// May 31st, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Jordan, Photo of the Week
Petra in Jordan is one of the most fascinating sights. As you meander your way through the Sikh (literally means ‘snake’ but referring to the gorge) you walk for a bit before coming upon the Treasury. It’s incredible to get your first glimpse of it before the walls open up, and you are suddenly standing in front of this magnificent piece of history.
// May 28th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Jordan, Philanthropy
Sole Purpose is the fundraising portion of my website geared towards education and microlending. I run, you donate, I find awesome projects, and together we raise awareness for the amazing work that people are doing to improve others’ livelihoods.
Amman, Jordan
You may be wondering how I find these projects, and the truth is, it varies. (more…)
// May 27th, 2010 // 6 Comments » // Italy
Start of the 2010 Rome Marathon by the Colosseum
I woke up with a cold again. I thought I had shrugged it off about a week earlier, but it was back. I took some cold medicine and slowly got dressed. The temperature was perfect outside, and I was still hoping to finish in under five hours. Yes, I’m a turtle- slow and steady. (more…)
// May 26th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Italy
My favorite view of the Colosseum
House Interior, Palatine Hill
I got up early to meet my mom at the airport. Neither of us having a phone, we decided to meet at arrivals. And if we didn’t find each other we would meet at the Alitalia check-in desk. I got to the airport about 10 minutes after her flight was due in, to find out that her flight landed early. I found the terminal that her flight came in on and waited. And waited. I couldn’t find her. I went upstairs to the check-in desks, but the Rome airport is not setup by airlines. Each flight is assigned a desk number so there was no way we could meet at an Alitalia check-in desk. I made about 4 trips back and forth between arrivals and the check-in area. Finally, after about 45 minutes, my mom spotted me at arrivals. What a relief! It had taken her a long time to get her bags. We took the subway into town and checked in at our bed & breakfast. It was a quaint place run by a lovely woman (i.e. the one that helped us find a hospital). You’ll be able to read more about it once I post about my Italy accommodations. (more…)
// May 25th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Italy, Running
Theme for the 2010 Rome Marathon: Quite Symbolic for the start of my trip!
After spending a night in Perugia, I took the train to Rome. Since my mom wasn’t due in until the following day, I was staying in a hostel my first night. I dropped off my stuff and headed out to the Marathon Village to pick up my race packet. (more…)
// May 24th, 2010 // 7 Comments » // Photo of the Week, Rwanda
Knowing that I had to spend a week in Kigali, I needed to take a day trip or two to pass the time. The Rwandan tourism office ORTPN recommended I go to Kibuye, a town on the shores of Lake Kivu. Less touristed than it’s northern counterpart Gisenyi, I can’t say that there was much to do there. However, the lake was beautiful and the five hour round trip drive to get there was full of stunning scenery. You can also get a glimpse of the Democratic Republic of Congo from the town of Kibuye. As I head to northern Rwanda on Wednesday, I’m looking forward to seeing more of this beautiful lake.
// May 21st, 2010 // 7 Comments » // Kenya, Volunteer
Riding in a tuk-tuk near Mombasa with fellow volunteers
I’ve had to take a few days to contemplate this post. Two years ago, I volunteered for an orphanage in Kenya and decided to return on my around the world trip. I had anxieties about whether or not the second time around would be better, worse, or just different. And if the truth be told, I’m not really sure how I would categorize it. So here’s a rough breakdown.
(more…)
// May 20th, 2010 // No Comments » // Italy
Florence, Lucca, and Pisa are now posted in my Italy Gallery. Below is my Florence photos. Enjoy!
Did you miss my posts on Florence? Catch up here!
When In Florence, Be a Tourist
I Duomo About You, But I Love Florence
// May 18th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // Kenya, Philanthropy
You may have read my urgent appeal for donations almost two weeks ago for my first micro-lending project. I am so thankful for the positive responses, and the $150 that has been donated since. So now, I’m excited to share more details on the project and where it’s at as of today.
The Project:
Sole Purpose’s first micro-lending project is for a Video Show in a rural village. It will essentially be a small movie theater, showing DVDs as well as airing what comes on television. Since most people don’t have tvs out in the villages, Video Shows tend to do a pretty good business. They charge 5 Kenyan shillings per showing, unless it’s a big soccer match (such as the World Cup coming up) for which they can charge 10 Kenyan shillings.
Who are the recipients:
You may have read two earlier posts that mentioned a boy I called James (concerning food theft and my first visit with him). His name is actually John (age 18) and he has two brothers Patrick (age 15) and Onesmus (age 22) (there are more siblings but these are the three involved in the Video Show). At the time of writing my previous posts, I had reasons for protecting his privacy. It turns out it is not an issue, so even though I have/will confuse some readers, I will start referring to him as John. John and Patrick are sponsored by Watoto Wa Baraka, which is how I first met them in 2008. These three boys are some of the most intelligent and hardworking people I know.
John, Onesmus, and Patrick: the first recipients of a Sole Purpose loan
// May 17th, 2010 // No Comments » // Kenya, Photo of the Week
I just got back from a nice little holiday at Diani beach, just south of Mombasa, Kenya. I went with three other volunteers from Watoto Wa Baraka, and we had a great time. Diani is known for it’s fancy resorts and German tourists. The only real budget option is a place called Stilts (across from the most popular bar in Diani Forty Thieves) which has 6 ‘treehouses‘ for you to stay in. They have a couple of different types of monkeys and bush babies that hang out in the trees and occasionally drop in. This one sat over the balcony area on the last day, watching me pack and probably hoping to eye some food. Our first day they stole all of our food, including my coveted jar of peanut butter. We couldn’t figure out how the little guy got the jar out of the treehouse until we went to bed that evening and discovered it on top of one of the mosquito nets. If you sleep out on the balcony, you’re bound to wake up to a monkey within a few feet of you or possibly on your bed. The Stilts was a great place to stay and the monkeys made it that much more enjoyable (just hide all of your food in your luggage if you plan to see it again)!
I love to travel, run, volunteer, and explore this crazy world! If it involves an adventure or a passport, count me in! For more about me, click here.
