still interested?

Now that it has been a full 6 months since I returned from Kenya, I have realized that there are several people who have asked me about my posts.  And as I read over them, I say, hey, I'm not such a bad writer!  I am committed in my time at home (ha ha ha) this summer, I am going to work on updating my blog with the stories of the time I spent at the hotel before I left Kenya.  I am also working on editing the movie that I took while there.  By the end of the summer, I should have a finished piece of work regarding the movie and I would love to share it with anyone who wants to watch it.  I am also going to continue efforts to raise money for the Walk Children's Center.  So far, my students and I have raised over $1000 for the center.  If you have neat and interesting ideas about how to raise money for my kids over there, please let me know!

Another interesting thing. . .I was contacted by a writer of SmartMoney magazine who is doing an article on "volunteer vacations."  She interviewed me, that has been a few months ago, but last I contacted her she was still gathering research. . .so stay tuned I'll let you know if I get quoted.  I did not speak well of i-to-i (the volunteer organization that I used) in that interview,  because I was very upset about some issues that I feel that could have handled better.  Like the fact that they called my mother before they called me when they cancelled my project for my safety.  My mom, thousands of miles away, could only worry about me at that point.  Not cool to me.  I also have been in a bit of a battle about getting some of my money back, but that's another story.  I am appreciative of the way that they made my first trip to Africa feel safe and planned.  I couldn't have made the trip without that security.  I mean going to a foreign country by yourself is quite scary!  even when you're 30!  I am a little nervous about the article since I have been reading recently that the writer doing the story was called on the carpet pretty harshly about how she took a story out of context about affiliate marketing.  We'll see how well she represents me and my words.

You will notice that I have included some pictures from my safari trip in Kenya as well as a picture of the Walk Children's Center and my friend Luke with a couple of the kids.  If you would like to see more pictures, just shoot me an email (toniw@alumni.duke.edu) and I will send you an invitation to my photos on Picasa.  Most of my pictures are also posted on facebook.

So. . .yeah I've been saying it for 6 months. . .but here it goes again.  STAY TUNED for more posts about this amazing adventure that changed my life in more ways than I can ever measure.

~t