TrippingOnWords

Day 793: Lara Who?

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:31:08 -0500

As everyone knows via claire who has to listen to my complaining, it's been a totally crazy spring/summer and usually not in a good way, though things are looking up this past week. A round of horrific midterms caught me up in my classes, I applied to med school, claire and I have been have a few peaks with the non-profit and other ventures, and the whole world seems to be continuing on just as it should; though I've been so overwhelmed my head has been mostly in the sand pretending it's not all going on. Claire has been a TOTAL champ and hats off to her for tolerating me as a whiny friend and also as an overwhelmed business partner. Huge thanks, clarita.

One of the least of my duties is our photos, and now that I have a sec to catch my breath, I'm back on it.

so here's a round up of some favorite Africa pics from our last trip:

Enjoy! We certainly did.

1. In which Edwin continues to be a crazy man

2. Saitote
3. Two of our amazing volunteers--Molly and Alicia
4. Grantwriter Holly and not-so-little-anymore Jane
5. Maryanne
6. Tori-consulting savior
7. Hezekia--head of Tanzania project

8. Simon

9. The water problem when we first arrived at Shamba site, Tanzania--no more buckets these days though10. Soccer in Tanzania

11. And of course me with Rhoda and Simba....

12. ...and Claire (and Edwin)

Day 790: The Hope Runs 777 Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:46:13 -0500

Perhaps you've heard us mention it. This summer, though, thanks to some great donated adspace on some fantastic sports websites, the applications have been pouring in.

What is the Hope Runs 777 Challenge?

In 2010, Hope Runs will be leading a Guinness World Record-breaking
endeavor to complete 7 marathons on 7 continents in only 7 weeks. With
a team of dedicated runners, physical therapists, and doctors, we are
committed to breaking some fantastic Guinness World Records. We are
also proud to be running a green event through carbon-emissions-offset sponsoring.

The Hope Runs 777 Challenge will help bring the issues facing the
14.5 million AIDS orphans in Africa alone to the forefront of the
worldâ€™s consciousness. By pushing ourselves to the limit, our team
will raise awareness for the issues facing orphaned and vulnerable
children (OVCs) all over the world, mobilizing people everywhere to
become more involved. With each member of the team covering his or her
own costs and committing to raise thousands more toward the cause, this
effort will help to make a lasting impact in places that need it most.

How Can I Join the Team?

We are still accepting applications for the 2010 team. We are
looking for dedicated runners, marathoners, doctors or nurses, physical
therapists, and physical trainers who would be committed to spending
six weeks of 2010 working toward this record-breaking goal. If you do
not fall into one of these categories, but feel you have what it takes,
please send us an application.

The team will also be required to do extensive fundraising, both to
pay for their own trips and to meet a minimum fundraising goal set for
each member. We will be happy to help with fundraising strategies and
ideas, but each member will be trusted to earn enough to make this
challenge a highly successful fundraising effort.

You can download an application here, or if you have any questions, please contact us at hoperuns777@gmail.com.

How Can I Help?

Because we have committed ourselves to having all of our fundraising
go directly to the Hope Runs kids who inspired this endeavor in the
first place, we are actively seeking further sponsorship to offset the
cost of such an event.

We seek sponsorship from fitness products, equipment outlets, travel
companies or other interested parties. For proposals or questions about
current or future sponsorship, please contact our public relations
associate at hoperuns.pr@gmail.com

The Girl Effect

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:10:52 -0500

Day 781: The Fourth of July

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:54:08 -0500

Shockingly, they still don't celebrate the USA's independence down here in Argentina, where summer is winter (southern hemisphere, people) and meat is king.

However, Lara tells me (Claire) that the holiday went off as expected in the USA, and that people ate hot dogs and ketchup as needed. Lara, as our resident vegetarian, certainly didn't, but that doesn't prevent her from reporting on the rest of us carnivores.

Happy Fourth of July to you all!

Day 780: Good Pictures from Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:50:28 -0500

As you may have guessed from the recent post from the Barack and Hilary rally in Unity, New Hampshire, Lara has indeed returned from Africa to settle back into life and work in the USA. As usual, the minor technology disasters are constant. Lara has infected her entire family with technology nightmares - all the computers are near to death now. Additionally, Lara's bright shiny new camera seems to have failed itself. We have salvaged some photos from it all though.

Let's go (we're not promising they are good):

Lara in Unity, New Hampshire

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:00:27 -0500

Guess Where I Am?

Day 764: Lara in London

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:44:45 -0500

Lara, in transit from Africa to the USA, was clearly not the only one affected by President Bush's decision to fly into Heathrow.

Day 763: Welcome Gladys!

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:01:33 -0500

Tumaini has a new kid in town - Gladys has now asserted herself as the smallest and most vocipherous member of the orphanage community. We applaud you little Gladys.

Day 762: We are (as ever) here

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:46:11 -0500

While Lara braves out another couple weeks of field management in Kenya and Tanzania right now, I (Claire) have returned to South America to a life of virtual work for Hope Runs. Our last month on the ground in Africa has been one of the most hectic in my recent memory, but this comes as know surprise. Clearly, this is what happens when one builds a life in which being in two places at once is actually the best option.

This recent trip brought to mind an issue that we have been steadily - and sometimes, admittedly, sadly - aware of over the last year. Indeed, it is startling to see how much our roles have changed since we began Hope Runs. In the beginning, it was all about the children, and laughing at them (yes), and with them (yes), and just generally spending endless time doing very little of substance in their presence.

And although we do some of that these days - we held a successful snail marathon, we popped 200 bags of popcorn, etc. - our job these days demands that we spend much more time in Africa talking to adults, about adult-like things.

The result?

Better programming for the adorable little and big kids, but less quality time spent with little monsters. And this problem is not about to end. As we happily expand to the point where we cannot always know the names of the children we work with, a tiny sigh of sadness does escape us.

Day 760: Edwin Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:45:55 -0500

Edwin, 10, in his element as ever:

Back from Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:49:22 -0500

While Lara still manages the fort - and quite a management effort it requires - I have returned to South America, most of my luggage intact, mosquito bites to spare.

Day 740: Africa Still Produces Cute Children

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Fri, 30 May 2008 14:17:02 -0500

Currently in Kenya, the old pictures are true: the kids are still adorable. A few inches taller than when Claire last saw them two months ago, but still adorably petite.

Day 740: Back in Kenya with a vengeance

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:58:15 -0500

Well, the internet is out at the orphanage, so we hvae been doing all our emailing from town (with a bad keyboard, so pardon typos). This is fine, as we have claire's blackberry (lara's blackberry continues to be quite hte issue but we don't speak of this) to at least read emails and send back two line responses. This is how claire emails from computers anyway, so people haven't really noticed a change.

it is AMAZING to be back--the kids are all jsut teh same, but bigger. Except the ones who haven't actually gotten any bigger, which is alternately because they're grown or because we should be concerned abotu them. But Tumaini putters along as usual--the elders are eldering, the runners are running, the kids are yelling--it's all as we left it, happily if anything better for the wear.

The highlights of our return have included:

The First Annual Inernational kono kono Marathon: (kono kono is a slug)which included 13 slugs gathered from the garden, and about 45 screaming kids, and two squealing lara and claire's. We had lots of prizes for the winning slug (named Douglas after one of the running coaches) as well as some speeches from myself. Unfortunately, the slug named Claire because it was so white kept taking off in the wrong direction, and the slug named Lara just went to sleep. Oh well. At least time the kids did not trick Claire into giving the slug salt as its prize. Sad Claire has fallen for that trick before.

2. A great arrival lunch--I really missed kenyan food and tea. The lunch also included an in-depth disucssion of obama and hillary and their recent antics--everyone here is surprisingly pro Hillary considering Obama is a Kenyan--however, then we found out that Obama is a Luo (rival tribe) so he is less liked around here than one might expect.

3. WE hve spent 6 hours in the BArclay's Bank--Nyeri Branch. We discovered when we got here that there was some complex college tuition fee stuff happening, and we've been trying to negotiate the issue (thanks mom and dad!). All will be fine in the end, but lordy. These Kenyans are killing me. In order to take otu money this time, I required a letter of introduction from a Kenyan "of good standing." So we went to take the truck to find Cucu, the elder at Tumaini, but ended up running into an elder from the church instead. He climbed in with us (there were 13 of us in the car at this point), and he came down to both provide his signature, and a public shaming at the bank for giving us "who were helping the church" a hard time. After this "good fathering" as Eunice explained it, the bank was much more amenable to our issue.

But things are good--we have had story hour, lots of tea, and while I have yet to partake of any githeri, I'm sure it's coming soon enough. The reunion five K run is tomorrow--everyone hope it goes well, and that no one notices that Claire and I can no longer run well.

Day 739 addendum

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Mon, 26 May 2008 19:12:13 -0500

good thing I was up at 3 AM--email crises regarding office depot and claire's computer...

cancelled ! Again! Sent back to warehouse!

No worries--emily is on it! Go emily go!

Sigh. Then sob a little bit.

Day 739: Hooray Kenya!

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Mon, 26 May 2008 18:58:39 -0500

I'm here again hurray! It was absolute hell getting out the door of the US because At&T/IBM conspired to ruin my life (Claire wasn't kidding--AT&T abjectly lied to me. it was shocking. They even acknowledged that they had lied many times, but that they couldn't fix it. ARRRGGGH.) and because i'm an idiot and had no time to do everything that needed to be done; but the flights were delightfully smooth and I even made it to them thanks to a multi-person effort to get me out the door (thanks mom and dad! And Will and Gabs and Bobo and Gracie! And Silvana! The George Clooney-obsessed flight attendant for BA! i'll forgive you for the Matthew McConaughey pictures...) One very short layover in London, lots of sleep and a bit of movie watching. Then more sleep.

I was dreadfully hungover from a month of relative sleeplessness between finals and a round of serious MCAT cramming and taking. BUT it's all OVER!!! And though I return from Africa to a nice round up of summer school, I now have a blissful whole month of doing much more fun things like hanging with the urphins.

So far Kenya has been uneventful. There was a small bit of bribery of customs officials when I got in, but even that was really quite painless in the end--when I invoked the fact that it was donations for kids, they didn't care, but when I explained that I was giving them to a church and anything they charged me, the reverend would be paying so REALLY they were charging the Kenyan church for US donations, the numbers went down real quick. happily--as their first numbers started at over 400 USD, which got me all red in the face and sweaty with outrage. but in the end, it was more like 15 USD. Claire says this has nothing to do with my bargaining skills and everything to do wit hthe fact that they were being ridiculous, I beg to differ.

Other than that, it's been quiet, like I said. Highlights have included:

1) getting yelled at by the airport officials beyond the customs people because I kept scampering across the security lines without getting checked or even showing a passport to talk to my driver (the wonderful Francis) about how best to bribe people and to get money from the bank. They eased up for some reason when I told them "asanti sana" or thank you very much in Kiswahili. At first, I thought this was because they were impressed with my (totally nonexistent) language skills. Then I realized they were probably laughing at me.

2) realizing that despite my massive massive amounts of crap, I did manage to forget important things

3) READING A NOVEL for the first time in a long time. I've read two in fact. And it was great.

4) Offering Splenda to the woman that cleans my hotel room. They hadn't given me sugar for my coffee that morning, so I rummaged through all my stuff and found a couple of stray bags of splenda (no I really had not packed them). When I explained to the woman that I would need sugar in the morning, she seemed to doubt my need for sugar since I was drinking their coffee as we spoke in the supposedly sugar-free room. By way of explanation, I showed her the Splenda. She wanted some. so I handed it over, and she promptly poured it over her hand and licked it off.

She liked it.

5) Grocery shopping, showering after my airplane ride with a pretty gecko, sleeping through the night for about 11 hours when I got here, and reuniting with our driver Francis were other highlights.

Now it's almost 3 AM here, I'm awake again, and need to go back to sleep. But part worry about how the next few months will go, and mostly excitement to be back and seeing hte kids tomorrow are keeping me up--

SO good to be back. And far away from Science Lecture Hall C and my MCAT books.

Sigh.

Day 738: Lara and Claire in Africa, All Electronic Equipment Broken. Tears.

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:21:43 -0500

It's our energy.

The amount of bad technology karma we carry is unbelievable. The latest is that Lara's computer ALSO broke two days before arriving in Africa. Needless to say, the new one she ordered did not come in time.

Let's review the companies who have tried to ruin our lives this week, and the products affiliated with them:

Apple, Claire's Mac (broken, 10 months old)

Dell, Claire's new computer (wrong item shipped, returned)

Office Depot #1, Claire's new computer (shipped and billed to wrong addresses; canceled)

Office Depot #2, Claire's new computer (shipped and billed AGAIN to wrong addresses; canceled)

Office Depot #3, Claire's new computer (after 15 hours on the phone, it just may arrive, but is already 5 days late, so, you know...)

IBM, Lara's Computer (broken)

IBM, Lara's new computer (shipped express, not delivered in time)

Verizon, Lara's Blackberry (after 7 years reception ended; service canceled)

AT&T, Lara's Blackberry (signed on to get Africa service; they tell lies and now there is no Africa service)

Verizon (again), Claire's Blackberry (only working half the time in Africa due to inexplicable Verizon wireless problems that have to do with the fact that Claire has not been in the USA to update some "critical" software)

Day 736: Claire, To Africa with broken computers

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:19:32 -0500

Claire heads to Africa today, after an obvious layover in Sao Paolo, Brazil and then Amsterdam.

On hand, she also has her broken mac (you have heard the story of this) and hopes of receiving a new computer from Emily Baker, Hope Runs Fundraising Director in Seattle who is meeting us in Africa later in the week.

Emily's ability to bring said new computer is severely hampered by the nightmarish companies that are both Dell and Office Depot.

After ordering (and having it be canceled for inexplicable reasons) FOUR computers, it looks unlikely that Emily will receive even one measly computer to bring to Claire in Africa.

It seems that as soon as companies become large, they lose all interest in their customers.

Sob.

Day 734: To Africa, Lara with broken blackberry in hand

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:05:31 -0500

Lara heads to Africa today. Useless non-working blackberry in hand. This story, which is boring, has to do with the disastrous companies and customer service nightmares that are both Verizon and AT&T.

Verizon: After XXX years failed to give Lara reception in her own home. She had to get rid of them. Lots of yelling ensued.

AT&T: Convinced her to sign up using lies, assuring her that she could work her berry within the week in Africa. NOT SO BOSTON! (a palindrome)

Customer service people of the world are ruining our lives.

What's Important

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:32:46 -0500

Awesome picture of a chalkboard at one our Tanzania sites. No matter your religion hopefully this remains a powerful image...

Day 726: Get Your Blog Linked and Be Confused

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:11:31 -0500

How did we get traffic from an old blog post going on some blog section of the Chicago Sun-Times Online?

Can anyone use simple language to explain this article link to us?

Day 731: Best Interview Tips (From Lara)

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:24:15 -0500

I love when I see emails I am not supposed to see. Today, James forwarded me Lara's Best Interview Tips - a letter she prepped for Hope Runs Scholar James in Nairobi to help him get ready for his interview for a study abroad program in Korea next year. I now want Lara to give me such peppy, positive advice for my interviews. Seriously, though, I find the advice here quite useful and wonder when Lara became such a grown up. Use this on your next interview people.

Some highlights of her advice:

You want to dress "professionally" so like pants and a collared shirt or even a jacket or tie. It depends on how formal the interview is--as long as you look clean and presentable, and handsome as always!

I tend to always bring writing material so I can take notes if they say anything I need to follow-up on.

So how it should go--

you should show courage--be confident is more like it. You want to look them in the eye and not be too shy. Shake their hands FIRMLY (don't hurt them, but don't be a baby about it) But definitely be yourself--if you try to transform into a robot, they will not be able to appreciate how personable and funny you are!

As for their harder questions--American harder questions are:

"why do you think you deserve to go?"

I would say you deserve to go because you have been working really really hard and are excited about the opportunity. You also should know that you can succeed since you have a small amount of experience with international people (like me!) and you are really excited to learn about new cultures and new ways of doing things. You are adventurous and want to see things outside of Kenya and Africa, and think this is an AMAZING opportunity!

What are your biggest weaknesses?

I would try to find something that might be hard for you while abroad and discuss it honestly, without making it seem like a true weakness. It's hard--but something like the fact that you have very close ties to your family, and you know leaving will be hard might be a weakness. However, you should then go on to say why you know you can overcome this weakness (you are able to keep in e-mail contact, they are prepared for you to go abroad etc etc.) understand? You need to be honest about something that will be hard for you, but then make it clear that you have thought about the issue and are prepared to overcome it.

Why do you want to do this?

Have a few points that discuss why you personally want to do this, as well as why you want to do this particular program. Do some research into the program and find ways that you think it is a good one that will be a good fit for you and be ready to talk about it. Do you go over with other Daystar students? Discuss how this could help you with homesickness...things like that. Make it obvious that you personally are up to the challenge, and that you have worked hard for this chance, and that you know this is just the right way for you to study abroad.

Do you have any questions for us?

Try to think of a few things about the program that you are wondering about--if you have any questions prepared (if they ask for them!) it makes it clear that you have done research into what you are applying for!

GOOD LUCK GOOD LUCK!!! Remember--be yourself! you are wonderful and funny and smart and they will snatch you up as soon as they meet you!

Day 731: Good Luck James

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:16:20 -0500

Hope Runs scholar James has his interview tomorrow for his one year study abroad program in Korea! Although I could take this opportunity to discuss the finer points of why James may not like the cuisine in Korea/why it will take him forever to get adjusted to such non-Kenyan-Central-Highlands foods as "fish"...instead I will take this opportunity to simply say GOOD LUCK!

Positive energy coming your way!

James, with this interview you take step number million in reaching your ultimate goal of becoming a man who can - in your words - "kick poverty to hell with Satan!"

Um.

Day 730: Google Analytics is Funny

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:20:09 -0500

Today, some hearty web research about this very website turned up the fascinating fact that, in the last month, three entire human beings (or cats on computers) found TrippingOnWords.com by typing in "coral wounds" into Google.

Now, it is common in the Internet world that individuals type in all sorts of gibberish into Google and subsequently find websites that often have nothing to do with said gibberish. But my surprise in this instance comes from the fact that I strongly believe we never mentioned coral - at all - on this blog.

Hm.

Submit Your Bad Dates to Mixtt.com!

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:44:17 -0500

Our dear friend Eve has a new online group dating site, and we're certain that the millions of bad dates some of our readers have gone on might be able to add to her growing wealth of knowledge.

If you feel like doing a little creative writing, please send along your horror stories to diane@mixtt.com... And you can DEFINITELY submit anonymously; just indicate in your email how you would like your name printed.

Check out the submissions so far. , see the blog at .

Day 726: James is Funny

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:35:02 -0500

In discussions with Hope Runs scholar James today about study abroad opportunities he wants to pursue, he used the following line:

"Other favourite nations are Japan, Canada and Germany or England--where I would be closer to my future dream!"

Indeed.