What moving back looks like

3 weeks out and I can finally edit the packing pictures without the panicky feeling coming back. Everything fit and made it back. I would say with no problems, but packing day was stressful enough that it was a problem at the time. I made it down to Mexico for Peace Corps service with 2 […]

200 Soccer Balls

We take a break from our regularly scheduled TB updates to discuss some actual work. This video is a thank you to a group of donors from the States and all the Peace Corps Volunteers that helped in a simple, fun project that I organized in Mexico over the course of 2012 basically. We received […]

Camp Mariposas – the weekend finale

It’s time to wrap up the camp posts. I have to keep checking the calendar to convince myself that it has only been one week (tomorrow) since the end of the camp. What a week it has been. I’m so confused by what day it is and what is going on. So, the final weekend of […]

Camp Mariposas – Day 5

I really need to finish posting about the camp, because it gets harder and harder to recall the details as the days go by. I guess that is because so much as been happening over the last week. Like finishing service and moving back to the US yesterday. Oh, but enough about that. Back to […]

Camp Mariposas – Day 4

Health Day was a lot of fun, excluding the important the presentation about sexual health and contraception. It was interesting, and I was very happy that the girls were asking a lot of questions, but I’m not sure that fun is the right word. Taekwondo class was a blast though. A teacher from a local […]

Camp Mariposas – the Graduation

The only group picture known to exist with your truly included. Ah, the perils of being the designated photographer, a position that I love, but I did have to round up the whole group at the end of the picture-taking session because I didn’t have a single group picture with myself included. I am so […]

Camp Mariposas – Day 3

Well, as expected, I’m falling farther and farther behind in my efforts to edit and upload photos each day. The days are getting longer as we slowly pull out of winter and as each day’s activities and the evening drama of the camp extends into my sleep time. I’m actually taking the weekend off to […]

Camp Mariposas – Day 2

The girl’s made it through the first night without incident or injury in their dormitories. We owe the chaperones staying with the girls big time. Day 2 was packed full, starting with yoga at 8:00am and then with presentations about self-esteem, critical thinking, and body image. All the camp participants took a fairly intensive version […]

Camp Mariposas – Day 1

I’m going to repeat some Facebook information here because not everyone uses, or needs to use, that particular site (or be connected to me on that site). However, I can give more background and information here. For this whole week, I’m helping at a friend’s leadership and empowerment camp for young women here in Mexico. […]

Into the wild(er) slightly more northern parts

I had a spur-of-the-moment chance to make a quick visit to the lovely state of Aguascalientes recently. I’ve been meaning to visit the Volunteer living up there, but scheduling these trips is tricky, unless you can just go with the flow and take the last-minute opportunity. This is now the most northerly part of Mexico […]

Let’s talk about tequila

I’m not one to pretend to have done any research. There are some interesting Mexican culture and culinary blogs out there, and you can google the story of tequila as well as I can. What I would like to present today is my experience in the tequila aisle at a slightly upscale liquor store here […]

Lessons from the Ancients

I finally made it to the famous National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. It is an overwhelmingly impressive collection, so of course I’m going to have to make light of it. But really, it was great and a must see like everyone says. I probably should have paid for the audio guide, but I […]