So many emotions were running through me. I was on a happy high. We just finished our last day of training and earlier that day, we completed a Walmart run to grab last minute odds and ends before our trips aboard and of course my $17 purchase didn’t seem like it would be enough. We […]
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I sat on the porch over-looking the school yard. The primary students were all outside shrieking and laughing, enjoying their morning break. The air was cool, yet heavy; clouds moving lazily overhead, barely able to hold the weight of the moisture that they were carrying. I breathed in deep and long, enjoying the mountain air […]
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I was awakened from my Sunday afternoon nap by a call from my caretaker, Aki. He informed me that I am to meet him at his home immediately because in less than 30 minutes, we are to meet with the chief of Akwadum! Still disoriented from my nap, I jumped out of bed, heart racing, […]
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As I walked outside, I heard the grass crunch under my shoes. The wind blew against my skin and I felt my hair lightly brush against my cheek that was warm from the now fading Texas sun. As I sat on the ground, to look out over the hill, I snapped a leaf of sage […]
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The red-orange sunrise illuminated the rolling hills of the McKnight ranch. As I squinted, I could distinguish herds of little black dots scattered about on the rolling hills of this west Texas rangeland. I could feel the humidity in the air, almost like a damp blanket covering my skin, as I slowly crept onto the […]
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In this line of work, it can be difficult to measure what your work is actually supposed to be. You get dropped off in a village and despite your preparation, you have no idea what you’re doing. In addition, you are expected to create some measurable outcome when realistically there are very few ways to […]
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Back in May, I held a leadership training for my 4-H club officers. It went well for the most part, but I was struck by how shy the officers were—especially the president. The last club president, Ruhiya, was an intense third-year student who had no trouble stirring up her classmates for meetings and the like. […]
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It has been three years since my team of AgriCorps Fellows set out for our training in Texas – a whirlwind of adventure ensued over the following year and has kept me swept up in travels since first being recruited to AgriCorps in the spring of 2014. After completing my year of service […]
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Usually the night before a big event with my students, like most teachers or FFA advisors, I am up worrying and worrying…hoping that the next day will go well. Hoping that I remembered to do everything, call this person, remind this person, print that, or purchase this, hoping that people actually show up. I can […]
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As I step into my Uber for my morning commute to work, I immediately recognize the accent of my driver, who is requesting my name. “Where are you from?”, I smile and ask. He proudly responded, “Ghana!” For the next twenty minutes, from Georgetown to Capitol Hill, we talked about our experiences in one of […]
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