Well, here I return to my blog after almost a year of silence. I am about one month away from heading off to Africa. I prepare daily by way of research, Swahili classes and the regular moments of silence trying to contemplate my upcoming journey. Regardless, this trip remains in the world of fantasy for me. I cannot comprehend this trip that I will be going on. I question whether I am prepared. So many things are on my "to-do" list, so easy to just sit back and enjoy the summer as I have so far. I have decided the best means of continuing to prepare is to document. This coming journey will require a good set of eyes and ears, and a bold heart. I am not worried about the latter, but perhaps in documenting this coming month I will begin the discipline of the former.....


Today is the 4th of July. My family and I took my French cousin to down town Lake Oswego to watch the parade. As my father said, this way he could enjoy some authentic Americana. Despite initial skepticism (likely left over from my short years of teenage angst), the event was fun enough. People dressed their children and dogs in the red, white, and blue and they walked them down our main street for the entire city to see. As my father also noted, it is one of the few parades in which those in the parade outnumber those watching the parade. Tonight I head off to Ft. Vancouver to watch the firework display there. I have heard good things about it and I will have great company so it should be a good evening. I only wish I didn’t have to be at the bus station tomorrow morning at 7:20 AM for Swahili class. I love the class, but the hours are early. I guess I have no right to complain given the majority of my employed peers are doing the 9-5 bit. Hmm, not much to comment on, but it’s a beginning.
Kwaheri,
Mike