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Notes on Nigeria

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In Nigeria I was continually busy and surrounded by welcoming, well-educated people whose company was very easy. It was difficult to understand the culture and way of life of the masses from this vantage point. My first night was spent at the Sheraton where everyone went out of their way to be kind and helpful. I ate delicious salads and desserts and was surrounded by elegantly dressed local women having a night out. Indeed coming from the airport, I noted that the Sheraton was a refuge in a city with a population the size of Colorado.  Driving from Lagos to Ado Ekiti was just having a small window into the everyday Nigerian’s life. Nigerians, no matter their economic status, present themselves very well. Their dress is African bright colors with men wearing matching pantsuits and women dressed in ornate colorful dresses with turbans or braided hair. Everyone is clean and neat and walks with pride. Most women know how to sew and clothing is made at home. On our way, we passed
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Homework Centers – A Communal Solution Supporting Student Success

When I started my job as the assistant to the director of the Lafayette Public Library Homework Center I didn’t realize I would be continuing my own education.   I had just finished graduate school and needed work.   The purpose of the H omework C enter drew me in.   I have known for a long time that that my work needs to be meaningful.     At the same time, I began substitute teaching in the Boulder Valley School District.   The combination of my recent masters in Peace Education and these two jobs led me to appreciate and understand the kind of support that our students and youth warrant and that as a community it is in everybody’s interest to provide. It is no secret that our societal structure is in need of some serious maintenance.  Actually, it has gotten to the point where I wonder if the structural damage is so deep that we need to do a tear down and complete rebuild.  Our educational system has been in the news and at the top of our nations concerns for a long
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An ode to mentors

Remember those prompts that you had to write about in elementary school?  It went something like this: "Who do you look up to?".  Just so you know, this is not going to be an all out love fest for my well loved parents.  While I still request their advice weekly and look up to them in so many ways, there are a plethora of opportunities for mentors in life.  I stopped to consider recently why my cup runneth over in mentorship and I imagine it is due to my avid reading of self help and self discovery books coupled with genuine curiosity and desire for personal and professional growth. What spurred these thoughts of people I look up to?  I have been working at a Homework Center with a woman that both inspires me and lifts me up.  After only 3 short months, it is time for me to move on.  Even before my time was up, I knew that I had to soak in the presence of Gaea during our time together.  When I first met Gaea, I had no idea that she would become a part of my collection of st
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Are the kids alright?

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It's interesting having a new educational lens with which to experience life.  Once a graduate student....how long will I still act like one?  I feel like my education has just begun. Being a substitute teacher seemed like a hardship when I was jumping through the hoops to land this $12/hour job.  And if you think students can be tough on teachers just try being a sub.  I am a non-person, a place holder.  Well, the job itself isn't so bad but when I first started the process it was (and still can be) quite trying.  First off, the sub system is on an automatic dialing system.  Since I was a new sub, I was at the bottom of the pile.  I didn't get a call for the first week.  Then, when my phone starting ringing with assignments, it did so at 5:30 in the morning!  Yup, subs get calls from 6 at night until 10pm and again from 5 in the morning until 9am.  I woke up in a frantic frenzy and one time I couldn't even operate the key pad and get my sub number dialed in before th
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Working America

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Busy busy.  As my mother always said, "Grass will not grow under your feet".  No sooner did I land in Colorado then I had several interviews.  I arrived on a Friday and by Monday I was knocking on doors for the election.  My first job was with Working America.  It's like a union that working class people can join to increase their political strength through numbers.  They tackle issues such as workplace rights, corporate accountability, health care, quality education and retirement.  Their approach to elections is to research the issues and/or  candidates and support whomever/whatever is best for the working class.  This election Working America supported both President Obama and Congressman Ed Perlmutter on the Colorado ballot. As I said, I knocked on doors for working America.  Yup.  I showed up on Monday, met the 9 other footmen, was given a briefing on dialoguing topics and loaded up into a van to hit the streets.  We did some cheers along the way and discussed wh
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Oh America!

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My sister-in-law chatted on how fun and exciting it would be to be able to pack up and just drive across the United States over our last dinner together in Ohio.  So many of my friends and acquaintances held similar sentiments.  Over frozen yogurt with my college roommate, spaghetti with an old friend and on the RTA in Cleveland with a new friend, I tried to see my life through other's eyes.  It is full of excitement and mystery.  Jumping seamlessly from one adventure to the next.  Not getting the job at Northwestern necessitated drastic measures.  I had to move!  Why I had to move I'm just not sure.  I love my family, loved being with old friends and new friends but just didn't FEEL right in Ohio.  I so often do things based on feelings.  Intuition is another word for that.  How this new chapter ends, well we just don't know but I can take you through the prelude. Yes, I have been extremely fortunate in the adventure department and many other realms that made those
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