Blogs from Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, North America

The first days here in Davenport are already behind me and so far it has been a great experience. Let me take you through my experiences here so far. When I stepped foot outside of the airport the difference in weather was obvious. I felt the need to put on a jacket to harm me against the cold breeze and the light drizzle. The taxi driver, taking me to the hotel told me that it took him a couple of months to adjust to the weather when he arrived. I feel for him, being a South-African in a place where the winters are amongst one of the coldest of the entire States. The drive to the hotel was a lot longer than I anticipated. A herald for what I was about to find out. The distances ... read more

On that 2004 cross-country one-way road trip I’m always talking about (just mentioned again in my January 20th blog), after weleft our disposable car in Omaha, Nebraska, we raced across Iowa to the Bridges of Madison County – trying to get there before sundown. (Again – a story for another time.) With that theme in mind, I was happy to find out about the Bridge of Kent County, the Ada Covered Bridge, built in 1867, across the Thornapple River. It’s 14 feet wide, and 125 feet long. I’m not sure why I’m drawn to covered bridges, but I’m not alone. There is a “National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges”, which publishes a World Guide to Covered Bridges, a quarterly magazine, and a newsletter (http://www.coveredbridgesociety.org/). And, for me, it’s not because of the movie (“Bridges ... read more

“The Journey Begins” Who would have imagined Jenison teachers planning and executing a Fine Arts Camp in Beijing China? It all started with a phone call in the summer of 2011. A Jenison alumni contacted the offices of Jenison International Academy (JIA), inquiring about our school for a friend that lives in Beijing. This began the journey. What started as a personal inquiry proved to be much more as weekly correspondence developed with this parent in Beijing. It was discovered that parents all over the world have similar goals and aspirations for their children…What if we could bring two cultures together through educational experiences? In February, a team from China, including an elementary principal and educational consultant, came to visit and tour JPS. During their time here, they were able to meet staff, students and parents, ... read more

I just wanted everyone to know that I did make it home safely! :)... read more

Jo and I arrived safely back in Detroit Thursday night, and now it's back to the grind ; ) Thanks for tuning in!... read more