The other day, for the first time that I can remember, I found myself instantly without it. I felt as if I was in a dark room without walls, ceiling or floor… Searching. Grasping for anything - anything at all, but without knowing where to look. The first glimpse I found, I thought, “That’s stupid. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s too insignificant.” But at least it was something to hold on to. It may not have been much, but it was the shape - the memory of something. Turning it over in my mind like a pebble in my hand. It [View Full Entry]

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These past three months have been wonderful, yet quite an emotional struggle for me here in Mexico. In February, the other volunteers and I went on a week long immersion trip to the US-Mexico border. The emotional impact of that trip was the main reason why I haven’t been able to bring myself to write you all for so long. How do I share the reality, the pain and suffering, and somehow even the hope we found along the way? How do I even know what to say - when I myself have never, and will never be able to fully [View Full Entry]

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Okay, so I admit… I haven’t written in a while mainly because I’ve been in a bit of a funk and didn’t feel like passing it on to you all. But the canned-soup version includes things like my country coordinator Heidi leaving for a new job, people I care about struggling with alcohol, feeling like an enabler rather than an empowering figure, and other more selfish things like missing snow, food, people, cancelled vacation plans, and other things that go along with the Christmas season. Then of course with me, there’s ALWAYS the other larger things that get me ril [View Full Entry]

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Hey everyone! First of all… President Obama!!! Can you believe it?? The girls and I watched CNN Tuesday night for the election coverage, and by the time Barack’s victory was finally announced I think everyone in the room was crying. That, PLUS the fact that Kyle helped win the state of Indiana for what is only the second time in 68 years, And…AND, not a single other county in Iowa had a higher margin of victory than my very own Jackson County. (I like to think that they still had some pretty fine support leftover from the Caucuses if you know [View Full Entry]

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When I was student teaching in Germany, Papa Burcham always reminded me that EVERYONE has a story…. But it’s not enough to simply know that a story exists. We have to make a deliberate effort to understand and appreciate each person’s unique history, because in doing so, we will inevitably love them as well. When I worried about “How do I be a good and effective teacher?” the only advice Papa B. would ever give was, “Love them. Each and every day, love each and every one. Once they know that, everything else just happens.” I can’t emp [View Full Entry]

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Those of you who know me realize that being on time is NOT exactly one of my strong points. The whole concept of operating under “Mexican time” was pretty appealing to me… One thing I didn’t count on however, was just how much time it takes to maneuver in a city that has little or no access for people with disabilities. One of the organizations I will be working with throughout this year provides services and job-skills training for people with various physical handicaps. Every morning, I catch the Route 5 bus from my home and make my way to Calvario [View Full Entry]

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First off, I’ll answer the question I get asked most often… No, I’m not “officially” working for the Obama Campaign. I learned earlier this month that had I been hired as paid staff, I would have been placed in another county and I would have had to move in order to take a position. Also, since field organizers get almost no time off, I wouldn’t have been able to spend any time with my family. I figured that since the whole reason I’m spending a year at home in the first place is to spend time with them before (hopefully) moving [View Full Entry]

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Well, most of you know that I’m back in Iowa by now…. And although it’s good to be home, it’s definitely bitter-sweet. Those last weeks in Germany were nothing short of amazing. Christmas markets, tree hunting, Glühwein parties, and just some great “family time” with people I had come to love. I was supposed to leave the kids on the 15th of December when our housing ended… but in typical Alisha-fashion, my heart wouldn’t let me. Instead, I decided to become a bag lady. Amazingly, I convinced Heather that it would actually be FUN to keep [View Full Entry]

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Wow. Looking back, I realize that it’s been about a full month since I’ve posted last…yet it feels like just yesterday! Scary. But anyway…Big news first. SCOTLAND! Since we had a long weekend for Thanksgiving, Heather, Grace and I flew into Scotland to visit my old friend Melanie. (She’s doing really well by the way, and is studying international politics and French at Stirling University. Eventually, she hopes to become a college professor or work for the European Union.) Before we flew out on Thursday afternoon the girls and I actually had our own litt [View Full Entry]

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Happy Halloween everyone! So…while I was in Guatemala this summer I shamelessly shared my “daily poop status” with y’all, so I don’t mind sharing my utter excitement over NOT wetting myself when I went to the haunted house in Frankenstein Castle about a week ago! No, really, you don’t understand. Haunted houses here are hard-core! And not just because this one was in THE Frankenstein Castle either…the monsters here are not only allowed to touch you, but they’ll even pick you up, carry you kicking and screaming away from your group, and [View Full Entry]

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