Writing in Ethiopia wasn't easy, initially. It could be there was too much to write and think about. Reading on the other hand has been a joy, or maybe it was just the quality of the books. I finished Shantaram which I regard highly. And now, 'Into the wild' is leaving a mark. I guess if you aren't writing, you might as well read. Alchemist is next in the line-up. Some say it is a moving combination - Shantas, Into the Wild and the Alchemist- in that order. "Sometimes we see the past so clearly, and read the legend...
U&I
The Rundown
Now there isn't a Maccas in Maccas. Don't come here expecting to treat yourself with a mcflurry whenever you get the craving, cause you won't get it. Macedonia slacked on paying the rights to keep McDonald's in the country, or something in that line. Nevertheless, they offer something else, but for the more savoury tooth. Burek. A phyllo pastry with white cheese inside. To go with it, you get yourself a Jogurt - plain drinking yoghurt, 3,2% - it's far from plain, it's a pretty insane combination. Macedonia consists of Balkans, Albanians, Romas (gypsies) and more. Within 4 weeks,...
People of nowhere Macedonia. I'd heard about it before but only because it was one of the flags I drew in one of the few educational activities I got pulled into when working with "the kids." Before then, I didn't know where it is, or that it was even a country. Macedonia has since become more than just a flag I recently drew. Can't help but to see that such a minor activity could add a glimpse into what my future then, did hold. Refugees As volunteers it would seem pretty obvious that we follow the needs of...
There's much to be said about Spain, as it is with every country we've been to thus far. The hardest part, certainly, is not being able to say it all. Words can hardly describe the experiences, the places and even more so, the people. Nevertheless, here is a foolish attempt, hoping to give you a taste of an adventure in Espanõl. 3 people. 2 barefoot. 1 mission. 0€ . About 8 hours into this mission, we're sitting at Maccas (McDonald's, place of peace #home #what's_new), eating popcorn, also +/- 300km away from our starting point in Aranjuez. It is...
I quoted this piece before whilst in Uganda in 2016 when over-quoting was under-rated: "In going where you have to go, and doing what you have to do, and seeing what you have to see, you dull and blunt the instrument you write with. But I would rather have it bent and dulled and know I had to put it on the grindstone again and hammer it into shape and put a whetstone to it, and know that I had something to write about, than to have it bright and shining and nothing to say, or smooth and well oiled...
I used to believe everything I write is true, but now I know there are many truths and mine only bears witness. "Truth. What is truth?" is Pontius Pilates rhetoric in response to Jesus who had just told Pilate who He is and what He came to do: "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." John 18:37-38 That afternoon's phenomena would have clarified Pontius' resolve if...
Farther Along Blessed is the man who searches his heart And dares to step out of line He watches the crowds and considers their direction Only he thinks to himself - what a crime - How a man could have accepted lies so undetected Blunting his heart to evil - Linking hope that is deceiving to the truth he believes in His standards have fallen feeble. But give the man a Bells, yes honor him well - He who dares to question All status and quo, along with its' woes - The lies being covered in reflection. Awakened he stands...
"I wonder what sort of tale we've fallen into?" - J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings) Now I've never read the books or even watched all of 'The Lord of the Rings' - something I do regret. Nonetheless, like the quote above, I too wonder what kind of life we have stumbled upon these past 7 weeks... I came across this quote from a book I started reading at the beginning of training - the preparation before journey for Global Challenge. The book is titled 'Epic', by John Eldredge. Looking back I realize how symbolic the book...
A few weeks ago, team Explore Africa went on our first journey together. A road trip to Cape Town from Jeffrey's, to get our Schengen visas. Looking back, what a beautiful tale it turned into - the trial, and more profoundly, the triumph. Our plan was simple and easy and we seemed pretty prepared for it all. - Make a team video along the way and get it out there. ( YouTube: Explore Africa 2016 - Global Challenge) - Spontaneously stop at Map of Africa (Wilderness), which would prove symbolic of this and future adventures - unpredictable - Braai...
"Oh when the Reds..." is the war cry that sounded as the Red team - my red team - marched in for our last challenge of survivor during week 2 of training. If you had asked any student 4 days earlier what their take was on training, or Global Challenge for that matter, that theory would most probably have imploded, and rightly so. Survivor came as a shock to us all, having all the tests required for inconvenient circumstances. A box of matches, a knife and one sleeping bag - the 3 luxury items permissible, that we as the...
