Travel: You Know You…

  • Post category:Travel
  • Reading time:3 mins read

You know you have lived abroad for too long when... you have spent more time abroad than in your own home country. you have acquired a foreign accent. you have lost the fluency you once had in your two mother tongues (Nepali and Seke, referred to as a dialect in the Wikipedia entry) and have pretty much lost the ability to communicate in (Hindi) the third language you learned growing up. the language you express yourself best in is (English) the fourth language you learned growing up. you even think and dream in (English) the fourth language. you return home…

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EdufreeNepal Campaign: Days 28-35

  • Post category:Projects
  • Reading time:3 mins read

We crossed the tipping point on June 25, with ten more days to go. Over the course of the remaining days, almost ten thousand was added to the contribution! The contributions averaged an impressive 1K per day!! Here's the how it looked in the end. Fig. 1. Education is Freedom-Nepal Campaign Status as of the morning of July 1. I have these backers to thank for their pledges: Jessica Roff, a friend from my Grinnell years. Michael H. Adolfae Manaslu Gurung, a friend from SMS. Henry Throop, a Grinnell classmates who's donated for a second time! Kristine Kay Johnson, a…

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Mohanad's reason for signing the petition.
Mohanad's reason for signing the petition.

Qatar…From Afar: Uncommon Courage

  • Post category:QatarQatar Academy
  • Reading time:10 mins read

In this post, I would like to share two communications that we all can learn from. The first is a comment left on the change.org petition by a former student of mine, and the second a response to that comment. A number of individuals took great risks and displayed great courage participating in the campaign for my release. But one young former student of mine, Mohanad Rwaished, took an incredible risk and showed a level of courage that is uncommon in his age group. After signing the Change.org petition, he added a very honest comment detailing what he and his…

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Education Is Freedom: Campaign in Nepal

  • Post category:Projects
  • Reading time:1 min read

As the international fundraising campaign Education is Freedom - Nepal winds down, the long-awaited fundraising campaign in Nepal for fellow Nepalese either residing in the country and/or unable to pledge through the startsomegood.com page, for one reason or another, is live. Here's the link to the pledge page: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1czZzu59A5wk1O8MbnbTmuwDIOxj0RTwo6pBhVSLwV2o/viewform Pledge away! Thank you. * * * * * * * * The drive has ended! Thank you for your pledges! * * * * * * * *

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EdufreeNepal Campaign: Days 15-27

  • Post category:Projects
  • Reading time:3 mins read

Days 15-20 Fig. 1. Education is Freedom-Nepal Campaign Status as of the morning of June 20. I could have sworn I had posted this last week!! I even have recollections of what I wrote for a number of the backers. (Could I have dreamt them?!) Anyway, I have these backers to thank for their pledges: Sarita Vaid, from my years in Azerbaijan. Monika Ranjitkar, yet another pledge! Alisa Greenwald Greenbacher, a classmate and friend from Grinnell. Liz Favret. Cindy Bagshaw, pledged by my friend Paula Boon on her behalf. Mateja Jamnik Bierman, another UWCAD friend. Nathalie Fetzer-Hoernig, a dear friend…

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