my apologies

Especially Now

"I love that feeling. You know, the one you get when you take a deep breath and suddenly everything feels like it's going to be okay. When you're hopeless as can be, and life is going nowhere, there's those moments we have every now and then where we just stop, and we get this feeling, that can't be described, but you just ... you just feel like everything really is going to be okay. Like the world stopped spinning for a second, and everything was clear. I need more of those moments." 

- The X

Mr. President

Adjusting to KOM has been challenging and patience-trying to say the least. But howling laughter in the halls & little tid-bits like this "Letter to the President" have made me fall head over heels for the Karen already. 

Where There is Joy There is Henna

A few weekends ago my dear friend Jess came up to visit & because it's 'what we do' - there were many adventures involved. Including, but not limited to: a 5 mile Kayaking trip down the Cannon River (the next weekend I did a 12 mile with Mike - still sore), an authentic Turkish meal at the Black Sea (even after a few appetizers & main courses we found room for baklava/Turkish coffee), & most notabily a trip to Minneapolis' own SomaliMall for henna. 

Henna is a plant native in some regions of Africa, southern Asia, and northern Australasia (I had to look it up too). Since umm - forever* it's been used to dye skin, hair, fingernails, wool, leather, and silk. The earliest texts link henna skin dying with celebrations of a woman's marriage/fertility.

Henna is a symbol of luck, beauty, and joy - and the most detailed and exquisite patterns are saved for brides to be. Today the hands and feet of many husbands to be are dyed as well. This pre-wedding celebration is sometimes called 'The Night of Henna'. It is not uncommon to see women with simple henna designs on their hands and fingernails daily. But intricate designs are saved for weddings, holidays, and celebrations.

 

Henna can be a great way for women to make money too! At Karmel Square a young woman named Hawa decorated Jess and I. She was trained by her older sister Halima, and together they were apprenticing their niece Eda. Business women?!

It's the beauty of henna that really gets me.
The small shops & spaces where women come together to be decorated with henna - are truly magical. You can feel girl power. It breaks through all differences of background, race, language, religion, etc. Be it in a hotel room in D.C. with girls from Tanzania and Nigeria, Khalda's living room, a hole in the wall beauty shop, or a small space in Karmel Square (Somali Mall) - henna brings women together & makes them feel good!

*for more detailed information on henna click here. 

Penny

A map - that you scratch off where you've been.

                               

'nuff said. I need one. 

You too? Get it here. 

(via A Cup of Jo)

WhataYear

Mid-December: a random couple talks me to at a Caribou coffee in Red Wing, MN. They think I'm someone else. Then invite me to attend a meeting about the co-op they are trying to open. (PS: it's now open... check out http://www.riverbendmarket.com/ for more information about this beautiful project). 

I go to said meeting, and meet Collie Graddick who works for the MN Dept. of Agriculture. He tells me I should e-mail Sara Chute from the MN Dept. of Health. I do. She becomes a wonderful contact who gets me involved in the Metro Area Refugee Health Task Force, coaches me on grant writing, and sends me community refugee updates. She likes chips and salsa as much as I do. 

July: After a wonderful spring/summer of volunteering with WISE I find out that I did not get an AmeriCorps position with them. Same day - Collie e-mails me about a position at the Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM). I'm much to depressed to apply. Sara keeps sending out e-mails about KOM's August 5th Open House (she's the Board Chair). I think, "Maybe I should apply, too bad I have to work during the Open House." 

This is where it gets crazy, folks. 

August 3rd: I apply for the position.

August 4th: The schedule at work changes - I can go!

August 5th: Schedule at work changes again, I can't go. Being obviously upset - a gracious co-worker takes my shift. I rush to the KOM Open House. I get shuffled to a random table. After the program a man comes to the table and introduces himself as KOM's Executive Director. To my surprise he reacts to my introduction by saying,
"Jeanna Bauer?! I called you today."
"Uhh, really?"
"Yeah, why do you not listen to your voicemail?"
Then I lose him. Later in the night I find the Chang Bee Vang again and ask about this voicemail and he tells me that he wants to interview, "Hows tomorrow morning?"

August 6th: Interview at KOM.

August 9th: Interview at Emerge (Emerge is the organization that received AmeriCorps funding - they then 'sub-contract' the volunteer positions to smaller non-profits around the Metro. All of Emerge's AmeriCorps positions revolve around the same issue of Employment). The interview went wonderfully - and as I was pulling out of the parking lot got a call from KOM offering me the position.

I start Americorps training on August 23rd, and start with KOM full time for the year August 30th. I'm still in shock.

Is that a circle or what?!

!!!

I got a job.

Finally.

Here - The Karen Organization of Minnesota

More to come. Very, very soon.

EEP!

HEY YOU - ATTEND!

If you know me and you're free - come to this event!

See what my dear friends and I have been up to all summer! The girls have made some a-maz-ing projects including personal collages (see mine here), talking suitcases, batik, and more! This is their chance to showcase their creativity & culture!

I've been put in charge of hula hoop making - this should be incentive enough to come. BUT in case it isn't... there will be ethnic food, cultural (& fire) dancing, entertainment, hands on art projects, and more art galore!!

I've already sung my love for WISE , so come see for yourself why it's so great. Please. & Thank you.

Driving Directions: Take 94 towards Saint Paul and get off at the Snelling Ave. Exit. Go North on Snelling (towards University). 3 blocks past University, turn right on Edmund St. (there is a Holiday Gas Station). Drive down the block and Hamline Park Plaza is located in front of you. Most of the activities will be located in the Rose Garden. The entrance is near the entrance of the building. Free parking in the ramp! 

Not Milk

It's incomprehensible.

62,000 barrels a day.
205,800,000 barrels total.

That's 76 floors of the Empire State Building filled.

& when I think oil - I think gallons - when I think gallons - I think milk...

x 8,643,600,000 

& to think, I thought it was sad in May.

la porte