have the chance.

Happy Holidays,

Jon and Amanda

Farewell South Africa and Lesotho

2006-12-05T22:13:00.000+09:00

Today is our last day in South Africa and we are both sad to depart such a wonderful country and excited to explore Kenya, our next destination.

Both Amanda and I want to thank the Habitat group and all the folks that contributed back home for making our Lesotho build trip such a wonderful experience that we will never forget.

We also want to personally thank Katie our good friend living in Johannesburg for her wonderful hospitality in hosting us. Amanda and I "dropped in" on Katie on three or four different occassions. We had lots of laughs together and she made us feel welcome everytime we were in the neighborhood. Thanks again Katie!

Here is a poem that Amanda and I wish to share with our readers that was written by some Habitat volunteers on a seperate trip. It summarizes nicely what we experienced in Lesotho and the general warmth of the people we've met along the way.

-----------------------------------
One person with a backhoe would not
have had the experience of fellowship.
Would not have had the chance to dance
in the streets or celebrate a heavy stone
removed from the earth.
Or felt the sweat.
Or the rain.
Or heard the sounds of a rooster or
a child's laugh.

One person with a backhoe would not
see in each tossed stone a day
a family will know the peace of a home
they have helped to build.
Or imagine using the earth and its clay, its
stones to build the home itself.
Or feel blisters and soreness in the hands
and still feel joy.
Or drink juice from the pods of a tree
that shadows a home.
Or feel heavy earth on their shoes
and be reminded that we are earth too.

One person with a backhoe
would not have received
the gifts of a hug, or of
linens, or of smiles.
Or the stories.

One person with a backhoe
would have simply dug a hole.

*by Matt, Peter, Rick, Franciene,*
*John, Kathy, Gary, Michele , Janet*

Great White Adventure

2006-11-30T16:18:00.000+09:00

Our journey has taken us to the great town of Hermanus located further east along the coast. Hermanus is known for whale watching from the shore. Hermanus's waters are deep and sandy, perfect territory for the Southern Right whale and the Humpback. Our first day we spent time marveling at a couple Southern Right's playing close to shore. We even witnessed a whale breach the surface on two different occasions. Unfortunately the whales were too far to take good pictures. However, this experience further convinced us that the South African shoreline is a unique place in the world.

Our second day in Hermanus was spent cage diving with Great White sharks. Yep, that's right, Amanda actually got into a metal cage in 12C water (ice cold) to view up close and personal Great White sharks. Hermanus hosts a seal colony close to its shores which is a popular food source for the sharks. Visibility is poor this time of year so in order to see the sharks the boat crew has to lure them in with bait so that they literally bump against the cage! Our first siting included a 15ft Great White that glided along the boat. The sharks were relaxed in general so they were more curious than hungry. A few of the sharks we spotted munched on the bait, however as quickly as they came they departed.

Today we leave for Swellendam, a traditional Cape Dutch town in the mountains. We then head back to Cape Town on Friday to take in more of the sights and scenery that we missed when we first flew in. Then on to Jo'burg come Monday and our final destination Kenya next Wednesday.

A few more pics

2006-11-28T00:27:00.000+09:00

Riding the wave in Cape Town

2006-11-27T23:49:00.000+09:00

We have been in Cape Town for a week and are really enjoying this city. It seems to have it all--beautiful beaches, great winelands and plenty of outdoor stuff to do. We rented a car and have been driving around and exploring the area. Supposedly next week the city becomes filled with tons of tourists on 'holiday' from Europe, so we are glad we are here before peak time.

Today we decided to visit a local surfing beach (in False Bay at a town called Muizenberg) and took some lessons from a local guy named Gary. We donned our 3mm thick wetsuits and headed into the water with our surfboards. Gary showed us a few technique moves and then we were on our own. Amanda kept one eye out for sharks (supposedly there is a 'shark watcher' somewhere close by who alerts everyone with a blowhorn if one is in the area...yikes!) while Jon took a few spills off the board before catching a wave. All in all, a very good day.

Yesterday we drove all the way to the tip of the peninsula to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point Nature Reserve. The water was really rough and the wind blows pretty hard here--it's easy to see why many ships have banged into the rocks. We were able to do a good bit of hiking around and the views were spectacular.

Tomorrow we are driving to a fishing village called Hermanus which is known for its local southern right and humpback whale population this time of year. Hopefully we will see a few!

We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. We were definitely missing our families and friends and a homecooked turkey dinner last Thursday. We are very thankful to have the opportunity to take this trip and for all of your support!

Lesotho Highlights

2006-11-19T22:07:00.000+09:00

Hi all!

Here are some of the highlights from our trip to Lesotho. It's so hard to put the trip into words, but hopefully this will help to paint the picture of some of our experiences. We had an awesome time and can't wait to share more stories and pictures when we return.

Meeting the children of Lesotho: Although the kids we met had no toys to play with and very little clothing, they all seemed really happy and loved to play and interact with each other and with us. They loved just sitting by us and observing what we were doing. They also loved eating 'sweets' and were so excited if they got an empty water bottle to play with. Unfortunately, there are many, many orphans in Lesotho because of AIDS.

Pony trekking in Semonkong to the waterfalls: This trip started with a very long and scary 3 1/2 hour ride in a small van on a mostly gravel rode to an area known as Semonkong. At one point all 14 of us had to get out of the van so it could make it up a hill! At Semonkong, we each saddled up on a horse and rode about an hour to a gorgeous waterfall. The trip was extra memorable because of a massive thunderstorm and hail that came over the mountains while we were riding. Amanda asked the guide (who spoke little English)..."What's the plan if it rains?" His answer was "no coat...too bad!"

Getting to know the other volunteers: The 12 other volunteers on the trip were just great people and everyone got along really well. You really get to know someone when you are in a pit latrine for 4 hours together! We had a lot of laughs and spent many hours around a campfire sharing stories. It was interesting to find out that many of the volunteers are also in some sort of transition point in life, as we are, which made for lots of good conversation.

Riding in a single engine Cesna plane over Lesotho: We were very lucky and had the opportunity to go up in a 6 person plane with a pilot who works everyday to deliver food and medical equipment to remote villages. Jon sat in the co-pilot's seat and asked lots of questions while Amanda concentrated on not getting sick. The mountains were amazing from the air and we really got a lay of the land--the attached picture was taken from the plane.

House dedication on Habitat site: Last Saturday we sat in on a dedication ceremony and walked from house to house to give each homeowner a Bible. It was really cool to see the pride in the faces of the homeowners and it was during this walk and ceremony that we really saw firsthand the importance of all of the work we had done.

That's it for now! We are flying to Cape Town on Monday for 12 days. We will write more soon.

A day in the life of a Habitat volunteer...

2006-11-11T22:12:00.000+09:00

Happy Saturday! We have completed 5 1/2 days of building at our site in Lesotho and have the afternoon off for a little R&R. Here's a little time line of our average work day. We have been working on several houses and have seen a lot of progress on them all. This morning we were part of a dedication ceremony and were able to meet a lot of the home owners (mostly single women who work in town at the local factories). It was great to see how proud they were to dedicate their home.

5:45am-6:15am: Wake up to the bright sunshine. The sun rises here very early, so sleeping in is not an option. We are staying in a guest house with 3 people to a room. The bathrooms and shower are in a separate building (reminds me of my days of 4-H camp!)
7:00-7:30am: Eat breakfast and pack up for the day. We've been dividing up breakfast duty between the volunteers and have been eating eggs, yogurt, oatmeal and lots of peanutbutter.
7:30am: Leave in a 14 passenger van and head to the work area (about a 45 minute drive). We have usually gotten stuck in rush hour traffic and there are a lot of children walking to school. School is paid for up until the 8th grade--so most children do go to school (although we made friends with a 12 year old who doesn't go to school and spends his days herding 4 cows).
8:15am-noon: We usually split up in groups of 3 or 4 and get to work on the tasks of the day. We have been working side by side with some of the home owners, which has been really cool. We have had the opportunity to lay cinderblock, carry blocks from site to site and lots of wheelbarrow work to move rocks and dirt. We are sure to take lots of water breaks. Our pick axing skills have much improved over the week.
Noon: Lunch time! We have been gathering in one of the houses that is not yet completed and eating a 'take-out' lunch of meat, rice and vegetables. THe food has been really good. Dessert is usually a chocolate bar split among the group.
1:00-3:30 or 4pm: Continue with tasks of the morning. We try to switch up what we do so that we can use different muscles. There are lots of children around that entertain us and we have been trying to teach them games and songs (today's game was duck, duck, goose).
4pm: Clean up the tools and head for home.
5pm: Shower (we have had some hot water, but the showers are very brief) and then dinner. Two local ladies have prepared our food every night and it has been very good. They use lots of chicken, pumpkin, cabbage, beans and rice.
9pm: We usually head to bed and fall asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow.

We have tomorrow off and are heading to the highest waterfalls in Southern Africa. Should be quite the adventure...

Pit Latrine anyone?

2006-11-07T00:11:00.000+09:00

We are in Lesotho (as of Saturday afternoon) and just completed our first day on the job at our build site outside of the capital city (Maseru) in Lesotho. There are 14 of us on the Habitat build and we worked all day mixing concrete, shoveling dirt and digging pit latrines. We are pretty exhausted but feel like we've put in a good day of work.

The Habitat site has enough room for 200 houses and 103 are now completed. Each house is basically a concrete slab with 2 rooms (some families have 3 rooms), windows and a front door. The scenery around the site is pretty amazing. There are mountains surrounding us as we build--plus lots of cattle roaming about. The kids are very curious about who we are and what we are doing. Some of them are much more efficient at swinging the pick ax than we are!

We will write more later when we have the chance--we're off to stretch out our backs.

Cruisin' in Kruger

2006-11-02T19:30:00.000+09:00

So we made it safely back from our roadtrip out to Kruger National Park. It was an amazing experience. We entered the park at 6:00 AM and immediately spotted some Rhinos along a small gravel road. As the morning wore on we spotted many deer like things (DLTs) including Impala and Kudu. They are so numerous and crowd the road. Apparently, the lions and leopards aren't going hungry.

It was hot-- over 100 degrees. Now we understand why the wildlife hide under the shade in the middle of the day. We would've done the same, except getting out of the car would not have been a good idea.

The highlight of the day had to be when we stumbled upon a herd of elephants. They were dusting themselves about 150 yards in the bush. As we waited they started to move and eventually crossed the road to our rear and climbed down into a dry river bed. We got a couple good shots with the camera.

We left Kruger at about 2:00 PM and stopped over at a little town in the mountains called Barberton. We met a couple from Sweden in their 60s. They were backpacking like us and had just driven up from Cape Town (long drive).

Now we are back in Jo'burg getting ready to meet up with our Habitat group tomorrow. We are excited to finally meet everyone and continue the adventure in Lesotho.

Congrats to Lisa and Sueng on their wedding engagement!

More to follow..

Road trip to Sabie!

2006-10-30T22:06:00.000+09:00

So, we left Johannesburg on Sunday for our first road trip!! With our map of South Africa in hand and Jon at the wheel (on the right hand side...Left, stay left!), we headed northwest out of Jo'burg toward a mountain town called Sabie. The sites along the way were pretty incredible--the scenery reminded us more of Colorado than South Africa. Lots of pine trees and farming. The South African roads are in great shape, but the drivers are a little crazy.

We are staying 2 nights at a hostel in Sabie (Amanda's a virgin hosteler!). We were welcomed by Johnny (an adventure guide who also runs the hostel) and his yellow lab Tequila. They do rafting, canyoning, rock climbing and hiking trips out of the hostel center.

Today we decided to make up our own trip and went driving around. We stopped at a few waterfalls, snapped some pictures and did a small hike. We then filled up on Biltong (dried beef that they sell everywhere) and cappachino and headed back to Sabie.

Tomorrow we are getting up early and driving into Kruger National Park. Hopefully we'll catch a look at some animals...stay tuned!

Visit to Soweto

2006-10-27T23:46:00.000+10:00

Today we visited Soweto (SOuth WEst TOwnship) of Johannesburg with a tour guide. It is an area outside of the city where most of the blacks were forced to live during Apartheid and many people still live there today (around 3.5 million). Nobel Peace prize recipients Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu have both lived in this area (and actually on the same street!).

The houses in Soweto are varied. We saw some bigger brick homes with flowers, garages, etc which are right across the street from tin shacks with 10 people living inside one small space. Unemployment rate in Jo'burg is 40% and I'm sure is even higher in Soweto. Our tour guide told us that the crime rate in this township is fairly low compared to other areas of the city.

We were able to go inside of Nelson Mandela's family home (very tiny!). We also visited the Hector Pieterson museum (Hector was a young boy who was shot dead by police during a Soweto uprising in 1976) and we walked into one of the tin shacks that has no electicity or water. The people in this area welcome tourists and have many trinkets for you to buy.

Our experience today was humbling and inspiring and we're looking forward to learning more about the history of this area.

We need what?

2006-10-26T21:19:00.000+10:00

We're here! This will be a quick post, but we just wanted to let you know we have landed in Johannesburg safe and sound. We had one minor glitch at the airport...we showed up at the ticketing booth at Dulles and the agent asked for our S. Africa visa (whoops...we need that??). She almost didn't let us get on the plane, but after another agent stepped in and helped us out we were on our way.

So far, S. Africa is amazing. It is springtime so the trees are in full bloom and everyone is out and about on the streets. Katie has an awesome place in an eclectic neighborhood called Melville and she has been quite the host. We have met some of her friends and have plans over the weekend to meet some others. Everyone has been really great and has given us ideas on where and how to travel in S. Africa.

We visited a Lion and Rhino park outside of Jo'burg on Tuesday. We were up close and personal with lions, wild dogs, rhinos and zebra. I couldn't believe how close the lions would let us get! I made sure the windows were rolled up.

We will write more later. The internet service is ok, but pretty slow, so downloading pictures is not that easy. We will try to do a few now and then.

Write when you get a chance! A&J

Hey, where's the toothpaste? (and other fun things about moving!)

2006-09-20T06:37:00.000+10:00

So, it's official. We are homeless. Everything we own is in a 10X20 storage unit or in the trunk of our car. Jon and I are out of our townhouse and have moved in with our good friends Ken & Wendy. As of next Friday we will be jobless as well. We are definitely feeling the pangs of transition, but we are very excited about our upcoming adventure.

So, I've been asked a few times how we came to the decision to leave the safety and comforts of our life in DC and our jobs and go explore and volunteer in Africa. I think for both of us, it was a decision that excited us so much that once we came up with the idea, we never really looked back. We love our life here, but we know we are ready to move on to the next adventure.

Here's a quote from Frances Mayes' book called 'A Year in the World' and it really spoke to me about why traveling is so amazing. Enjoy!

"Travel pushes my boundaries. When you travel, you become invisible, if you want. I do want. I like to be the observer. What makes people who they are? Could I feel at home here? No one expects you to have the stack of papers back by Tuesday, or to check messages, or to fertilize the geraniums. When traveling, you have the delectable possibility of not understanding a word of what is said to you. Language becomes simply a musical background for watching bicycles zoom alongside a canal, calling for nothing from you. Travel releases spontaneity. You become a godlike creature full of choice, free to visit the stately pleasure domes, make love in the moring, sketch a bell tower. You open, as in childhood, and--for a time--receive the world. Ther's the visceral aspect, too--the huntress who is free. Free to go, free to return home bringing memories to lay on the hearth."

Africa or bust!

2006-08-28T01:00:00.002+10:00

Welcome to our Blog!

We are about to embark on an adventure to Africa and look forward to sharing stories, photos and videos from our trip with you through this blog.

Our first stop in our trip will be South Africa and Lesotho. We are going to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity's Global Village program in Lesotho. Here's some information about our trip from the Habitat Web Site.

We will be collecting donations for Habitat to help us with the cost of the trip. Our goal is to raise $2500 by Oct 1st. Click on the 'Donate Now' icon on your right to donate. All donations are tax deductible.

Thanks in advance for your support!

Lesotho

November 2-18, 2006

The trip is an adventurous opportunity to visit Lesotho. You will experience a new culture, grow spiritually and help others. Volunteers will be working side by side with the people of Lesotho to build a home while making new friends. The team leader is looking for volunteers who are flexible and culturally sensitive. A sense of humor and a fondness for smiling are also desirable. Volunteers will get their hands dirty building homes, connect with the local people, and likely leave Lesotho receiving more than they ever hoped to give. No building experience is necessary, just your desire to help others.

About Lesotho
Lesotho, a mountainous kingdom is entirely surrounded by and largely dependent on South Africa. Its predominant natural resource is water, which is also an income generator with its use of a new hydropower facility that allows this country to sell water to South Africa. The economy in Lesotho is almost entirely based on agriculture and income brought in my men working in the gold and diamond mines in South Africa. Ninety percent of the population is Christian and the official languages are Sesotho and English.

Habitat for Humanity began building in Lesotho in 2001. Construction began in 2002 after a generous donation of 200 land plots by the local government to help provide decent, durable and affordable housing. This new Habitat community is located 15km outside of Maseru, the capital city. HFH Lesotho houses are constructed of cement block or brick and include a ventilated pit latrine but no electricity.

Tentative Itinerary
Thursday, Nov 2nd – Depart from U.S.
Friday, Nov 3rd – Arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa
Saturday, Nov 4th – Arrive Maseru, Lesotho
Sunday, Nov 5th – Orientation and sight seeing in Maseru
Monday-Friday, Nov 6th – 10thth Build
Saturday-Sunday, Nov 11th-12th Build half day, Saturday, and Local Cultural Activities
Monday-Tuesday, Nov13th-14th – Build
Wednesday-Friday, Nov 15th-17th – R&R
Saturday, Nov 18th – Depart Johannesburg for Home

Accommodations
The accommodations for the team will be simple to modest Guest House. Modern Toilet facilities are available at the Guest House, though slit trenches and outhouses at build site. Bottled water is included in cost and will be provided throughout the trip.

Cost
The trip to Lesotho will cost between $1,500 -$1,800 plus round-trip airfare. This price includes lodging, food, ground transportation, cultural tours, traveler's medical insurance, orientation materials and a donation to Habitat Lesotho. Participants will need to arrange and pay for transportation from their point of departure to Lesotho. International flights will be arranged through team leader.

Team Leader
George Schau is a consulting Civil Engineer living in Northeast Illinois with his wife of twenty two years, Barbara, and their two teen age sons. In his spare time, George enjoys golfing, camping and fishing. In addition, he has been a co-leader on three builds to South Africa and has also led teams to Dodoma, Tanzania and Mahalapye, Botswana.

Please contact George at 262.358.0379 during the day or at gesi@techheadnet.com