BEACHES!!! ....I'm dreaming of beaches...

I'm in finals week right now. I have a lot of work to do for my European Union class. One problem: I repeatedly find myself losing focus on the European Union and how it is contributing to world peace. Where is my focus going? I'll tell you. BEACHES.

I want to go to the beach.


A WARM BEACH.



I miss palm trees.

And warm sand. There's a enormous difference between cold sand and warm sand. I miss the warm, dry sand and how it feels under my feet.

...Well, now that I'm thinking about it I kind of miss the wet, muddy sand too. You know, the kind that gets in between your toes. . . It can be found right at the edge of where the tide comes up. You stand at the tide's edge, just close enough to where the ocean comes up over the top of your feet, maybe it gets your ankles too, and when the water receeds, you can feel the gooey sand under your feet rushing back out to the ocean with the fast-moving water. I adore that feeling.


This morning I even put on my swimsuits before got dressed to go to our Evergreen gathering! I think I was conviced that it would make me feel a little more connected to the beach. It just made me realize how much I look like a Pacific Northwesterner - I'm so pale!!! :) I don't think that we Italians were meant to have this little exposure to the sun. It doesn't look good on us. The Mediterranean people - Greeks, Italians, Portuguese, etc. - we just look better when we have gotten a little bit of sun. All of my friends of Northern European descent look great pale. Not me. And my dark-skinned friends, well they just look great all year long!

Ok, enough dreaming about soaking up sunshine...now back to the European Union...

I'm inviting you into the conversation - about conflict, that is!

Hey there friends,

Over the past few weeks, I have come to realize that I do a very poor job at letting the fascinating things I'm studying trickle over into the rest of my life. I'm learning some pretty amazing things. It doesn't do anyone much good if I take in all the fantastic things I'm being exposed to and keep them for myself. So, I'm going to try to make an effort to blog more about Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies. You are invited to the conversation. Get your conversation bubbles ready!
AND, I'm going to try to post more photos. I think that they make my blog pretty. Don't you?

My Work: These Numbers Have Faces

What's new with me?
Well, one of the most significant changes in my life has been joining the team of people who work for a non-profit called These Numbers Have Faces.



Why am I so excited?
There are several reasons:
1. We work in post-apartheid South Africa. I am learning a lot about South Africa as I'm pursuing a Masters in Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies. I have a great admiration for all that the Rainbow Nation has overcome, AND I recognize that the country has a long way to go before blacks in South Africa are truly free.
2. I'm passionate about social change in post-conflict areas. There is a lot of "cleaning up" to do after a society has been ravaged with violent conflict. In the case of South Africa, nearly ninety percent of the resources are still in the hands of about ten percent of the people. This means that the resources available for black South Africans are not always adequate for them to meet their basic needs. Resources are even more lacking for those with the ambition to earn a college degree.
3. TNHF is based on individual relationships and partnerships. The idea is that we are friends with the people with whom we partner. We work on small-scale projects. Our work is deep rather than broad. Our partnership works to provide a small group of youth in the township of Gugulethu with AIDS education, mentoring, character development, sports training, and educational resources. We know these kids.
4. Even though TNHF has only been established for a little over a year, a lot of great things are happening! TNHF's partnership in South Africa is with a high school-age soccer team called JL Zwane Football Club. The team has had a great season, and they are being cared for and mentored by Coach Eric. The MOST exciting part for me has been that our first student, Anda Sozawe, has graduated from high school, gotten accepted into college, and is now in his first term at Northlink College in South Africa. Anda is studying Sports Management at Northlink and hopes to return to his home community of Gugulethu better equipped to mentor other future leaders through soccer.

This photo was taken of Anda while he was practicing.

5. I'm going to South Africa this summer! Yeah, that's right. I'm going to Capetown this summer with TNHF. We will check in with JL Zwane FC and Coach Eric to reassess what comes next. I might explore some opportunities to bring young South African women into TNHF. :)

I just started working with TNHF, but I'd appreciate your prayers and encouragement for what lies ahead for me and for us. Check out the website. It might get you excited too!