Visiting My Daughter in Iraq (part 2) She lived upstairs in what we would call a duplex. It was surrounded by a wall, and there was not a yard, though several neighbors had potted plants barely clinging to life. The floor and walls were all tile, and many of the wall tiles contained scripture verses, [...]
I Visited My Daughter in Iraq So, your daughter lives where?! Is she in the military? This is the response I would usually get when I told people that my eldest lived in Iraq. They didn’t understand the heart that she had to love and serve these people. It could be really hard. I watched [...]
IHOP Broke My Spirit There’s this thing called reverse culture shock, and man is it a real kick in the head when it hits you. I’m American, born and raised, and had my fair share of intercultural experience. I even have a degree in intercultural studies. Of all people in the world I should be [...]
Dolma or Yaprax A universally known and loved food in our area is dolma (also known as yaprax). It involves a mixture of uncooked rice, minced meat (often lamb), and spices stuffed into a variety of veggies (zucchini, green peppers, onions, eggplant, tomatoes, and more) or grape leaves. Then it is artfully crammed into a [...]
Langa There are second hand markets in every city. I love them. I’m a thrift shopper in the US and so these super cheap bazaars are right up my alley. I’ve found multiple pair of practically new name brand shoes, lots of cute clothes, bag, dishes and decorations. It’s a good day when I can [...]
It’s quiet in the mornings Before the student rush The call to prayer […]
Chrissie is a mother of 4 and the life of the party. She and her family spent two months in Greece partnering with our refugee friends to feed the hungry, to entertain kids, and to love those dealing with grief and trauma past and present. She's fun, crazy, and a real person. Here are 20 questions [...]
Elizabeth spent two months of her summer break from college teaching English and helping out with various refugee projects in Athens. She was able to form deep friendships and make great friends. She left part of her heart in Athens with her new refugee friends and family. 20 Questions What keeps you up at night? Things I haven't [...]
Finding Encouragement Sometimes it’s hard to find joy or feel encouraged in a given moment or a given day. Life overseas in a different culture can be hard. Physical comforts are sometimes lacking. Relational support is sometimes lacking. And sometimes it’s simply your own attitude that is lacking. But instead of making a top 10 [...]
Creative Teaching Solutions, Iraq Style! One of the major challenges for my students learning English as a second language was vocabulary! When I started teaching 2nd grade Humanities my students couldn’t understand and respond to the simple commands “get a pencil” or “turn to page 5”. Every word seemed like a new word for them to learn. [...]
