Blogs from Sparks, Maryland, United States, North America

Saturday, August 14, 2010 Well I'm back in the States safe and sound. The Fulbright Program in Mexico was intense and something I'll always treasure as a great opportunity. I now have a better appreciation for fresh clean water, food that I can buy without chemically treating it to kill bacteria, a good-paying job with benefits, the luxury of time to do with as I want, good health (and healthcare), and any number of other things. There's nothing like visiting a part of the world like Mexico and seeing firsthand how people are struggling to meet their most basic needs. 12 and 14 hour work days are common/6 days a week. The daily wage at Walmart is $5. That's for ONE day. Some things may be cheaper in Mexico, but they're not that cheap. But Mexico ... read more

Another quick entry. We're staying with Sherry's aunt Diane and uncle Alan in Sparks, MD, just north of Baltimore. Yesterday we took mass transit out of Manhattan to NJ to pick up our car, then we drove to Philadelphia for lunch w/ my friend Sean and his wife Dea. As has been the case all along our trip route, we were running about 2-3 hours late, but we had a nice mid-afternoon bite at Sean and Dea's old pizza place, Garrett Hill Pizza near Villanova, PA. I'd definitely recommend a stop at GHP if you're in the area. This morning was spent consuming coffee and a home-cooked breakfast with great grits. In a word, Yum. Today we'll probably just relax before heading south to Washington DC tomorrow. Probably the funniest thing that's happened over the past ... read more